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In 2021, Oregon enacted the \u201cPlastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act\u201d as an extended producer responsibility (EPR)<\/a> law aimed at improving recycling access, services, and infrastructure, while reducing plastic pollution in Oregon.\u00a0<\/p>\n Producers and manufacturers of residential and commercial packaging, printing and writing paper and foodservice-ware are required to join a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) for Oregon, and through the PRO, pay fees to fund the end-of-life treatment of the aforementioned materials, to include processing and recycling and related infrastructure. Oregon approved the non-profit producer-led Circular Action Alliance (CAA) as the PRO.<\/p>\n Companies selling dairy products in Oregon must understand whether they have obligations under the EPR law: whether (1) the materials used to package the company\u2019s dairy products are \u201ccovered materials\u201d and (2) the company meets the definition of an Obligated \u201cProducer\u201d responsible for the dairy product packaging. While defining \u201ccovered products\u201d is somewhat straightforward, the question of whether a company is an Obligated Producer is more challenging due to the variety of business arrangements in the dairy industry.<\/p>\n