Law makers in the U.S. state of California have passed a range of new recycling-related legislation in the Senate and Assembly. Each of the new bills are introduced and discussed in an article published by news provider Waste Dive on September 18, 2019. The three bills that have drawn the most attention include:
- Bill AB 792: Requires containers within the state’s deposit program to achieve a composition of 50% recycled content by 2030. This has been described by Plastics News as currently the highest target worldwide.
- Bill AB 1583: Known as the California Recycling Marketing Development Act, the bill will require a new commission within the state to finalize a set of policy recommendations related to curbside recycling and composting programs. It aims to create guidance and educational materials relating to recycling, promote manufacturers to prove markets exist for their products, and it extends relevant current state programs related to loans and tax exemptions. It further removes the previous requirement to include the “chasing arrows” symbol on all plastic containers regardless of how widely they are recycled.
- Bill AB 827: If a commercial business is already required to separate recyclables and organics by state law (which applies to most food service businesses), this bill requires that they now also provide such collection bins publicly at their establishment for customers.
The widely discussed California Circular Economy and Pollution Reduction Act (bill SB 54 in the California Senate and bill AB 1080 in the California Assembly), however, did not make it to a vote before closure of the current legislative session. The act included a set target for a 75% recycling rate within the state by 2030. It was first introduced in May 2019 (FPF reported) and was recently revised following stakeholder feedback (FPF reported). The legislature will resume in January 2020, and the bill could then be up for continued discussion and reconsideration.
Read More
Cole Rosengren (September 18, 2019). “California legislature wraps session with unprecedented recycling action.” Waste Dive
Keller and Heckman LLP (September 18, 2019). “Circular Economy and Pollution Reduction Act Stalls in California Legislature.”
Steve Toloken (September 17, 2019). “California adopts world’s toughest recycled content plastic bottle law.”
Cole Rosengren (September 18, 2019). “California packaging EPR bill stalls, recycled content mandate passes.” Waste Dive
American Chemistry Council (September 14, 2019). “California Packaging Recycling Legislation Stalls.”
Steve Toloken (September 19, 2019). “California’s stalled plastics plan will come back. Here’s what it could mean.”
