A defining feature of the extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws emerging across the United States is the expectation that producers join a statewide producer responsibility organization (PRO). But for some producers,...more
California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) proposed adding microplastics as a Candidate Chemical to be regulated under the Safer Consumer Products (SCP) program on June 20, 2025. This action and its subsequent...more
Welcome to Horizon, DLA Piper’s monthly bulletin reporting on late-breaking legislative and policy developments in ESG. Our aim is to scan the litigation, enforcement, and regulatory horizon to help inform business decisions....more
6/30/2025
/ California ,
Canada ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) ,
Greenwashing ,
Plastics ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainability
Trump Administration actions - Trump orders DOJ to stop states from enforcing unconstitutional or preempted climate laws. In a sweeping Executive Order (EO) issued on April 8, President Donald Trump has ordered Attorney...more
4/29/2025
/ Climate Change ,
Energy Sector ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Justice ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Executive Orders ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Greenwashing ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Renewable Energy ,
Reporting Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
Trump Administration
Trading in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reductions has long been touted as a way of leveraging market forces to tackle climate change in the most cost-effective manner, and 2025 may put that theory to the test amid...more
SEC withdraws defense of US climate disclosure rules; Uyeda speaks on ESG and materiality. On March 27, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) notified the US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit that the SEC...more
3/31/2025
/ Child Labor ,
Clean Energy ,
Climate Change ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Energy Policy ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Greenwashing ,
Minerals ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Supply Chain ,
Trump Administration
Two significant developments have recently emerged concerning California’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law, SB 54, which aims to phase out single-use plastics. The landmark law for packaging and plastic food...more
3/17/2025
/ California ,
Compliance ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Plastics ,
Pollution Control ,
Product Packaging ,
Recycling ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Sustainability
US exits Paris Agreement after submitting Nationally Determined Contributions. In mid-December, the Biden Administration announced it submitted the US target under the Paris Agreement: cutting net carbon emissions by 61 to 66...more
1/29/2025
/ Carbon Emissions ,
Clean Energy ,
Climate Change ,
Deregulation ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Reform ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Executive Orders ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Greenwashing ,
Infrastructure ,
Oil & Gas ,
Paris Agreement ,
Popular ,
Supply Chain ,
Trump Administration
Four years after the nation’s first extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws set out approaches to making producers financially responsible for managing the disposal of plastics and packaging, 2025 will see...more
1/23/2025
/ California ,
Environmental Policies ,
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) ,
New Legislation ,
Plastics ,
Product Packaging ,
Recycling ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
Statutory Deadlines ,
Sustainability ,
Waste Disposal
The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) has issued its Revised Preliminary Findings Report on the recyclability of various materials under the state’s “Truth in Recycling” law, also known as...more
Washington State’s ambitious Cap-and-Invest Program was on the ballot this November. The program is designed to reduce planet-warming greenhouse gases (GHG) in the state by requiring large-emitting businesses to purchase...more
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently unveiled its National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution (Plastic Pollution Strategy), a comprehensive document that outlines voluntary measures and regulatory...more
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has released updated guidelines regarding the substantiation of animal-raising and environment-related claims on meat and poultry product...more
The US has pivoted in its stance on the global management of plastic production and pollution, with significant potential impacts for industry. The shift comes amid ongoing negotiations toward a UN treaty aimed at addressing...more