Hunton Retail Law Resource

California finalized its extended producer responsibility regulations effective May 1, 2026, requiring producers to register by June 1 through Circular Action Alliance or CalRecycle. CalRecycle also launched a new compliance system, while Circular Action Alliance issued non-binding illustrative fees ahead of final rates expected in October 2026.

With the growing emergence of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, companies selling products in the United States must increasingly plan for the end of a product’s life. EPR programs shift waste-management responsibilities that have traditionally been handled by consumers or state and local governments to the “producer” of the product.