Enforcing Producer Responsibility Leads To Cleaner Communities

Keen eyes may have noticed a recent change at the local grocery store. Bags provided to customers before they reach checkout are now required to be paper or compostable in order to comply with California law SB 1046. While many stores are now offering compostable pre-checkout bags, please note that Waste Management of Alameda County does not accept plastic bags or compostable bags in the residential organics stream. Screening equipment at the composting facility cannot distinguish the type of bag and removes all bags, including those labeled as compostable. Consider using reusable produce bags to reduce overall consumption.

More changes are on the way as retailers prepare for the implementation of SB 1053, a law that updates California’s 2014 plastic bag ban. The latest revision, effective January 1, 2026, removes an exception that allowed for thicker plastic bags. The thicker bags see little reuse, do not decrease overall plastic use, and are not accepted by municipal recycling facilities. Instead, expect to see more paper bags offered at check out. The law also requires that the recycled content in paper bags increase to 50% or more, starting in 2028. Of course, consumers are still encouraged to bring their own reusable bags to reduce consumption and avoid the 10¢-per-bag fee.

These steps all contribute to a broader effort by Californians to end plastic pollution in their communities, and observers may soon note the disappearance of another plastic - polystyrene. While the City of Hayward banned the use of polystyrene by restaurants starting in 2011, SB 54 effectively banned its use statewide as of January 1, 2025. This is the first major enforcement milestone of SB 54, the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act.

SB 54 also requires that by 2032, all single-use packaging and plastic foodware is able to be recycled or composted, and that 65% of those products distributed are actually recovered. The burden of responsibility for this change lies with the producers who create the materials, but Californians can expect to see reductions in waste as unnecessary packaging is banned and the recyclability of packaging increases for years to come.