There are two new requirements involving the recycling of wine containers in Oregon: one covering wine in bottles or other types of packaging, and one covering wine in cans. The former will be covered under Oregon's Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law starting July 1, 2025, while the latter will be incorporated into the existing beverage container recycling system on the same date. Legislation to include wine bottles in the existing beverage container deposit and recycling system failed due to opposition, so suppliers shipping to Oregon need to be aware of two separate systems, depending on how they package their wines.

Wine Bottles
Wine bottles and other forms of packaging (such as bag-in-a-box and Tetra Packs) will be covered by Oregon's Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law starting July 1, 2025. By March 31, 2025, all suppliers that ship packaged wine in or into Oregon (unless exempt as described below) must register with the designated Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) that will ensure the bottles and cartons are recycled. Oregon's PRO is Circular Action Alliance: EPR for Paper and Packaging Resources — Circular Action Alliance.

Exemptions
Small producers are exempt from registering for the EPR program. A small producer is defined as either:

1. a producer who has a worldwide gross revenue of less than $5 million in its most recent fiscal year, or
2. a producer who sold in or into Oregon less than one metric ton of covered products in the most recent calendar year.

A small producer whose worldwide gross revenue is less than $5 million would be exempt. A small producer with greater gross revenue but shipping a volume lower than one metric ton into Oregon would also be exempt. Note: A single pallet of bottled wine (53 cases) can weigh a metric ton, so anything over one pallets-worth of wine shipped to Oregon would fail this criterion for exemption. Both DTC and wholesale sales shipped to Oregon are included.

Again, if your winery is NOT exempt, the deadline for registering is March 31, 2025 and we have provided a link above for Circular Action Alliance. Further information on this requirement can be found on the Wine Institute's EPR pages in the Members area of its website. Given the penalties associated with the program, we recommend that all non-exempt suppliers shipping to Oregon register by the deadline.

Wine in Cans
Effective July 1, 2025, wine packaged in cans will be subject to Oregon existing "bottle bill" recycling system. If you sell canned wine into Oregon, or are considering adding canned wine to your offerings, you need to know about these requirements.

Labeling Requirement for Cans
Beginning July 1, 2025, canned wine sold to customers in Oregon must state the Oregon redemption message "OR 10¢" in lettering least 1/8 inch high text. This requirement is normally fulfilled by purchasing can lids that have the redemption message for all the states embossed on the lid. If your winery is using generic cans without the redemption information, you may contact CSA for assistance with other labeling options.

Canned Wine sold Directly to Oregon Consumers
If you sell your canned wine directly to Oregon consumers, your winery will need to register with the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) to handle the collection and redemption of the recycling fee of 10¢ per can. The deadline for registration with OBRC is also July 1, 2025 for your sales direct to consumers. You can avoid the requirement to register with the OBRC by simply not selling your canned wine directly to Oregon consumers. If you need assistance with registering with OBRC, you may contact Alex Heckathorn at CSA for assistance with the process. Here is a link to OBRC's website.

Canned Wine Sold to Oregon Distributors
If you sell your canned wine to an Oregon licensed distributor, the Oregon distributor will register your cans with the OBRC and handle the collections and redemption tasks. However, your winery is still responsible for adding the redemption message to the cans.

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