MPCA has published the draft 2026 Needs Assessment for the Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act, prepared by Eunomia Research & Consulting, and opened a 60-day public comment period.
Comment opened September 14, 2026 and closes November 13, 2026. The draft runs to 13.8 MB with a separate appendices archive.
Minn. Stat. 115A.144 to 115A.1463 requires MPCA to complete a needs assessment in 2026 and every five years after that. Five things are in scope: an official baseline for recycling rates including proposed statewide requirements, recommendations on where to invest in collection, sorting, and end markets,
a recommended methodology for service provider reimbursement rates, an evaluation of sustainable design and accountability for covered materials, and best practices for education and outreach.
What this means for you: the reimbursement methodology bears on what producers will eventually pay. Minnesota has no published producer fee yet, and reimbursement rates must reach at least 50 percent of net cost by February 1, 2029. (Corrected October 12, 2026.) If you sell into Minnesota and you only track deadlines that invoice you, this one will not appear on your calendar and it closes in eight weeks. Source:
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act 2026 Needs Assessment (September 14, 2026).
(Corrected October 7, 2026: February 1, 2029 is the date by which reimbursement rates must reach at least 50 percent of net cost, not the date a cost share starts (Minn. Stat. 115A.1455, subd. 4(a)). The PRO may already charge member producers a fee to cover MPCA’s costs (Minn. Stat. 115A.1443, subd. 3(c)).)
(Corrected October 8, 2026: “the cheapest point at which to influence the number” is withdrawn, because no source measures it. The comment period closes November 13, 2026, while Minnesota has no published producer fee.)