State lawmakers have taken on an increasing amount of legislation with implications for the waste and recycling industry, and 2023 is shaping up to be another busy year. 

On Jan. 24, 2023, Waste Dive hosted a panel discussion with four recycling policy experts to learn more about upcoming trends and lessons learned from past years. Speakers delved into details on what hot topics state legislatures in Colorado, Connecticut, Michigan and Washington could debate this year, including extended producer responsibility, chemical recycling and more.

They also discussed what state agencies and organizations must do to implement important recently-passed recycling legislation and fielded questions from the audience on what themes could influence bills in future years.

Senior Reporter Megan Quinn talked with Kate Bailey, chief policy officer for the Association of Plastics Recyclers; Matt Flechter, recycling market development specialist with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy; Heather Trim, executive director of Zero Waste Washington; and Tom Metzner, environmental analyst with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. 

The event also included a panel discussion about ESG trends with top executives, which you can watch here.