Oregon EPR Cannabis Packaging 2025: What Cannabis and Hemp Businesses Need to Know
Oregon’s groundbreaking Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) has now entered its initial compliance phase in 2025, reshaping how businesses in the state—and especially those in the cannabis and hemp sectors—must approach packaging, compliance, and sustainability. The state’s move to establish an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program sets a new standard for producer accountability in packaging lifecycle management. If you’re in the Oregon cannabis or hemp industry, these developments are substantial and demand immediate attention.
Understanding Oregon’s EPR Law and Cannabis Packaging
Oregon’s RMA (Senate Bill 582), signed in 2021 and effective July 1, 2025, requires producers of covered products (including most forms of packaging, paper products, and food service ware) to join a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) and bear financial and reporting responsibilities for downstream recycling.
Importantly, the RMA does not explicitly exempt cannabis or hemp consumer packaging from EPR obligations. The law’s definition of “covered products” is broad, so cannabis and hemp companies selling packaged products to Oregon consumers must prepare for participation—especially if their containers, films, pouches, boxes, or labels fit within the law’s scope. Read more from Oregon DEQ
Why Does This Matter for Cannabis?
Oregon’s cannabis industry already operates under stringent rules from the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) regarding labeling, child resistance, and packaging structure. Now, the challenge is twofold:
- Maintain OLCC compliance while redesigning packaging to satisfy EPR and recycling standards
- Track registration, reporting, and eco-modulated fee requirements driven by EPR
New Duties and Deadlines for Producers in 2025
Who is a Producer?
Under the RMA, a producer is any company that imports, manufactures, or sells covered packaging into Oregon. This includes cannabis and hemp companies that:
- Sell products under their own brand (including private and white-label arrangements)
- Import packaged cannabis and hemp goods for Oregon sale
- Use contract manufacturers or co-packers
Key EPR Compliance Deadlines
- March 31, 2025: Initial producer registration with the Circular Action Alliance (CAA), Oregon’s state-approved PRO (register here).
- July 1, 2025: RMA officially live—producers must be registered, account for their packaging formats, and coordinate reporting processes.
- August 31, 2025: Begin collecting data and preparing your first annual packaging report (detailing 2025 packaging sold into Oregon).
- July 1, 2026: Anticipated first payments of EPR fees, based on 2025 data submitted to the PRO.
What Must You Do Now?
- Determine if your business has producer obligations for all SKUs (including private-label, contract-manufactured, and white-label agreements)
- Map all direct and distribution sales into Oregon’s retail, wholesale, and adult-use cannabis channels
- Rigid plastics, flexible films, glass jars, bottles, boxes, cartons, closure systems
- Primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging associated with consumer goods
- Document components that could influence your EPR obligations (e.g., multi-material envelopes, glued labels)
3. Register with the Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO)
4. Prepare for Data Collection and EPR Fees
- You must begin collecting granular data by packaging type and volume for all products sold in Oregon starting July 2025.
- Budget for EPR-related fees in 2026. Fees are volume-based, vary by packaging material, and may be higher for less-recyclable materials.
5. Ready Your Packaging for EPR Design Criteria
- Evaluate the recyclability of all packaging: mono-material structures, removal of problematic adhesives, recyclable inks/labeling
- Consider recycled content claims and recycled-content targets in alignment with EPR and OLCC standards
- Changes to packaging must stay compliant with OLCC’s rules for child resistance, CR testing, universal symbols, and warning panels (OLCC guidance).
6. Coordinate on Claims and Disclosures
- Only make recycled-content or recyclability claims that can be substantiated and that align with Oregon’s Green Guides and RMA requirements.
- Be cautious: misleading claims can result in enforcement actions and penalties.
OLCC Packaging & Labeling Compliance in 2025 (Intersection with EPR)
Key OLCC Packaging Rules:
- All cannabis products require OLCC pre-approval for packaging and labeling (OLCC packaging FAQ)
- Packaging must be child-resistant, tamper-evident, and protect product integrity
- Label panels must include required warnings, THC/CBD content, producer information, date, batch numbers, and OLCC’s universal symbol
- Changes in packaging design—new materials, closures, or recycled-content claims—may require resubmission for OLCC review
Hemp Products: Industrial or consumable hemp products sold at retail, if packaged and labeled like similar cannabis products, are generally considered in-scope for OLCC and EPR purposes if sold into Oregon.
How OLCC and EPR May Conflict
- The need for child resistance and tamper evidence often leads to mixed material packaging (which EPR programs may penalize for being hard to recycle)
- Sourcing certified recyclable or recycled-content packaging may force changes that impact previously approved OLCC formats
- Strong coordination is needed between regulatory, sourcing, and compliance teams to avoid enforcement action or market disruption
Enforcement and Penalties for Noncompliance
Oregon DEQ and the Circular Action Alliance (CAA) have underscored the importance of on-time registration and accurate reporting. Noncompliance may result in:
- Fines for late registration
- Financial penalties for non-payment of EPR fees or insufficient data
- Exclusion from the Oregon cannabis market for persistent offenders
Take action now to avoid registration and reporting pitfalls.
Looking Ahead: What Cannabis Businesses Should Do in 2025
- Start Early: Build cross-functional teams to handle EPR mapping, OLCC compliance checks, and supplier outreach
- Budget Accordingly: EPR fees will be a new, annual ongoing cost and will increase for non-recyclable and complex packaging
- Supplier Communication: Work with suppliers on documentation and suitable alternative formats—especially on recycled content and mono-material solutions
- Stay Informed: The Oregon DEQ and CAA will issue ongoing guidance—subscribe to their alerts and leverage CannabisRegulations.ai for up-to-date, actionable insights
- Document Everything: Maintain packaging records, supply chain certifications, and communication logs in the event of audit or regulatory inquiry
Bottom Line:Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) is a significant regulatory milestone for the cannabis sector. There is no carve-out for cannabis or hemp packaging from EPR duties—if you sell into Oregon, new producer registration, lifecycle tracking, and packaging redesign are now required business functions. Begin engaging with PRO resources, coordinate with internal and external partners, and prepare your business to excel in Oregon’s new compliance landscape.
Stay ahead of regulatory shifts. For real-time updates, compliance checklists, and packaging strategy consultations, leverage CannabisRegulations.ai today.
