This Article Is Part of an EPR Series on Tertiary Packaging Optimization

This article is the first in a multi-part series focused on how companies across industries can prepare for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) by optimizing tertiary packaging. Rather than advocating for the elimination of protective materials, this series explores how reducing material usage, lowering virgin plastic content, increasing recycled content, and improving data and reporting can significantly reduce EPR exposure without compromising product protection or operational efficiency.

Each of the upcoming articles in the series will examine a specific tertiary packaging category and highlights real-world opportunities to meet EPR requirements through tracking, measurement, testing, and smarter material choices.

EPR Is Coming for Tertiary Packaging — and the Companies Tracking Now Will Win

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is no longer a theoretical policy discussion. It is becoming a line item, one tied directly to how much packaging you put into the system, what it’s made of, and how efficiently it’s used.

And while much of the conversation around EPR focuses on consumer-facing packaging, tertiary packaging is firmly in scope. Stretch film, cornerboard, tape, airbags, and other load stabilization materials are increasingly included in state fee structures.

EPR doesn’t ask why you use packaging.
It asks how much.

Why Tertiary Packaging Matters More Than You Think

Across high-volume distribution networks, tertiary packaging quietly adds up:

 • Miles of stretch film wrapped every day
 • Millions of corner posts protecting pallet edges
 • Tape sealing cases at scale
 • Dunnage stabilizing truckloads

Even small improvements—less material, more recycled content, reuse—can generate outsized reductions in EPR fees when applied across an entire network.

More importantly, fee structures are designed to reward efficiency:

 • Less material
 • Higher recycled content
 • Improved recyclability
 • Strong data and reporting

The companies that understand this are shifting their mindset from packaging reduction at all costs to EPR packaging optimization with proof.

Four Proven Ways to Reduce EPR Fees Without Sacrificing Protection

Across industries, four tertiary packaging categories consistently deliver measurable EPR benefits:

1. Stretch Film: Down-gauging, line optimization, and 30% PCR content reduce virgin plastic use while maintaining—or improving—load containment.

2. Cornerboard: 100% recycled content and engineered strength allow for downgauging without compromising pallet integrity.

3. Airbags / Dunnage: Reusable programs turn single-use waste into multi-trip assets with measurable cost and material reductions.

4. Tape: rPET and kraft paper tapes replace traditional BOPP while improving recyclability and reporting outcomes.

Each solution works because it is measured, tested, and implemented based on real operational data—not assumptions.

The Real Opportunity

The goal isn’t to remove packaging blindly.
The goal is to use the right packaging, in the right amount, with the right data behind it.

Companies acting now will:

 • Reduce future EPR exposure before fees escalate
 • Lower material spend across high-volume operations
 • Protect products without overpacking
 • Strengthen sustainability reporting with verified data

Waiting costs more.
Measuring saves more.

Is your packaging strategy preparing for EPR or reacting to it? If you believe data beats guessing, the next articles in this series break down how each tertiary packaging category can deliver measurable results.

What’s Next in This EPR Series

EPR will continue to reshape packaging decisions—not because protection is optional, but because inefficiency is no longer invisible. The companies best positioned for what comes next are those that understand where their materials are used, how much they consume, and how small optimizations compound across high-volume operations.

In the upcoming articles in this series, we’ll take a deeper look at the tertiary packaging categories most directly affected by EPR—and where the fastest, most measurable opportunities exist:

 When Film Is the Right Answer: 30% PCR Stretch Film
 • How optimized, high-performance film can reduce virgin plastic and EPR exposure without sacrificing load containment.

Cornerboard Optimization
 • Why recycled content and downgauging deliver cost savings, improved logistics efficiency, and strong EPR alignment.

Tape Under EPR
 • How rPET and kraft paper tapes replace traditional BOPP while improving recyclability and reporting outcomes.

Reusable Airbags and Dunnage
 • How reuse programs turn single-use packaging into a measurable sustainability and cost advantage.

Together, these articles demonstrate a consistent theme: EPR readiness isn’t about reacting to regulation—it’s about measuring, optimizing, and proving performance before fees escalate.

Tune in to the rest of the series to identify where your greatest opportunities may already exist.