CalRecycle Updates
SB 54 Updates
CEQA Scoping Meeting Recap and Request for feedback on SB 54 PEIR
CalRecycle held a CEQA public scoping meeting on its Draft Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) "to establish various elements of CalRecycle's oversight and enforcement responsibilities under SB 54." The CRA team attended the workshop and has provided a recap for our members. Click HERE to access the recap.
CalRecycle's oversight and enforcement requirements under SB 54 include "implementing the statutory requirement for producers of covered materials to source reduce plastic covered materials by 25% by Jan. 1, 2032; to ensure that all plastic covered material offered for sale, distributed in or imported into the state achieves the recycling rate of 65% on and after Jan. 1, 2032; and to ensure that all covered material offered for sale, distributed in or imported into the state on or after Jan. 1, 2032 is recyclable or eligible for being labeled 'compostable."
Comments on the draft PEIR are due to CalRecycle by 5:00PM PST on Dec. 19, 2024. Please send feedback to sarah@calretailers.com or by replying to this email by Monday, December 16. Comments can also be submitted directly to CalRecycle online by clicking HERE or via mail to the contact information listed below. View draft PEIR HERE.
Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle)
13th Floor - Fidan Aghayarova
P.O. Box 4025
Sacramento, CA 95812-4025
Comments on Second Draft of Regulations Submitted for CalRecycle
The CRA team submitted comments on the second revision of draft SB 54 regulations to CalRecycle ahead of their public comment period deadline. READ CRA'S LETTER HERE. Our team also signed on to a large business coalition letter lead by the California Chamber of Commerce. Read that letter HERE.
Thank you to our members for providing valuable feedback during this public comment period. Input from our industry leaders is crucial as the California Retailers Association has strategically positioned ourselves to have a unique opportunity to help shape the future of this state's historic packaging extended producer responsibility program.
As a reminder, CRA's President and CEO Rachel Michelin was appointed to the SB 54 Advisory Board providing a voice for the retail industry during the SB 54 rulemaking process. As such, we are looking to our members and their subject matter experts in taking advantage of every opportunity to weigh in on the regulations including the numerous Advisory Board meetings that have been held by CalRecycle to date.
The CRA team's latest comments submitted are in response to a 15-day comment period (extended three times), which followed an initial 61-day public comment period covering March 8 - May 8, 2024. These comment periods have resulted in two draft versions of SB 54 regulations. A final Statement of Reasons is expected next from CalRecycle, which has a statutory deadline to finalize regulations by January 1, 2025. View the SB 54 regulations ruklemaking and implementation timeline HERE.
For reference, CalRecycle's Notice of Extension of 15-Day Public Comment Period (Notice), the revised regulation text and rulemaking webpage are available below.
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Read the Notice HERE.
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Access the Rulemaking Webpage HERE.
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Download the Regulatory Text HERE.
PRO Updates
Circular Action Alliance (CAA), California's only approved Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) for the implementation of SB 54, held the first of two sessions focused on reporting requirements and getting producers ready to report to the PRO. The CRA team attended the reporting session and has provided a recap for our members HERE. View the session slides HERE.
As a reminder, in order to receive a copy of the detailed reporting guidance and access to the producer reporting portal, producers must first sign a Participant Producer Agreement (PPA) with CAA. Companies must complete the updated registration form in order to receive the PPA. Once the form submission has been processed by CAA, the PPA will be sent to the Authorized Representative designated in the registration form for signature. After the PPA has been signed, companies will receive the detailed reporting guidance and will be issued producer reporting portal credentials in Q1 2025.
Upcoming PRO workshops for producers:
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CAA's reporting Q&A session #2 - December 4. Register HERE.
- Stakeholder Update - December 11.
- Producer Working Group Meeting #14 - December 17
Other EPR Related Updates
CRA Response to CARE Request to Increase Carpet Differential Assessments
The CRA team submitted a response letter to CARE's urgent request to CalRecycle to approve an increase in the carpet differential assessment as of February 1, 2025. Read CRA's letter HERE. See the Notice we received on this matter HERE. Cal Recycle has until January 7, 2025 to make a decision on the increase request. We will continue to keep our members updated on the decision. Thank you to our members for the quick turnaround with providing feedback.
Notice of SB 1215 Battery-Embedded Products Emergency Regulations
CalRecycle proposes to adopt emergency regulations to establish a process for Covered Electronic Waste recyclers to submit payment claims for covered battery-embedded products, add application requirements related to covered battery-embedded products, modernize the claim submission process, require manufacturers to send notices, as required, electronically to CalRecycle and make other conforming changes and updates to existing regulations. The comment period is December 3 - 9, 2025. Get more information including the Notice of proposed emergency action, regulation text, rulemaking webpage and how to submit comments HERE.
Los Angeles County Sues Pepsi, Coca-Cola Over Plastic Bottles
In a lawsuit filed last month, Los Angeles County alleged PepsiCo and Coca-Cola companies have misled the public about the recyclability of their plastic bottles and downplayed the negative environmental and health impacts of plastic disposal. The County's lawsuit alleges that both companies promised to create a “circular economy” for its bottles, in which plastic bottles can be recycled and reused an endless number of times, while in reality plastic bottles can only be recycled once, if at all. Read more.
SB 1013 Bottle Bill Updates
Model Dealer Cooperative Stewardship Plan Workshop Recap - Comments Due December 2
CalRecycle held a public workshop to provide an overview of a draft of the model dealer cooperative stewardship plan and receive public comments. The CRA team attended the workshop and provided a recap for our members. Read the recap HERE.
The model dealer cooperative stewardship plan was developed pursuant to the Public Resources Code section 14578.5(a), and outlines requirements pertaining to dealer cooperative stewardship plans from Public Resources Code section 14578.5(c)(1) through (6) and proposed regulations in California Code of Regulations, title 14, chapter 5, subchapter 4.5, article 3. Together, these sections serve as the foundational sources of requirements for dealer cooperative plan submittal procedure and contents.
Written comments are due December 2, 2024 and can be submitted directly to CalRecycle via email to DealerCoops@calrecycle.ca.gov. CRA members can also send comments to CRA by November 30 to submit on your company's behalf by replying to this email or sending to sarah@calretailers.com.
Recap of SB 1013 Addition of New Beverage Containers Regulations Workshop
CalRecycle held an informal public workshop to solicit feedback on draft regulatory language to add new beverages and new containers to the California Redemption Value (CRV) program that went into effect on January 1, 2024. The purpose of the draft regulatory language is to implement, make specific and clarify SB 1013, Chapter 610, Statutes of 2022. View a summary of the Workshop HERE. For reference, view the public Notice, which includes a copy of the workshop presentation HERE.
Recap of CalRecycle Program Rates Hearing for 2025
In accordance with California Code of Regulations 2900, CalRecycle announced the changes to recycling program rates, including refund value per segregated pound, refund value per commingled pound and containers per segregated pound for each type of recycling program.
A public hearing was held to discuss the changes and take questions and comments. The CRA team was in attendance and prepared a recap for our members, available HERE. The recap includes detailed questions and comments made during the hearing.
For reference:
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View the public hearing Notice HERE.
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View the 2025 Program Rates HERE.
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View the Individual Commingled Rate Survey HERE.
Grant Programs
Increased Recycling of Empty Glass Beverage Containers Grant Program (FY 2024-25) - Applications Due Dec. 10, 2024
$4 Million Available for the Increased Recycling of Empty Glass Beverage Containers Grant Program
CalRecycle announced the Increased Recycling of Empty Glass Beverage Containers Grant Program is now open for applications. Grant applications are due December 10, 2024. Access the Grant Webpage HERE. Get additional information including grant details, funding, eligibility requirements and contact information for the grant HERE.
$23.75 Million Available for the Reusable Beverage Containers Infrastructure Grant Program (FY 2022-23)
CalRecycle announced that the Reusable Beverage Containers Infrastructure Grant Program (RBI) is open for applications.
Grant applications are due December 19, 2024. Get additional information including grant details, funding, eligibility requirements and contact information for the grant HERE.
Recycled Glass Processing Incentive Grant Program (RGP1 & RGP2) FY 2024-25| FY 2025-26 - Application Open
$4 Million Available for the Recycled Glass Processing Incentive Grant Program
CalRecycle announced the Recycled Glass Processing Incentive Grant Program is open for applications. Grant applications are due December 19, 2024. Get additional information including grant details, funding, eligibility requirements and contact information for the grant HERE.
Other CalRecycle Updates
Notice of Processing Payment Emergency Regulations
CalRecycle proposes to adopt emergency regulations to lay out the reasonable financial return calculation for processing payments paid to recyclers. The proposed emergency regulations will amend the California Code of Regulations (CCR), commencing with Section 2975, Subchapter 12, Chapter 5, Division 2 of Title 14. The public comment period will start on November 27, 2024, when the emergency regulations are posted on Office of Administrative Law’s (OAL) website. The public comment period will close on December 2, 2024. Get more information including how to comment HERE.
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