Why California's milk cartons may lose their coveted recycling symbol

"In a letter Dec. 15, Waste Management, one of the nation's largest waste companies, told the state the company would no longer sort cartons out of the waste stream for recycling at its Sacramento facility. Instead, it will send the milk- and food-encrusted packaging to the landfill. Marcus Nettz, Waste Management's director of recycling for Northern California and Nevada, cited concerns from buyers and overseas regulators that cartons - even in small amounts - could contaminate valuable material, such as paper,"

"The company decision means the number of Californians with access to beverage carton recycling falls below the threshold in the state's "Truth in Recycling" law, or Senate Bill 343. And according to the law, that means the label has to come off. The recycling label is critical for product and packaging companies to keep selling cartons in California as the state's single-use packaging law goes fully into effect."

"The labels also provide a feel-good marketing symbol suggesting to consumers the cartons won't end up in a landfill when they're discarded, or find their way into the ocean where plastic debris is a large and growing problem. On Tuesday, the state agency in charge of waste, CalRecycle, acknowledged Waste Management's change. In updated guidelines for the Truth in Recycling law, recycling rates for carton material have fallen below the state threshold."

California milk cartons risk losing the recycling chasing-arrows label after Waste Management said it will stop sorting cartons for recycling at its Sacramento facility and send food-encrusted packaging to landfill. Buyers and overseas regulators have expressed concerns that even small amounts of cartons can contaminate valuable paper, prompting rejections of imports. The loss of sorting drops access to carton recycling below the threshold in the state's Truth in Recycling law, triggering label removal requirements. The label removal jeopardizes sellers because California's single-use packaging law requires recyclability or compostability by 2032. CalRecycle updated guidelines show carton recycling rates fell under the threshold, and industry groups are lobbying the state.

Read at Los Angeles Times