California's SB 54 deadline approaches for single-use plastic producers. Plastic Beach, a San Diego nonprofit, launches a free pilot program to recycle soft plastics for small businesses.
The program runs from July 1 for five months, funded by the Circular Action Alliance. - Soft plastics like grocery bags and bubble wrap cannot go in curbside bins due to sorting machinery issues.
- Plastic Beach provides bins, pickups, and processing to 50 clients, sending material to U.S. recyclers.
- The pilot aims to educate businesses and prove separate collection systems work. Matthew Clough, founder, emphasizes the need for systemic change to handle the 141 million tons of soft plastic produced globally each year.