Lawmakers hear mixed progress, industry concerns as Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act moves into implementation

Chair Lively convened an informational session of the House Interim Committee on Climate, Energy and Environment to review implementation of the Recycling Modernization Act and hear industry testimony.

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality official Cheryl Grabham summarized the RMA’s shared‑responsibility model: producers join a producer responsibility organization (PRO) that establishes collection networks and reports to DEQ, while DEQ oversees program effectiveness. She described two statutory exemption paths: a small‑producer exemption (for example, firms with under $5,000,000 gross revenue or fewer than 1 metric ton sold into Oregon in the most recent year) and product‑specific exemptions created through rulemaking. DEQ has opened a rulemaking period for producers to request exemptions in 2025–2026, and the Oregon Recycling System Advisory Council may provide recommendations during that process.

Kim Holmes, Oregon executive director of the Circular Action Alliance (the state’s PRO), told lawmakers the program has registered more than 2,600 producers and is already…