California's Zero Waste Plan
California is implementing policy and legislative changes to drive the state to zero waste by reducing, reusing, repairing, and recycling resources.
- The Zero Waste Plan sets a path to close existing program gaps, identify what’s working, and recommend what’s needed for a truly circular economy.
- Equity and inclusion are priorities as we redesign systems toward zero waste.
California is building a comprehensive, circular strategy to reduce and reuse all materials. The Zero Waste Plan was published in 2026.
Although California has collected for recycling:
Over 40
million tons
of waste
still goes to landfills a year.
We can do more and build new and expanded circular systems to use these materials better.
News and Events
California’s Zero Waste Plan
The Zero Waste Plan is California’s circular economy roadmap, identifying innovative solutions to strengthen circular systems while maximizing community, economic, and environmental benefits. It includes 15 recommendations in eight areas that prioritize: 1) rethinking design and reducing waste, 2) reusing and repurposing, and 3) recycling.
Baseline Report
CalRecycle published the Baseline Report for the Zero Waste Plan on July 1, 2024. The report evaluates the effectiveness of the department’s programs and identifies programmatic and department-wide changes needed to improve these programs.
US EPA Pages
The US EPA website has additional resources on zero waste, including how other communities have defined zero waste.