SACRAMENTO – Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), author of the landmark SB 54 (2022), responds to CalRecycle’s decision to revise their proposed regulations.

“We are all eager for the implementation of SB 54, a measure that received strong bipartisan support from lawmakers and organizations across the state. This additional delay, while entirely avoidable, provides us with a renewed opportunity to ensure the regulations truly follow the law as it was signed. I continue to encourage the Department and Administration to reconsider their proposal to allow broad, sweeping exemptions that would undermine the program and increase costs for ratepayers. The law provides producers with a clear path to ensure that all covered packaging complies. Increased clarity on this issue in particular will be helpful, and I urge the Department to use this opportunity to focus on the straightforward letter of the law.

Local communities and ratepayers across California need us to act swiftly, and these regulations are long overdue. Local governments are continuing to pass along higher rates because of the challenges plastics continue to pose on their refuse infrastructure. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the Administration to get this right and get it across the finish line once and for all.”