Governor Signs Nation's Toughest Super Pollutant Reductions into Law
September 19, 2016
SB 1383, Lara was signed by Governor Jerry Brown during ceremony in Long Beach, CA.
Sacramento—In the final days of California’s 2015-2016 legislative session, the State Legislature sent several landmark pieces of waste reduction legislation to the Governor.
SB 1383 (Lara) will drastically cut the emissions of Short Lived Climate Pollutants, such as methane, black carbon, and f-gases. To reduce methane emissions from the waste sector, the bill establishes an ambitious plan to reduce the landfilling of organic waste by 75% and recover 20% of the edible food that is wasted in the state. Signed by Governor Brown Monday, September 19th at 10:30am
SB 778 (Allen) will cut down on unnecessary oil changes by requiring shops to give their customers accurate information on how often they need an oil change for their specific car. This will put an end to the outdated and wasteful myth that oil changes are required every 3,000 miles, saving consumers money and time and reducing oil pollution at its source.
AB 2530 (Gordon) requires manufacturers of plastic beverage containers to disclose to the state how much recycled content they use in their products, allowing consumers to make an informed decision about the carbon footprint of their purchases.
AB 1005 (Gordon) extends California’s successful Plastic Market Development program which closes the loop on plastics recycling by supporting in-state markets and the jobs that they provide.
AB 1419 (Eggman) addresses an emerging barrier to the recycling of electronic waste by opening up new outlets for the glass that comes from old CRT monitors and TVs.
AB 1613, The Budget Act of 2016, invests funds generated from the sale of cap-and-trade allowances to reduce greenhouse gases. The funding includes $40 million to CalRecycle for organic waste processing infrastructure, food waste prevention, and recycled content manufacturing, as well as $7.5 million to establish a Healthy Soils program to support carbon sequestration through compost application and other strategies.
“By expanding composting statewide, supporting the expansion of traditional recycling, building markets for recycled materials, and reducing the unnecessary motor oil waste, the California legislature reaffirmed the state’s role as the nation’s leader on waste reduction policy” said Nick Lapis, Legislative Coordinator for Californians Against Waste. “This broad range of policies reflects the balance of bold vision and pragmatic follow-through that is necessary to build a sustainable recycling economy.”