Existing law requires rigid plastic packaging containers sold or offered for sale in this state to meet specified criteria, including, but not limited to, that the container be made from 25% postconsumer material. Existing law prohibits a person, on and after January 1, 2013, from selling a plastic product that is labeled as "biodegradable," "compostable," "degradable," or as otherwise specified, unless, at the time of the sale, the product meets the applicable ASTM standard specification or other specified certification requirements. These provisions are generally administered by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, and a city, a county, or the state may impose civil liability for a violation.
California AB 837 (20112012) — Solid waste: plastic products.
Existing law requires rigid plastic packaging containers sold or offered for sale in this state to meet specified criteria, including, but not limited to, that the container be made from 25% postconsumer material. Existing law prohibits a person, on and after January 1, 2013, from selling a plastic product that is labeled as "biodegradable," "compostable," "degradable," or as otherwise specified, unless, at the time of the sale, the product meets the applicable ASTM standard specification or other specified certification requirements. These provisions are generally administered by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, and a city, a county, or the state may impose civil liability for a violation.
Version chain
The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.
AB 837 NESTANDE Concurrence in Senate Amendments — 53–20 (pass) · lower
Do pass, but re-refer to the Committee on Appropriations. — 5–0 (pass) · upper
AB 837 NESTANDE Assembly Third Reading — 57–14 (pass) · lower
Sponsors
Nestande — primary (person)
Timeline
The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.
2011-02-17 Read first time. To print. reading-1
2011-02-18 From printer. May be heard in committee March 20.
2011-03-31 Referred to Com. on NAT. RES. referral-committee
2011-03-31 From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. Read second time and amended. reading-2, amendment-introduction, reading-1, amendment-passage
2011-04-04 Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES. referral-committee
2011-05-10 From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (May 2). amendment-passage, committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable
2011-05-11 Read second time and amended. reading-2, reading-1, amendment-passage
2011-05-12 Re-referred to Com. on APPR. referral-committee
2011-05-27 From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 3.) (May 27). committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable
2011-05-27 Read second time. Ordered to third reading. reading-2, reading-1
2011-06-02 Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 57. Noes 14. Page 1780.) reading-3, reading-1, passage
2011-06-02 In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. reading-1
2011-06-16 Referred to Com. on E.Q. referral-committee
2011-06-20 From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E.Q. reading-2, amendment-introduction, reading-1, amendment-passage, referral-committee
2011-06-27 In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
2011-07-06 In committee: Set, second hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
2012-05-08 In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2012-06-07 From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E.Q. reading-2, amendment-introduction, reading-1, amendment-passage, referral-committee
2012-06-19 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 18). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. referral-committee, committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable
2012-07-02 From committee: Be placed on second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8. committee-passage
2012-07-03 Read second time. Ordered to third reading. reading-2, reading-1
2012-08-20 Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 21. Noes 19. Page 4583.). reading-3, reading-1, passage
2012-08-20 In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after August 22 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.
2012-08-24 Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 53. Noes 20. Page 6272.). committee-passage-favorable, amendment-passage
2012-08-31 Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.
2012-09-25 Approved by the Governor. executive-signature
2012-09-25 Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 525, Statutes of 2012.
Source
OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot 2026-07-01; origin ocd-bill/cb7b3a52-3cb4-4a59-8b6b-f8b7a2298bd0. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official California legislature records).