BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 2396 Page 1 Date of Hearing: April 27, 2016 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Lorena Gonzalez, Chair AB 2396 (McCarty) - As Amended April 13, 2016 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Policy |Natural Resources |Vote:|9 - 0 | |Committee: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No SUMMARY: This bill requires state agencies to include information relating to commercial recycling and organic waste recycling in their annual reports to the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle). FISCAL EFFECT: No additional state costs. State agencies are already required to report annually to CalRecycle on their waste diversion programs. This bill clarifies that mandatory commercial AB 2396 Page 2 recycling and mandatory organics are a part of the waste diversion programs that agencies must include in their annual reports. COMMENTS: 1)Purpose. According to the author, this bill provides cleanup for last year's AB 876 and makes another clarifying change to annual waste reporting requirements for state agencies. 2)Background. CalRecycle is tasked with diverting at least 75% of solid waste statewide by 2020. Organic materials make up one-third of the waste stream and food continues to be the greatest single item disposed, making up over 15% of materials landfilled. CalRecycle is also charged with implementing its Strategic Directive 6.1, which calls for reducing organic waste disposal by 50% by 2020. According to CalRecycle, significant gains in organic waste diversion are necessary to meet the 75% goal and implementing Strategic Directive 6.1. Recycling technologies for organic waste include composting, anaerobic digestion, and other types of processing that generate renewable fuels, energy, soil amendments, and mulch. Compost and other soil amendments that can be produced from organic materials have been shown to improve soil health by incorporating organic matter, beneficial micro-organisms, and nutrients and reduce the need for chemical pesticides and fertilizers. These products also conserve water by allowing water to penetrate the soil more quickly, decreasing runoff. 3)Prior Legislation. AB 876 (McCarty), Chapter 593, Statutes of AB 2396 Page 3 2015, requires local governments to include organic waste recycling facilities in the planning requirements for countywide siting elements. Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916) 319-2081