SB 54 Has Landed

Many R3 clients are aware that SB 54 has been in development for many years. With the final regulations now approved, SB 54 is setting out to achieve ambitious goals of sending less packaging waste to landfills, creating stronger producer accountability, and building communities that are cleaner and more resilient. While there are many questions and unknowns as we enter the implementation phase, R3 is here to support our clients along the way. Here’s what you need to know to make the most of this moment.

What is SB 54?

SB 54 — the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act — is intended to shift the financial burden of managing packaging waste from local jurisdictions and ratepayers to the companies that generate it.

Under the law, producers selling products in packaging or single-use food service ware in California are required to:

• Pay into a system for managing covered packaging.
• Design packaging to be more recyclable or compostable.
• Reduce single-use plastic packaging over time.
• Help fund recycling, composting, collection, processing, and education programs associated with making it all work.

What Is On the Horizon?

With January 1, 2027 marking the anticipated shift from planning to implementation, now is the time for jurisdictions to prepare for this major transition — understanding the implications of SB 54’s requirements and begin to document baseline operations and programs against the anticipated opportunities and changes ahead.

How Do I Stay Informed?

Now that the regulations have been approved (as of May 1, 2026), the final structure of implementation will start to come into shape. In the meantime, the best thing to do is stay informed and engaged in the process. If you haven’t already, subscribe to the CalRecycle SB 54 Email List and CPSC updates to stay ahead of developments as they happen.

On April 28, 2026, CalRecycle distributed a Contact Information Request to identify the correct jurisdictional contact for compliance purposes; if your agency did not receive this request, reach out to your LAMD representative. For ongoing updates, jurisdictions should also follow the Circular Action Alliance (CAA), the Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) leading SB 54 implementation on behalf of producers, and tune into the SB 54 Advisory Board, which meets publicly and regularly to advise CalRecycle, producers, and PROs on implementation progress.