The "Packaging Product Stewardship Act" establishes a comprehensive framework for managing packaging waste in New Jersey, requiring producers to either join or create a producer responsibility organization (PRO) within two years of the act's effective date. This organization will develop a packaging product stewardship plan aimed at meeting state recycling and waste management goals, with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) responsible for conducting a Statewide needs assessment every five years. Producers must reduce single-use packaging by 25% by 2032 and transition to reusable or compostable options, while also engaging in public outreach to educate consumers about proper disposal and recycling practices.

The bill also creates the "Packaging Reduction and Recycling Fund," funded by annual surcharges on PROs and non-participating producers, to support recycling infrastructure improvements. It establishes an Office of Plastics and Packaging Management within the DEP to oversee enforcement and compliance, including penalties for violations. Additionally, the bill mandates that stewardship plans include stakeholder consultation, detailed budgets, and strategies for waste reduction, with the Advisory Council on Solid Waste Management playing an expanded role in reviewing these plans and providing recommendations to the DEP commissioner.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 13:1E-8