EPR Packaging Regulations in the US: A 2025 Compliance Perspective
The global waste crisis continues to escalate, and governments are shifting responsibility for packaging waste away from consumers and onto producers. One key approach is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which holds producers accountable for the end-of-life management of their packaging. While EPR programs are already well established in Europe and Asia, the United States has lagged behind. However, 2025 marks a turning point, as several U.S. states are implementing or tightening EPR legislation to address packaging waste more effectively. The United States generates over 80 million tons of packaging waste every year. Much of it pollutes ecosystems or ends up in landfills due to fragmented, underfunded, and inefficient recycling systems. Historically, companies have not been held to strict packaging standards, leading to: This has left municipalities burdened with costs and communities struggling with growing waste challenges. EPR regulations for packaging aim to reduce waste by requiring businesses to take financial and operational responsibility for the collection, recycling, and disposal of packaging materials. Key features of EPR programs include: By 2025, EPR laws will be active in Colorado, Maine, Oregon, and California, making these states leaders in packaging reform. EPR for packaging is not just a regulatory requirement—it brings wide-ranging benefits for the environment, governments, businesses, and consumers. By shifting responsibility to producers, these programs encourage sustainable design, strengthen recycling systems, and reduce the financial burden on local communities. In the long term, EPR contributes to building a circular economy where resources are used more efficiently and waste is minimized. 1.Reduced Environmental Impact 2.Cost Savings for Cities 3.Improved Packaging Design 4.Stronger Recycling Systems By 2025, America’s packaging landscape will undergo a major transformation. EPR represents a shift toward accountability, circularity, and sustainable packaging systems. While challenges remain—such as securing industry support and managing differences between state-level regulations—businesses must adapt quickly to remain compliant. ComplianceXL helps organizations meet these evolving responsibilities by offering tailored EPR compliance solutions. From packaging data reporting to supply chain management and regulatory mapping, ComplianceXL enables businesses to navigate the complexities of EPR laws while reducing risk and strengthening sustainability commitments. FAQs: 1. Which types of packaging are covered by EPR laws? Plastic packaging, paperboard boxes, glass jars, metal cans, and packaging films are typically covered. Some states also include single-use items like wrappers, cutlery, and straws. 2. In EPR regulations, who qualifies as a “producer”? A producer is generally the brand owner, manufacturer, or importer responsible for placing packaging on the market. 3. When will U.S. EPR laws take effect? Timelines vary by state. For example, California’s SB 54 begins phased compliance in 2025, while Maine’s program is scheduled to start in 2026. 4. How does EPR benefit customers? EPR encourages better packaging design and more efficient recycling, leading to reduced waste, more sustainable products, and cleaner communities. 5. What are the challenges in implementing EPR? Challenges include balancing costs between producers and consumers, ensuring consistent recycling infrastructure, and managing differences in state-level legislation.
Breaking Down California SB 54 and the EPR Mandate
California’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Bill, known as SB 54, is a landmark law aimed at reducing plastic pollution and improving recycling infrastructure. The bill requires producers to take responsibility for the end-of-life management of their packaging and single-use plastic products. California Senate Bill 54 (SB 54) also known as the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, sets up a system called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which means that companies making packaging and plastic food containers are now responsible for reducing waste, making products easier to recycle or compost, and helping create a circular economy. Under California Senate Bill 54 (SB 54), companies that make packaging and plastic food containers are responsible for their products from start to finish that is from design, production, use, till disposal. They must use materials that can be recycled or composted, use less single-use plastic, and help pay for systems that manage waste properly. The law also requires setting up a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) to make sure companies follow the rules. It sets big goals to cut waste and improve recycling by the year 2032. The goal of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) plan is to create a strong, producer-led system to reduce plastic pollution and packaging waste in California. It follows the rules set by Senate Bill 54 and focuses on the plastic packaging waste reduction by 25% by 2032, making packaging recyclable or compostable and to reach a 65% recycling rate for covered materials by 2032. Overall, SB 54 moves California toward a circular economy, where producers are responsible for their products from start to finish, setting an example for the rest of the country in managing waste more sustainably. ComplianceXL provides California Senate Bill 54 (SB 54) compliance consulting services and render EU’s new regulations collections to companies. We also help our customers to maintain their suppliers’ certificates and declarations on a regular basis to make sure they are up to date as part of their compliance data management strategy. FAQs: 1. What is the deadline for PRO registration and submission? The deadline for Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) registration and initial data submissions has been changed from July 1, 2025, to within 30 days after the rules become effective 2. What is the penalty for producers who fail to meet the SB 54 requirements? Companies that do not comply with SB 54’s plastic reduction and recycling mandates may face civil penalties of up to $50,000 per day
Understanding the Importance of EPR Laws for Businesses
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws reshape waste management in the U.S. by shifting the financial and operational obligations of packaging waste disposal from local governments to producers. EPR requires companies that manufacture, package, and sell consumer goods to pay fees for the waste their products generate. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws are crucial for businesses because they shift the responsibility of waste management from consumers and governments to producers. The law encourages businesses to design products that are easier to recycle, reducing waste and pollution. EPR is a critical tool in advancing the circular economy by keeping materials in use longer and designing out waste. The responsibility under this law can be managed individually or via Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs), which often set minimum recycling or recovery targets. Any company selling in the U.S., including foreign companies selling online, must comply with EPR laws. Seven states have already introduced EPR legislation, including California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington. In states like Colorado and Oregon, companies that package and ship products into the state are also considered producers of the shipping packaging. Producers are required to join a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) that collects producer fees, manages recycling programs, and ensures compliance with EPR laws. Importers, distributors, and retailers that import products into EPR-regulated states are also required to comply with EPR laws. Producers must pay eco-modulation fees based on their product packaging. ComplianceXL provides EPR compliance consulting services and supports companies in meeting new regulatory requirements, including those from the EU. We also help our customers maintain their suppliers’ certificates and declarations on a regular basis to ensure they remain current, as part of a robust compliance data management strategy. FAQs: 1. What is an eco-modulation fee in EPR requirements? Variable fees that producers are required to pay based on the sustainability of their product packaging. 2. What are the challenges in implementing EPR programs? Challenges include complex producer identification, compliance tracking, design standardization, and establishing efficient collection systems.