On July 14, 2026, the United States District Court for the Southern District of California granted a request for a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of SB 343, also known as California’s “Truth in Recycling” law. Restrictions on recyclability claims were set to take effect on October 4, 2026, for products or packaging manufactured after
Product Safety
Supreme Court Rules FTC Commissioner Can Be Fired


On June 29, 2026, the Supreme Court of the United States (the Court) struck down Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, the nearly century-old precedent that restricted presidential authority to fire independent agency officers at will. The Court’s decision in Trump v. Slaughter, in which a former Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)…
Second Lawsuit Challenges Constitutionality of Oregon’s Packaging EPR Law

On June 25, 2026, Lollicup USA, a manufacturer of single-use disposable products for the restaurant and food services industries, filed in federal district court a putative class action lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Oregon’s Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act, SB 582 (the Act or RMA). Like several other state laws, the RMA establishes extended…
California Packaging EPR Program Faces Legal Challenges

On June 22, 2026, a coalition of 17 states led by Nebraska’s attorney general (AG) plus the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW), filed a federal lawsuit in the Eastern District of California, challenging the constitutionality of SB 54 (or the Act), California’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) law for packaging. Defendants include the California Department of…
California’s Responsible Textile Recovery Act Registration Deadline Less than a Month Away

Producers covered under California’s Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024 (SB 707, RTRA, or Act) have until July 1, 2026, to register with Landbell USA, the producer responsibility organization (PRO) appointed by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) to manage the extended producer responsibility (EPR) program established under the Act. On February…
Written Opinion on SB 343 Constitutional Challenge Expected After Hearing

On June 3, 2026, a federal district court in California held a hearing on a motion for a preliminary injunction in a legal challenge filed by 21 organizations contending that California’s SB 343, also known as the Truth in Recycling law, is unconstitutional. At issue in California League of Food Producers v. Bonta (Case No.
FTC Follows New Executive Order with a “Made in the USA” Sweep


On April 14, following last month’s Executive Order (EO) directing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Agency) to prioritize enforcement of fraudulent “Made in the U.S.A.” (MUSA) claims, the FTC announced three new MUSA enforcement actions involving four companies. Read the update here.
A New Federal Safety Standard for Water Bead Toys Now in Effect

Mandatory requirements for water bead toys came into force on March 12, 2026. The Federal Safety Standard for Water Beads (Final Rule) amends the Safety Standard for Toys, 16 C.F.R. Part 1250 (Toy Standard), by adding performance and labeling requirements “to eliminate or adequately reduce the risk of injury and death to children from…
Industry Groups Challenge Constitutionality of California’s “Truth in Labeling” Law


On March 17, 2026, a coalition of 18 food industry groups and trade associations brought suit in California federal court challenging the constitutionality of California’s “Truth in Labeling” law (SB 343). Plaintiffs seek a declaration that SB 343 is unconstitutional and a preliminary injunction to prevent enforcement of the law while the suit…
New Executive Order Adds to Growing Uncertainty Surrounding “Made in the USA” Claims

On March 13, 2026, President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO), “Ensuring Truthful Advertising of Products Claiming to be Made in America,” directing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Agency) to prioritize enforcement of fraudulent “Made in U.S.A.” (MUSA) claims “wherever appropriate.” The EO’s express targets are “foreign manufacturers and sellers,” who “target…