Seventeen Republican attorneys general and the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors are suing California. They want to stop a strict law on plastic packaging. They claim the rules will hurt businesses and shoppers.
The Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act passed in 2022. These rules just started. Companies must cut single-use plastics. All packaging must be compostable or recyclable.
The lawsuit says these rules raise costs for companies. These firms will then raise prices for people across the country.
Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers leads the group. He says consumers will pay more for basic goods if California is not stopped. The trade group’s CEO says California cannot set rules for the whole nation.
CalRecycle, the state’s recycling agency, will not comment on the lawsuit but says it’s focused on implementing the law. Advocates claim the regulations lower waste costs for communities and shift responsibility onto producers.
