Bill text| Bill Number and Name | AB 521 Bill text |
|---|---|
| Sponsors | Hueso and Stone |
This bill, if passed, would formalize the legislature's intent to pass producer responsibility legislation to reduce plastic pollution, especially in waterways. The resulting legislation, the Plastic Pollution Reduction Producer Responsibility Act, would serve to:
The introduced version of the bill did not contain much in the way of implementation details, but by the third revision, the following proposals had emerged:
February 20, 2013: Introduced
After being passed around from committee to committee and amended three times, this bill was referred to the Appropriations suspense file, where it was reported "held under submission" on May 24.
| Bill Number and Name | AB 744 Bill text |
|---|---|
| Sponsors | Aseembly Member Gordon |
Under existing law, the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery is required to establish reporting periods and procedures for both recycling rates and redemption rates. This bill simplifies the process, removing all references to "redemption rate" in the text. The department would only be required to track recycling rates.
February 21, 2013: Introduced and read first time
The reporting bill passed in the House and made it through two readings in Senate committee before it was essentially killed. In early September, it was resurrected as a timber harvesting bill.
| Bill Number and Name | AB 1001 Bill text |
|---|---|
| Sponsors | Assembly Member Gordon |
| Containers Covered | Provides for the recycling of beverages in containers not covered by the existing law |
| Deposits | 5¢ under 24oz. 10¢ 24oz. and above |
| Handling Fees | Changes method of calculating handling fees |
| Other Fees / Taxes |
|
| Reclamation System | Requires distributors to come up with takeback plans for beverages not covered by a deposit. |
This bill proposes many changes to the existing California redemption system, but the most significant is the establishment of a takeback system for beverages not covered by a deposit.
The existing legislation defines many types of liquids as beverages, but only requires a deposit on those packaged in certain containers. Beverages in other container types (notably aseptic packages) would be defined by this bill as "regulated beverages."
The bill requires distributors to come up with a plan for takeback and recycling of regulated beverages, and to meet an 80% recycling rate. Distributors who choose not to implement their own takeback system are required instead to pay a redemption payment into a new Voluntary Beverage Container Fund, which would be used to pay refunds on those containers (known as voluntary beverage containers) and to administer the system. Voluntary beverage containers would be subject to the same deposit and refund system as other beverage containers accepted in the existing law.
In addition, Distributors would also pay an annual fee into the Regulated Beverage Account, which would be used to fund the system.
The containers these beverages are sold in must be at least 35% postconsumer content.
This bill also proposes several administrative changes, especially regarding rates and fees and the operations of recycling centers.
February 22, 2013: Introduced
After a passage in Assembly and a Senate hearing, this bill was "recycled" as a bill about hazardous materials in packaging and no longer relates to the deposit system.