As the world’s fifth largest economy, California’s laws on plastic waste have a significant impact on the plastic packaging industry
California has an economy bigger than the United Kingdom and contributes 15% of the total economy of the USA. Because of this, Californian plastic packaging legislation has a significant impact on global food packaging markets.
A major step for the State of California was The Sustainable Packaging for the State of California Act of 2018. This Act banned all food packaging that was not reusable, recyclable or compostable from state owned property, agencies or service providers. This is part of a general trend in the USA and globally to legislate to control plastic packaging waste.
What are four key concepts in plastic food packaging legislation?
- Increase the reuse & recycling rates of plastics
- Make all plastic food packaging recyclable or compostable
- Reduce the quantity of material used in plastic food packaging manufacturing
- Make producers pay for the cost of recycling their plastics
In Senate Bill 54 (SB54), passed on 30 June 2022, California added ‘producer pays’ requirements to California legislation on plastic food packaging manufacturing and disposal. The bill will be fully enforced on 1 Jan 2032, and requires all plastic food packaging to be recyclable or compostable, including imports as well as domestic manufacturing.
Californian legislation adds Extended Producer Responsibility (ERP) by setting up a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) to identify the volume of packaging produced by manufacturers and to charge manufacturers for the cost of recycling their proportion of plastic packaging that enters the waste stream.
How does California legislation match consumer demand for plastic food packaging?
Consumers want sustainable packaging, and California legislation for control of plastic food packaging responds to consumer preferences for sustainable products. We already know that it is essential for producers to use sustainable plastic food packaging, and global trends in legislation and environmental protection make this very clear.
Consumers also want tamper-proof packaging, because of a series of well reported cases of food tampering, some with serious consequences. So, we need to also ensure that our plastic food packaging is tamper evident, as well as meeting increasingly stringent legislation to ensure packaging is recyclable or compostable.
Can you satisfy regulatory requirements and consumer preferences for sustainable, tamper proof packaging?
The simple answer is yes, you can. With South Plastic Cycle+ tamper evident containers you can have a plastic food packaging solution that is recyclable, compostable and tamper proof in multiple convenient sizes and formats to meet any plastic packaging need. In fact, Cycle+ is the only genuinely biodegradable plastic packaging product on the market today.
South Plastic is a HACCP, ISO and BRC A Grade manufacturer of plastic food packaging. We innovate to create plastic packaging that meets global sustainability requirements. This helps create the circular economy for reuse and recycling of plastics that California, the UN and sovereign states are all working towards.
Sustainable tamper proof plastic food packaging from South Plastic
South plastic manufactures tamper proof plastic food packaging with no tear-off strip, which reduces casual littering and plastic pollution. Our patented designs include needle-proof vents to maintain freshness but still protect fresh fruits and vegetables from tampering. We also manufacture a unique 2-piece safety pack with removable, tamper-evident lids. You can even reseal our tamper evident packaging while still showing it has been opened.
Six reasons to choose South Plastic tamper proof sustainable plastic food packaging
- Cycle+ biotransformation option for completely biodegradable food packaging
- Tamper evident designs are easy to use with no tear-off strip
- Two-piece tamper proof fruit containers with removable lids
- Recyclable plastic designs using minimal material without loss of strength
- Cold-storage appeal increased by anti-fogging technology
- Microwave-safe options
We manufacture BSI certified biodegradable plastic food packaging containers in PP using Cycle+ biotransformation technology. Packaging made from Cycle+ decomposes safely in landfill without generating harmful microplastics, and is also recyclable in standard PP recycling streams. Cycle+ meets two of the standard legislative requirements in one product: recyclability and compostability.
South Plastic sustainable, recyclable and biodegradable tamper-evident packaging shows your customers that you are dedicated to protecting them from food tampering as well as protecting the environment. It also demonstrates to legislators that you are conforming to new and emerging requirements for sustainable plastic food packaging.
Plastic food packaging to meet every need in 2023
South Plastic tamper proof plastic food packaging, microwave safe containers and take out bowls are popular with supermarkets, catering services, convenience stores, retailers, restaurants, food processors, and deli shops. There are many good reasons for this.
Our ultraclear PP lids make food more visible and attractive, and are easy to recycle. We also reduce the weight of plastic in our designs by innovative engineering solutions that don’t compromise on strength and performance. This can generate significant savings when you have to conform to ERPs like the California PRO.
Our engineers can customize designs to meet any specific or specialized need of our clients. We use in-loop waste recycling to reuse our own post industrial recycled (PIR) plastic stock. We can manufacture PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) rPET plastic food packaging for customers who prefer PCR plastics to demonstrate their dedication to sustainability.
Contact us to discover how our sustainable tamper evident plastic food packaging can meet your plastic food packaging requirements. At South Plastic we are committed to helping you build the reputation of your brand for sustainability, without compromising on looks, and always ensuring your customers are protected from potential harm.
