Washington state officials have fined 35 companies that disregarded a recently enacted law regarding the use of recycled plastic in trash bags and drink containers, according to local news station KHQ.
What's happening?
Washington's Department of Ecology recently handed out $416,554 in fines to 35 corporations that reportedly ignored a law requiring companies to use a minimum amount of recycled plastic in their products. The fines are the first penalties under a 2021 state law that took effect in January 2023.
Under the new law, companies that produce plastic trash bags must have a minimum of 10% recycled content in their products. Beverage container producers must include at least 15% recycled content in their products.
Fines to individual companies ranged from $39 to $67,196 depending on the amount of plastic each producer sold in Washington and how far they strayed from the minimum requirements, according to the Washington Department of Ecology.
Companies fined under the new law include Albertsons Companies, Chobani, Del Monte Foods, Kraft Heinz Food Company, Ocean Spray, The Clorox Company, The Kroger Company, Trader Joe's, Walgreens, and Welch Foods.
Why is Washington's new law important?
Washington's law is among the state's efforts to cut down on single-use plastic waste and virgin plastic production. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 35 million tons of plastic waste was produced in the U.S. in 2018. Of that, only 3 million tons were recycled.
"We need to continue working together to improve our recycling system and reduce the pollution and contamination that come from producing new plastic," Peter Lyon, solid waste program manager at the Washington Department of Ecology, said in a statement.
Washington's law is already making a positive difference. In 2023, more than 150 million pounds of plastic were used in trash bags and beverage containers, according to the Department of Ecology. Of that plastic, about 24% — or 36 million pounds — was recycled material.
It's a welcome change for consumers. While avoiding single-use plastics at the grocery store is a more eco-friendly option than depending on recycled plastics (a process with significant limitations), a recent study by Shorr Packaging found that 77% of surveyed U.S. consumers said they expected more brands to offer "100% sustainable packaging for their products in the near future."
What's being done to get companies to comply with the new law?
Companies fined under the new law had 30 days from the time of fining to pay or appeal to the state, per KHQ. In the meantime, Washington officials are working with some cooperative brands on corrective action plans. Brands open to these plans had half their fines suspended in exchange for planning for future compliance, according to a press release.
As for the future of the law, Washington officials say more companies will be required to meet similar standards in the coming years as the law expands to cover a wider range of products — and as requirements for recycled content increase.
By 2036, the law will cover most types of plastic packaging for consumer goods, requiring a minimum of 50% recycled content in most packaging.
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