Imagine a world where packaging is minimal, and what remains is reused and recycled, with few environmental impacts. Strong extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs can help us get there. Under advanced EPR systems, businesses have incentive to incorporate eco design, waste prevention, reuse, and recycling into their operations, returning valuable resources to the circular economy. EPR can help your business and government meet sustainability goals, save money, create green jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This PSI facilitated webinar will begin a global conversation on challenges and opportunities to managing packaging and printed paper (PPP). Speakers from the Extended Producer Responsibility Alliance (EXPRA) and high-performing European and Canadian EPR organizations will explain what EPR is, how successful EPR systems work, and the benefits EPR can deliver – including better recycling infrastructure and increased recycling, eco design, and public awareness. The speakers will also examine EPR’s role in advancing the circular economy and preventing plastics pollution. Participants will leave the webinar with guidance on what is necessary to set up a successful EPR system and next steps to continue the global conversation.

 

 

 

Speakers:

Joachim Quoden

Managing Director, Extended Producer Responsibility Alliance (EXPRA), Belgium

Since April 2013 Joachim Quoden is appointed as managing director of EXPRA – Extended Producer Responsibility Alliance – Inspiring Packaging Recycling, an alliance of 23 non-profit packaging recovery organisations owned by obliged industry from 21 countries from Europe, Canada and Israel. Besides this, he is working since June 1995 as independent German Lawyer specialized on international extended producer responsibility legislation. Since October 2013 he is appointed as chair of the Governance & Legal Issues working group of ISWA, he is member of the Advisory Panel of the Global Product Stewardship Council and of the OECD EPR expert group. He was also an expert of the ISO global standardization project SIS/TK 165/AG 10 Packaging and Environment that has developed between 2009 and 2012 global standards on packaging optimization, recycling, reuse, and energy recovery.

 

John Coyne

Executive Chair, Canadian Stewardship Services Alliance and Vice President, Unilever Canada, Inc., Canada

Named by Clean 50 as one of Canada’s top sustainability leaders, John Coyne is well-known for his leadership in corporate sustainability. John is Executive Chair of the Board of Canadian Stewardship Services Alliance, Inc., Chair of the Board of Stewardship Ontario and is a director of Evergreen. John is a member of Unilever Canada’s board of directors, the Canadian Leadership Team and chair of the company’s Pension Committee. John is a passionate activator of the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, Unilever’s strategy to grow the business, reduce its environmental footprint and increase its positive contribution to society. In addition, John is Co-Chair of the Partners in Project Green steering committee, a major environmental initiative of the Toronto Region Conservation Authority. In 2015, John was appointed as a member of the Ontario Government’s Climate Action Group advising the Ontario Minister of the Environment on effective climate change actions to help Ontario meet its greenhouse gas reduction goals and transition to a prosperous, low-carbon economy.

 

Johan Goossens

Director of Finance & Communication, Fost Plus and Chair of EXPRA's Regulatory Committee, Belgium

 

 

 

 

 

Scott Cassel (Moderator)

Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Product Stewardship Institute, United States

Scott Cassel has over 30 years of experience tackling waste management issues in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Prior to founding the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) in 2000, he served seven years as the Director of Waste Policy and Planning for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, where he developed and implemented solid and hazardous waste management policies and programs. Scott is a nationally renowned leader in the product stewardship movement and has experience across multiple product categories, including electronics, lamps, thermostats, pharmaceuticals, mattresses, packaging, and paint. As PSI’s CEO, he developed the widely acclaimed facilitation process that the organization uses for stakeholder engagement and consensus-building—a process that resulted in the nation’s first industry-run, government-mandated paint stewardship program.