AB 1894 (L. Rivas & Petrie-Norris) Smoking Waste Pollution Prevention Act

OVERVIEW

AB 1894 will transition the sale of single-use cigarette and cigar, and all-in-one disposable vapes to rechargeable and reusable smoking products.

THE ISSUE

Cigarette and cigar filters (filters), as well as more recent all-in-one disposable vaping devices (vapes), are smoking products that have caused a public and environmental health crisis. Disposal of vapes after one use is wasteful and places the cost of cleanup onto state and local governments, while still leaving behind microplastics and toxins from their filters, electronics, and batteries.

Improperly disposed cigarette filters and all-in-one disposable vapes are known to leach toxic chemicals into the environment, pollute water, and harm wildlife. In 2017, the United Nations World Health Organization issued a report that describes the chemicals in discarded cigarette filters as acutely toxic to aquatic organisms.

Local and state agencies deal with sizable costs due to discarded cigarette filters and all-in-one disposable vapes, with annual estimates in the tens of millions for large municipalities. In 2009, San Francisco spent nearly $10 million on cigarette filter cleanup, and public agencies are spending more than $41 million annually on sanitation services for cigarette filters alone. Stormwater agencies pay for violations and costs to implement effective capture systems and protect water quality. Additionally, schools must collect discarded vapes as hazardous waste, which is a costly burden to under-resourced schools.

Position: Supported by Californians Against Waste
Contact: Clara Vazeix

BILL SUMMARY

AB 1894 will transition the sale of cigarette/cigar filters and all-in-one disposable vapes, which are not rechargeable, to unfiltered cigarettes and reusable and rechargeable smoking products to address the ubiquitous impacts that these single-use products have on our health and environment. These products harm public health and produce litter that has lingering adverse effects on our ecosystems. Cigarette and vape litter also pass unnecessary cleanup costs onto our state and local governments. Under the provisions of the bill, violations of the sales ban can result in civil penalties of $500 per violation and are only enforced by local prosecutorial authorities.

Status: Signed by the Governor
Current language, analysis, and votes:  AB 1894