Recycling: beverage containers: tethered plastic caps.

Senators Padilla and Blakespear propose requiring plastic beverage containers sold in California to feature caps that remain tethered to the container after opening, addressing concerns about plastic cap pollution and wildlife impacts. The requirement would take effect January 1, 2027, applying to most beverages sold in plastic containers under two liters.

The legislation creates several targeted exemptions. Containers with recycling rates above 70% receive a one-year extension until 2028. The requirements do not apply to beer, wine, distilled spirits, or 100% fruit juice products. Small manufacturers selling fewer than 16 million containers annually and producers of refillable containers are also exempt.

The bill replaces existing recycling incentive payments with mandatory design standards, reflecting a shift from voluntary to required approaches for reducing plastic waste. According to the bill's findings, while California achieves over 70% recycling rates for plastic beverage containers overall, separated caps show lower recycling rates and appear disproportionately in beach litter surveys. Several major beverage producers, including Crystal Geyser and Coca-Cola, have already begun implementing tethered cap designs on products sold in California.