Unpacking Packaging Regulations: What the Book Industry Needs to Know

A book’s journey to the reader involves more than ink and paper.

Shipping cartons, mailers, shrink wrap, and protective materials are part of that journey and packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws are raising new questions about who is responsible for them, what needs to be reported, and how to prepare for associated costs.

Join the Book Manufacturers Institute (BMI), the Book Industry Study Group (BISG), and rePurpose Global for a practical introduction to packaging EPR and its relevance to the book supply chain.

Designed for members with little or no prior knowledge, this session will explain the fundamentals in plain language and explore the questions publishers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers should be asking now.

We’ll examine how to assess responsibility across business relationships, distinguish the treatment of books from the packaging around them, and begin gathering the information needed to move from uncertainty to a workable compliance process.

Attendees will learn:

• What packaging EPR is and why it matters to the book industry.
• How state requirements and business arrangements can affect who is responsible.
• Which packaging materials and supplier information to include in an initial assessment.
• How packaging data supports reporting, fee planning, and informed decisions.
• Practical first steps to assess obligations, assign internal ownership, and identify where support is needed.

No prior EPR knowledge required. Bring your questions—and leave with a clearer understanding of where to start.

Featured Speaker

LOWELL HUFFMAN has built his career translating dense regulations into language people actually understand. After nearly a decade in environmental compliance - including 500+ hours of training delivered across 33 states - he now helps brands navigate the chaos of U.S. Packaging EPR. His mission is simple: make compliance less intimidating, packaging data more actionable, and prove that the companies who get ahead of regulation will ultimately outperform those chasing deadlines.