May 11, 2026
Packaging policy is changing quickly across North America, and two familiar acronyms are showing up everywhere: extended producer responsibility (EPR) and responsible end markets (REM).
For AICC members, these programs are shaping how packaging is designed, reported, recycled, and valued in the marketplace. Understanding the framework is becoming increasingly important as brand owners, policymakers, and consumers demand greater accountability and transparency in how packaging materials are produced, used, and recycled.
EPR changes who pays for and manages packaging waste. Traditionally, municipalities managed the cost of collecting and processing recyclables.
EPR shifts that responsibility to producers
—brand owners or companies that sell packaged goods.
Several states, including Maine, Oregon, California, and Colorado, have already adopted packaging EPR legislation. Many more have active legislation, making it likely that EPR will expand further in 2026.
The corrugated industry is in a position of strength as EPR moves forward. EPR programs reward materials that are recyclable and efficiently recovered. Corrugated boxes already have one of the highest recovery rates of any packaging material, a big plus for fee structures.
That said, companies across the packaging supply chain will face expanded reporting requirements, increased transparency around materials, and closer regulatory oversight. This is where REM programs come in.
REM initiatives are designed to verify that materials collected through recycling programs are actually recycled in legitimate manufacturing processes—not diverted, mismanaged, or exported without proper oversight.
For corrugated, this aligns closely with how the system already works. Boxes are routinely recycled into new containerboard and new boxes through a highly circular manufacturing process. The closed loop supports the key goals behind REM: traceability, transparency, and responsible reuse.
AICC members sit at a critical intersection—working directly with manufacturers, supply chains, and brand customers. As EPR expands, converters will increasingly be asked to help customers make smarter packaging decisions, evaluate recyclability, and provide documentation about material performance and sustainability.
In many cases, corrugated packaging already delivers the outcomes policymakers are trying to encourage. In fact, several states are embroiled in lawsuits as they relate to EPR and constitutionality. AICC is advocating for members as these regulations develop. One challenge is the emerging patchwork of state-by-state EPR policies.
AICC keeps you informed on developments through inBox and the website. In the meantime, independent converters are well positioned to lead—and as the regulatory landscape evolves, that leadership will matter more than ever.
Eric Elgin is owner of Oklahoma Interpak and chairman of AICC’s government affairs subcommittee. He can be reached at 918-687-1681 or eric@okinterpak.com.
