06/30/2026
The implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging in the U.S. is progressing more quickly than many teams anticipated.
Itโs a positive change, but it also comes with challenges because itโs not happening uniformly across the country.
As of late 2025, seven states have enacted packaging EPR laws: California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington. In Canada, Alberta, Nova Scotia and Yukon have also implemented EPR systems.
Brand teams are balancing several priorities:
Sustainability is pushing for measurable progress.
Procurement is looking for clearer cost visibility.
Packaging wants to avoid surprises at launch.
Compliance is focused on defensible reporting.
These goals can absolutely work together, but itโs essential that packaging choices are made based on real information rather than assumptions, especially as EPR fees are linked to packaging weight, composition and recyclability.
How can GPA help?
We support packaging decisions through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), eco-design and packaging innovation, which can help teams compare options, improve recyclability and document trade-offs in a way thatโs clear internally.
If you are working on an EPR initiative and would like a checklist of the packaging data teams typically need to gather early, comment EPR, and we will share one with you.
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