BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 2371
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 21, 2014

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                    AB 2371 (Mullin) - As Amended:  April 21, 2014

          Policy Committee:                              Environmental  
          Safety and Toxic Materials                    Vote: 4-0
                        Local Government                      8-0     

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

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires local governments to update Household  
          Hazardous Waste Management Elements (HHWME) to include  
          consideration of the convenience of waste collection.  
          Specifically, this bill: 


          1)Requires each city or county, no later than January 1, 2016,  
            to review their HHWME to determine its effectiveness in the  
            collection, recycling, treatment, and disposal of household  
            hazardous waste. 

          2)Requires CalRecycle to report to the Legislature by January 1,  
            2017, on the effectiveness of the state's household hazardous  
            waste management system, including, but not limited to, rates  
            of collection and recycling of household hazardous waste

          3)Requires CalRecycle to review HHWME submitted by local  
            agencies to insure that the plan will give priority to those  
            methods that make recycling and disposal of household  
            hazardous waste convenient for the public.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Increased one-time costs to CalRecycle of up to $500,000 to  
          conduct the study and evaluate each jurisdiction's updated HHWME  
          (Integrated Waste Management Fund).

           COMMENTS  









                                                                  AB 2371
                                                                  Page  2

           1)Purpose.   According to the author, the convenience of a waste  
            collection or recycling program is a key component in  
            determining whether an individual will recycle or sort  
            household waste.   This bill requires cities and counties to  
            consider and prioritize the convenience of recycling when  
            developing their household hazardous waste management plans.

           2)Background.   Many common products contain potentially  
            hazardous ingredients and require special disposal practices.   
            It is illegal to dispose of hazardous waste in the garbage,  
            down storm drains, or onto the ground.   Household hazardous  
            waste (HHW) are products such as light bulbs, batteries,  
            electronics, fluorescent lamps tubes, mercury-containing  
            items, electronic devices, acids, oxidizers, pesticides,  
            paints, solvents and other products that pose an environmental  
            threat.
             

             If these products are handled or disposed of incorrectly, they  
            can pose a threat to health, safety and the environment. 

            Cities and counties are required to adopt HHWME plans for the  
            safe collection, treatment, recycling and disposal of  
            hazardous wastes generated by households within their  
            jurisdictions.  An adequate HHWME contains an evaluation of  
            alternatives considered for possible local implementation.   
            These alternatives can include periodic community-wide or  
            neighborhood collection, permanent drop-off sites, mobile  
            waste collection, curbside collection, load-checking at solid  
            waste facilities, and waste exchange, reuse and recycling  
            programs.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081