California approves recycled content requirements for plastic bottles News
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California approves recycled content requirements for plastic bottles

California Governor Gavin Newsom approved Assembly Bill 793 Thursday, amending parts of the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act.

The amended act requires beverage manufacturers to use at least 15 percent recycled plastic in their total number of plastic beverage containers by 2022. This percentage increases to 25 percent by 2025, and to 50 percent recycled plastic content by 2030. However, these requirements only apply to beverages sold in California.

If a beverage manufacturer fails to meet these requirements, the act will impose an administrative penalty. The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery will collect these penalties. However, a beverage manufacturer will have the opportunity to submit a corrective action plan to potentially reduce any administrative penalties.

The act makes California the first US state to establish minimum recycled content requirements for plastic beverage containers. Newsom described California’s new standards as “the strongest in the world.”