EPR Regulatory Analysis Intern

Vision 
The leading Producer Responsibility Organization implementing the circular economy through paper and packaging.

Mission 
Circular Action Alliance (CAA) helps producers comply with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, delivers harmonized best-in-class services, and works with governments, businesses, and communities to reduce waste and increase recycling.

Role Overview

CAA is seeking a talented and motivated law student or public administration/public policy graduate student to support targeted regulatory research focused on organic waste processing-requirements and mandates that intersect with emerging EPR programs in Maryland, Minnesota, Maine and Washington.  

As states and local jurisdictions expand organics diversion requirements through mandatory organics collection, disposal bans, education mandates, and related laws, CAA must understand how these requirements may affect EPR program planning, contracting structures, and operational realities for facilities and service providers.   

This internship will focus on providing research to help CAA understand how state and local organics regulations, ordinances and related policies may impact EPR program design, obligated services, facility operations, and implementation feasibility.  

This is not a passive research role. The intern will work closely with CAA's program and policy teams, engage with state-specific context, and develop actionable recommendations that will directly inform program planning decisions.

Key Responsibilities

The intern will research, synthesize and document organics-related regulatory requirements across selected EPR states and priority local jurisdictions. The work will be organized around the following focus areas:

1.  Organics Requirements Landscape 

• Identifyand summarize state and local organics laws, ordinances, solid waste management plans, and other relevant policies, including mandatory organics diversion, collection requirements,single usepackagingor foodservice warebans, and service obligations. 

2.  Interaction with EPR Program Planning and SOWs

• Analyze how organics mandates intersect with EPR program scopes of work, including: 

• Obligated services to manage certified compostable products
• Program timelines and sequencing 
• Defined roles of producers, serviceprovidersandjurisdictions

• Identifywhere packaging-related organics requirements may constrain, enable, or complicate EPR program implementation. 

3. Facilities, Services, and Operational Impacts 

• Assess how organics requirements affect: 

• Existing and planned organics processing facilities
• Collection systems including curbside and drop off sites and service models 
• MRF operations and operational interfaces (e.g.contamination, pre-processing, system changes, permit requirements)

• Identifyoperational barriers, capacity constraints, andimplementationrisks relevant to program planning.

4. Contracting Structures and Market Implications 

• Review howorganicsmandates influence current contracting structures.
• Identifywhere changes to MRF ororganicsoperations may create contracting or market challenges. 

5. Education, Accessory Laws, and Related Requirements 

• Map requirements related to education and outreach, including who is responsible, what is mandated, and how messaging is regulated. 
• Identifyrelated or “accessory” laws that may affect organics systems, such as: 

• Post-consumer recycled (PCR) requirements or exclusions 
• Procurement mandates 
• Labeling or consumer facing requirements 

• Assess how these requirements collectively shape system expectations. 

6. Cross State Comparison and Planning Takeaways

• Develop a comparative matrix highlighting similarities, differences, and unique features across states and key localjurisdictions. 
• Identifywhere organics requirements create alignment opportunities, structural barriers, areas requiring explicit program design choices or policy decisions by CAA.

Skills & Competencies

1. Familiarity with EPR, organics policy, recycling systems, or solid waste management

2. Experience reviewing statutes, regulations, and local ordinances

3. Experience with applied policy research or regulatory analysis in a professional setting

4. Familiarity with one or more of the focus states: Maryland, Minnesota, Maine, or Washington

5. Experience conducting policy research in an applied or professional setting

Qualifications

• Current enrollment in a JD/LLM, MPA/MPP, public policy, public administration, environmental policy, or related graduate program
• Strong legal or policy research and writing skills, with the ability to synthesize complex regulatory frameworks into clear, usable analysis
• Demonstrated interest in environmental regulation, waste management, recycling/organics systems, or public-sector service delivery
• Ability to work independently, manage a defined research scope, and deliver high-quality written outputs.

Compensation & Other Information

• Location:Fully Remote
• Pay Rate: $25.00 per hour. Since this is a temporary position, it is not eligible for benefits
• Interns must have their own laptop and access to high-speed internet.
• This is a Part-Time Internship Opportunity roughly 20-30 hours a week
• Reports To:Maggie Moellering, Emerging States Program Manager

Circular Action Alliance is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), national origin, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you require accommodation as part of the application process, please contact careers@circularaction.org.