Gov. Gavin Newsom touts himself as a champion of the environment. So why does he want to give a giant gift to the fossil-fuel industry?
The presumptive 2028 Democratic presidential primary frontrunner frequently waxes on about how California is leading the nation on electric cars, renewable energy and fighting climate change. At the COP30 Summit in Brazil in November, Newsom criticized the Trump administration for its “dumb” retreat on green tech. He boasted to the audience that California would step into the void: "We are going to assert ourselves, we're going to lean in, and we are going to compete in this space."
Nice soundbite. But when it comes to “leaning in” for Senate Bill 54, one of California’s most transformational environmental laws in recent memory – a bill Newsom once lauded as “nation-leading” – the governor is doing anything but.
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It was a pretty big deal when SB 54, a plastic packaging reduction law authored by state Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), passed in 2022. Instead of trying to better dispose of the tons of single-use plastic thrown out each day, as so many previous antiplastic laws have done, it went after the supply.
Specifically, the law requires that manufacturers and distributors of consumer goods figure out how to get the plastic encasing their products truly recycled or composted, or stop using it by 2032. Given there’s very little demand for used plastic and not much of an industry dedicated to turning it into new products, the law was expected to profoundly upend the entire consumer packaging market for the better.
“The goal was that in 2032 you would walk into a grocery store and it would look different,” said Anja Brandon, the director of plastics policy for Ocean Conservancy. “There would be less plastic packaging.There would be more reuse and refill. Everything would either be recyclable or reusable or compostable. There would be no more questions or confusion by consumers, like what is going in which bin, where?”
Mary Lynne Vellinga
Californians make up 12 percent of the U.S. population, so change such as this would have implications across the country. It’s not economical to have two different methods of packaging products.
But will the governor stand in the way?
The law’s future is currently in limbo. Last spring, Newsom directed CalRecycle, the state agency charged with fleshing out SB 54’s regulations, to throw out its first draft and write a new version that included broad exemptions for food and over-the-counter medication. So much for the new look of grocery stores.
Exempting most of the products in the grocery story seriously undermines the reach and effectiveness of the new law. It’s also unnecessary. The bill already had a way for producers to request hardship exemptions for things that couldn’t safely or reasonably be packed in anything other than disposable plastic, such as meat.
Jon Regardie
Newsom’s motivation, reportedly, is the cost to consumers. No doubt it’s also on his mind that "affordability" was one of the main factors in President Trump’s 2024 win and that conservative commentators are looking for ways to slow Newsom’s roll to the presidential primary.
The revisions made at the governor’s request are a clear boon to the fossil-fuel industry. Most plastic is made from petroleum products, and the ever-expanding demand for cheap packaging has petrochemical companies expanding their plastic-making operations.
And the exemptions are short-sighted. Americans overwhelmingly loathe plastic trash and even say they would pay more at the register to reduce it. They also know they are already on the hook for cleaning up plastic proliferation. (Angelenos, have you seen your trash bill lately?)
There are hidden costs as well. Fossil fuel extraction and plastic production cause pollution that is damaging to the health of humans and the rest of the natural world. And because plastic doesn’t biodegrade, but crumbles into increasing tiny bits, it has made its way into every corner of the world, including our blood and brains. We have no idea what it is doing to our long-term health.
But don't despair! It’s not too late to repair SB 54 and get the anti-plastic revolution back on the right track.
Last month, CalRecycle withdrew the draft rules, ostensibly to clarify some of the language. A new version came out last week but not much had changed. CalRecycle must accept comments about the proposed rules, through Feb. 13. If you want to help stop the plastic scourge, click here to tell CalRecycle to stop messing around and remove the language that allows broad exemptions for food and over-the-counter medication.
While you are at it, drop a line to the governor too and urge him to stand up to the plastic pushers. SB 54 will start taking effect Jan. 1, 2027, just a few days before Newsom leaves office and cements his legacy. Does he want it to be as the brave and visionary governor who kicked off a revolution against plastic trash, or as the guy who stood in its way?
Paul Thornton
