California's New Plastic Packaging Law Is the Strictest in the U.S.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new law in the state that all packaging must be recyclable or compostable by 2032 in an effort to cut plastic packaging by 25 percent. It also requires 65% of all single-use plastics be recycled in that same 10-year window.

“Our kids deserve a future free of plastic waste and all its dangerous impacts, everything from clogging our oceans to killing animals—contaminating the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. No more," Gov. Newsom said in a statement. "California won’t tolerate plastic waste that’s filling our waterways and making it harder to breathe. We’re holding polluters responsible and cutting plastics at the source."

The nation’s boldest plastic reduction legislation has passed the Assembly Floor with bipartisan support. This bill now moves to the Senate for concurrence. I appreciate the fearless efforts of our environmental organizations, businesses, and waste management groups. #SB54 #CALeg pic.twitter.com/3rsMdr4Lty

— Assemblywoman Luz Rivas (@AsmLuzRivas) June 30, 2022

As part of the SB54 law, there are incremental goals for plastic recycling:

At least 30% of all plastic packaging in California should be recycled by Jan. 1, 2028. That number increases to 40% in 2030, and 65% by 2032.

California has enacted the strongest plastic source reduction policy in the nation. #SB54 marks a significant step in reducing the country’s reliance on single-use plastic and protecting our oceans, communities, and climate. https://t.co/tQduPOBC4N

Via @FRANCE24

— Oceana (@oceana) July 5, 2022

“In this time of extreme polarization in our nation, California was able to show that we can pass strong environmental legislation with bipartisan support that brought together the environmental and business communities,” said Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), author of the legislation, in the press release. “I’m so grateful to the ballot measure proponents who helped to force this issue, the many advocates who worked so hard through the negotiations, and the Governor, legislators, and staff who recognized the need for action. With this new law, California continues its tradition of global environmental leadership – tackling a major problem in a way that will grow markets in sustainable innovations, create incentives for investment, and set the stage for partnership with other states and countries on these issues.”

As single-use plastic bans take hold around the country and the globe, California is taking a strict approach to limiting waste, citing a 2018 study that found only 9% of plastics are recycled, with 91% ending up as pollution on land and in the ocean.

What this means is that distributors and suppliers who manufacture or do business in California will need to be aware of their product's eco-footprint, as the state moves further away from non-recycled plastic.