Producers now responsible for cutting waste and controlling costs
May 4, 2026 - SACRAMENTO, Calif. — CalRecycle has announced approval of regulations that deliver the change Californians demand to cut plastic waste. The regulations implement this bold recycling law in a way that achieves its goals of reducing plastic waste and supporting a circular economy while also minimizing costs for small businesses and working families as much as possible.
Taking effect on May 1, 2026, these rules implement California’s packaging producer responsibility law, requiring producers to reduce single-use plastic by 25% and ensure all packaging is recyclable or compostable. These changes shift the burden of rising trash costs, pollution, and harmful plastics away from taxpayers and local governments to producers of single-use products. For Californians, that means less unnecessary packaging, lower costs over time, and cleaner neighborhoods.
“We’re taking action to stop producers from using excessive amounts of plastic packaging that pollutes our communities” CalRecycle Director Zoe Heller said. “With strong state oversight, producers will be accountable for designing less wasteful packaging and funding systems to make sure their materials are collected, reused, and composted or recycled when consumers are done with them.”
“California is shifting the responsibility of managing single-use plastic and packaging onto the producers. New packaging reforms lower waste costs for communities and decrease garbage and pollution across the state,” said Yana Garcia, Secretary for Environmental Protection. “This approach pushes producers to innovate and design packaging that truly supports a circular economy.”
Fast Facts
Californians overwhelmingly support action to reduce plastic pollution:
- 93% of materials in circulation are virgin (nonrecycled) resources
- 91% of Californians are worried about plastic pollution
- 86% want policies to reduce it
- 81% support producer responsibility for products and packaging
California Drives Packaging Innovation
California’s Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act (SB 54, Chapter 70, Statutes of 2022) empowers businesses to design waste out of packaging with refillable, reusable, or recyclable materials. After over three years of collaboration with businesses, advocates and other interested parties, these rules help California cut plastic while growing the world’s fourth largest economy; delivering 2 ½ times more benefits than costs by reducing waste, cutting red tape, and streamlining recycling systems.
Producers, led by a nonprofit producer responsibility organization, Circular Action Alliance, have until 2032 to meet statewide targets for:
- 25% less plastic, with nearly half of that achieved by eliminating plastic and shifting to reuse or refill systems
- 100% recyclable or compostable packaging and plastic food service ware, with 65% of plastic packaging and food service ware actually recycled
Putting Consumers First
California’s packaging reforms simplify recycling, restore trust in recycling systems, expand and improve curbside collection, and reduce cost and pollution burdens on local governments and ratepayers.
Learn more about new producer requirements on CalRecycle’s website and track the state’s progress through instant email updates.
CalRecycle's mission is to protect California's environment and climate for the health and prosperity of future generations through the reduction, reuse and recycling of California resources, environmental education, disaster recovery, and the transition from a disposable to a fully circular economy.
Source: CalRecycle
