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<p class="MsoNormal">Hi All,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For those who had not already heard, the <b>pharmaceutical EPR bill in Cook County (WA) was approved</b>. The
<span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="https://cook-county.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=510902&GUID=1B3F711E-3DAB-4A0E-9AE6-CBEE4CFD8B54&Options=&Search=">Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee</a></span> decided in favor of the bill<span style="color:#1F497D">
</span>this week, so when the meeting minutes are approved by the Board, the bill become<span style="color:#1F497D">s</span> law. The most recent draft of that bill is attached.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">PSI has been working closely with the IL Product Stewardship Council (ILPSC) and our contacts in the County to help make the bill as strong as possible. In a letter to the bill sponsor that we co-wrote with the ILPSC this week (also attached),
we expressed our support for the EPR concept but recommended adjusting the bill in two key areas of concern: strengthening the convenience standard and increasing the producer fee to cover the costs of the program. <span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the bill that passed, language was added giving the County Board of Commissioners flexibility to set a fee that recovers the costs of implementation. This is an improvement, but we are still concerned that enough money will not be raised.
In addition, <b>the convenience standard is still weak</b> (1 drop-off site per 150,000 County residents; no less than 5 in each of 17 County Districts). This legislation also deviates from our best practices by having the County’s law enforcement staff run
the program; the ordinance establishes a producer-funded program that would be <b>
designed and implemented by the Sheriff’s office</b>. This is a good step forward, but we will continue to track the implementation of this bill and assist ILPSC and Cook County to develop an effective program.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Vivian<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#333333">______________________________<br>
Vivian Fuhrman, Ph.D.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#404040">Associate for Policy and Programs</span><span style="color:#404040"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#333333">Product Stewardship Institute, Inc.<br>
</span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#333333">29 Stanhope St., 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02116<br>
P: (617) 236-4771 F: (617) 236-4766<br>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><a href="http://www.productstewardship.us/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#333333">www.productstewardship.us</span></a><br>
<a href="mailto:vivian@productstewardship.us" target="_blank"><span style="color:#333333">vivian@productstewardship.us</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#333333">The Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. is an equal opportunity provider and employer.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
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