Effective Date: August 2026 fee collection launch

California’s SB54 Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program enters the formal charging phase. Starting August, all brands and importers selling packaged goods in California must pay fees for packaging waste management, bringing extra compliance costs for Chinese plastic packaging exporters.

1. Enterprises failing to register before June 1 or join authorized PRO organizations will be charged heavy overdue fines; plastic bags failing recyclability standards will incur punitive surcharges additionally.
2. Long-term mandatory targets: All plastic bags circulating in California must be 100% recyclable or industrially compostable by 2032; single-use plastic packaging waste shall be cut by 25% with an overall recycling rate of 65%.
3. Supporting labeling rule SB343 will be enforced in October: Random recycling symbols are forbidden; any “recyclable” claim printed on plastic bags requires official certification from local recycling facilities to prevent greenwashing.

Industry Impact: Plastic bags exported to California must adopt recyclable mono-material designs. Exporters need to incorporate SB54 EPR fees into product pricing to avoid fines caused by improper labeling.