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California SB 54: what brands need from suppliers

California SB 54 (2022) is the state’s packaging EPR law for brands that sell packaged products into California, and most of the component-level data it asks for sits with your suppliers.

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What California SB 54 needs from your suppliers

Every item you sell into California is a stack of packaging components, and each needs its own record. Ask each supplier for the following, for every component they provide.

  • Material, layers and coatings

    Name the base material and any coating, laminate or added layer. “Plastic film” alone leaves your team guessing which layers you are reporting.

  • Weight

    Weight per component in one consistent unit, taken from the supplier’s own spec rather than an estimate from a sales rep.

  • Plastic weight and plastic component count

    California also asks for plastic weight and the number of plastic components per item. A multi-material pack needs its plastic share broken out and its plastic pieces counted.

  • Recycled content

    A recycled content declaration for each component, with the supplier’s written statement attached when they have one.

  • Units supplied into California

    How many units of each item you ship into the state. Component data becomes a report only once it is tied to volume.

By 2032, SB 54 sets 25% source reduction of single-use plastic packaging, a 65% recycling rate for single-use plastic packaging, and 100% of covered packaging recyclable or compostable. Accurate plastic weights and component counts give your team a baseline as those targets approach.

New to SB 54? Read our plain-English SB 54 guide

Where California teams get stuck

  • Specs without weights

    Spec sheets list dimensions and material but not weight, so someone estimates it, and the estimate becomes the number you report.

  • Unclear coatings

    A tray or pouch is described by its base material alone, so nobody can tell whether a plastic coating or layer sits on top.

  • Multi-material components

    A sleeve, cap or lid made of several materials arrives with one total weight. SB 54 needs the plastic share and the plastic piece count, which a total cannot give you.

  • Out-of-date specs

    A spec from before the last packaging change is still in the shared folder, and no one can say if it matches what ships today.

  • No state-level unit split

    Sales data shows national volume. It does not show how many units of each item went into California.

How ZeeHub helps with SB 54 supplier data

  1. Request by email

    ZeeHub’s AI agent emails each supplier for the SB 54 data on every component. Suppliers reply the way they already do, with no supplier portal and no new login.

  2. Read what comes back

    It reads the PDFs and spreadsheets that arrive and pulls out material, coatings, weight, plastic weight, plastic component count and recycled content.

  3. Flag gaps and mismatches

    Each answer is checked against your own specs. A missing plastic component count, or a weight that differs from your record, is flagged with the reason.

  4. Follow up

    The agent chases anything missing, unclear or out of date, so your team only sees the exceptions.

  5. Export

    Component-level data goes out in a format ready for your CAA reporting or your spec system.

100+

suppliers live in six weeks at a US food manufacturer.

Your team reviews anything flagged and signs off. ZeeHub does not certify compliance.

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States you sell into (pick all that apply)

California EPR questions

Who has to comply with SB 54?

This page is written for brands that sell packaged products into California. Confirm with CAA and CalRecycle how the law applies to you.

What data do suppliers need to provide?

For every packaging component: material, coatings or layers, weight, recycled content and units supplied into California, plus plastic weight and the number of plastic components per item.

When do SB 54 fees start?

Producer fees are scheduled to begin in 2027.

What are the 2032 targets?

By 2032, SB 54 sets 25% source reduction of single-use plastic packaging, a 65% recycling rate for single-use plastic packaging, and 100% of covered packaging recyclable or compostable.

We missed the May 31, 2026 registration deadline, what now?

A passed deadline does not mean registration is closed. Contact CAA if you missed it, and start collecting component data meanwhile.

Sources and disclaimer

Primary sources for the California details on this page. Last reviewed November 2026.

Requirements and deadlines change. Confirm current obligations with CAA and the state agency. This page is not legal advice.

Other EPR states

See the packaging EPR hub for all seven states, or jump to a state guide below.