The Carton Council of North America announced that CalRecycle has updated its SB 343 Final Findings Report to reflect an increase in counties served by food and beverage carton recycling and sortation programs. This update reflects the following key figures about carton recycling in California:
- 72 percent of households have access to aseptic carton recycling, and 74 percent have access to gable top carton recycling.
- 68 percent of the state’s counties are served by material recovery facilities (MRFs) that accept and sort cartons.
This decision follows Carton Council’s submission of data showing that an additional seven counties have started sorting food and beverage cartons, for a total of 23, since the initial April 2025 report.
The Carton Council emphasized the importance of continued partnership as California implements SB 54 to develop an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program for packaging.
Food and beverage cartons are a valuable recyclable material used to make products such as paper towels, tissue and other types of packaging, as well as sustainable building materials. The Carton Council continues to work with recycling facilities, municipalities and state agencies nationwide to grow the recycling of food and beverage cartons.
Published October 2025
