FPA Submits Comments to CalRecycle on the Preliminary Findings of CalRecycle’s SB 343 Material Characterization Study

The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) is submitting these comments on the Preliminary Findings of CalRecycle’s SB 343 Material Characterization Study. According to the “internet research” that CalRecycle staff conducted to compile the jurisdiction section of this report, flexible packaging products are accepted at rates ranging from 0% (other multi-material laminate single-use) to mixed 94% (mixed plastic multi-use).1 There are several problems with these figures. The Sustainable Packaging Coalition’s (SPC) latest data shows that 91.4% of United States citizens have access to recycling programs.2 The same study shows that 54.3% of people have access to store drop-off programs and about one-third of people nationwide rely solely on store drop-off programs for their recycling needs. FPA strongly encourages CalRecycle to include this vital segment of the recycling market in its analysis in order to have a complete picture of the state of recycling in California.