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California SB 54 faces legal challenge amid mixed industry reactions

In the US, California’s landmark SB 54 EPR law is facing legal scrutiny from environmental NGOs, who argue it undermines the law’s initial recycling and plastic reduction goals. 

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Californians Against Waste will challenge the law in court, focusing on whether CalRecycle — the state agency responsible for administering and implementing SB 54 — acted beyond its mandate by adopting regulations that conflict with the law’s legal obligation.

“The biggest problem is that the regulations create broad pathways for certain types of plastic packaging to avoid the law’s reduction and recycling requirements altogether,” Nick Lapis, director of advocacy at Californians Against Waste, tells Packaging Insights

He adds that despite the law’s initial stringent requirements, the final rules create exemptions and a “‘free rider’ problem with fewer companies paying into the system and higher costs for those who are covered.” 

California SB 54 faces legal challenge amid mixed industry reactions

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