BILL ANALYSIS Ó
Bill No: AB
2675
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Lou Correa, Chair
2013-2014 Regular Session
Staff Analysis
AB 2675 Author: Lowenthal
As Introduced: February 21, 2014
Hearing Date: June 24, 2014
Consultant: Paul Donahue
SUBJECT
State agency: public contracts
DESCRIPTION
Requires state agencies that purchase products specified in
the State Agency Buy Recycled Campaign (SABRC) to increase
the threshold of recycled purchases from 50% to 75% by
2020.
EXISTING LAW
1)Requires state agencies to purchase products that contain
specified minimum amounts of postconsumer
recycled-content material in 11 reportable product
categories defined in statute.
2)Requires state agencies to ensure that at least 50% of
the purchases in the 11 categories are for recycled
products.
3)Directs agencies to report annually to the California
Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery
(CalRecycle) dollars spent on recycled and non-recycled
products purchased in the 11 categories.
BACKGROUND
Purpose of the bill : According to the author, the State
AB 2675 (Lowenthal) continued
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Agency Buy Recycled Campaign (SABRC) requires California
agencies to ensure that at least 50% of their purchases in
11 designated categories are of post-consumer recycled
content (PCRC) products. Goods manufactured with recycled
materials save native resources, produce less greenhouse
gas emissions than their virgin counterparts, and divert
waste that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
In the average fiscal year, the State of California spends
more than $1 billion dollars on the direct purchase of
goods, and more than $10 billion dollars on the purchase of
services which include goods. Components of SABRC have been
in place at least as far back as the California Integrated
Waste Management Act of 1989. To date, State agencies have
purchased more than $1 billion of SABRC-compliant
post-consumer recycled content products.
By requiring that agencies procure an increased percentage
of goods from PCRC sources, AB 2675 harnesses our state's
considerable purchasing power to more forcefully support a
market that helps California meet both the greenhouse gas
reduction goals of AB 32 (Nunez) of 2006 and the solid
waste diversion goals of AB 341 (Chesbro) of 2011. It's a
responsible and wise use of taxpayer dollars that will
benefit Californians for generations to come.
Background : Agencies are required to purchase recycled
products whenever available, if fitness and quality are
equal and the products cost the same or less than
non-recycled products. Agencies annually report information
about their purchases in these categories to CalRecycle.
CalRecycle then compiles this information and produces
reports about SABRC compliance by product category and
department. The 11 reportable categories are:
1) Paper products;
2) Printing and writing papers;
3) Mulch, compost, co-compost;
4) Glass products;
5) Lubricating oils;
6) Plastic products;
7) Paint;
8) Antifreeze;
9) Tires;
10) Tire-derived products; and,
11) Metal products.
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This bill would increase the requirement for recycled
purchases in these categories to 75% by January 1, 2020. In
the most recent SABRC report for Fiscal Year 2011-12,
agencies spent about $130 million on recycled products.
This accounted for 70% of purchase amounts for the 11
categories. Additionally, purchases in the three product
categories of mulch, compost, co-compost; metal products;
and tire-derived products exceeded the 75% mark. However,
some product categories fell short of the current 50%
mandate.
PRIOR/RELATED LEGISLATION
AB 341 (Chesbro), Chapter 476, Statutes of 2011. Calls for
diversion of at least 75% of solid waste through reduction,
recycling, and composting by 2020.
AB 4 (Eastin), Chapter 1094, Statutes of 1989. Established
SABRC, which requires agencies to buy recycled items for at
least 50% of their purchases in 11 reportable product
categories.
SUPPORT:
California Refuse Recycling Council
OPPOSE:
None on file
FISCAL COMMITTEE: Senate Appropriations Committee
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