SB 289 (Newman)
Battery Recycling

OVERVIEW

SB 289 makes it easier for the public to recycle household batteries safely by requiring battery collection bins at retail outlets where batteries are sold or supplied.

THE ISSUE

Because of the hazardous metals and corrosive materials that batteries contain, California classifies batteries as hazardous waste and bans them from solid waste landfills where regular household trash goes. When improperly discarded into household or non-hazardous waste streams, lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries in particular pose serious fire, health and safety hazards.

Unfortunately, because of a combination of increased consumption and a lack of convenient disposal options, more of these toxic batteries are entering the waste stream than ever before. Among other negative consequences, this has resulted in an alarming number of material recovery facilities, waste collection trucks, and landfills experiencing fires caused by improperly disposed of Li-ion batteries. These fires endanger the lives of workers and pollute the atmosphere and surrounding areas, while causing expensive damage to city and county waste collection vehicles, equipment and facilities.

Household batteries should not go into regular household or business trash cans, but consumers rarely have access to safe, easy, convenient places where they can properly dispose of these batteries.  As a result, many consumers continue to dispose of batteries into regular trash cans, and the batteries continue to end up in landfills, where they cause problems for all of us.

 

Position: Sponsored by Californians Against Waste
Contact: Nick Lapis

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BILL SUMMARY

SB 289 would create a collection and recycling program to more efficiently and effectively collect used batteries and ensure they don’t continue to contaminate  our waste stream. Key aspects include:

  1. Requiring free and easily accessible collection bins at select retail locations across the state by June 30, 2025.

  2. Accepting loose and product-embedded batteries for all common household battery types, including Li-ion, alkaline, nickel-cadmium and nickel metal hydride batteries to avoid consumer confusion.

  3. Requiring the producers of batteries and product-embedded batteries sold in the state to develop, finance, and implement this program in collaboration with CalRecycle to recover and recycle their products

Status: Dead. Held by Senate Appropriations Committee.
Current language, analysis, and votes: SB 289