Who is typically an obligated packaging producer?

It depends on state statute and producer role. Brand owners, manufacturers, distributors, and certain importers who supply covered packaging or paper into a regulated state may be obligated if volume or revenue thresholds are met. Packaging Intelligence flags Obligated, Exempt, or Unknown for Oregon, Colorado, and California. Confirm with counsel or CAA before you register.

Which U.S. packaging EPR programs does Packaging Intelligence support?

Packaging Intelligence currently supports Oregon Senate Bill 582, Colorado House Bill 22-1355, and California Senate Bill 54. Reporting concepts are harmonized through Circular Action Alliance. Category lists, timelines, and fee mechanics still differ by state.

What packaging data should producers prepare?

Required columns are SKU, packaging component, material, weight with unit, and annual units sold. Upload CSV or Excel, or enter a short table by hand. Annual units into Oregon, Colorado, and California, plus revenue and producer role, are often confirmed after upload. CAA needs aggregated net weight by material category and state, which Packaging Intelligence rolls up from component lines.

Does Packaging Intelligence file reports or give legal advice?

No. Packaging Intelligence prepares categorized weights and a base-fee estimate for planning. Official filing, registration, and payment stay with Circular Action Alliance. It does not provide legal advice.

U.S. packaging EPR

Packaging Intelligence

Know if you are obligated.
Estimate packaging fees.

For brand owners, manufacturers, and distributors. Classify covered packaging, check producer obligation in Oregon, Colorado, and California, estimate Circular Action Alliance base fees, and download a supply-data worksheet. You file on the producer portal.

See how it works

Why it exists

The hard part is turning a BOM into CAA supply data

BOMs are not portal reports
Engineering files list SKUs and components. CAA needs net weight by material category into each obligated state.
1
Obligation is unclear until you classify
Brand owners, manufacturers, and distributors need Obligated, Exempt, or Unknown by state before they register on the CAA portal.
2
Invoices arrive after supply data is accepted
Finance still needs an earlier base-fee estimate from published CAA rates. Eco-modulation is out of this release, so the figure is not overstated.
3

Operating model

Turn a packaging BOM into a Circular Action Alliance prep pack.

01
Upload the packaging BOM
Import a CSV, Excel workbook, or a short manual table of SKUs, pack components, materials, and weights. Unusual headers are mapped before classification starts.
02
Classify materials and obligation
Normalize free-text materials to Circular Action Alliance categories. Flag Obligated, Exempt, or Unknown for Oregon, Colorado, and California. Unrecognized resins go to a review picklist — never a silent assignment.
03
Estimate fees and export
Apply published base rates to annual pounds, then download PDF, Excel, and CSV for producer-portal entry. You copy the pack into Circular Action Alliance — the software does not auto-file.

Producer guidance

From a packaging BOM to CAA supply weights

Circular Action Alliance needs net weight by material category and state — not raw BOM lines. Here's how one SKU rolls up.

Illustrative rollup

From a bill of materials to portal-ready weights

Circular Action Alliance asks for aggregated category × weight × state, not raw BOM lines. A snack SKU shipping 250,000 units with a 0.06 lb carton and a 0.012 lb film pouch becomes 15,000 lb of corrugated fiber and 3,000 lb of flexible plastic, then split by destination state.

Example packaging bill of materials rolled up to Circular Action Alliance material categories
SKU	Component	Material	CAA category	Annual lb
SNK-240	Outer carton	Corrugated board	Corrugated fiber	15,000
SNK-240	Inner pouch	LDPE film	Flexible plastic	3,000

Coverage

Oregon, Colorado, and California

Senate Bill 582

Oregon SB 582 covers packaging and paper across a large material list, with program billing that can lag the supply year.

Platform

What Packaging Intelligence prepares for CAA.

Three outcomes that turn packaging records into a worksheet you can take to the Circular Action Alliance producer portal.

Base-fee estimate

See a planning-level estimate from published Circular Action Alliance category rates. It is labeled for planning — not an official invoice.

Category mapping

Free-text material names are mapped to CAA material categories. When a match is unclear, the material stays Unknown — nothing is assigned silently.

Compliance-preparation export

Download PDF, Excel, and CSV with categorized weights by state for portal entry. Packaging Intelligence does not auto-submit to CAA.

Categorized weight table
PDF, Excel, and CSV formats
Ready for CAA Producer Portal entry

We prepare the supply data. Circular Action Alliance remains where official filing happens.

Packaging Intelligence

Classify packaging records to CAA material categories
Flag Obligated, Exempt, or Unknown by state
Estimate base program fees from published rates
Export PDF, Excel, and CSV for portal entry

Circular Action Alliance

Producer registration, PPA, and state addenda
Official supply-data submission
Program invoices and payment
Vendor setup and billing administration

Questions

Packaging EPR, explained

Short answers on obligation, coverage, and what Packaging Intelligence prepares before you file with Circular Action Alliance.

Packaging EPR requires brand owners, manufacturers, and distributors who supply packaging and paper to join a producer responsibility organization, report supply data, and pay program fees. In Oregon, Colorado, and California that organization is Circular Action Alliance (CAA).

Prepare supply data you can take to CAA.

Download a compliance-preparation report with categorized weights and a base-fee estimate. You file, register, and pay on the CAA portal.

Know if you are obligated.Estimate packaging fees.