HomeMy WebLinkAboutAB 1080_20190523_Support
21 May 2019
The Honorable Lorena Gonzalez
California State Assembly
State Capitol Building, Room 2114
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 1080 (Gonzalez) California Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act.
Notice of SUPPORT (As Amended 5/7/19)
Dear Assembly Member Gonzalez:
The City of San Luis Obispo is pleased to support your AB 1080, the California Circular Economy and Plastic
Pollution Reduction Act. This bill directs the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery
(CalRecycle) to adopt regulations requiring manufacturers to source, reduce, and recycle 75% of single-
use packaging and products sold or distributed in California by 2030. The bill also requires all single-use
plastic packaging distributed and used in California to be recyclable or compostable by 2030.
This bill would both reduce the plastic pollution that many single-use plastics cause in our waterways and
oceans and remove materials that are often landfilled from entering the waste stream. If local
governments are to meet the current statewide solid waste and recycling goals, more materials will need
to be recycled or diverted from landfills. Additionally, this bill requires single-use plastics to be recyclable
or compostable by 2030. By making single-use plastics recyclable or compostable, AB 1080 would help
local governments recycle more materials, throw less waste into landfills, and advance towards meeting
statewide solid waste and recycling goals. The City of San Luis Obispo is supportive of meeting these goals
and applauds efforts that help local governments achieve them.
Another important component of AB 1080 is that it seeks to address the lack of recycling markets in
California. California’s solid waste and recycling systems are facing serious challenges. For decades,
California sold the majority of its recyclable materials to China. However, over the last several years, China
banned the importation of certain recyclables through the adoption of its “National Sword” policy, and in
2018 announced its intent to ban all imports of recyclable materials by 2020. International markets, such
as China, have been a critical component to California’s recycling infrastructure. The combination of
international policies has nearly collapsed the recyclable materials market in California. The recyclable
materials once shipped overseas are piling up with nowhere to go.
In 2012 San Luis Obispo led the way for the rest of California with a ban on single-use plastic bags, in 2015
we banned expanded polystyrene food containers that are commonly found in the State’s waterways, and
in 2017 we adopted a straws upon request ordinance, which significantly reduced the use of single use
plastic straws in our community. Removing single use items from the waste stream isn’t a new endeavor
for the City of San Luis Obispo, it is a tradition that we are proud of. As a pioneer in this arena, we know
that shared leadership from the State in the area of developing sustainable products and packaging, as
well as markets for these materials, is much needed. As the City’s cost to process recyclable material has
gone from $7.80/ton to $67.50/ton, local domestic markets are needed for the financial sustainability of
domestic recycling programs.
Cities like ours have dedicated significant time and resources to develop and implement their recycling
programs, and want to ensure city recycling programs continue to be successful. This bill is a step in the
right direction to reduce the amount of single-use plastics, increase the availability of recyclable materials,
and help develop in-state recycling markets.
For these reasons, the City of San Luis Obispo supports AB 1080.
Sincerely,
Heidi Harmon
Mayor
City of San Luis Obispo
cc. San Luis Obispo City Council
State Senator Bill Monning, fax (916) 651-4917
State Assembly Member Jordan Cunningham, fax (916) 319-2135
Dave Mullinax, League of California Cities, dmullinax@cacities.org
Meg Desmond, League of California Cities, cityletters@cacities.org