California's new waste law prohibits the sale, distribution, or import of polystyrene packaging as of Jan. 1, 2023, reflecting a significant move against single-use plastics. However, the governor's office and CalRecycle have not acknowledged this milestone, raising concerns that plastic manufacturers are undermining the regulation. Lawmakers and environmental groups worry about the silence and impending deadlines, urging the state to ensure that SB 54 is fully implemented to mitigate plastic waste effectively. Failure to finalize necessary regulations by March 8 could stall progress on this pivotal environmental legislation.
"We need to stay on track with SB 54," said state Sen. Catherine Blakespear, emphasising the importance of meeting the established timeline for the landmark plastics law.
"It is systems-level change. It is game-changing when we talk about trying to reduce the amount of plastic film and plastic waste and microplastics in our environment."
Environmentalists celebrate the ban as a significant step towards reducing pollution, yet concerns arise unfurling around potential attempts to undermine this hard-fought regulation.
California's new law has drawn silence from officials, prompting fears among lawmakers that plastic industry pressures might compromise the effective ban on polystyrene packaging.
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