- Annel Lopez
- (916) 319-2043
- Annel.Lopez@asm.ca.gov
SACRAMENTO – Today, Senate Bill (SB) 54 passed the Senate Floor with 29 votes. This comes after Assemblywoman Luz Rivas (D-San Fernando Valley), joint author of the Plastic Pollution Producer Responsibility Act, and Chair of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee, presented SB 54 on the Assembly Floor, which received bipartisan support and passed with 67 votes.
“SB 54 has been in the making for the last four years and is the boldest plastic reduction bill in the nation,” Assemblywoman Luz Rivas stated. “This legislation includes critical accountability tools that will provide state regulators flexibility to make changes should industry fail to meet our aggressive targets. SB 54 differs from previous legislation on plastic reduction, because this bill has received input from businesses, environmental organizations, and waste management groups, which proves that when we work together, we can take on important issues such as addressing our plastic pollution crisis.”
SB 54 requires producers to reduce the amount of covered plastic material that is coming onto the market by 25 percent by 2032, and bans existing polystyrene foodware unless it meets the stringent recycling target. SB 54 also creates the California Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund, which will generate $500 million a year for 10 years paid by plastic producers and manufacturers to fund the monitoring and mitigation of plastic pollution primarily in disadvantaged, low-income, and rural communities.
“Today we make history; tomorrow we focus on ensuring our SB 54 goals to reduce plastic pollution are met,” concluded Assemblywoman Luz Rivas.
SB 54 is now on the Governor’s desk waiting for his signature.
Assemblywoman Luz Rivas proudly represents the 39th Assembly District, which includes the City of Los Angeles communities of Arleta, Lake View Terrace, Granada Hills, Mission Hills, North Hollywood, Pacoima, Sun Valley, Sunland-Tujunga, Sylmar, and the City of San Fernando.