Directive (EU) 2024/825 has been adopted with an ambitious and strategic objective: to empower consumers for the green transition through better protection against unfair commercial practices and clearer and more reliable information on the environmental and social characteristics of goods and services.
This new European framework essentially strengthens the fight against so-called greenwashing — marketing practices in which companies provide ambiguous, exaggerated or false information about environmental benefits to attract customers — and extends the obligations of transparency and truthfulness in commercial communications.
More information here:
https://www.ecogestor.com/en/directive-greenwashing-empowerment-consumers-eu-2024-825
Lawmakers enacted SB 343 (Allen, Chapter 507, Statues of 2021), which prohibits the use of the chasing arrows or any other indicator of recyclability on products and packaging unless certain criteria are met.
Increasing recycling in California first requires accurate labels on recyclables.
Labeling restrictions established by SB 343 apply to products and packaging manufactured after October 4, 2026 (18 months after publication of the Final Findings Report). Products and packaging manufactured before that date are not subject to the restrictions, regardless of when they are sold.
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There are numerous deadlines for Canadian EPR compliance, based on the province.
On July 12, 2021, Maine became the first state in the nation to pass an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging law requiring large corporations and manufacturers to help pay for the cost of recycling their wasteful packaging, much of it plastic.
Passed by the Washington Legislature in 2025, the Recycling Reform Act (Chapter 70A.208 RCW) creates an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program for residential packaging and paper products. The law requires producers of these products to join and fund a nonprofit Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO). Starting in 2030, recycling service providers will have most of their costs reimbursed by the PRO.
France has implemented a new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulation covering textiles, footwear, cosmetics, and ski waxes—raising the bar for product stewardship in the EU. The regulation requires producers to finance and manage the end-of-life impacts of products placed on the French market, with an emphasis on waste reduction, recyclability, and transparency. The law took effect on January 1, 2026, making compliance an immediate priority for brands, importers, and online sellers operating in France.
More information here:
Denmark has introduced a new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulation for clothing and footwear, creating country-specific compliance requirements separate from EU-wide rules. Beginning July 1, 2026, producers placing products on the Danish market will be financially and operationally responsible for their end-of-life management. Companies should begin preparing now to understand registration, reporting, and fee obligations to ensure compliance and avoid penalties.
More information here:
California’s green claims laws combat “greenwashing” by prohibiting misleading environmental marketing, notably through SB 343 (restricting the chasing arrows symbol and recyclability claims to genuinely recyclable items) and AB 1305 (requiring disclosures for certain carbon offset and climate-related claims), supported by broader consumer protection laws like the UCL, CLRA, and BPC § 17580.5, holding companies accountable for unsubstantiated claims about being “eco-friendly,” “biodegradable,” or “net zero”.
The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) is a U.S. federal law that targets forced labor and human rights abuses in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. It was signed into law in December 2021 and is designed to prevent products made with forced labor from entering the United States.
The EU Digital Product Passport (DPP) is part of the European Union’s strategy to make products more sustainable, traceable, and circular under the EU’s Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan. It’s essentially a digital “identity card” for products that tracks key information about them throughout their lifecycle.