Rigid Plastic Packaging Container Conference

Held May 15-16, 2000
Hyatt Islandia, Mission Bay
Sponsored by the California Integrated Waste Management Board

• Agenda
• Panel Presentations
• Report from Roundtable Discussions

The Board sponsored and conducted a Rigid Plastic Packaging Container (RPPC) Conference on May 15-16, 2000 in San Diego. The conference consisted of four panel presentations and two interactive workgroups.  This was an opportunity to clarify and share thoughts about the California's rigid plastic packaging container law. Speakers included key personnel from Californians Against Waste, the American Plastics Council, the Grocery Manufacturers of America, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and several multinational product and container manufacturers. Attendees represented a cross-section of the plastic industry, including recyclers, processors, reclaimers, product and container manufacturers, and local and state governments, environmental groups, and trade associations.

Purpose/Objective

The purpose of the conference was to provide a forum for identifying and discussing issues of concern to the regulated and environmental communities, whose resolution would lead to greater compliance with the RPPC law. The objectives were:

• To share thoughts about the challenges, opportunities, and approaches to compliance with the RPPC law.
• To encourage and promote industry networking with Board staff
• To understand and document the market forces and technical challenges facing manufacturers and users of plastic containers
• To identify potential solutions to overcoming market, technical, and policy challenges to complying with the RPPC law

Outcome

The desired outcome is for greater compliance with the RPPC law by industry, including greater recycling of plastic and the use of more postconsumer resin (PCR) in RPPCs. Some of the issues generated from facilitated workgroup discussions, whose resolution will facilitate this outcome, include:

• Lack of continuous funding of public awareness campaigns to increase the collection and recycling of plastic.
• Lack of quality PCR feedstock.
• Competition from export markets for the available supply of PCR.
• The perceived difficulty in using PCR in food and cosmetic applications.
• Technical barriers to using PCR under existing and proposed laws.

Last updated: November 01, 2007