Used Mattress Recovery and Recycling Act: mattress recycling charge: consumer education.

Assembly Member Hoover's mattress recycling legislation modifies California's Used Mattress Recovery and Recycling Act by creating new payment options for the mandatory recycling charge while expanding retailer responsibilities for consumer education. The measure permits retailers and distributors to pay recycling fees directly to mattress recycling organizations on consumers' behalf through written agreements, rather than requiring the charge to appear as a separate line item on customer receipts.

The bill assigns retailers, distributors, and sellers the duty to educate consumers about mattress recycling programs and free disposal options available in their communities. This education requirement builds upon the existing framework administered by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, which authorizes qualified industry associations to establish organizations that develop and implement mattress recycling programs statewide. These organizations determine recycling charges needed to fund program operations and must submit annual budgets and implementation plans for department approval.

Under the modified payment system, businesses that opt to pay recycling charges directly maintain flexibility in whether to display the fee on customer documentation. However, those not entering direct payment agreements must continue showing the charge as a separate line item on invoices or equivalent documents. All collected fees, regardless of payment method, must be remitted to mattress recycling organizations according to established procedures.