Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws are reshaping packaging obligations for businesses across the United States. EPR regulations fundamentally shift the financial and operational burden of managing post-consumer packaging away from municipalities and taxpayers, placing it instead on producers who introduce these materials into the market. As of mid-2025, seven states – California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington – have enacted active EPR programs for packaging and paper products. In addition, more than a dozen other states are advancing legislation that could soon expand these requirements. If your company manufactures, imports, distributes, or sells packaged goods in any of the seven states identified above, it is essential to be aware that key EPR deadlines may be rapidly approaching, or have already passed.