How to request packaging specs from suppliers for EPR

By Shekhar Nirkhe, Founder, ZeeHub. Last updated November 2026.

Send each supplier one email that names the exact components, lists the fields you need (material, coatings or layers, weight per unit and recycled content) and gives a reply date. Then track every reply in one place and follow up on a schedule.

This guide gives you the steps, a sample email you can copy and a routine for suppliers who do not answer. It supports our California SB 54 guide and works for any packaging EPR state.

Step 1: What do you buy from each supplier?

Start with a list of packaging components by supplier: lid films, trays, cartons, labels, shippers and so on. Pull it from your bills of materials or purchasing records. A supplier is much more likely to answer a request that names the exact parts than one that asks for “all your packaging data”.

Step 2: Which fields should you ask for?

For each component, ask for:

Component name and the supplier’s part number
Material, and any coating, laminate or added layer
Weight per unit, in a stated unit
Recycled content, with a declaration if one exists
The document each value comes from

Some states and laws ask for more, such as plastic weight and plastic component counts under SB 54. See SB 54 supply report data for the full list.

What makes a request easy to answer?

It names the exact parts, so nobody has to guess what you mean.
It lists a small number of fields, not a long questionnaire.
It has one reply date and one named contact.
It says any format is fine, such as a spec sheet, a spreadsheet or a typed reply.
It explains in one sentence why you are asking, so the right person at the supplier takes it seriously.

Step 3: What should the request email say?

Keep it short, specific and easy to answer. Name the components, list the fields, say what format is fine and give a date. Here is a plain-text version you can copy.

Subject: Packaging specs needed for EPR reporting: [Supplier name]

Hello [Name],

We are collecting packaging data for extended producer responsibility (EPR) reporting. For each packaging component you supply to us, please send:

1. Component name and your part number
2. Material, and any coating, laminate or added layer
3. Weight per unit, in grams
4. Recycled content, with a supplier declaration if you have one
5. The spec sheet or document each value comes from

A spreadsheet or PDF is fine. The components we buy from you are listed below:

[List of components and part numbers]

Could you reply by [date]? If a value is not available, tell us which one, and we will note it as a gap.

Thank you,
[Your name]
[Company]

Step 4: How do you track replies?

Use one list, not scattered inboxes. For each supplier, record when you asked, when you followed up, who replied and what is still missing. Our free supplier data template has a supplier tracker sheet and a component data sheet that you can use as they are.

Step 5: What if a supplier does not reply?

Send a short reminder after about a week, with the original email below it.
Send a second reminder, copying a colleague at the supplier if you have one.
Call. Phone follow-up often works when email has not.
Record the gap with the dates, and move on to the next supplier. Do not guess a value silently.

What if a supplier sends the wrong format?

Take what you are given and move on. A photographed spec sheet, a catalog page or a long email thread all contain usable facts. Copy the values into your record, note the document they came from and ask only for what is still missing. Insisting on a perfect format usually delays the reply more than it improves the data.

What if a supplier says the data is confidential?

Ask what they are able to share, such as material, weight and recycled content, and record the rest as a gap with the date. Check with your legal team about what to do next, and check CalRecycle for current requirements on what is needed.

How often should you refresh supplier data?

Refresh it at least once a year before reporting, and any time you change packaging or a supplier changes a material. Put the date received next to every value, so you can see at a glance which records are getting old.

How do you check what comes back?

Compare each answer with your own spec for the component. Look for missing coatings, a weight that disagrees with your record and old dates. Write down which document each value came from. When an answer is vague, a precise follow-up question usually fixes it.

If the reply says	Follow up with
“Plastic film”	Which polymer, and how many layers?
A single weight for a multi-part item	What does each material weigh?
“Recycled content available on request”	Please send the declaration for this component.
An old spec sheet	Is this still current? What is the date of the latest version?

Sources

Last updated: November 2026

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with CalRecycle and CAA.