The California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) recently put out a call to action to its members regarding three pieces of legislation that are facing steep opposition as they head to the Assembly Floor next week.

SB 1335 (Allen) – Recyclable and Compostable Food Packaging
This bill takes action to prevent plastic pollution in the environment by transitioning all food packaging provided at state parks, beaches, and facilities to only recyclable and compostable materials. SB 1335 creates a pathway for the state to take the lead in working to achieve California’s 75% waste diversion from landfill goal and would leverage the state’s buying power to drive down the cost of reusable, recyclable and compostable food packaging which will help small businesses more easily make the switch as well. SB 1335 elevates the series of product manufacturers that have significantly invested in recycling and composting infrastructure and markets for their materials. The bill would ensure simple compliance by food service vendors by protecting existing food service contracts and making a publicly accessible list of all acceptable packaging for future contracts. 

SB 168 (Wieckowski) – Recycled Content in Beverage Containers
In light of China’s recent recycled material import ban, SB 168 would create new markets for recycled materials in California by requiring all beverage containers – including plastic, glass, and aluminum – sold and manufactured in California to be made, in part, with recycled material. Without new markets for recycled material in California, recyclables diligently placed into recycling bins by consumers will be increasingly sent to landfill. In a state that purchases more than 24 billion beverage containers every year, the incorporation of recycled material into the manufacture of those containers represents and enormous opportunity to protect recycling in California.

SB 212 (Jackson) - Statewide Safe Medicine and Needle Disposal           
SB 212 is the culmination of over 6 years of work to get a statewide program for medication and needle disposal established and paid for by the drug and needle manufacturers, duplicating what France,  Canada, Mexico and many other countries have done.  California already has 9 counties that passed producer pays ordinances for safe medicine and needle disposal, most recently in Tehama County in June 2018.  California’s epidemic of prescription drug abuse is fueled by medicines left unlocked homes and improperly disposed needles create public health hazard as well as add significant costs to public transit, parks, waste and water departments who have to clean them up.  Workers are stuck with needles and suffer emotional trauma.  It’s time to finally pass a statewide bill that California can be proud of and will lead the nation to providing safe and convenient medicine and needle disposal paid for by the product producers.