California's New Regulations to Curb Single-Use Plastic Waste

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): As part of moving towards a stricter set of regulations to curb single-use plastic waste, California has released a draft regulation that makes producers responsible for cutting the waste by ensuring that the packaging they sell is either recyclable or compostable. Incidentally, packaging accounts for more than half of what is thrown away by Californians.

The law holds plastic producers responsible for the pollution and aims to deliver protection of the environment by promoting safe recycling. It must be noted that the packaging waste most often ends up in landfills, polluting the environment and causing damages to vulnerable communtities.

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The law requires that the industry must cut sales of single-use plastic packaging and food ware in California by 25% by 2032. All single-use packaging and plastic food ware must be recyclable or compostable by then. Also, the industry is required to make sure that at least 65% of single-use plastic packaging and food ware are responsibly recycled.

The proposed law calls for creation of a fund of $5 billion to be raised from industry members. This fund will be used by the state to reduce plastic pollution in most impacted communities.

The 45-day public comment period on the rules is already open. A public hearing on the draft regulations will be organized by CalRecycle.