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December 2, 2025. Today, two waste watchdog groups, the Basel Action Network (BAN) and The Last Beach Cleanup, published a Fact Briefing detailing that California is exporting a massive amount of plastic-contaminated paper waste to countries that have banned the import of that waste. In addition to U.S. export data, airtag trackers show that California’s plastic waste is being exported in paper bales and is often winding up being dumped near paper mills in Asian countries or burned for fuel -- creating even more damaging pollution.
California has a shameful history of being the largest exporter of plastic and mixed paper waste to Asia and other countries that do not have the capacity to recycle their own plastic waste. Mixed paper waste from U.S. curbside collection is known to have high (30%) plastic contamination rates. As a result of this contamination and the pollution it causes, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea, and Taiwan have banned mixed plastic/paper waste imports, while other countries in Asia have set strict contamination levels of 2% or less.
Despite this, in July 2025, CalRecycle approved a company as an end market destination for California’s mixed paper/plastic waste even though the company only has factories in countries that have banned the import of mixed paper waste for many years.
"CalRecycle’s decision demonstrates a total disregard for the environment and health of those living in developing countries. California wants to claim the most environmentally progressive recycling rates in the country, but they are simply cleaning their own house by sweeping their plastic filth to Asia. Fortunately, California law does require consistency with the global Basel Convention," said Jim Puckett, Founder of BAN. "We demand that the California government abide by its own rules and cease violating the laws of Asian countries."
The discovery of California endorsing a breach of its own laws was made possible through a review of communications between CalRecycle and the Carton Council received through a public records request.
"As a State, California is still misleading its own citizens and the world when it comes to pretending to be able to recycle most of our plastic and contaminated paper wastes,” said Jan Dell, a chemical engineer and Founder of The Last Beach Cleanup. "CalRecycle must stop promoting diversion of California waste to foreign countries under the false pretense of recycling."
The watchdog groups urge the following immediate actions to remedy the violations:
1. CalRecycle must immediately rescind the August 8, 2025 SB 343 Amendment that falsely declared that adding plastic and metal-containing cartons into mixed paper bales qualifies as “sortation” under California law.
2. California waste companies and brokers must immediately cease exports of Other Paper waste (HS4707.9) to China, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea, and Taiwan. (This applies to all U.S. states).
3. Shipping companies must not load California Other Paper waste (HS 4707.9) for export to Malaysia, Vietnam, or Taiwan. (This applies to all U.S. states).
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