A coalition of 17 states and a trade association representing U.S. wholesalers and distributors sued California on Monday, asking a federal court to block enforcement of the state’s recently finalized recycling regulations aimed at reducing plastic packaging waste. The rules would gradually require companies to cut back on single-use plastics and mandate that all packaging be recyclable or compostable.
The lawsuit calls the regulations “onerous mandates” and argues they should be struck down because they will cause steep price increases in everyday necessities that will be passed on, at least in part, to consumers.
“Once again, California is trying to enact a policy that negatively impacts the rest of the country,” Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, who led the coalition, said in a news release. “If California goes unchecked, consumers will be forced to pay more for basic necessities.”
The legal filing did not specify which federal court received the lawsuit. California’s regulations are part of a broader push by the state to reduce plastic pollution, but critics say the measures unlawfully impose costs on businesses and consumers outside the state’s borders. The coalition includes states from across the country, several of which have previously sued California over environmental rules.