Dated, sourced, versioned.
Operational and regulatory notes with jurisdiction, schedule version, source URL, and retrieval date on every claim. Written for operations leads and finance executives navigating state packaging EPR in CA, OR, and CO. Data and compliance support only — not legal advice.
Seven-state EPR: three live, four phased
A factual breakdown of the seven enacted U.S. packaging EPR laws, a visual timeline through 2029, and why only CA, OR, and CO have active fee schedules today.
California early fee vs. 2027 schedule
California invoiced a distinct 2026 early fee; the full 2027 category schedule was still provisional at last review. What that means for planning.
Colorado dues are live, not planned
Colorado's producer-responsibility program has participation restrictions since July 2025 and dues since January 2026. Sources, schedule status, and the dry-short-ton trap.
Oregon EPR is live: status and 2027 rates
Oregon's Recycling Modernization Act program is live since July 1, 2025: annual supply reporting and fees are active. Key sources and the 2026/2027 schedule status.
Tonnage tests differ by state
California has no general ton threshold; Oregon uses a metric ton; Colorado a dry short ton. Each state runs its own test — never reuse one state in another.
Your contract says they pay. The statute may disagree.
Maine, Minnesota, and Washington offer an express signed-assignment path; Maryland is worded differently; California, Colorado, and Oregon have no equivalent override.
Anatomy of a filing-ready EPR package
Nine deliverables, two reconciliations, and a client sign-off: the anatomy of a defensible EPR reporting package for CA/OR/CO.
Stop asking your supplier to pick your EPR category
Request physical facts with evidence — part numbers, materials, grams, layers, certifications. Never ask a supplier to pick your EPR reporting category.
Penalty maximums are not invoices
Maximum daily penalties exist in every program state — but none accrue automatically, and marketing must never imply a named prospect owes the maximum.
SB 343: deadline real, enforcement frozen
SB 343 restrictions key to products and packaging manufactured after October 4, 2026 — but a July 14, 2026 preliminary injunction blocks enforcement until further order.
Five EPR dates, five confidence levels
October 4, October 13, January 1, January 2027, May 31: five dates, five different confidence levels. A calendar for planning without overclaiming.