Our Approach
Maryland is taking steps to reduce waste and improve recycling by shifting more responsibility to the companies that create products. This approach, called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), takes the recycling burden off taxpayers and local governments and puts it on manufacturers. In order for the State to move forward with this initiative, a statewide assessment of recycling needs was necessary to help set realistic goals for waste reduction and recycling. The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) assembled a team to conduct this assessment. Its results helped MDE and legislators put forth Senate Bill 0901, which requires producers to take responsibility for what happens to their products after consumers are done with them. The bill was approved by the Governor and signed into law in May 2025. As a part of this assessment team, Straughan gathered data, conducted GIS analysis, created visualizations of the data through tables and maps, and provided a strong local understanding of the different regions throughout Maryland, primarily for the equity section of the report.
