A new report issued by the state’s waste agency shows plastic yogurt containers, shampoo bottles and restaurant takeout trays are being recycled at rates only in the single digits. Others say the two developments just show the state has never really been serious about plastic recycling. AdvertisementAccording to one state analysis , 2.9 million tons of single-use plastic and 171.4 billion single-use plastic components were sold, offered for sale or distributed in California in 2023. Single-use plastics and plastic waste more broadly are considered a growing environmental and health problem. In recent decades, plastic waste has overwhelmed waterways and oceans , sickening marine life and threatening human health .

Source: Los Angeles Times January 15, 2026 07:22 UTC