Upstream: Policy Tracker

	A	F	G	H
1	Note: to suggest a correction to this tracker, please contact macy@upstreamsolutions.org
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5		105	total reuse laws in US & Canada
6		22.34%	of US/Can population covered by one or more reuse laws
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8		WHAT WE TRACK	What does it mean?
9	US & Canada Reuse Policy Tracker	Reusables for On-Site Dining	Requires food service establishments to provide reusable serviceware for dine-in customers.
10		Accessories on Request (also referred to as "Skip the Stuff" or "Accessories Upon Offer")	Requires food service establishments to only provide accessories to customers if they request them (or the customer gives affirmation in the case of "upon offer"). Often intended to encourage adoption of reuse.
11		Cup / Container Charge	Requires businesses to charge customers a fee for disposable foodserviceware - typically cups, but may also be applied to containers or accessories. May be accompanied by a requirement to provide reusable alternatives.
12	Upstream is a leading change agency for reuse. We’re accelerating a transition from the throw-away economy to one that is regenerative, circular and equitable by normalizing reuse, growing and supporting the reuse industry, and creating an enabling policy environment in the US & Canada. This Policy Tracker is focused on local, state/provincial, and national laws that institutionalize reuse through direct requirements or financial incentives. We may include other high-level policies that catalyze source reduction at scale, but will not count them toward the total number of reuse policies shown to the right.	Reuse at Events	Requires various forms of reusable service ware at events. May apply to all events or only events requiring city permits or on city property.
13		Reuse in Lodging	Requires hotels and/or lodging establishments to provide personal care products in bulk dispensers. Typically allows for exceptions for patrons requiring single-use due to a disability.
14		Reuse in Government Facilities	Requires government-owned/operated facilities to provide reusable service ware.
15		Reuse in Procurement	Sets a preference (or outright requirement) for reusable packaging and products in government procurement policies.
16		BYO	Mandates that businesses accept customer-owned reusable containers for to-go food/drink, or clarifies that restaurants may accept customer-owned reusables. At the state level, may update health codes accordingly.
17		Refill Stations	Requires the provision of refill stations - typically for water but may be applied to other products.
18		Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Programs with packaging reuse provisions (click for Upstream's policy principles for reuse/refill in EPR)	A concept where manufacturers and importers of products bear a significant degree of responsibility for the environmental impacts of their products throughout the product life-cycle, including upstream impacts inherent in the selection of materials for products, impacts from manufacturers' production process itself, and downstream impacts from the use and disposal of the products. Producers accept their responsibility when designing their products to minmize life-cycle environmental impacts, and when accepting legal, physical or socio-economic responsibility for environmental impacts that cannot be eliminated by design.
19		Bottle Bill / Deposit Return System (DRS) with reuse provisions (click for Upstream's policy principles for reuse/refill in DRS)	Bottle Bills (also known as container deposit laws) are a sustainable method of capturing beverage bottles and cans for recycling. The refund value of the container (usually 5- or 10-cents) provides a monetary incentive for the customer to return the container for recycling.
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22		WHAT WE DON'T TRACK	What does it mean?	Where you can find it:
23		Single-use plastic policy	Any law that specifically bans or regulates only single-use plastic packaging or accessories, with the exception of state-level or federal-level policies (due to the larger scale)	Duke University Nicholas Institute's Global Plastics Policy Inventory (For public policy documents targeting plastic pollution world-wide, including US state laws)
24				Global Plastic Laws by Plastic Pollution Coalition, #BreakFreeFromPlastic, Surfrider Foundation, and Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (Extensive database and resource library focused on plastic legislation that has been passed around the world)
25				The Surfrider Foundation's U.S. Plastics Policy Map (For bag, straw & polystyrene bans in the US)
26				UNEP Plastics legislation explorer (International collation of plastic laws)
27				National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (For US plastic pollution legislation tracking)
28				Bag Laws (For bag regulation in the US)
29				The Last Beach Cleanup (For country level laws on plastic products)
30				The Can Manufacturers Institute (Organizations, Venues and Others That Have Banned Sales or Use of Plastic PET Bottles)
31		Right to Repair	A legal right for owners of devices and equipment to freely modify and repair products (such as automobiles, electronics, and farm equipment), as opposed to requirements to use only the manufacturer's maintenance services, restrictions on access to tools and components, and software barriers.	Repair.org (The Repair Association)
32		Reuse in Construction and Demolition (also known as "Deconstruction")	The careful dismantling and reclaiming of a structure's reusable finished materials and rough lumber.	All for Reuse
33		Bottle Bill/ DRS without reuse provisions	Bottle bills/container deposit laws that do not incorporate reuse/refill	Container Recycling Institute's Bottle Bill Resource Guide
34		Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs without packaging reuse provisions	Packaging EPR laws that do not incorporate reuse/refill	Product Stewardship Institute tracks all EPR laws in the US
35		Preemption	When a state government takes the power to regulate a certain area away from local governments. Often applies to Plastic Pollution Reduction Laws.	Preemption Watch / Surfrider Tracker
36		Compostable Foodware / Packaging Requirements (click here to learn why we don't track this)	Laws requiring the use of compostable or biodegradable foodware, accessories, or packaging. Typically accompanies a single-use plastic ban.	BlueGreen (Tracks all composting infrastructure and supportive legislation in the United States. Note- shows where compostable disposables are accepted in composting facilities, but does not track compostable food requirements)
37		Toxic chemical laws (including PFAS)	Laws regulating the presence of chemicals in products.	Safer States: Bill Tracker for up to date information on passed and proposed US state policies. Note that this tracker is not exclusive to packaging.
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