Product Stewardship Institute Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
The Product Stewardship Institute is a policy expert and consulting nonprofit that powers the emerging circular economy to ensure products are responsibly managed from design to end of life. In 2000, PSI pioneered extended producer responsibility (EPR) in the United States by convening diverse stakeholders to build EPR policies and programs. Drawing on global best practices and expansive multinational relationships, our facilitated dialogues, policy models, research, education, and expert testimony have helped enact 150 EPR laws in 34 states and the District of Columbia across 22 product categories, including packaging. Our members include state and local governments in 48 states, and we partner with more than 120 businesses, academic institutions, environmental nonprofits, and international and tribal governments. Together, we advance scalable solutions that protect people and the planet. Join us at www.productstewardship.us.
- Income
- $1.2 million
- Spending
- $1.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 63%
- Reserves
- -2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 60%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $208,425, chief executive officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 26 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 161% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1563% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $770,153 spent. PSI staff, board directors, members, and partners continued to advance EPR programs in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. PSI staff provided technical support, facilitated stakeholder engagement, mediated policy discussions, conducted research, and provided expert testimony that kept our team at the forefront of policy development, capacity building, and education. The results include the enactment of 4 new battery EPR laws in Colorado, Connecticut, Nebraska, and New York, and 2 new packaging EPR laws in Maryland and Washington. PACKAGING: PSI continued to serve as facilitator for the Colorado packaging EPR advisory board, ensuring that all stakeholder groups have ongoing input into the program; in fiscal year 2025 the focus was review and recommendation on the PRO's program plan and an individual program plan. Additionally, PSI launched the Packaging EPR Harmonization Task Force, which convened about 75 stakeholders including producers, regulators, industry associations and the PRO in discussions to develop a model for key elements of packaging EPR that can help make laws more consistent from state to state. In other efforts to help producers navigate compliance with packaging EPR, PSI conducted a five-part webinar series "Preparing Producers for Oregon Packaging EPR" in partnership with Circular Action Alliance and Oregon DEQ. We also collaborated with PARTSLIFE and the Auto Care Association to provide EPR compliance toolkits and two educational webinars to companies in the automotive aftermarket. PSI also conducted several webinars on packaging EPR and held an ongoing national packaging policy workgroup for government members to advance EPR initiatives. BATTERIES, VAPES, HHW, PHARMS, SHARPS: PSI continued to collaborate with Boulder County, Colorado (a PSI member) to advance stakeholder education, infrastructure, and management solutions for vape product waste, a growing environmental concern. PSI also launched similar work in Missouri on vapes, and ran semi-annual campaigns educating the public about safe medicine and medical sharps disposal in Missouri and Oklahoma, directing residents to authorized take-back locations through our GIS map. Additionally, PSI also provided technical support to members developing vapes, HHW, and battery EPR legislation, which resulted in bills introduced in numerous states and battery EPR laws enacted in Colorado, Connecticut, Nebraska, and New York, and introduced in numerous other states. PSI also held monthly strategic policy development calls with government members on battery policy, fostering dialogue and advancing EPR initiatives. EDUCATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING: PSI hosted the 2025 U.S. Product Stewardship Forum in Chicago, Illinois, welcoming nearly 200 attendees from across the country and around the world. The event convened experts from industry, government, and environmental groups to discuss and collaborate on pressing EPR topics. Throughout the year, PSI distributed monthly EPR-focused newsletters and press releases, keeping nearly 14,000 stakeholders informed on major developments in EPR policy. PSI also served as a key resource for journalists, contributing information to dozens of articles on EPR. Additionally, PSI spoke at dozens of conferences, meetings, and webinars on EPR across various waste streams, providing education to policymakers, industry representatives, government officials, environmental groups, and waste and recycling professionals. As PSI looks ahead, the organization remains committed to collaborating with state and local governments, businesses, and environmental organizations to further expand EPR initiatives, drive waste reduction, improve recycling systems, and promote sustainable product design.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 2005.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.