Written by Matthew Evans
California has many state programs that cover a variety of problems, aiming to alleviate them all. However, these problems have persisted for decades and only continue to worsen.
One such issue that hasn’t really changed as much officials hoped was the waste of solids, such as plastic and paper. These materials can be recycled, so when these officials noticed the massive amounts of waste and the effects from it, they decided to do something about it.
This led to the creation of CalRecycle, a state program with the goal of reducing the annual 80 million tons of waste Californians have each year. Thirty years ago, under former Governor George Deukmejian, a six-person Integrated Waste Management Board was formed with the formal goal of recycling or composting 75 percent of the state’s “solid waste” by 2020.
This newly formed group had the power to persuade local governments and other big powers across the state to ensure that their goal is met. Officials assumed the market would open right up to CalRecycle, and promoting the recycling of plastic, paper, and glass was the first step. However, these aspirations simply haven’t come to fruition.
The global market for recycled plastics in California has actually seen a decline, which is not what officials hoped for or expected. For that reason, the hundreds of laws passed by the Integrated Waste Management Board haven’t prompted the change that was desired.
The 2020 deadline is essentially here, and the hope of reaching that goal becomes more unlikely each day. In addition, China has placed restrictions on imported plastics, and other countries have banned scrap plastics, opening up the market to other places.
The problems within CalRecycle are also prevalent in other state-funded programs. They need to do more to financially incentivize individuals, families, and corporations to make the necessary changes.
