California’s Recycling Rate Falls During Coronavirus Pandemic

California’s recycling rate fell 9% during the months since the coronavirus pandemic hit and the state won’t meet its goal of 75% recycling in 2020, state officials said Wednesday.

Protective gear like gowns, masks, and gloves are showing up in the recycling stream, complicating an already stressed system, the officials said at a hearing. Dropping oil prices have also made virgin plastic prices cheaper than using recycled plastic.

“Because of Covid-19 effects, we’ve been going the opposite direction in California,” Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D) said Wednesday during the legislative hearingabout how the pandemic was affecting recycling rates in a ...