California Law Calls for ‘Truth in Advertising’ for Recyclable Packaging

California Governor Gavin Newsom yesterday signed a package of legislation designed to raise consumer awareness and industry accountability. The Governor also signed bills that legislators contend will protect Californians and the environment from PFAS.

SB 343 requires products to meet benchmarks in order to be advertised or labeled as recyclable. 

“California’s hallmark is solving problems through innovation, and we’re harnessing that spirit to reduce the waste filling our landfills and generating harmful pollutants driving the climate crisis,” said Governor Newsom. “With today’s action and bold investments to transform our recycling systems, the state continues to lead the way to a more sustainable and resilient future for the planet and all our communities.”

The new laws complement a $270 million investment to modernize recycling systems and promote a more circular economy as part of the California Comeback Plan’s historic $15 billion climate package. The $270 million will support a circular economy that advances sustainability and helps reduce short-lived climate pollutants from the waste sector. 

To raise demand for recyclables and attract green industry to California, the package includes funding to support the work of CalRecycle’s new Office of Innovation in Recycling and Remanufacturing. Additional funds will support organic waste infrastructure, food recovery efforts and composting, remanufacturing and recycling infrastructure, including investments in disadvantaged communities.

Governor Newsom also signed AB 881 which discourages practices resulting in exporting plastic that becomes waste and ensures that only exports of truly recycled plastics count toward state waste reduction and recycling metrics. 
Additionally, AB 1201 strengthens labeling requirements to ensure products labeled “compostable” are actually compostable and to keep harmful chemicals out of California’s compost stream.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), often called “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in the environment, have been linked to serious health hazards and have been found in the bodies of almost every human studied, note legislators. 

Additional laws signed yesterday in California relate to PFAS in products for children (AB 652), in food packaging (AB 1200), and cookware.

For full text of the bills, visit: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.