In 2016, as part of efforts to create jobs and reduce carbon emissions, Sweden passed "tax breaks on repairs to everything from bicycles to washing machines so it will no longer make sense to throw out old or broken items and buy new ones," according to an article in The Guardian.
The necessity of "Right to Repair" laws is explored in a March 2017 article in Wired by Kyle Wiens, the co-founder and CEO of iFixit, "an online repair community and parts retailer renowned for its open source repair manuals and product teardowns."
An April 2017 article in the Wharton School's online business journal, The Producer Pays, covered extended producer responsibility's (EPR) history and success, in and outside the U.S.
The concept of EPR is that companies that make consumer goods are responsible for managing their products and packaging at their end of life, turning what was formerly waste "into the 'food' for industry and the next generation of products."
"To sell batteries in Vermont, battery manufacturers have to register a stewardship plan with the State outlining how they will contribute to offering free consumer recycling options in Vermont. Walgreens' brand never registered a plan...
In February, Rockland County, NY became the first East Coast municipality to require pharmaceutical manufacturers to fund and manage a safe disposal program for unwanted medications.
CVS announced in April 2017 "the removal of parabens, phthalates and the most prevalent formaldehyde donors across nearly 600" store brand beauty and personal care products.
Scott Cassel of the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) and Resa Dimino of RRS wrote in the April 2017 issue of Resource Recycling on the success of Connecticut's four extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs. They concluded that "not all EPR laws are equal, and not all are implemented and enforced equally.
LightRecycle Washington, the statewide product stewardship program for mercury-containing lights,