Presented at the 2025 Statewide AEP Conference, this award honors Catalyst’s commitment to high-quality environmental analysis and innovative planning that supports bold sustainability goals. Developed in partnership with LA Sanitation & Environment (LASAN), the CEQA Final PEIR outlines a citywide strategy to reduce single-use plastics and transition toward a more circular, equitable, and regenerative economy.
The Comprehensive Plastics Reduction Program reflects the City’s leadership in a global movement to reimagine how we produce, consume, and manage plastic materials. Building on a foundation of previous ordinances, the Program introduces a range of upstream policy measures focused on eliminating single-use plastics at their source. These measures include restrictions on plastic bottles, single-use foodware, textiles, and products containing harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The Program also supports the formation of working groups, conducts ongoing studies, and emphasizes public education and outreach to promote behavioral change and stakeholder engagement.
In addition to addressing plastic use at the source, the Program includes downstream strategies to improve the City’s capacity to manage alternative materials. These efforts involve enhancing infrastructure for collecting, reusing, recycling, and composting materials, as well as developing systems that support the use of reusable products. Proposed downstream initiatives include expanding recycling and composting facilities, installing water bottle refill stations, creating foodware and linen washing hubs, and supporting regional market development to increase the viability of reuse and recycling options for items that are currently unmarketable.
The Program’s overarching goals are to help Los Angeles reach its target of becoming a zero-waste city by 2050, reduce the volume of non-recyclable and non-compostable plastics entering the waste stream, and minimize plastic pollution that threatens public health, ecosystems, and water resources. It also seeks to reduce visual blight from plastic litter, advance environmental justice, and support the City’s broader climate and equity goals by fostering sustainable product lifecycles and waste infrastructure.
