Marrad configures MARI for EPR reporting ahead of 2027 fees

Marrad says its MARI materials management system is now configured to help distribution centers document transport packaging for Extended Producer Responsibility compliance in California, Oregon and Colorado. The move comes as California’s EPR fee date approaches in January 2027 and more states prepare similar reporting rules.

Why it matters: - Distribution centers are exposed to EPR fees on transport packaging that often falls outside traditional packaging compliance programs. - Marrad is targeting a common gap: undocumented corrugated, stretch wrap, film, rigid plastics and pallets moving through distribution networks. - The company says better chain-of-custody and weight data can help operators qualify for recycling credit and reduce fee exposure.

What happened: - Marrad announced that MARI, its Sustainable Materials Management System, has been configured for full Extended Producer Responsibility reporting for distribution center operators. - The system now captures chain-of-custody documentation, material classification and weight data for state EPR reporting. - The configuration is structured to the reporting schemas of California’s SB-54, Oregon and Colorado. - The announcement follows the Circular Action Alliance’s June 15, 2026 filing of California’s EPR Program Plan, which set the January 1, 2027 fee effective date.

The details: - EPR laws place responsibility on producers for transport packaging that moves through distribution centers. - The covered material streams include corrugated, stretch wrap, film, rigid plastics and pallets. - Many organizations still focus EPR efforts on primary consumer packaging and miss secondary and tertiary packaging streams. - Missing those streams can leave a substantial share of covered volume undocumented and subject to fees. - Recycling credit requires documentation showing where each material stream goes, by type and weight, with verified chain-of-custody to a responsible end market. - A vendor invoice does not meet that standard. - A spreadsheet does not meet that standard. - Many distribution centers still rely on paper logs, multiple vendor relationships and disconnected systems. - Those inputs produce different data formats and do not support multi-state EPR compliance. - California is active now, and Oregon and Colorado are live. - More states are expected to add their own classification schemas and reporting timelines. - MARI has tracked material volumes, diversion rates and vendor performance inside distribution centers for more than five years. - The new configuration adds EPR-specific attributes, including material type codes, packaging weights, chain-of-custody records and eco-modulation documentation. - Eco-modulation documentation can reduce fee obligations when recyclability or reuse is verified. - Marrad also manages California’s SB-1383 organic waste requirements within MARI. - The company says that brings both mandates into one compliance record. - Marrad is offering a free 75-point materials audit for distribution center operators. - The audit reviews EPR-covered packaging streams, current data gaps and estimated fee exposure. - Operators can schedule the audit by contacting Jim Owens at jim.owens@marrad.com.

Between the lines: - The announcement positions MARI as a compliance layer, not just an operations platform. - Marrad is betting that distribution centers will need a single system to standardize data across states instead of stitching together manual records. - The emphasis on chain-of-custody suggests regulators will look beyond internal tracking to documented end-market outcomes.

What's next: - California’s January 1, 2027 fee effective date is the near-term deadline shaping operator action. - Marrad says the MARI architecture can extend as additional states launch EPR programs. - Distribution center operators are likely to face more state-specific reporting requirements as EPR programs expand. - Marrad’s free audit offer is designed to identify gaps before fees begin to hit gross supply volume.