Oregon passes nation’s second producer responsibility law

For decades, Oregonians and our environment have paid the price for plastic pollution. A new law shifts some of that cost to the plastics producers.

On Aug. 6, Gov. Kate Brown signed our nation’s second-ever producer responsibility bill into law. The legislation will require plastic producers to cover some of the costs of managing the waste their products become and will also update the state’s recycling system. The passage of Oregon and Maine’s producer responsibility laws this summer signals a shift to one of the most effective ways to remedy our plastic crisis.  

“For years, producers of wasteful single-use plastic products have somehow avoided paying up,” said Environment Oregon State Director Celeste Meiffren-Swango. “This law begins to change that by requiring producers to start bearing some of the costs of the waste management system.”

In the next legislative session, Environment Oregon will champion policies that promise reduced production of the single-use plastics polluting our environment.  

Read more about the law.

Learn more about our Wildlife Over Waste campaign.