California EPR Guide
Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act (SB 54, 2022)
Who is a “producer”?
Under SB 54, a “producer” is determined in the following order of responsibility:
- 1Brand owner of the product sold in packaging
- 2Licensee who sells under another's brand
- 3Importer of record into the US for sale in CA
- 4Person who first distributes the item in or into CA
What's covered
Covered
- ✓Single-use packaging
- ✓Plastic food service ware
- ✓B2B transport/tertiary packaging
- ✓All component parts counted separately
Not Covered / Exempt
- ✕Packaging with 70%+ recycling rate
- ✕Small producers (<$1M CA sales)
- ✕Beverage containers under CA bottle bill
- ✕Packaging not collected residentially that is recycled at a responsible end market at a 65% (70% after 2027) rate — PRC §42041(e)(2)(H)
Fee Rates (California)
Preliminary 2027 base fee rates per pound from CAA's Oct 1, 2026 schedule — non-binding pending CalRecycle approval of the program plan. Rates shown combine the total base fee with the $0.03/lb reuse investment fee and $0.26/lb PPMF weight fee for plastic; the $0.001 per-component PPMF charge is not included.
Simplified groupings for estimation. The official CAA schedule has 95 material categories — see the downloadable rate schedule PDF below for exact rates by material type.
| Material | Rate ($/lb) |
|---|---|
| Rigid PET plastic (#1) | $0.15 – $0.19 |
| Non-recyclable rigid plastic (PVC, mixed) | $0.26 |
| Flexible plastic film (PET/LDPE/PP) | $0.27 – $0.30 |
| Non-recyclable flexible plastic (laminates, pouches, mixed film) | $0.27 |
| Paper/Fiber (corrugated cardboard) | $0.03 |
| Paper/Fiber (paperboard) | $0.02 – $0.05 |
| Glass bottles and jars | $0.02 |
| Aluminum (containers, foil) | $0.01 – $0.17 |
| Steel/tin (containers, other) | $0.02 – $0.16 |
⚠ California rates are preliminary — final fees may change. Download CAA 2027 fee schedule (PDF) →
Calculate Your California Fees →Eco-Modulation Factors
Credits (reduce fees)
CAA 2027 schedule: -5% for materials with a recycling rate higher than their 2028 target. Automatically applied.
Maluses (increase fees)
CAA 2027 schedule: +5% for materials that are both non-recyclable and not compostable. Automatically applied.
Not included in CAA's preliminary 2027 fee schedule. SB 54 authorizes malus factors — watch final program plan.
Source Reduction Requirements
- ✓10% plastic reduction by 2027 (from 2023 baseline)
- ✓20% reduction by 2030
- ✓25% reduction by 2032
- ✓At least 10% must come from reuse/refill or elimination
- ✓Up to 8% can come from PCR content substitution
Key Deadlines
| Date | What's Due | Status |
|---|---|---|
| May 31, 2026 | 2026 Baseline Producer Report (CY 2023 data) | PASSED |
| May 31, 2026 | Annual Supply Report (CY 2025 data) + Annual Source Reduction Report | PASSED |
| Jun 15, 2026 | CAA submits draft program plan to SB 54 advisory board | PASSED |
| Aug 1, 2026 | Individual Source Reduction Plan | PASSED |
| Aug 1, 2026 | Early fee invoices issued | PASSED |
| Aug 14, 2026 | Public comment period on CA program plan closes | PASSED |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Final 2027 fee schedule expected by end of October | UPCOMING |
| May 31, 2027 | Next annual report (2026 data) | FUTURE |
| Jan 1, 2028 | Full program fee structure begins | FUTURE |
Official Resources
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