Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act

SB 54

Program News

CalRecycle has published:
On August 22, 2025, CalRecycle initiated a formal rulemaking for California’s plastic and packaging reforms and released draft regulations for public review and comment.
On August 26, 2025, CalRecycle released a Partially Recirculated Draft Program Environmental Impact Report for public review and comment.
The Barriers and Solutions Report and Presentation provides the advisory board’s required initial recommendations (PRC 42070(e)).
On June 30, 2025, CalRecycle published a statewide material characterization study (MCS) of disposed of SB 54-covered material.
- On September 30, 2025, CalRecycle published an update to the preliminary findings of the MCS.
The 2025 Report to the Legislature provides information on the recyclability of single-use packaging and single-use plastic food service ware in California.
Circular Action Alliance has been approved to serve as the first Producer Responsibility Organization. (PRC 42061.5)
- Circular Action Alliance Applicant Package

Upcoming Events

October 28, 2025
Public Meeting to Present Material Characterization Study Preliminary Findings Update
Agenda/Public Notice

Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location:

CalEPA Headquarters, Sierra Hearing Room (2nd floor)
1001 “I” St., Sacramento, CA 95814
Zoom or Webcast

Past Events

Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Updates

Under California law, to continue selling EPS food service ware in the state, EPS food service ware producers must demonstrate that all EPS meets a 25% recycling rate as of January 1, 2025.

To date, this requirement has not been met.
As a result, producers are prohibited from selling, offering for sale, distributing, or importing EPS food service ware, like single-use takeout containers and cups, in or into California.

These resources are available to help businesses comply with the law:

FAQ to help regulated businesses understand their compliance obligations.
A form to report potentially illegal EPS Food Service Ware sales, so CalRecycle can provide education and support producer compliance.

Notification letters sent to potential producers:

Packaging makes up over 50% of what we dump in California landfills by volume.

We must reduce packaging waste and ensure it is recycled to meet our state’s recycling and climate goals.

On June 30, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 54 (Allen, 2022) into law to address the impacts of single-use packaging and plastic food service ware. This landmark packaging law requires that by 2032 we:

Cut By

%

Single-use plastic:

Packaging and
Food service ware

Recycle

%

Of single-use plastic:

Packaging and
Food service ware

Ensure

%

Of single-use:

Packaging
Plastic food service ware

Is recyclable or compostable

The law shifts the plastic pollution burden from consumers to producers by raising $5 billion from industry members over 10 years.
This will:

Cut plastic pollution and
Support disadvantaged, low-income, and rural communities hurt most by the impacts of plastic waste.

Get Email Updates About SB 54: Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act

See all CalRecycle lists and previous messages.

Californians Throw Away

290
Olympic pools worth of plastic a day

Publications

- SB 54 Report to the Legislature (2025)
- SB 54 Report to the Legislature (December 2023)
- Covered Material Categories List (December 2024): Contains recyclability and compostability determinations
- Covered Material Category Producer Reporting Guidance
- Source Reduction Producer Reporting Guidance
- Covered Material Categories List (September 2025): Update to categories from the December 2024 release

Producers Play a Strategic Role in Building a Truly Circular Economy

SB 54 establishes a new extended producer responsibility (EPR) program to manage packaging and single-use plastic food service ware products across every sector of the economy.

Producers will ensure that the packaging and plastic food service ware sold in California is recyclable or compostable.

EPR gives primary responsibility for managing products after their useful life to producers, who can design and market products to be more easily reused or recycled.

EPR can encourage product design changes to:

Ensure products are easily reused or recycled.
Minimize negative impacts on public health and the environment at every stage of the product’s lifecycle.

Needs Assessment

Public Resources Code Section 42067 requires CalRecycle to develop a statewide needs assessment collaboratively.

Information from this needs assessment will guide the Producer Responsibility Organization’s budget and plan detailing how California will meet the packaging and plastic pollution reduction goals of SB 54.

Explore Needs Assessment

Advisory Board

CalRecycle’s director appointed an advisory board to identify barriers and solutions to creating a circular economy and advise the producer responsibility organizations, producers, and the department in implementing this new law.

Explore Advisory Board

SB 54 Covered Material Categories List

Material regulated by SB 54 (called “covered material”) includes single-use packaging and single-use plastic food service ware [Public Resources Code Section 42061(e)].

CalRecycle must publish a list of covered material categories by July 1, 2024.

Explore CMC List