The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM), the official non-partisan organization of cities with a population exceeding 30,000, recently adopted a resolution that calls for state lawmakers and federal government to seek producer-responsibility (PR) legislation, in order to shift the costs of managing product and packaging waste.

Based on a PR model developed several years ago by the Product Policy Institute (PPI) , already adopted by a multitude of municipalities and local government associations in California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York and Texas, the resolution supports state and federal PR legislation that "levels the playing field for corporations that take cradle-to-cradle responsibility for their products and packaging, and urges Congress to support the ability of state governments to establish producer responsibility legislation."

"The U.S. Conference of Mayors planted their flag in the waste pile and said, 'no more,'" stated Bill Sheehan, PPI Executive Director, in a press release addressing the resolution. "They [USCM] asked product manufacturers to take primary responsibility for their toxic and non-recyclable products. We're proud of their leadership on this pressing issue."

Along with the National League of Cities and the National Association of Counties, both of which passed similar resolutions last year, the USCM is now the third association of elected officials to adopt a resolution that addresses the mounting problem of managing consumer product waste.

Thirty-two states, as well as the District of Columbia, already have PR laws in place for such products as consumer electronics, auto switches, batteries, fluorescent lighting, mercury thermostats, paint and pesticide containers.