A federal court has temporarily blocked an Oregon recycling overhaul while a lawsuit challenging the measure proceeds, the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors said Friday.
The industry group filed its suit over the Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act last summer. The 2021 law sought to require companies that sell or distribute plastic, paper or foodservice products to pay fees to help fund Oregon’s recycling program — mirroring programs in Canada and Europe — but attorneys for the NAW contended that the law is unconstitutional on several fronts, most notably its imposition of state regulations on interstate commerce.
The temporary injunction issued by the U.S. district court on Friday, NAW officials said, prevents the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality from enforcing the law on its members pending a final ruling from the court. The case is scheduled to begin in mid-July.
