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