Maryland has now become the sixth state in the U.S. to enact such packaging EPR legislation – after Maine (2021), Oregon (2021), Colorado (2022), California (2022), and Minnesota (2024).The law requires packaging producers to fund and manage the recycling system, marking a major milestone in the state’s effort to reduce waste; boost packaging reuse, recycling, and composting; and build a more circular economy. 

 “With the Governor’s signature, Maryland has taken a bold step toward a cleaner, more sustainable future,” said Senator Malcolm Augustine, the bill’s lead sponsor. “This new law holds producers accountable for the packaging waste they create and builds a modern, circular system that benefits every Marylander. I’m proud to have led this effort and deeply grateful to the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI), Trash Free Maryland (TFM), Maryland Recycling Network (MRN), and all of our legislative champions who made this victory possible.” SB 901 incorporates best practices from PSI’s national packaging EPR model and includes several first-in-the-nation provisions. Under the law, producers must join a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) that will submit an implementation plan to a multi-stakeholder Advisory Council and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) for approval. The PRO will assess “eco-modulated” fees that producers will pay based on the sustainability of packaging materials—incentivizing reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting. The law establishes a phased cost responsibility: producers will cover 50% of program costs by July 1, 2028; 75% by 2029; and 90% by 2030. 

With the signing of SB 901, Maryland joins Maine, Oregon, Colorado, California, and Minnesota in enacting packaging EPR laws—each shaped by collaboration among policymakers, industry, environmental groups, and community leaders. PSI continues to provide national coordination and policy guidance to support state-level efforts and accelerate the transition to producer-funded recycling systems in collaboration with state-based experts such as TFM and MRN.