In 2025, the management of packaging waste saw significant progress as Maryland and Washington enacted new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, bringing the total to seven states. Oregon launched the first operational EPR program, shifting costs from taxpayers to producers. This development highlights a growing movement toward producer-funded recycling infrastructure.
The year 2025 marked notable advancements in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging in the United States. According to the Product Stewardship Institute, Maryland and Washington joined existing programs in Maine, Oregon, Colorado, California, and Minnesota, requiring companies that manufacture, import, or brand packaged products to fund the collection, sorting, and recycling of those materials after use.
Maryland's SB 901, signed into law in May, stands out by permitting multiple Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) to manage programs while promoting recyclable, reusable, or compostable packaging. Washington's law, also enacted in May, aims to capture consumer packaging and extend collection services to underserved areas, with producer compliance deadlines set for 2028.
Oregon became the first state to enforce its EPR program on July 1, 2025, when over 2,000 producers registered and paid membership fees to the Circular Action Alliance (CAA), the designated PRO. Noncompliance penalties reached up to $25,000 per day. Jeff Fielkow, CEO of CAA, highlighted implementation challenges: “How do I know if I’m foodservice? How do I know which covered materials are part of the program?” This transition revealed a steep learning curve for producers across five states where CAA operates.
Other states progressed variably. Maine amended its 2021 law to exempt small businesses with less than $5 million in annual revenue for the first three years (then $2 million), producers handling under one ton of packaging yearly, and certain perishable food items. Hawaii's HB 750 mandated an EPR needs assessment due by the end of 2027, while Rhode Island passed a similar bill in June. Connecticut enacted HB 5019 for consumer batteries, and Nebraska passed LB36, the Safe Battery Collection and Recycling Act.
However, efforts stalled in several places: New York's S 1464 advanced but failed, New Jersey's S 3398 did not pass committees, and Tennessee's SB 269 and HB 600 faltered again. Nebraska's LB 607 remains in limbo. Overall, 146 EPR laws now exist in 35 states across 21 product categories, covering 1.3 billion acres and 272 million people. The patchwork of state timelines—from California's 2023 data submissions and 2027 fines of up to $50,000 per day, to Colorado's 2026 fees and Minnesota's 2028 plans—poses compliance hurdles, but signals a lasting shift in recycling economics.