CALIFORNIA — A coalition of 17 states and the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors filed a lawsuit against California in federal court on Monday to block enforcement of the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act.

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers led the coalition. The states joining Nebraska were Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.

The lawsuit names Zoe Heller, director of CalRecycle, and the Circular Action Alliance as defendants. It argues that the act violates both the U.S. Constitution and the California Constitution. The plaintiffs ask the court to declare the law invalid and unenforceable and to halt its implementation.

The plaintiffs argue that the regulations will cause price increases in everyday necessities that will be passed on to consumers. "Once again, California is trying to enact a policy that negatively impacts the rest of the country. If California goes unchecked, consumers will be forced to pay more for basic necessities," Hilgers said.

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors also joined the lawsuit. Eric Hoplin, president and CEO of the association, said California is not entitled to pronounce nationwide policies. "Because the Act extends California's regulatory reach far beyond its borders and brings within its sweep conduct wholly unconnected to California, the Act violates principles of federalism, the horizontal separation of powers, and due process," Hoplin said.

The act was enacted in 2022. It requires companies to scale back single-use plastics and ensure that all packaging is recyclable or compostable. The law states that sellers can only access California's markets if they make changes to packaging design, production, and waste disposal.

California Environmental Protection Secretary Yana Garcia said the state is shifting the responsibility of managing single-use plastic and packaging onto producers. "New packaging reforms lower waste costs for communities and decrease garbage and pollution across the state," Garcia said. "This approach pushes producers to innovate and design packaging that truly supports a circular economy."

The Circular Action Alliance stated it was aware of the lawsuit and is monitoring developments while continuing to work on implementing the law.