The Problem

The environmental, public health and social costs of plastic production and pollution are staggering and will continue to grow. We are at a turning point in the crisis of plastic pollution: take action to redesign products and reduce our consumption, or allow the problem to worsen with fewer opportunities to recycle.

Since the 1960s, plastics production has increased twenty fold and today more than 300 million tons of plastic waste is generated every year around the globe. In 2019, annual global production of plastic is projected to exceed 376 million tons.

In the US, single-use plastic products and packaging account for 57% of plastic annually discarded. Even in California the recycling rate for all single-use plastic items remains less than 15% overall.

A recent analysis projects that upwards of 32% of plastic packaging ‘leaks’ directly into the environment.

Without urgent and bold action, projections estimate that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by weight

Research has found plastic pollution to be present in 94% of tap water samples from the US, 93% of bottled water, 90% of table salt, as well as 25% of fish and 33% of shellfish from a California fish market. A recent study has even found microplastics in human feces.

Plastic production is projected to account for 20% of global fossil fuel consumption and 15% of CO2 emissions by 2050.

China’s recent action (National Sword) to stop accepting contaminated and poorly sorted plastics has highlighted the need to rethink our current recycling system which has historically relied heavily on overseas markets.

Not all plastic is created equal. While most PET (#1) and HDPE (#2) plastic bottles and containers can, with proper incentives, be sustainably recovered and recycled over and over (closed loop recycling), most other plastic has not come close to demonstrating this potential.

#CAMustLead

1. Pass a comprehensive framework to reduce single-use plastic products and packaging and develop a more circular economy to recycle what we make and use recycled content.

2. Direct CalRecycle to develop and implement policies, programs and incentives aimed at achieving these statewide goals.

3. Establish some product and material specific recycling and recycled content requirements and sales restrictions based on known market realities.

4. Update incentives and public education, in order to reduce consumer confusion, for real, in-state, plastic recycling.

5. Restrict export of unprocessed plastic to developing countries without the resources or requirements to protect public health and the environment from improper management.

Plastic Bags

California voters banned single-use plastic bags by a large margin with Prop 67 in the 2016 General Election, following the passage of 151 local ordinances and state legislation that the industry attempted to overturn.

Takeout Food Packaging

Building on the success of over 120 local ordinances, the California Legislature passed the Sustainable Food Packaging Law (SB 1335) which will require all state park, beaches, universities and other facilities to use only recyclable, reusable, or compostable food packaging. The legislature also enacted legislation (AB 1884) to require that straws only be served upon request.

California Bottle Bill

Since enacted in 1987, the Bottle Bill- the beverage container deposit system- has proven to be one of the most successful and cost effective recycling and pollution reduction programs in North America. More than 362 billion beverage containers have been recycled, including more than 10 million tons of aluminum, glass and plastic containers.