The Toy Association™ Advocates for Uniform Packaging Regulations in California

May 22, 2024 | The Toy Association’s Erin Raden, senior director of state government affairs, met with legislators and other stakeholders in Sacramento in support of the Association’s advocacy and regulatory work on several priorities, including extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs and emerging packaging policies. The meetings were part of Ameripen’s Legislative Fly-In, which took place May 13 to 15.

“With a patchwork of packaging policies being proposed across states every day, the Association’s overarching goal is to advocate for uniform legislation and regulation to make compliance easy and effective,” said Ed Desmond, executive vice president of global government & regulatory affairs at The Toy Association. “Meeting with legislators in Sacramento allowed us to further our goal by urging them to avoid creating overlapping laws that make it harder and more expensive for businesses to remain compliant.”

The Fly-In primarily focused on California’s AB 2761, which enacts the Reducing Toxics in Packaging Act that will prohibit any company from manufacturing, selling, offering for sale, or distributing plastic packaging that contains PFAS, PVC, or PVDC in the state beginning January 1, 2026. However, the state has already enacted SB 54 (also known as the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act), the largest comprehensive EPR program in the country that already covers issues addressed within AB 2761. The Toy Association urged the lawmakers to uphold their commitment from SB 54 negotiations to avoid creating new, individual laws on the same subject that will disrupt the regulatory process.

While in Sacramento, Raden and other Ameripen members also met with Mindy McIntyre, chief deputy director of the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), the agency that manages the state’s recycling and waste management programs. Raden reiterated concerns with the SB 54 proposed rulemaking and offered industry expertise moving forward.

“Toy Association involvement in setting up the California SB 54 program is crucial to ensure that the industry can comply with the new regulations and achieve recyclability and source reduction goals,” Raden said. “It was really encouraging to hear that CalRecycle is open to and appreciative of industry feedback.”

The Toy Association is a recent member of Ameripen, an organization that focuses on U.S. public policy for the packaging industry. By joining forces with Ameripen, the Association can ensure that the interests of the toy industry are effectively represented throughout rulemaking processes.

The Toy Association will continue to keep its members apprised of developments on this issue. Any questions may be directed to Erin Raden.