What We Heard at the AMERIPEN Annual Summit
If you lead packaging, sustainability, or procurement in the foodservice industry, the policy landscape probably feels like a rollercoaster. New state mandates, an evolving federal landscape, and growing scrutiny of materials.
At Sabert, the question we hear most often is: where do we even start?
We spent the AMERIPEN Annual Summit actively engaging in packaging policy discussions on where packaging regulation is headed and what that means for our customers.
EPR is here to stay
External Producer Responsibility (EPR) is only gaining traction, and more states are considering mandates. The reasons were clear. Several states described how they are running out of room for landfill, and Connecticut has even begun shipping waste out of state; spending money on freight is not justifiable. At the same time, states are dealing with dwindling budgets and funding. This combination is driving states toward EPR as an avenue to reduce waste, get funding for building recycling or composting, or reuse infrastructure.
Complexity is a real challenge
The patchwork of state laws remains difficult to navigate, with no federal statute on the immediate horizon to harmonize it, though federal activity is worth watching.
The Federal Focus on Packaging Policies session featured Mark Thompson, Partner at Keller and Heckman LLP, who examined emerging federal interest related to chemicals of concern, packaging regulation, and international policy trends. It was clear that state, federal, and global conversations are becoming more interconnected, which is why we stay close to all of them.
California’s S.B. 54 drew the most attention. Suppliers and producers are still working through the legislation’s complexity. Essentially, when it comes to EPR, everyone is still figuring it out.
The importance of real science
Scrutiny over PFAS, phthalates, microplastics was on the agenda, with a panel including Crystal Bayliss of the US Plastics Pact, and Dr. Kimberly Wise White of the American Chemistry Council.
Dr. Wise White made a point worth remembering: chemistry is intrinsic to biology, and our own bodies are producing and processing chemical compounds right now. She advocated for fair, transparent science built on sound research, science and context. She also reflected that it is a hard case to make against splashy headlines and rising consumer anxiety.
PFAS legislation has already passed in many states. Microplastics keep surfacing as a concern, and the science around how to study them remains fragmented, without an agreed source of truth. For brands, the implication is that material decisions increasingly need to rest on solid data rather than headlines.
A shared goal
The line that stuck with us came from Jordan Fengel, Executive Director of the Carton Council. His point was that we are all working toward the same goal. Everyone in the room wants packaging to be disposed of properly and given new life through recycling or composting. It’s clear that while it’s simple to say, it’s not as simple to deliver.
A consistent theme across the summit was that good policy outcomes depend on data quality, technical expertise, and direct engagement. They also depend on collaboration. Brands and companies handling this well are the ones bringing together sustainability, packaging, innovation, operations, legal, and government affairs to the same table, often with partners who can help connect the dots.
That is what we try to do for our customers at Sabert. We work with our partners to help them understand the policies, provide real data so they can make informed decisions, and develop packaging strategies that set them up for success today and tomorrow.
