California Lawmakers in late August unanimously approved a new bill that requires beverage producers to use recycled content in all plastic bottles. The legislature, if approved by Governor Gavin Newsom, would impose a phased plan mandating all beverage manufacturers to have 15% post-consumer resin (PCR) in their plastic beverage containers by 2022. The requirement will increase to 25% in 2025 and 50% in 2030.
All food and beverage glass containers will also be required to include 35% of post-filled glass. The new bill will be the world’s toughest, more stringent than that of the European Union, which mandates 30% recycled content by 2030. Manufacturers who fail to meet the PCR requirement will have to pay penalties that will be used to develop recycling infrastructure, collection, and processing.
The American Beverage Association and Governor Newsom rejected the previous bill, which required even higher recycled content (25% by 2021 and 75% by 2030). However, the latest bill is said to be more realistic and gained widespread support from the industry, recycling organizations, environmental groups, and local governments.
