Balancing Transparency and Innovation: RSC Member George Huber on California’s AB 2253

Recycling Science Council member George Huber recently shared his perspective on California’s AB 2253, legislation addressing recycled-content claims and accounting methodologies that Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed on Sept. 27, 2026.  

Drawing on more than two decades of research in plastics recycling and circular economy technologies, George submitted a letter expressing concerns about the legislation’s potential impact on recycling innovation. He subsequently shared his perspective in a LinkedIn post. 

While emphasizing the importance of transparent, credible and independently verifiable recycled-content claims, George highlighted the complexity of modern plastics manufacturing systems, where recycled and conventional feedstocks are often processed together. 

He raised concerns that restricting how recycled content is attributed within these systems could create unintended barriers to emerging recycling technologies, particularly those designed to recover materials that are difficult to recycle mechanically.  

George’s reflections highlight the importance of  considering both transparency and accountability alongside the technical realities of recycling and manufacturing claims. 

As states continue to evaluate recycled-content legislation, scientific expertise can help inform discussions about accounting methodologies, technical capabilities and the potential implications of different policy approaches.  

Read George’s full reflection on LinkedIn here.  

Frequently Asked Questions 

• What would California’s AB 2253 have done? 

  AB 2253 would have expanded documentation requirements for recycled-content claims and established rules for how recycled content could be calculated and substantiated.  

  The bill was vetoed in September 2026. 

• What is mass balance accounting? 

  Mass balance is an accounting approach used to track and allocate recycled materials through manufacturing systems where recycled and conventional feedstocks may be mixed. The amount of recycled content attributed to a product does not necessarily represent the amount physically present in that individual product. 

• How do mechanical and advanced recycling differ? 

  Mechanical recycling generally reprocesses plastics without changing their underlying polymer structure. Advanced recycling encompasses chemical, thermal and other technologies that can convert used plastics into chemical building blocks, feedstocks or other useful materials.