Bryan M. Gold reports for Waste Dive
Two bills collectively known as the California Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act have advanced in their respective legislative bodies. SB 54 passed in the Senate on May 29 and AB 1080 passed in the Assembly on May 30. Each bill will now head to the opposite legislative body for multiple rounds of committee votes — and possible amendments — before potentially coming up for a final concurrence vote that could send the legislation to Gov. Gavin Newsom by this fall.
Dive Brief:
- California legislators recently introduced a pair of bills (AB 1080 and SB 54) known as the California Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act that would establish a comprehensive plan to “reduce and recycle” 75% of single-use plastics by 2030.
- This bill takes a phased approach, calling for manufacturers of single-use plastic packaging or products distributed and sold in California to show a recycling rate of at least 20% by Jan. 1, 2022, and at least 40% by 2026. By 2030, all products would have to be “recyclable or compostable.”
- In preparation, the legislation would require the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) to create and approve a scoping plan about how to measure and achieve those targets by Jan. 1, 2021. It also calls for CalRecycle to develop criteria – based on requested data from the public and private sector – to determine which types of single-use packaging or products are reusable, recyclable, or compostable.
