PODCAST: What Happens When Companies Pay for Packaging Waste? | Kim Holmes

Episode Title: What Happens When Companies Pay for Packaging Waste? | Kim Holmes

Guest: Kim Holmes, Oregon Executive Director, Circular Action Alliance (CAA)

Summary:

In this episode, Cory Connors talks with Kim Holmes about Oregon’s landmark position as the first U.S. state to implement Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging. Kim traces her path into sustainability — from a paralegal detour to a master’s in urban studies at Portland State University, through hands-on recycling and waste characterization work with Community Environmental Services — before landing in her current role leading Oregon’s CAA team. She breaks down what a producer responsibility organization actually does, how Oregon’s “shared responsibility” model differs from other states, and what’s driving the buildout of the Recycle On network of drop-off sites across the state.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Kim’s career path into recycling and sustainability policy
• What the Circular Action Alliance is and how it supports producer compliance across Oregon, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, and Washington
• Oregon’s shared responsibility model between producers, local governments, and haulers
• The Recycle On brand: public education, outreach, and drop-off collection network
• How producer fees are calculated and why they vary state to state
• Buildout of Oregon’s 144 planned collection points, including partnerships with transfer stations and Southern Oregon Goodwill
• Materials accepted at drop-off centers (film, rigid plastics, foil, shredded paper, glass) versus the curbside system
• How Recycle On differs from Oregon’s Bottle Bill deposit system
• The NAW constitutional challenge to Oregon’s EPR law and its narrow preliminary injunction
• EPR’s long track record internationally (Canada, Europe, and beyond) versus its newness in the U.S.
• Recent wins: roll cart rollouts in The Dalles, new truck deliveries in Southern Oregon, and transportation cost reimbursement for rural communities
• The Contamination Audit Center and Contamination Reduction Funding mechanism
• Working toward a national responsible end-market verification standard with SCS Global
• How other states are watching Oregon’s implementation and where harmonization may emerge

Resources Mentioned:

• Recycle On Oregon page 
• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
• SCS Global

Contact:

Listeners can learn more about Oregon’s EPR programs, find drop-off locations, and get in touch with the Circular Action Alliance team at recycleon.org/oregon.

Closing Thoughts:

Cory and Kim highlight how producer-funded investment is already expanding recycling access to communities that previously had little or none, and how Oregon’s early lessons may shape EPR programs rolling out in other states. They plan to check back in six months to a year to track the program’s progress.

Thank you for tuning in to Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors!

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