BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 549
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 11, 2011

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                 AB 549 (Carter) - As Introduced:  February 16, 2011 

          Policy Committee:                              Natural 
          ResourcesVote:9-0
                        Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials9-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill codifies electronic waste regulations and practices 
          issued and employed by the Department of Recycling and Resources 
          Recovery (Calrecycle).  Specifically, this bill:

          1)Authorizes Calrecycle to pay a covered electronic waste (CEW) 
            recovery or recycling payment only if the covered electronic 
            devices (CED) was used in the state.

          2)Authorizes Calrecycle to review required documentation 
            submitted by a CEW collector or recycler before making payment 
            and to refuse to pay a CEW collector or recycler if the 
            documentation is incomplete or otherwise not in compliance 
            with the Electronic Waste Act.

          3)Replaces obsolete references to the Integrated Waste 
            Management Board.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Negligible costs to Calrecycle.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale.   The author intends this bill to provide Calrecycle 
            explicit legal authority to carry out the Electronic Waste Act 
            and in ways consistent with the department's existing 
            practices.

           2)Background.   The Electronic Waste Act intends to provide a 








                                                                  AB 549
                                                                  Page  2

            cost-free and convenient means for consumers to return, 
            recycle, and ensure the safe and environmentally-sound 
            disposal of a video display device containing a screen greater 
            than four diagonal inches.  Such devices are known as covered 
            electronic devices and, when discarded, as covered electronic 
            waste.   Upon purchase of a new or refurbished CED, a consumer 
            pays a CEW recycling fee of $6 to $10 for each CED, the amount 
            depending on screen size.  Fee revenue pays CEW collectors and 
            recyclers for the cost of collecting and recycling CEW 
            generated in the state.  
                
            3)Support.   This bill is supported by Californians against Waste 
            and the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition.

           4)There is no registered opposition to this bill.  

          Analysis Prepared by  :    Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081