Extended Producer Responsibility Laws in 2025

Extended Producer Responsibility laws represent a pivotal shift in environmental policy, encouraging producers to take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their products, including post-consumer waste. EPR laws are designed to reduce landfill waste; promote recycling, composting, and use of post-consumer recycled content; and require manufacturers to address the environmental impact of their products. These laws require “producers” (typically defined as those who manufacture the package) to manage the collection, recycling, or disposal of products after they have reached the end of their useful lives, typically by financing recycling programs or implementing take-back programs.