Beverage containers: recycling.

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 633 Introduced by Senator Blakespear February 20, 2025 An act to amend Section 14549.3 of the Public Resources Code, relating to beverage containers. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 633, as introduced, Blakespear. Beverage containers: recycling. The California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act requires plastic beverage containers sold by a beverage manufacturer, as specified, to contain a specified average percentage of postconsumer recycled plastic per year. The act requires the manufacturer of a beverage sold in a plastic beverage container subject to the California Redemption Value to report to the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery certain information about the amounts of virgin plastic and postconsumer recycled plastic used for plastic beverage containers subject to the California Redemption Value for sale in the state in the previous calendar year. Existing law provides that a violation of the act or a regulation adopted pursuant to the act is a crime. This bill would require a manufacturer of a beverage sold in a plastic beverage container subject to the California Redemption Value to also report to the department by country of origin the amount in pounds of imported postconsumer recycled plastic used for plastic beverage containers subject to the California Redemption Value for sale in the state in the previous calendar year. By expanding the scope of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 14549.3 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read: 14549.3. (a) (1) On or before March 1 of each year, a manufacturer of a beverage sold in a plastic beverage container subject to the California Redemption Value, pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 14560), shall report to the department the both of the following: The (A) The amount in pounds and by resin type of virgin plastic and postconsumer recycled plastic used by the manufacturer for plastic beverage containers subject to the California Redemption Value for sale in the state in the previous calendar year. (B) By country of origin, the amount in pounds of imported postconsumer recycled plastic used by the manufacturer for plastic beverage containers subject to the California Redemption Value for sale in the state in the previous calendar year. The (2) The manufacturer shall submit this information the information required by paragraph (1) to the department under penalty of perjury pursuant to standardized forms in the form and manner prescribed by the department. (b) On or before March 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, a plastic material reclaimer shall report to the department the amount in pounds and by resin type of empty plastic beverage containers subject to the California Redemption Value, pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 14560), that the plastic material reclaimer has collected and sold in the previous calendar year. The report shall specify the amount in pounds and by resin type of empty plastic containers sold in the state for beverage processing. The plastic material reclaimer shall submit this information to the department under penalty of perjury pursuant to standardized forms in the form and manner prescribed by the department. (c) On or before March 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, a manufacturer of postconsumer recycled plastic shall report to the department the amount in pounds of food-grade flake, pellet, sheet, fines, or other forms that were sold in the previous calendar year and their capacity to produce food-grade material. The report shall specify the amount in pounds of material that meets beverage manufacturer specifications for bottle-grade material. The report shall include the amount in pounds of food-grade material sold in the state for beverage processing. The manufacturer shall submit this information to the department under penalty of perjury pursuant to standardized forms in the form and manner prescribed by the department. (d) The department shall post the information reported pursuant to subdivision (a) within 45 days on the department’s internet website. (e) This section does not apply to a refillable plastic beverage container. SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.