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The Responsible Recycling Alliance Pens Letter Regarding California's Plastic Film Recycling Legislation
August 14, 2024
2 Min Read
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. --The Responsible Recycling Alliance (RRA), a coalition of three prominent California recyclers and manufacturers – EFS Plastics, Merlin Plastics, and PreZero US which was formed to help California reduce, reuse, and recycle plastic film waste across the state through effective education and legislation – today published an open letter to California state senators and Assembly members regarding AB 2236 (Bauer-Kahan) and SB 1053 (Blakespear), two seemingly pro-environmental bills currently pending in the California State Legislature.
In the letter, the RRA outlines its chief concerns with these bills as they are currently written and shares its recommendation for the best path forward to ensure sustainable plastic film recycling in California. As the process to amend AB 2236 and SB 1053 has accelerated, the RRA encourages California legislators to reconsider these bills, since they now have several gaps, including the elimination of the reusable plastic film grocery bags that millions of Californians use – and reuse – every day. In addition, the RRA details its belief that California can achieve a lasting solution that simultaneously protects the environment, grocers, and consumers, and shares its eagerness to collaborate in this effort.
As outlined in the open letter, among other concerns, these bills will:
“Result in a higher carbon footprint across the state by forcing Californians to choose from two options – canvas and sewn poly-woven or non-woven polypropylene bags or paper bags – both of which carry with them a series of challenges.”
“Confuse canvas and sewn poly-woven or non-woven polypropylene bags that are not recyclable by any known method in the U.S. and contain zero certified post-consumer recycled content with plastic film grocery bags that are completely recyclable.”
Additionally, the open letter outlines how best to achieve a sustainable solution: shift responsibility to the plastics industry for recycling reusable plastic film grocery bags by integrating them into the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Program created in 2022 by SB 54. Doing so will:
“Make the enormous amount of plastic film and packaging used to keep food fresh and safe a key part of the ultimate circularity solution.”
“Ensure that tons of this material stay out of landfills and instead provide the volume of plastic film necessary to make circular recycling a reality.”
The open letter and more helpful information are available on the RRA website: www.responsible-recycling.org. Visitors can also read a recent interview with Roxanne Spiekerman, Vice President of Public Affairs for PreZero US, and spokesperson for the RRA, where she details why California must construct a better sustainable plastic film recycling solution than offered by the current bills.
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