Amended in Assembly March 18, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 2579


Introduced by Assembly Member Low

February 19, 2016


An actbegin delete to amend Section 14501 of the Public Resources Code,end delete relating to recycling.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2579, as amended, Low. begin deleteCalifornia Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act. end deletebegin insertFood service packaging products: extended producer responsibility program: study.end insert

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The California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989, administered by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, regulates the disposal, management, and recycling of solid waste.

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This bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2018, to conduct a study to establish baseline data relating to food service packaging.

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Under existing law, the Division of Recycling within the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery administers the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act.

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This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to the Legislature’s findings and declarations relating to the act.

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Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: begin deleteno end deletebegin insertyesend insert. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P2    1begin insert

begin insertSECTION 1.end insert  

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(a) For purposes of this section, “food service
2packaging” means single-use packaging products used by food
3service providers for their customers.

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4(b) On or before January 1, 2018, the Department of Resources
5Recycling and Recovery shall conduct a study to establish baseline
6data relating to food service packaging.

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7

SECTION 1.  

Section 14501 of the Public Resources Code is
8amended to read:

9

14501.  

The Legislature finds and declares as follows:

10(a) Experience in this state and others demonstrates that financial
11incentives and convenient return systems ensure the efficient and
12large-scale recycling of beverage containers. Accordingly, it is the
13intent of the Legislature to encourage increased, and more
14convenient, beverage container redemption opportunities for all
15consumers. These redemption opportunities shall consist of dealer
16and other shopping center locations, independent and industry
17operated recycling centers, curbside programs, and other recycling
18systems that ensure all consumers, in every region of the state, the
19opportunity to return beverage containers conveniently, efficiently,
20and economically.

21(b) California grocery, beer, soft drink, container manufacturing,
22labor, agricultural, consumer, environmental, government, citizen,
23recreational, taxpayer, and recycling groups have joined together
24in calling for an innovative program to generate large-scale
25redemption and recycling of beverage containers.

26(c) This division establishes a beverage container recycling goal
27of 80 percent.

28(d) It is the intent of the Legislature to ensure that every
29container type proves its own recyclability.

30(e) It is the intent of the Legislature to make redemption and
31recycling convenient to consumers, and the Legislature hereby
32urges cities and counties, when exercising their zoning authority,
33to act favorably on the siting of multimaterial recycling centers,
34reverse vending machines, mobile recycling units, or other types
35of recycling opportunities, as necessary for consumer convenience,
36and the overall success of litter abatement and beverage container
37recycling in the state.

P3    1(f) The purpose of this division is to create and maintain a
2marketplace where it is profitable to establish sufficient recycling
3centers and locations to provide consumers with convenient
4recycling opportunities through the establishment of minimum
5refund values and processing fees and, through the proper
6application of these elements, to enhance the profitability of
7recycling centers, recycling locations, and other beverage container
8recycling programs.

9(g) The responsibility to provide convenient, efficient, and
10economical redemption opportunities rests jointly with
11manufacturers, distributors, dealers, recyclers, processors, and the
12Division of Recycling in the Department of Resources Recycling
13and Recovery.

14(h) It is the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this division,
15that all empty beverage containers redeemed shall be recycled,
16and that the responsibilities and regulations of the department shall
17be determined and implemented in a manner that favors the
18recycling of redeemed containers, as opposed to their disposal.

19(i) This division shall not be interpreted as affecting the current
20business practices of scrap dealers or recycling centers, except
21that, to the extent they function as a recycling center or processor,
22they shall do so in accordance with this division.

23(j) The program established by this division will contribute
24significantly to the reduction of the beverage container component
25of litter in this state.

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