California announces recycling regulations for packaging and beverage containers

The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) has announced new recycling regulations, reforms and funding to reduce single-use plastic waste in California.

The state released draft regulations March 8 for producers to cut use of single-use plastics and ensure product packaging is recyclable or compostable. California also will enter a formal rulemaking for a law to expand beverage container redemption.

“For decades, plastics have been falsely advertised as recyclable while really being designed to be thrown away,” says Yana Garcia, California’s secretary for environmental protection. “This growing source of trash ends up in our landfills or, too often, polluting our most vulnerable communities. That’s why California is taking nation-leading action to hold plastic producers accountable, protect our environment and communities and build solutions to deliver on the promise of recycling.”

The organization has also announced $55 million in grants supporting technology solutions and workforce development for California’s recycling industry.  

Packaging

According to CalRecycle, packaging makes up more than 50 percent of the state’s waste. California’s Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act (S.B. 54) institutes requirements for producers to cut disposable plastic packaging and food ware.

This law requires that by 2032, producers must sell 25 percent less single-use plastic packaging and food ware in the state; make all single-use packaging and plastic food ware recyclable or compostable; and recycle 65 percent of single-use plastic packaging and food ware.

RELATED: CalRecycle issues report on packaging recyclability

The law also creates a fund that will raise $5 billion from industry members for the state to address plastic pollution in communities most impacted by it. 

CalRecycle will receive public comments on S.B. 54 rules for a minimum 45-day period and will hold a hearing for public comments on the draft regulations.

Beverage container redemption

In 2022, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed S.B. 1013, which expands the state’s “bottle bill” and gives beverage retailers in areas with no recycling centers the choice to either redeem in-store or join a cooperative recycling program. The law removes the option for retailers to pay a $100 daily fee instead of redeeming.

CalRecycle says the law and draft regulations will bring more recycling sites to the state with new ways to redeem, including mobile recycling centers, reverse vending machines and recycling drop-off stations. The public can submit comments on the draft rules after they are published by the Office of Administrative Law.