• The annual $500 million Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund comprises 21 percent of CalRecycle's entire annual expenditure.
• CalRecycle estimates the total cost for revolutionizing the state’s recycling infrastructure to achieve SB 54 recycling rates not seen anywhere else in the world will be $5 billion. That is the exact same price tag put on the Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund, which aims to help clean up litter. If Californians want to see recycling rates increase and grocery bills stay reasonable, one idea would be a stronger individual commitment to throwing trash away in the trash can and recycling into the recycling bin. By removing the need for the mitigation fund, California businesses might not have to ask if the grass is greener on the other side. At the end of the day, this extra time created by the governor’s actions is a vital opportunity. Western Growers will be engaging in the CalRecycle SB 54 Advisory Board meetings, public comment periods and potentially informational hearings at the Capitol over the next six months. Our continued focus is on ensuring that the agency’s regulation accurately reflects the law with respect to the definition of a producer, statutory exemptions, exemption pathways and feasible off-ramps. WG will be hosting a detailed webinar on California’s packaging laws later this year, so stay tuned.
Rebuild. Restore. Renew
Scott Short scott@biositechnology.com 208-850-6275
www. biosi technology.com
9 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com May | June 2025
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