First effective in 2024, the Act bans the sale or distribution of various products that contain intentionally added PFAS chemicals. On January 1, 2026, as part of the product phase-out timeline, the new law bans the sale or...more
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2025/40), the European Union’s new regulation concerning the packaging of products placed on the European market (PPWR), came into force on 11 February 2025....more
Extended Producer Responsibility Legislation, also known as EPR laws, is a policy-based approach that holds producers accountable for the entire lifecycle of their products, particularly for take-back, recycling, and final...more
Influenced by laws in existence in multiple states, including California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington, the New York State Legislature has examined in recent years extended producer...more
Key Takeaways - What Is Happening? On March 7, 2025, Governor Newsom declined to adopt CalRecycle’s initial draft regulations under California’s Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act...more
A lot is going on in the extended producer responsibility (“EPR”) packaging world this month. Maryland and Washington became the sixth and seventh states respectively to enact EPR packaging laws. And this week, just a...more
In 2021, California enacted the SB 343 – “Truth in Recycling Law” – which generally prohibits companies from using the “chasing arrows” symbol or otherwise implying that a product or package is recyclable, unless the...more
On April 4, CalRecycle published its final material characterization study (Study) pursuant to SB 343. Under SB 343, use of the chasing arrows symbol or other indications of recyclability on products or packaging that do not...more
Key Takeaways - What is happening? Packaging waste has received heavy attention from lawmakers in recent years. A growing number of states are adhering to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Recycled Content...more
Our Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources and Food & Beverage Groups examine the growing industry compliance impact of states’ extended producer employer production responsibility (EPR) laws....more
In an important development for the sustainability movement, Oregon and Colorado are implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws that shift the responsibility for managing packaging waste to the manufacturer. The...more
Beginning in May of 2026, owners of brands selling packaged products and importers of foreign-produced packaged products sold in Maine will be required to adhere to Maine’s Stewardship Program for Packaging. Beginning six...more
Oregon is on the verge of implementing the first extended producer responsibility (EPR) law in the United States broadly targeting recyclable materials with the goal of increasing recycling rates and reducing waste. Several...more
If you manufacture or sell packaging or products that are sold in packaging, you should be mindful of a movement to impose liability for packaging waste through Extended Producer Responsibility, or “EPR.” EPR is a policy...more
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws represent a pivotal shift in environmental and sustainability compliance, placing the onus of end-of-life product management on Producers, the parties that produce the products...more
A recent conference led by Connecticut Attorney General (AG) William Tong discussed the alleged problems and potential solutions associated with plastics use and waste. Conference attendees included nearly two dozen...more
Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is an environmental policy enacted by several states,1 which extends a manufacturer’s responsibility for its product’s packaging materials to the end of the product’s life cycle....more
Companies who may qualify as “producers” under the EPR packaging programs adopted by California, Oregon, and Colorado should plan for sufficient lead time to evaluate their status as a producer before applicable requirements...more
What is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)? Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is an environmental policy enacted by several states, which extends a manufacturer’s responsibility for its product packaging...more
Minnesota just joined the roster of states with extended producer responsibility (“EPR”) packaging programs, and New York and Illinois are evaluating similar legislation. Meanwhile, states with more established programs are...more
On March 31, Circular Action Alliance (“CAA”), the Producer Responsibility Organization (“PRO”) for California, Colorado, and the only contender for PRO in Oregon, submitted the first draft of its Program Plan (“the Plan”)...more
Producers who may qualify for an exemption under California’s extended producer responsibility (“EPR”) packaging law (“SB 54” or the “Act”) should consider reviewing CalRecycle’s recently released Proposed Draft Regulation...more
Within the last month, California has made significant strides toward its bid to create a circular economy for certain packaging and food service ware materials. On January 8, 2024, California's Department of Resources...more
On 28 December 2023, CalRecycle published the results of the preliminary Material Characterization Study required under SB 343, codified as Cal. Pub. Res. Code § 42355.51. The preliminary findings identify the types of...more
Since July 2021, when Maine passed the nation's first extended producer responsiblity ("EPR") packaging law, four other states (Colorado, Oregon, California, and Maryland) have enacted EPR packaging laws. For brevity, we...more