BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1930
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Date of Hearing: May 19, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 1930 (De La Torre) - As Amended: April 29, 2010
Policy Committee: Environmental
Safety and Toxic Materials Vote: 9-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill prohibits the sale of glass beads, used for blasting
equipment, that contain specified amount of arsenic or lead.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Prohibits the sale of glass beads, used for blasting
equipment, that contain 75 parts per million (ppm) or more of
arsenic or 100 ppm or more of lead, by weight.
2)Specifies that packaging for glass beads be labeled as
follows: Glass bead contents contain less than 75 ppm arsenic
and less than 100 ppm lead, as determined by EPA Method 3052
and EPA Method 6010C or a generally accepted instrumental
method with traceable standards.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)One-time costs to DTSC in 2010-11 of approximately $50,000 for
education and outreach to affected manufacturers, retailers
and other interested parties (Hazardous Waste Control Account
(HWCA)).
2)One-time costs to DTSC in 2011-12 of approximately $50,000 to
purchase equipment used in enforcement (HWCA).
3)Ongoing costs to DTSC beginning in 2011-12 of approximately
$100,000 to conduct testing, analysis and enforcement (HWCA).
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . The author intends this bill to create a
AB 1930
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California glass bead standard that conforms with the United
States military standard, thereby protecting workers from
breathing toxics and preventing contamination of soil and
water.
2)Background . Glass beads are used for a variety of purposes,
including for use with pressure or suction blasting equipment
or wet-type or dry-type blasting equipment. Such equipment is
used for surface preparation for cleaning, peening, finishing
and deburring of aluminum and stainless steel products and
medical instruments, to finish eye glass frames, to remove
residues on automotive parts and to remove calcium buildup at
the water line of swimming pools. In addition, glass beads
are used as reflective material in roadway striping. This
bill, however, this bill does not affect glass beads used for
purposes other than blasting.
3)Related Legislation . AB 2251 (Cook, 2008) sought to prohibit
the manufacture and sale of reflective glass beads used as
light-reflecting markings on roadways if those glass beads
contain inorganic arsenic in more than 75 ppm or an amount
adopted by the Department of Transportation. The bill was
held by this committee.
4)Support . This bill is supported by several domestic industry
groups, who contend foreign-made, lower-cost glass beads often
contain dangerous levels of arsenic and lead.
5)There is no registered opposition to this bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081