The Circular Economy

Moving from a disposable economy to a system that reuses or remakes all materials.

 

 

California is moving from a disposable system that uses most products once, then sends them to a landfill forever – to a circular economy that collects and reuses items or remakes them into new products.

 

Icons depicting source reduce and reuse, consumer ed and collection, recycling, processing, end markets, and product design.

CalRecycle’s Division of the Circular Economy

California is innovating systems to cut waste and ensure all materials have a path to reuse or recycling.

The Division of the Circular Economy includes programs overseeing:

  • The Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act (SB 54, Allen, 2022) requiring producers by 2032 to make:
    • 25% less plastic packaging
    • 100% of packaging recyclable or compostable, and
    • Sure 65% of plastic packaging gets recycled.
  • The Responsible Battery Recycling Act requiring producers to recycle the 822 million loose batteries Californians use a year.  
    (AB 2440, Irwin, 2022) 

California Circular Businesses

Companies that turn waste into raw materials for new products.

Our Circular Use Economy Roots

America used to reuse materials instead of turning resources into trash. 

Resources

Reduce Waste  |  Como Reducir Gasto

Home Page

For more information contact, the Office of Public Affairs, opa@calrecycle.ca.gov