BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



          SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                             Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
                            2015 - 2016  Regular  Session

          AB 2812 (Gordon) - Solid waste:  recycling:  state agencies and  
          large state facilities
          
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
          |                                                                 |
          |                                                                 |
          |                                                                 |
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
          |--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
          |                                |                                |
          |Version: May 27, 2016           |Policy Vote: E.Q. 7 - 0         |
          |                                |                                |
          |--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
          |                                |                                |
          |Urgency: No                     |Mandate: No                     |
          |                                |                                |
          |--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
          |                                |                                |
          |Hearing Date: August 1, 2016    |Consultant: Narisha Bonakdar    |
          |                                |                                |
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
          
          This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.


          Bill  
          Summary:  AB 2812 requires Department of Resources Recycling and  
          Recovery (CalRecycle), on or before July 1, 2017, to develop  
          guidelines for adequate receptacles and staffing for collecting  
          and recycling recyclable materials in state office buildings.   
          The bill also requires state agencies, on or after July 1, 2018,  
          to provide and maintain recycling receptacles in state buildings  
          and large facilities based on standards adopted by CalRecycle.  

          Fiscal  
          Impact:  

          1)Increased administrative costs of approximately $145,000 per  
            year for 2 years for CalRecyle to gather information, adopt  
            requirements, conduct outreach and update the electronic  
            annual report to reflect new reporting requirements.  Ongoing  
            absorbable costs for monitoring.

          2)Unknown, potentially significant state costs to provide  
            receptacles, staff, and establish a collection schedule at  







          AB 2812 (Gordon)                                       Page 1 of  
          ?
          
          
            each state agency and facility.

          3)Unknown, likely minor, state costs to incorporate the new  
            requirement into the existing report to CalRecycle.


          Background:  The Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989. The Integrated  
          Waste Management Act (Act) of 1989 establishes a statewide  
          diversion goal of 75% by 2020.  The Act also requires state  
          agencies to develop an integrated waste management plan  
          indicating how the state agency or facility will divert 50% of  
          its waste from landfill disposal and to submit an annual report  
          to CalRecycle summarizing its progress in reducing solid waste.
          Local agencies are similarly required to divert, through source  
          reduction, recycling, and composting, 50% of solid waste  
          disposed by their jurisdictions.  Local agencies must also  
          submit a countywide siting element to CalRecycle that includes  
          specified information regarding the transformation and disposal  
          of solid waste.

          Statewide waste diversion goals. CalRecycle is tasked with  
          diverting at least 75% of solid waste statewide by 2020.   
          Currently, an estimated 35 million tons of waste are disposed of  
          in California's landfills annually, of which 32% is compostable  
          organic materials, 29% is construction and demolition debris,  
          and 17% is paper.  In addition, CalRecycle is charged with  
          implementing Strategic Directive 6.1, which calls for the  
          reduction of organic waste disposal by 50% by 2020.  


          



          Proposed Law:  
            This bill:

          4)Requires, CalRecycle, on or before July 1, 2017, to develop  
            guidelines for collecting and recycling recyclable materials  
            in office buildings of state agencies and large state  
            facilities.

          5)Defines "recyclable materials" as, including, but not limited  
            to, paper, plastic, metal, and organic waste.








          AB 2812 (Gordon)                                       Page 2 of  
          ?
          
          

          6)Requires a state agency and large state facility, on and after  
            July 1, 2018, to provide adequate receptacles, signage,  
            education, and staffing, and arrange for recycling services  
            for each office building or large state facility.

          7)Requires each state agency and large facility, at least once  
            per year, to review the adequacy and condition of receptacles  
            for recyclable material and of associated signage, education,  
            and staffing.

          8)Specifies that a "state agency" and "large state facility"  
            does not include buildings or facilities of community college  
            districts or their campuses.

          9)Requires each state agency to include a summary of the state  
            agency's compliance with the requirements in the bill in its  
            current annual report to CalRecycle. 


          Staff  
          Comments:  Purpose of Bill.  According to the author, "The  
          Integrated Waste Management Act requires that local governments  
          divert at least 50% of solid waste from landfill disposal and  
          establishes a statewide policy goal that 75% of solid waste  
          generated be source-reduced, recycled, or composted by the year  
          2020.  According to CalRecycle, in order to achieve the state's  
          policy goal, an additional 23 million tons will need to be  
          recycled, reduced, or composted."

          "AB 2812 would direct CalRecycle to develop requirements to  
          ensure recycling containers are made available to employees of  
          the state.  By ensuring that state employees have adequate  
          opportunity to recycle their solid waste in the workplace, the  
          state will lead by example, and play a major role in  
          contributing to the state's ambitious diversion goals."
          According to the Department of General Services, approximately  
          60 buildings are considered a state building or a large state  
          facility. Per the State Administrative Manual Chapter 50, each  
          state agency is already required to provide receptacles for  
          recycling, signage, and education, as well as ensure sufficient  
          staff to pick up the receptacles, review the adequacy of and  
          condition of receptacles, and provide a summary of these  
          activities in its annual report to CalRecycle.  








          AB 2812 (Gordon)                                       Page 3 of  
          ?
          
          

          It is not clear how many state agencies, if any, are not  
          complying with the State Administrative Manual. However, to the  
          extent that certain state agencies that are currently not  
          complying with the State Administrative Manual comply under this  
          bill, the state will incur potentially significant costs.





                                      -- END --