California Plastic Pollution Reduction Laws

Ensuring the Success of Our State Plastic Laws

The world of plastic pollution reduction laws is complicated. The substantial effort we invest in getting state and local plastic laws passed is only half the battle. Ensuring compliance is the other half. Because, let’s be honest, our hard-won plastic reduction laws are only effective when they’re observed.

Over the years, we’ve witnessed and received plenty of messages about businesses and organizations failing to comply with either a state plastics law, a local one, or both. We also regularly receive questions about what those laws are.

To provide clarity, we’ve prepared this detailed list of state plastic laws. And to encourage our communities to have a voice in ensuring these important laws are adhered to, we’ve also included the appropriate contact to report non-compliance in each city.

If you stand with us in supporting laws that reduce the amount of harmful single-use plastics that flow into our environment, then please consider reporting non-compliance when you see it. We all have a stake in ensuring that our hard-won plastic laws are followed by everyone!

Live in San Diego? Check out your local plastic pollution reduction ordinances.

California Plastic Laws

Statewide plastic laws apply statewide, with the exception of within federally-recognized tribal nations and U.S. federal lands.

This database includes up-to-date information on California plastic laws.

Each tab follows the following format:
- A summary of one statewide plastic law.
- Where to report violations if you witness that the law is not being observed.
- Links to additional information on each law, i.e. the bill that created the law and/or a summary webpage.
Surfrider strives to keep the information in this database up-to-date and accurate, however we cannot guarantee that all information contained herein is correct. Please email RAP@sandiego.surfrider.org if you have additional information, would like to point out a potential error, or have questions about the information in this database.
Existing Law (SB 270)
- Single-Use Plastic Bag Ban -
  - Single-use plastic carryout bags cannot be provided at checkout at the following stores:
    
    Grocery stores.
    
    Convenience stores, food marts, & liquor stores.
    
    Retail stores with a pharmacy.
  - These stores may only sell "reusable bags"* or recycled paper bags for a minimum price of $.10 each.
  - Everyone is encouraged to bring their own reusable bags for shopping.
Beginning Jan 1, 2026 (SB 1053)
- Reusable plastic bags banned at checkout.
- Affected stores may only sell “recycled paper bags” for a minimum price of $.10 each
  - Recycled paper bags must contain a minimum of 40% postconsumer recycled materials. Starting Jan 1, 2028, the minimum requirement jumps to 50%.
Reporting Non-Compliance
- Report bag ban violations to:
  - CA Attorney General complaint form.
  - You can also report violations to your City Attorney, or County Attorney if it’s in unincorporated San Diego County.
SB 270 bill text + Bag Ban info from CalRecycle. SB 1053 bill text

* See our FAQ section at bottom of this page for more info on what constitutes a reusable bag
- Skip The Stuff -
- - Straws, utensils, condiments, and other disposable foodware accessories can only be given upon customer request for on-premises dining (drive-thrus & airport eateries may offer them).
  - 3rd party delivery platforms must comply by allowing you to select what, if any, accessories you would like with your order. If none are selected, you should not receive any.
  - Businesses may not bundle multiple accessories together, i.e. utensils and a napkin in a bag.
  - Self-serve stations at restaurants are permitted.
Reporting Non-Compliance
- Statewide Skip The Stuff law is enforced locally. Please use the code enforcement contact information provided for each city below Code enforcement information can be found via an internet search for other cities and/or the County.
AB 1276 (Skip The Stuff) bill text + info sheet.
Effective Jan 1, 2025
- Pre-Checkout Plastic Bag Ban
  - Pre-checkout bags (produce bags, bulk bin bags, etc.) cannot be plastic. They must be either certified compostable, or a recycled paper bag.
  - This law applies to the same stores as the statewide single-use plastic bag ban:
    
    Grocery stores
    
    Convenience stores, food marts, & liquor stores
    
    Retail stores with a pharmacy
Reporting Non-Compliance
- Report bag ban violations to:
  - CA Attorney General complaint form.
  - You can also report violations to your City Attorney, or County Attorney if it’s in unincorporated San Diego County.
SB 1046 (pre-checkout laws) info + text.
- BYO Containers & Cups
  - CA Health Code allows for foodservice employees to fill a customer’s cup, i.e. bringing your own reusable cup to get coffee to-go.
  - CA Health Code allows for foodservice employees to put food in a customer’s reusable container as well, so long as it’s done in a separate area from where the food is prepared.
  - However, businesses are not required to accept customer cups and containers at this time.
Reporting Non-Compliance
- Not an option because these laws do not place any requirements on businesses to comply
AB 619 (BYO container) info + text. BYO cup was already admissable via CA Health Code prior to the passage of AB 619 in 2019 (CA Health Code Section 114075
SB 54 is the most comprehensive plastic pollution reduction law in the state. Rather than prohibiting specific single-use plastic items, the law set statewide mandates for reducing single-use plastic packaging and foodware. It also set recycling and compostability goals, and requires companies that produce plastic packaging and foodware (i.e. covered materials) to pay into a fund that will help cover the costs of implementation and cleanup.
- Requires the following goals to be met by 2032:
  - 25% total reduction of single-use plastic packaging and foodware
  - 65% recycling rate of single-use plastic packaging and foodware
  - 100% of ALL single-use packaging and foodware must be recyclable or compostable
- Bans foam foodware if the following recycling rates are not met:
  - 25% by Jan 1, 2025
  - Required recycling rate goes up every two years: 30% by 2028, 50% by 2030, and 65% by 2032
  - Considering that foam foodware recycling rates are currently in the low single digits, Surfrider considers this a de facto ban.
- SB 54 also requires plastic packaging and foodware producers to pay fees based on how much of the covered materials they produce, among other things. The funding must be spent on implementing the requirements of SB 54, including reimbursing state and local agencies for said costs.
Reporting Non-Compliance
- We will update this section as soon as elements of SB 54 go into effect and are enforceable
SB 54 language and information from CalRecycle
Effective Jan 1, 2025

SB 343 prohibits deceptive environmental marketing claims on products sold in California, namely regarding recyclability but also including more general terms like “green” and “eco-friendly.”
SB 343 mandates the following:
- A product label can only include a chasing arrows symbol or, any statement indicating the product is recyclable, if the material is widely recycled in the state of California. The material must be:
  - Accepted and effectively recycled in municipal recycling programs that encompass at least 60% of the state population
  - Free from labels, dyes, inks, or chemicals that prevent the product from being recycled
  - Free from intentionally added PFAS, and containing less than 100 parts per million in total PFAS
  - If a qualified recyclable product contains multiple materials, and only some are recyclable, the product must include instructions on how to separate the non-recyclable material(s)
- Producers who use environmental marketing terms such as “earth friendly,” “eco friendly,” “green,” or similar must maintain specific documentation to legitimize those claims, and must provide that documentation to any member of the public who requests it. This includes documentation regarding recyclability if the product is labeled as such.
- Plastic bottles must include a resin identification code (plastic resin numbers 1-7)
Reporting Non-Compliance

CalRecycle has oversight; enforcement for SB 343 will likely be handled at the state level.
- Report violations to the CA Attorney General complaint form
- The law requires companies to respond to consumer inquiries about the environmental claims they make, so reaching out to them directly is also a great first-resort option.
- Local Jurisdictions and the California Attorney General may also use information from CalRecycle when filing civil suits and charging monetary penalties against companies who are not labeling their products accurately. Deceptive labeling is also subject to civil suits pursuant to the Business and Professions Code.
SB 343 language and CalRecycle page
Enforcement goes into effect Jan 1, 2026

AB 1201 prohibits any products sold in California from being labeled “compostable” or “home compostable” unless they meet very strict criteria. Strict labeling standards for compostable products will lessen confusion among consumers and businesses over what products are compostable, and how they should be discarded. Labeling requirements are also necessary to reduce contamination and greenwashing, especially now that curbside organics recycling (i.e. composting) is widespread in California due to an earlier bill, SB 1383, which required all cities to offer curbside compost services.
- In order to be labeled as such, any product solid in California must meet the following standards:
  - ASTM D6400 and D6868 specification standards for commercial composting, or
  - TUV Austria’s OK Compost Home standards for home composting.
  - Most importantly, all products must meet US Department of Agriculture National Organic Program (NOP) standards.
- Essentially, a product labeled compostable cannot contain synthetic chemicals or toxins, including PFAS and plastics that do not fully break down into organic building blocks.
AB 1201 will bar many so-called compostable bioplastic foodware and packaging products from being labeled “compostable” unless they break down into organic material suitable for agricultural use.

Reporting Non-Compliance

Enforcement for AB 1201 will be handled at the state level.
- Report violations to the CA Attorney General complaint form
- The law requires companies to respond to consumer inquiries about the environmental claims they make, so reaching out to them directly is also a great first-resort option.
AB 1201 text, Californians Against Waste page