California Law SB 54 is easing into effect. How will that impact your event?
SB 54, also known more extensively as the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, went into effect in March (2025). Because packaging makes up for more than 50% of what we dump into landfills by volume according to the CalRecycle webpage devoted to explaining this law, SB 54 was passed to reduce our dependence on disposables and make producers accountable for creating waste that does not degrade.
The goals of this law, which include cutting single-use plastic use by over 25%, and ensuring that ultimately 100% of packaging is recyclable or compostable, aim to cut plastic pollution and support the disadvantaged communities hurt most by the impacts of plastic waste.
According to Waste Advantage magazine, this new law could produce $32 billion in net benefits and reduce plastic waste by 1.9 billion pounds. The law also bans polystyrene cups, plates and bowls, a clause that went into effect March 1. On top of that, the law will have the beneficial effect of reducing PFAs (forever chemicals) in our waterways and our soil and our bodies. Robust enforcement of the law will also increase personal income by reducing the amount consumers must spend dealing with the after-effects of this waste.
So what does this mean for event producers? While event producers would not bear the burden of the the cost of plastic waste production, it does mean that single use plastic will be more expensive to buy and less available in the state. Given that California is the fifth largest economy in the world, it’s impractical to think that this law won’t have a downstream effect on other states as well, many of which (even so-called “red” states) are becoming more pro-active on the recycling and plastic-production front as well. Since China has stopped accepting our plastic waste and some other developing nations have begun to do so as well, we need to find ways of minimizing our production unless we want to bear the burden of disposing it or incinerating it here ourselves.
Where does your event create plastic waste? When it comes to food wares, swag, and packaging, plastic is the main culprit in all of these categories. Choosing compostable, bamboo, cardboard-based or even edible food wares, advertising bring-your-own-bottle policies, reducing or eliminating plastic-based swag and opting for vendors committed to zero waste solutions are some of the more obvious ways of reducing plastic consumption on the downstream end. Going digital, employing reusable signage or cardboard-based signs and paper badges for lanyards are other means of reducing plastic waste.
The hope is that the implementation of California Law SB 54 and reinforcement of it will lead companies and individuals to innovate alternative options. The more we, as consumers, patronize and implement non-plastic options, the more viable and mainstream they will become. Not only will this benefit the health of our environment, but our physical bodies and communal bottom line as well. Less plastic? Less costly trash hauling fees and tickets for landfill debris. More compostables? Your trash actually becomes profitable and part of a circular economy.
PopUP CleanUP provides landfill diversion strategy consulting for large-scale events along with trash management and separation, porters, and trash management rentals.
