SB 54 vs SB 343: what each law requires

By Shekhar Nirkhe, Founder, ZeeHub. Last updated November 2026.

SB 343 governs recyclability claims and labels, while SB 54 is the packaging EPR law that sets producer obligations. SB 54 uses the same recyclability determinations as SB 343 for producer obligations, so one recyclability decision can affect both.

This guide compares the two laws side by side and explains why brands need to track them together. It is part of our plain-English guide to California SB 54.

What does SB 343 require?

SB 343 governs recyclability claims and labels. In other words, it is about what a company may say about whether its packaging is recyclable. For the details of the claims rules and their dates, read the SB 343 bill text and check CalRecycle for current requirements.

What does SB 54 require?

SB 54 is the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act. It requires producers of covered packaging and plastic single-use food service ware sold into California to register, report and, from 2027, pay producer fees. It also sets 2032 targets: 100% of covered packaging recyclable or compostable, a 65% recycling rate for single-use plastic packaging and 25% source reduction of single-use plastic packaging.

Which questions does each law answer?

SB 343: May we describe this packaging as recyclable, and can we put that claim on the label?
SB 54: Are we a producer, what do we need to register and report, and what do we owe from 2027?
Both: Does a decision about a component’s recyclability change the answer to either question?

Keeping the questions separate makes it easier to see which team should answer which one, and where the answers overlap.

SB 54 vs SB 343: side-by-side comparison

SB 343 and SB 54 at a glance
Topic	SB 343	SB 54
What it governs	Recyclability claims and labels.	Producer obligations for covered packaging: registering, reporting and, from 2027, paying fees.
Recyclability	Governs recyclability claims and labels.	Uses the same recyclability determinations for producer obligations.
Who administers it	Check CalRecycle for current requirements.	CalRecycle, with CAA as the approved PRO.
Key dates	Check CalRecycle for current requirements.	See the SB 54 timeline in our pillar guide.
Legal status	Legal challenges are pending.	Legal challenges are pending.

How do the two laws connect?

The link is recyclability. SB 343 governs recyclability claims and labels, and SB 54 uses the same recyclability determinations for producer obligations. So a decision about whether a component is recyclable is not only a labeling question. It can also affect what you owe as a producer.

A concrete example: if a supplier adds a coating to a component, the change can alter how that component is treated. Your team would want to know about it both for the label and for your SB 54 data, which is why accurate supplier specs matter to both.

Who owns each law inside your company?

Labels and claims often sit with marketing, packaging or regulatory teams, while producer reporting sits with sustainability, compliance or operations. Because both laws use the same recyclability determinations, those teams should work from one shared component record, so a change made for one purpose does not surprise the other.

Why do brands need to track both?

One change to a component can touch your label claims and your producer data at the same time.
The same supplier specs feed both, so a gap in a spec is a gap in both.
Your packaging, legal and sustainability teams may each own part of the answer, so they need one shared record.

What should your team do now?

List the recyclability claims you make on packaging sold into California.
List the components behind each claim, with material, coating or layers and weight.
Check the claims against the current requirements, starting from CalRecycle.
Make sure the same component data feeds your SB 54 records.
Agree who is told when a supplier changes a material or a coating.

Are there open legal questions?

Legal challenges involving SB 343 and SB 54 are pending, and the outcomes could change obligations. This guide does not predict how they will be resolved. CalRecycle’s SB 54 page is the place to check for current status.

Sources

Last updated: November 2026

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with CalRecycle and CAA.