Extended Producer Responsibility regulations gain momentum in Indonesia and Oregon

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies are gaining legal and regulatory momentum in both Indonesia and the United States.

In Indonesia, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry enforces Permen LHK No. P. 75/2019, which requires producers to create waste reduction roadmaps. This regulation targets the manufacturing, retail, and food and beverage sectors, with bottled water producers facing significant scrutiny due to high volumes of single-use plastic packaging. The policy mandates that producers manage the entire lifecycle of their packaging, from design to post-consumer recovery.

In the United States, a federal judge in Oregon upheld the state’s Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) against constitutional challenges. U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon rejected arguments from the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) that the law violated the Commerce Clause or Due Process. The court ruled that the program serves legitimate environmental and public health purposes and that the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality maintains adequate oversight of the program's administration.