The California Legislature has passed a series of bills designed to reduce plastic and hazardous waste. All bills were enacted following signature by Governor Gavin Newsom.

The package includes:-

• Commencing 2025, plastic bags in produce sections of supermarkets must be reusable, recyclable or compostable.
• Clamshell thermoform containers will have to contain increasing proportions of recycled plastic, commencing with 10 percent in 2025 extending to 30 percent by 2030.
• Disposal of electronics, bottles and batteries will be regulated.  Single-use propane canisters will be banned by 2028.

The legislation was predictably opposed by the California Chamber of Commerce, the Plastics Industry Association and the American Chemistry Council. In addition to producer groups representing produce and fruit farmers. 

One of the bills redefines incineration as an unacceptable method of disposal of a range of waste products. This will affect the two remaining solid waste incinerators located in Long Beach and Modesto. Many municipalities in California were sending up to ten percent of their waste to incineration.

In accordance with the 1989 Integrated Waste Management Act, half of collected waste must be diverted from landfills into recycling.