Tethered for good: How senate bill 45 aims to rein in plastic waste

Los Angeles Times

14-06-2025

SB 45: California's cap on plastic pollution
As summer approaches, people will head to beaches, team practices and games will be held in mid-day heat, and friends and family will gather for 4th of July BBQ celebrations. At each event, a cool refreshing beverage is sure to be consumed, but the passage of Senate Bill No. 45 might introduce an inconvenient but important design change to Californian's thirst quenching enjoyment.
Senate Bill No. 45 will tether plastic caps to most beverage containers. The bill mandates the tethering of plastic bottle caps to beverage containers. Beginning on January 1st 2027, this measure will work to prevent the separation of plastic bottle caps from their containers, which often leads to plastic littering.
In fact, according to the Plastics Today , the Surfrider Foundation collected over 30,000 bottle caps during their coastal clean ups last year alone. The bill would require all single-use bottles containing under 2 liters to tether their caps with the exception of 100% fruit juice and alcohol containers. Many big name companies are already on board, with Crystal Geyser, Coca-Cola (Smartwater), PepsiCo (Gatorade) already leashing their caps without a law.
According to Packaging Dive, this isn't the first time the plastic shackle has been suggested. A similar bill was proposed in 2018. However, it failed to allow for enough time for manufacturers to make the adjustment. Senate Bill No. 45 is offering a longer runway, and this has gained the bill the support of the Association of Plastic Recyclers, the Product Stewardship Institute, and recycling companies such as Recology, Republic Services and Waste Connections.
Small cap, big consequences
According to Shop Without Plastic (SWOP) , the US generates the 'largest amount of plastic waste in the world,' responsible for a shocking 42 million tons of plastic waste in a single year. To put this in perspective, this figure is as much as India and China combined. According to PHYS.org , plastic 'bottle caps are one of the most common items consumed by marine animals .' Commonly, caps are made with different types of plastic than bottles themselves, and the buoyancy of this dissimilar plastic makes bott le caps dangerously attractive to marine life who mistake them as a food source. As animals ingest plastic pollution, bodily functions can be interrupted leading to death, this occurs so often that the Ocean Conservancy identified 'plastic bottle caps as one of the top five deadliest forms of marine pollution.' Additionally, many fish species can store microplastics in their fat that bioaccumulate all the way to human consumption. In the long run, both marine animals and humans will be swallowing delicious plastic waste for dinner.
Europe tried it first — and it's working
Tethering is nothing new in Europe. According to The Conversation , in July 2024, a European Union directive mandated plastic bottle cap tethering on single use bottles. This initiative follows in the footsteps of the 1980's packaging change to cans with detachable pull tabs. Both of these initiatives have reduced the deadly impact of single use container littering. Before, citizens had to try not to litter, now people have to try to litter these mico-plastics.
Cap-tivated and frustrated
While placing tabs on plastic caps has much support, there is one demographic that has been deeply affected: beverage consumers. According to Packaging Europe , many consumers have lamented the change on TikTok, encumbered by water spills from drinking around an uncomfortable plastic. Many share that the cap gets in the way of their hydration and causes frustration when used. According to Earth Day 365 , this inconvenience might just be proof that the ban will be effective as any attempts at zero-waste require consumers to ' allow themselves to be inconvenienced .'
Tethered today, cleaner tomorrow
Whether it's a minor inconvenience or a necessary nudge toward sustainability, Senate Bill No. 45 asks Californians to rethink convenience in favor of long-term environmental responsibility. As the summer heats up, I hope to be a bit inconvenienced for an eco-win. Related