The 2008 Legislative Session is upon us. Once again, it's another ambitious year in the waste reduction and recycling world with new bills covering a spectrum of issues from plastic bag reduction, e-waste and Legislation to promoting the best use of organic materials in California. In addition, there are two-year bills regarding take out food packaging and waste reduction that CAW will continue to be a part of in this new session.

Below is a short summary and links to key bills by program area that are new for this session:

Reducing Human & Environmental Exposure to Toxics by Reducing and Recycling Hazardous Products & Materials

AB 218 (Saldaña) CAW sponsored bill phases out the use of certain toxic materials in most consumer electronics.

AB 2347 (Ruskin) Would allow Californians to return their waste thermostats to any location that sells new thermostats. Companies that make new thermostats for sale in the state would pick up most of the costs for the recycling program.

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions thru Source Reduction and Recycling

AB 822 (Levine) CAW sponsored bill requires owners of multifamily buildings to provide appropriate recycling in their dwellings.

AB 2640 (Huffman) This bill is intended to promote the highest and best use of organic materials in California and will set up a "Compostable Organics Management Program" that will incentivize the development of environmentally superior alternatives to landfilling organic compostable materials. The bill would charge a fee of $1.40 per ton of green materials used for "beneficial reuse" in landfills, including use as daily cover, and this money will be used to promote activities that divert these materials from landfills. The bill would also phase out, by 2015, the practice of counting green materials used as landfill cover as being "diverted" from landfills.

Reducing Water Pollution and Marine Debris by Reducing and Recycling Plastic Litter and Waste

AB 2058 (Levine) CAW sponsored bill seeks to drastically reduce plastic bag litter by requiring diversion benchmarks for plastic bags; augments California's successful Plastic Bag Recycling Program (AB 2449-2006).

AB 2505 (Brownley) Proposes to phase out the use of PVC plastic in consumer packaging. PVC is a human and environmental toxin that contains Lead, Cadmium and phthalates and also emits deadly dioxins when combusted. PVC is a potent contaminant in the plastics recycling stream.

AB 3025 (Lieber) Proposes to phase out the use of foamed polystyrene packaging peanuts, a large source of urban plastic litter pollution. New bill.

Two-Year Bills that CAW Continues to Follow

SB 899 (Simitian) Would codify OPC recommendations that toxic chemicals be phased out from plastic packaging by 2015. This bill awaits an Assembly ESTM hearing.

AB 904 (Feuer) This two-year bill phases out the use of nonrecycled plastic takeout food packaging, which is a significant, dangerous and nonbiodegradable component of marine debris pollution, by requiring the use of recyclable or compostable food packaging. The bill awaits a hearing in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee.

ETAAC Support Recycling and Composting
An AB 32-created committee (the Economic and Technology Advancement Advisory Committee, or ETAAC) released a detailed report with recommendations on technologies that can help California meet its greenhouse gas goals. Of the 55 recommendations outlined in the report, 5 dealt with reducing greenhouse gases through increased recycling and composting. CAW is very supportive of these recommendations and we are strongly encouraging the Air Resources Board to include these policies in its AB 32 implementation plan. Learn more about the state's Green House Gas efforts.

New CAW Poll: What kind of recycling opportunities should businesses provide?

Recycling & Resource Management Professional Certification
CRRA's certification program makes it's first stop in Northern California. The third of six in our series will be held at UC Davis from March 20-21, 2008.

Click here for more information, how to register and information on all of CRRA's 2008 workshop & training series.

Recycling News
Mar 4 - Connecticut Bill Would Ban Plastic Bags
Mar 3 - Minnesota Introduces Recycling Legislation for Fluorescents
Feb 27 - Study Advises Consumers on Mercury Risks from CFL Breakage
Feb 21 - Greenpeace Releases New Report on What Happens to Our E-waste
Feb 19 - Toys 'R' Us to Phase Out Nickel-Cadmium Batteries, PVC
Feb 18 - Digital TV Transition to Happen a Year from Now
Feb 14 - New York City Council Approves E-waste Recycling Bill

The Recycling Advocate is published at least twice monthly during the legislative session by the environmental group Californians Against Waste.

To be removed from the distribution list, please e-mail us or call 916-443-5422. To read an archived Recycling Advocate, click here:

The Recycling Advocate