Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations are changing how brands and manufacturers manage packaging, track product information, and meet sustainability requirements. As more states introduce EPR laws, businesses face growing pressure to understand what materials they use, where their products are sold, and who is responsible for reporting packaging waste. With requirements varying from state to state, accurate product data is becoming essential for managing compliance and packaging costs.
In this episode, Reid Jackson and Liz Sertl chats with Lindsay Savage, Senior Director, Business Platforms & Data Governance at Georgia-Pacific LLC. Lindsey explains what Extended Producer Responsibility means for manufacturers, how states such as Oregon and Colorado are approaching packaging regulations differently, and why businesses need to account for every component of their packaging, from corrugated boxes and plastic bags to shrink wrap and pallet materials. She also discusses the challenges of determining which products are covered, tracking shipments across state lines, and understanding reporting responsibilities for private label products.
The conversation also covers how data governance and GS1 Standards can help businesses organize packaging information, meet reporting deadlines, and respond to customer requests for the same data. Lindsey shares how Georgia-Pacific is working with customers to account for product movement between states, why cross-functional collaboration between legal, sustainability, sales, and data teams matters, and how better packaging data can help companies identify opportunities to reduce EPR fees. She also discusses the value of industry work groups, the relationships built through GS1 US Connect, and her interest in using AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot to support everyday work.
In this episode, you'll learn:
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How Extended Producer Responsibility regulations are changing packaging compliance requirements for brands and manufacturers, and why differences between state laws create new reporting challenges
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Why accurate product and packaging data is essential for tracking materials, accounting for shipments across state lines, and managing EPR responsibilities for private label products
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How data governance, GS1 Standards, and collaboration across teams and supply chain partners can support EPR reporting, inform packaging decisions, and help businesses manage compliance costs
Things to listen for:
(00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain
(02:17) Lindsey's background and her role in data governance at Georgia-Pacific
(03:13) What Extended Producer Responsibility means for manufacturers and brand owners
(04:19) How EPR regulations are expanding across states
(04:56) Why Oregon and Colorado have different packaging compliance requirements
(06:11) The growing need for detailed product and packaging information
(06:44) Why businesses need to track individual packaging components and their weights
(07:32) How organized product data supports EPR reporting and customer requests
(09:23) How companies can account for products moving across state lines
(10:56) Where businesses can start preparing for EPR compliance
(11:16) How industry work groups and cross-functional teams support EPR readiness
(12:00) How packaging data can help businesses identify opportunities to reduce EPR fees
(13:51) Why packaging information has value beyond regulatory compliance
(14:53) What brings Lindsey back to GS1 US Connect
(15:14) How industry relationships and shared knowledge help solve data governance challenges
(17:05) Lindsey's favorite technology and how she uses her Apple Watch
(17:52) Why Lindsey wants to learn more about AI and Microsoft Copilot
Connect with GS1 US:
Our website - www.gs1us.org
GS1 US on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/gs1-us
Connect with the guest:
Lindsay Savage on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-savage-b256b010/
Visit Georgia-Pacific at https://www.gp.com/