Packaging Unpacked: California SB 54 faces lawsuit; SBS pricing yet to move in June

Research evidence excerpt

Packaging Unpacked: California SB 54 faces lawsuit; SBS pricing yet to move in June

Deutsche Bank

Research

North America Equity Industry Date

Packaging Packaging Unpacked 26 June 2026

California SB 54 faces lawsuit; SBS pricing

Hillary Cacanando, CFA yet to move in June

Research Analyst

+1-212-250-3393

Multistate Lawsuit Challenges California’s SB 54

Earlier this week, a coalition of states comprised of Nebraska, Texas, Florida, and

fourteen other states, as well as the National Association of Wholesaler-

Distributors (NAW) filed a lawsuit challenging California’s SB 54 – the Plastic

Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act. At the core of

the complaint is the claim that SB 54 effectively forces companies across the US

to redesign packaging systems in order to maintain access to California’s market

– a dynamic that critics argue amounts to California setting de facto national

policy.

Key Points of the Lawsuit

The lawsuit comes one week after California’s Circular Action Alliance (CAA)

projected that the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program budget

could reach up to $1.87 billion in 2027 and total as much as $17.2 billion over the

next five years. CAA is the designated producer responsibility organization (PRO)

– the entity that administers the program, collects fees, and funds recycling on

behalf of companies. The projected budget reflects the full cost of building and

operating a producer-funded recycling system in California, effectively shifting

billions of dollars in waste management costs from municipalities and taxpayers

onto producers (brand owners) and, ultimately, the broader value chain.

The lawsuit was filed by the attorneys general of Nebraska, Texas, Florida,