Seven States And Counting: The 2025 Guide To EPR Packaging Compliance

A new era of corporate environmental regulations is emerging through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) packaging legislation. While EPR laws have existed in the U.S. for years for specific products like paint, electronics, mattresses and batteries, over the past few years, a new product has joined the list: consumer packaging.

State‑enacted packaging‑specific EPR laws are quickly reshaping compliance obligations for companies that manufacture, distribute or sell packaged products. While municipalities have traditionally managed waste streams, EPR laws fundamentally alter who pays for and manages packaging waste — shifting the financial and operational burden of packaging waste management from local governments and taxpayers to manufacturers, importers and distributors. Producers now bear responsibility for the entire lifecycle of packaging, from production to post‑consumer disposal.