New Law Targets to Cut Plastic Waste in California

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, more commonly known as SB 54, is expected to deliver significant reduction in plastic waste in California. The bill was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2022.

The landmark legislation calls for significant reduction in plastic packaging and dramatic surge in packaging recycling. It requires all packaging to be recyclable or compostable by 2032. It targets to cut plastic packaging by one-fourth over the next decade. Also, it requires 65% of all single-use plastic packaging to be recycled in the same timeframe.

The bill shifts the burden of plastic pollution from consumers to the plastic industry. Accordingly, industry members will have to raise $5 billion over the period of next ten years. This money thus collected will be used to drive efforts to cut plastic pollution. In addition, it will support disadvantaged communities that are most hurt by the devastating impacts of plastic pollution.

Incidentally, Californians discard around 15,000 tons of plastic into landfills every day, as per rough estimates by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).