EPR Compliance Converges in 2026 — How PACK EXPO Is Helping Brands Navigate the Packaging Regulation Wave

For packaging professionals, 2026 is the year that Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) moves from policy discussion to operational reality. It is the first year where EPR obligations converge across multiple U.S. states simultaneously, making it the most operationally intensive year for producers navigating compliance in the nation's history. Oregon's fee schedule ranges from $0 per pound for non-consumer corrugated cardboard to over $1.30 per pound for certain plastic containers and foamed cushions. California's Circular Action Alliance will submit its draft program plan mid-year, with mandatory producer fees beginning January 2027. And PACK EXPO International, scheduled for October 18-21 in Chicago with more than 2,600 exhibitors, arrives at exactly the moment when brands need solutions most.

The EPR Compliance Landscape: What Brands Face in 2026

A February 2026 analysis by Mayer Brown describes EPR packaging laws as "moving from concept to compliance," noting that managing EPR across multiple states means navigating evolving rules, shifting reporting schedules, and rising costs. Data is scattered across systems, deadlines are looming, and manual reporting is increasingly error-prone and time-consuming.

Here are the critical milestones hitting in 2026:

• Oregon: Active EPR fee collection is underway. The eco-modulation fee structure penalizes difficult-to-recycle materials, with flexible and multilayer plastics facing dramatically higher fees than fiber-based alternatives.
• California (SB 54): The Circular Action Alliance will submit a draft Program Plan in mid-2026 for CalRecycle review. Producers must register with CAA by December 15, 2026 if they want to appoint CAA as their Producer Responsibility Organization.
• Washington: The Recycling Reform Act's Advisory Council was named in January 2026. Service providers began registering with the state this month, and the Department of Ecology is initiating rulemaking.
• EU: The EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation introduces new requirements including minimum recycled content for plastic packaging, with exceptions for pharmaceutical and infant food packaging.

"Reporting obligations necessitate investments in data systems and board-level oversight. Early alignment of legal, sustainability, procurement, and finance functions can reduce compliance risk and lower total cost."

-- Mayer Brown, EPR Packaging Laws Analysis, February 2026

PACK EXPO Responds with Sustainability Focus

PMMI, which organizes PACK EXPO, has recognized the regulatory urgency and expanded its sustainability programming for 2026. PACK EXPO East introduced the Containers and Materials Pavilion, designed to help brand owners, package designers, and manufacturers explore advances in paperboard, glass, metal, flexible, and resealable packaging. The pavilion highlights innovations that support brand differentiation, functionality, and sustainability, including recyclable, biodegradable, and e-commerce-ready materials.

PACK EXPO International in October will take this further, with PMMI expecting more than 2,600 exhibitors representing over 40 vertical industries. Sustainability-focused exhibitors will have a dedicated showcase area, and the education program is expected to feature sessions on EPR compliance strategies, material substitution, and recyclability design.

The Containers and Materials Pavilion: A New Opportunity

For exhibitors offering sustainable packaging alternatives, the new Containers and Materials Pavilion represents a strategic opportunity. It concentrates the audience of brand owners and package designers who are actively seeking materials that reduce EPR fees and meet recycled content mandates. Rather than competing for attention on the broader show floor, sustainability-focused exhibitors can position themselves in a context where every visitor has material innovation as a primary objective.

Automation Meets Compliance

Packaging Dive identifies automation as one of the five key packaging industry trends for 2026. But in this context, automation extends beyond production line efficiency. Compliance automation — systems that track material composition, calculate EPR fees across jurisdictions, generate regulatory reports, and manage producer registration deadlines — is becoming an essential category.

For software and data management exhibitors at PACK EXPO, this is a significant market opportunity. Brands operating across Oregon, California, Washington, Colorado, and the EU need platforms that can harmonize reporting requirements, manage eco-modulation fee calculations, and provide audit-ready documentation. The companies that solve this data management challenge will find eager buyers on the PACK EXPO floor.

Material Innovation Accelerates Under Regulatory Pressure

The EPR fee structure creates powerful economic incentives for material substitution. Fiber-based materials tend to fall in lower fee bands, while flexible and multilayer plastics carry the highest costs due to limited recyclability and higher net system cost. This fee differential is driving a wave of material innovation:

• Mono-material flexible packaging that maintains barrier properties while being recyclable in existing infrastructure
• Paper-based alternatives for applications traditionally served by plastic films and trays
• Compostable packaging for food service and consumer applications, though regulatory treatment varies by jurisdiction
• Design-for-recycling tools that evaluate recyclability scores during the packaging design phase

Exhibitor Strategy for Packaging Shows in 2026

The packaging trade show calendar in 2026 offers multiple opportunities. PACK EXPO East ran earlier this year, PACK EXPO International arrives in October, and interpack and Packaging Innovations offer international exposure. Here is how exhibitors should approach these events:

1. Lead with compliance economics. Every brand owner at PACK EXPO is calculating the financial impact of EPR regulations. Bring specific fee comparisons, total cost analyses, and payback period calculations for material transitions.
2. Demonstrate regulatory expertise. Have staff who can discuss EPR requirements across multiple states and the EU. The ability to advise on compliance strategy, not just sell products, builds trust and differentiates your booth.
3. Show the recyclability data. Third-party recyclability certifications, How2Recycle labeling compatibility, and APR design guidelines compliance should be prominently displayed. Brand owners need documentation they can present to their own compliance teams.
4. Address the full packaging lifecycle. Solutions that only address production efficiency without considering end-of-life outcomes will feel incomplete in 2026. Connect your product story to the circular economy narrative.
5. Capture leads across the show circuit. Use Scannly to ensure every conversation is documented, especially given the complex, multi-stakeholder procurement processes common in CPG packaging decisions.

The packaging industry in 2026 is being reshaped by regulation at a pace that few anticipated even two years ago. PACK EXPO International arrives at the critical moment when brands are making material decisions, technology investments, and compliance commitments that will define their packaging strategies for the next decade. Exhibitors who understand this urgency and arrive prepared to address it will generate exceptional returns from the show floor.