United States: Waste Management

A federal district court in Oregon has issued the first merits ruling on the constitutionality of a state packaging extended producer responsibility law, upholding Oregon's Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act after a five-day bench trial. The decision rejected constitutional challenges under the dormant Commerce Clause and Due Process Clause, finding that the state's waste management and pollution reduction interests justify the regulatory framework. This landmark ruling could significantly in

A federal judge has ruled on a constitutional challenge to Oregon's Extended Producer Responsibility program for plastics and packaging, addressing claims under the Dormant Commerce Clause and Due Process Clause. The decision carries significant implications for similar EPR programs facing legal challenges in California, Colorado, and other states that have enacted comprehensive producer responsibility legislation.

Tennessee became the first state in the United States to implement a fusion-specific regulatory framework that aligns with a federal regulatory template on 9 June 2026. Administered by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Division of Radiological Health (Division), the framework establishes state-level licensing and registration structure for fusion machines and fusion processes.

The EPA has proposed the sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 6), requiring public water systems to monitor 30 unregulated contaminants including certain PFAS chemicals, while notably excluding microplastics from the monitoring requirements. Despite pressure from state officials and environmental organizations, the agency cited the lack of consensus analytical methods for microplastics testing, though it has not ruled out future monitoring requirements as testing capabilities develop.

On June 29, EPA issued a draft guidance memorandum, “Draft Guidance for Reducing Risk from Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) in Biosolids.” The Draft Guidance reaffirms EPA’s...

On 20 June 2026, 17 states and the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors filed a complaint in the US District Court for the Eastern District of California challenging California’s extended producer...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new Superfund Solutions Initiative signals the agency’s push to accelerate the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)...

Satellite, drone, and other remote-sensing technologies are making methane emissions at landfills increasingly visible to regulators and the public. States like California, Colorado, and Oregon are incorporating these monitoring technologies into their regulatory frameworks, creating new compliance obligations and risk-management considerations. This shift may affect landfill operators through increased regulatory scrutiny, public emissions reporting, and potential legal exposure.

The Basel Convention’s Open-ended Working Group will consider used textiles and textile wastes at its fifteenth meeting (OEWG-15), scheduled for June 23–26, 2026, in Geneva.