- Published on February 7, 2013 by As You Sow
'As You Sow' is a nonprofit organization that promotes environmental and social corporate responsibility through shareholder advocacy, coalition building, and innovative legal strategies. They have released a report which analyses the need and momentum for producer responsibility programs to address growing post-consumer waste problems and opportunities in the U.S.
The report highlights the billions of dollars that American businesses are throwing away in valuable packing, and how this is having a huge effect on market inefficiencies and the economy. It details the need for a shift in financial responsibility from the taxpayer to the producers and the positive economic effects that this would yield. Furthermore, it sheds light upon the United States' lagging packaging recycling rates and how in today's modern world, and a world in which natural resources are declining, large amounts of waste is now an indicator of inefficient use of valuable raw materials. The report outlines how the management of recycling by companies and producer responsibility represents great opportunities as the raw materials, like petroleum, that are used to make packaging are becoming increasingly scarce.
The momentum for change and responsibility has been building over the last two years and 'As You Sow' has been at the forefront of this leading companies like Kraft and Walmart to adopt EPR policies. These sustainable production and consumption policies will ease the stress on our planet’s limited natural resources and, as MacKerron said, “It’s good business sense and basic common sense.”
Read the As You Sow 'Unfinished Business' report and visit www.asyousow.org for more information on this progressive analysis of corporate responsibility.