Vermont DEC outlines how extended producer responsibility programs work and limits of state role

Matt Chapman, director of the Waste Management and Prevention Division at the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, told the Natural Resources & Energy committee on Thursday that extended producer responsibility, or EPR, programs shift end‑of‑life financial and operational responsibility for hard‑to‑manage products “onto the person who made it in the first place.” Chapman briefed lawmakers on existing state programs and how they are run.

The discussion matters because EPR programs reduce municipal disposal burdens for products such as electronics, paint and batteries and can change who pays for disposal and how manufacturers participate. The committee heard details about program design choices that affect convenience, cost and enforcement.

Chapman said Vermont currently has five active EPR programs covering electronics, mercury thermostats, paint, mercury‑containing light bulbs and batteries. He described three broad program models: manufacturer‑run stewardship organizations (often established as nonprofits), a state‑administered model used for electronic waste, and advanced consumer fee models (a fee paid at the time of…