Reflection on Our Environmental Responsibilities
Earth Day 2025
With Earth Day on April 22nd just behind us, it offers a timely moment for reflection and serves as an annual reminder of our collective responsibility to protect the planet. It encourages deeper consideration of sustainability efforts and often highlights the growing importance of environmental compliance. As environmental concerns grow, so does the momentum for more comprehensive regulations influencing how we approach sustainability across sectors.
In recent years, significant new and updated environmental regulations across the U.S., Canada, and Europe have reshaped how organizations approach environmental compliance and sustainability goals. These changes reflect a broader shift toward increased transparency and a more proactive focus on environmental responsibility, influencing how organizations handle compliance, sustainability reporting, and long-term planning.
To help businesses stay aligned with these developments, we highlight some of the most important regulatory changes currently shaping environmental compliance efforts across North America and Europe.
Key EU Environmental Regulations and Requirements
Europe continues to lead in shaping ambitious environmental standards, with a strong focus on transparency, circularity, and corporate responsibility. Through 2024 and 2025, producers are navigating a growing wave of regulatory changes, targeting everything from battery production and packaging to waste reduction and sustainability reporting. These regulations aim to reduce environmental impact across sectors while encouraging more sustainable and accountable practices.
Waste Framework Directive Revision (Proposed 2023, targets 2025) – New food & textile waste reduction targets – Introduces mandatory extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles and stricter reporting on food waste prevention.
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) – Mandatory from 2024–2025 for 50,000+ companies; must report against ESRS standards.
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) - Proposed reuse/reduction targets and recyclability requirements for packaging.
These measures reflect the EU’s commitment to integrating sustainability into policy and practice. Next, we turn to the U.S., where recent regulatory changes are also shaping the future of environmental compliance.
Key Environmental Compliance and EPR Requirements in the United States
In the U.S., several states are taking significant steps with an increasing focus on producer responsibility. These laws aim to reduce waste, promote recycling, and ensure a circular economy for packaging materials. From California to Maine, states are implementing regulations that encourage producers to rethink packaging materials and focus on sustainability for the future.
California SB 54 – Plastic Pollution Producer Responsibility Act – Requires producers to cut plastic packaging by 25% by 2032 and fund recycling programs.
Oregon EPR Law SB 582—Recycling Modernization Act - Requires producers to fund recycling system upgrades and meet recyclability labeling standards.
Washington State SB 5022 – Plastic Reduction and Minimum Recycled Content Law
Phased 2023–2025 – Bans certain single-use plastics and requires minimum recycled content in plastic beverage bottles, trash bags, and containers.
New York Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (Proposed 2024)
Expected 2025 implementation – This would shift full recycling responsibility to producers, ban toxic substances in packaging, and set strict material reduction targets.
Maine EPR for Packaging Law LD 1541 Final rulemaking underway, enforcement by 2025 – First U.S. statewide EPR law for packaging; producers pay into a stewardship fund based on material impact and recyclability.
These state-level regulations reflect a growing movement toward greater environmental responsibility in the U.S. As businesses prepare for these changes, Canada also updates its environmental laws, further driving sustainability and compliance across North America.
Canada’s Environmental Compliance and EPR Regulations
Canada continues to expand its regulatory framework to support waste reduction, circularity, and producer responsibility. Between now and 2026, both federal and provincial governments are introducing and updating legislation that places more responsibility on producers to manage the full lifecycle of materials. These efforts are helping create a more unified and accountable approach to recycling and waste management across the country.
Federal Single-Use Plastics Prohibition Regulations – Expanded Ban
Phased 2024–2025 – Adds new categories like ring carriers and foodservice ware to banned plastic items; full enforcement begins December 2025, including manufacturing and import bans.
Federal Plastics Registry – Mandatory Reporting System – Reporting will start in September 2025. This requirement requires producers to report on plastics placed on the market to support national reduction and accountability efforts.
Québec Modernized EPR Framework (Phase II) In force by 2025 – Expands EPR obligations to cover small electronics, batteries, lamps, and other household hazardous waste. Requires clear producer responsibility for collection and recovery targets.
Alberta Extended Producer Responsibility Regulation (AR 194/2022) – Effective 2025 – Introduces EPR for single-use packaging, paper products, and hazardous materials. Requires producers to register and operate recycling programs through stewardship organizations.
Yukon Territory – EPR for Packaging and Paper Products - Introduces new Extended Producer Responsibility regulations requiring producers to manage the end-of-life of their packaging and paper products. Enforcement begins on October 1, 2025.
New Brunswick—Expanded EPR Programs—Expands EPR to include batteries and lighting. Producers must register with Recycle NB and submit a new stewardship plan by December 31, 2024, with full implementation by January 1, 2026. The plan must be submitted by June 30, 2025, and implemented on January 1, 2026.
These regulations reflect Canada’s growing focus on extended producer responsibility as a key tool for reducing waste and improving environmental outcomes. Together with changes across the U.S. and Europe, they signal a broader shift toward more consistent and comprehensive environmental compliance requirements for global businesses.
Conclusion
Earth Day offers a valuable moment to reflect on how we collectively respond to environmental challenges. Around the world, evolving regulations are shaping a more transparent and sustainability-focused future. These changes present essential responsibilities and meaningful opportunities to lead progress for producers.
From enhanced reporting requirements in Europe to evolving producer responsibility programs across the United States and Canada, the momentum behind environmental regulation continues to grow.
At RLG, we work alongside businesses to simplify this evolving landscape. Through services like Horizon Scanning and EPR Assessments, we help organizations stay informed, prepared, and proactive. Earth Day is a reminder of what we can achieve together, and we’re here to support companies as they continue building a more sustainable future.
