Measure heads to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk for signature
Yesterday, the California Legislature passed SB 1013, which includes spirits products in the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act otherwise known as the “bottle bill.” The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) championed this inclusion in an effort to enhance recycling outcomes, improve resource utilization and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enhancing the availability and quality of recycled glass cullet.
“The spirits industry believes that sustainable environmental practices are critical to the continued production of the high-quality spirits that consumers enjoy,” said Adam Smith, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States Vice President of State Government Relations. “Including our products in recycling programs that make it easy for consumers to return bottles and for producers to meet requirements is part of a continued effort to promote sustainability. We are proud to be a collaborative partner in efforts to enhance the California recycling program and look forward to the benefits this bill will produce.”
In support of wine and spirits businesses and to ensure compliance with consumer notification, SB1013 has an exemption for wine and distilled spirits manufacturers from the requirement to provide samples of proposed labels or beverage containers to CalRecycle for approval. The bill has an effective date of July 1, 2024.