Page 55 - Plastics News May 2026
P. 55
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
cyclers, materials manufacturers and advocacy compliance pathways. Waiver durations have
groups. been extended from one year to five.
“Through a long and engaged dialogue with The scope of the bill’s obligations remains in-
stakeholders, we have forged a middle ground tact. Producers with more than $5 million in an-
with these amendments to our bill,” Harckham nual net revenue and responsible for more than
said, adding that the legislators are now focused two tons of annual packaging waste would be
on securing the legislative and executive ap- required to reduce packaging 10% within three
provals needed to advance the measure. years and 30% within 12 years.
The amended bill, SS1464A / A1749A, draws on “They maintain strong protections, reduce the
definitions and policy frameworks from Minne- burden on local governments and provide the
sota and California, extends implementation and consistency with other states needed to allow
compliance timelines and updates post-con- industry to comply,” Glick said.
sumer recycled content requirements to allow
greater flexibility while maintaining domestic la- The underlying urgency, she noted, hasn’t shift-
bor and industry standards. ed. Nearly all remaining in-state landfill capac-
ity is expected to be exhausted within 15 years,
Five substances have been removed from the leaving municipalities to absorb rising costs for
toxics provisions, and the Toxic Packaging Task collection, sorting and processing as waste ex-
Force has been eliminated. The amendments port and incineration remain the default alterna-
also scrap the Inspector General role, consoli- tives.
dating enforcement authority within the Depart-
ment of Environmental Conservation and the At- “The Packaging Reduction and Recycling In-
torney General’s Office. frastructure Act is a real solution that must be
passed this year,” Glick said.
Regional material mandates are out. In their Source- https://resource-recycling.com
place, the bill adopts Minnesota’s “responsible
end markets” framework, which Harckham and
Glick say gives producers clearer statewide
CALRECYCLE APPROVES SB 54 REGULATIONS
alRecycle approved long-awaited regula- The changes shift the burden of rising waste dis-
tions implementing California’s landmark posal costs, pollution and “harmful plastics” from
Cextended producer responsibility (EPR) taxpayers and local governments to producers
law for packaging. of single-use products. Packaging makes up
On May 1, the enforcement agency set the stage more than 50% of what is dumped in California
for implementation of SB 54, which requires pro- landfills by volume.
ducers to reduce single-use plastic and ensure “California is shifting the responsibility of man-
all packaging is recyclable or compostable. aging single-use plastic and packaging onto the
May 2026 PLASTICS NEWS 57
