17 US States Sue California Over Single-use Plastic Reduction Law

California has been sued by 17 US states over a new law aimed at reducing the use of single-use plastics and improving recycling efforts.

The lawsuit, filed on Monday in a federal court in Sacramento, challenges California’s Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, which was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2022 and took effect on May 1, 2026.

The law requires manufacturers and producers to cut the use of single-use plastic packaging and food-service items by 25 per cent and ensure that such products are recyclable or compostable by 2032.

The 17 states, all represented by Republican attorneys-general and led by Nebraska, argued that California was attempting to impose its environmental policies on the rest of the country. They contended that the law places an unfair burden on inter-state commerce, in violation of the US. Constitution’s Commerce Clause.

According to the plaintiffs, compliance with the legislation will force producers to make costly changes to their products and operations, expenses they say will ultimately be passed on to consumers through higher prices.

The states warned that the resulting inflationary pressure would disproportionately affect lower-income households.

“Once again, California is trying to enact a policy that negatively impacts the rest of the country,” Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers said in a statement. “If California goes unchecked, consumers will be forced to pay more for basic necessities.”

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors is also listed as a plaintiff in the suit.

Named as defendants are Zoe Heller, Director of the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), and the Circular Action Alliance, a nonprofit organisation responsible for implementing the law.

The Circular Action Alliance also oversees similar producer-responsibility programmes in Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington.