Recycling & Waste Management

Modifies safety requirements for large trash containers by extending reflector compliance deadlines to January 2025. Requires reflectors on all sides of trash containers over 3 feet long and 4 feet tall placed on roadways. Imposes fines up to $1,000 for containers lacking proper reflective markings after notice. Mandates owners to label containers with their name and current phone number.

Bans the sale of seven common consumer products containing PFAS chemicals starting January 1, 2027. Authorizes regulators to ban additional product categories when safer alternatives are available at similar costs. Exempts medical devices, pesticides, and products containing essential fluoropolymers from the restrictions. Requires an 18-month transition period before new product bans can take effect.

Undeveloped "intent bill" that aims to promote recycling organic byproducts into livestock feed.

Establishes reduced-fee hunting and fishing licenses for low-income Californians enrolled in public assistance programs. Sets the base fee at $4 for eligible applicants who have no Fish and Game Code violations. Requires applicants to provide documentation of enrollment in qualifying programs like Medi-Cal or CalFresh. Expands reduced-fee licenses to include disabled veterans and recovering service members.

Bans the sale of products containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals starting January 1, 2027. Requires manufacturers to prove PFAS use is unavoidable to receive a temporary exemption from the ban. Creates a new oversight fund funded by manufacturer application fees to enforce PFAS regulations. Mandates the Department of Toxic Substances Control to maintain a public list of approved PFAS exemptions.

Streamlines the approval process for environmental leadership projects certified by the Governor under CEQA. Requires responsible agencies to provide comments on environmental projects within 60 days or waive their objections. Mandates final project determinations from responsible agencies within 180 days of application filing. Authorizes agencies to charge fees to applicants for processing environmental leadership project reviews.

Reduces the recycling deposit on small wine and spirits containers from 25 cents to 10 cents starting January 2026. Requires stores to update container deposit labels by January 15, 2026. Maintains the 25-cent deposit for wine and spirits containers larger than 24 fluid ounces.

Establishes a mandatory recycling fee on mattress purchases to fund statewide mattress recycling programs. Allows retailers to pay recycling fees directly to recycling organizations on behalf of consumers. Requires sellers to educate consumers about free mattress drop-off and collection options. Mandates clear disclosure of recycling fees on sales receipts unless paid directly by retailers.

Reduces the maximum hazardous waste accumulation limit from 200kg to 20kg before storage facility requirements apply. Establishes new procedures for consolidating small hazardous waste containers into larger consolidation containers. Expands the definition of tanks exempt from underground storage regulations to include dielectric fluid systems. Allows electronic submission of hazardous waste notifications through a statewide information management system.

Establishes a statewide program to distribute opioid drug disposal systems to safely deactivate unused medications. Creates an online portal where residents can request free opioid disposal kits for home use. Prioritizes distribution of disposal systems to communities most impacted by the opioid crisis. Requires mailing of disposal kits with educational materials to high-risk households via USPS.

Requires metal shredding facilities to reimburse local air districts for air quality monitoring costs. Mandates fence-line air quality monitoring at metal shredding facilities by January 2027. Establishes public notification requirements when air pollution exceeds safety thresholds. Requires facilities to take corrective actions if contamination levels exceed safety limits.

Makes technical changes to existing plastic pollution prevention and producer responsibility requirements.

Expands California's paint recovery program to require manufacturers to collect and recycle leftover paint products. Mandates paint manufacturers to develop educational materials about proper paint handling and recycling. Requires paint manufacturers to invest in apprenticeship programs for training future painters. Establishes multilingual outreach efforts to ensure all California communities can participate in paint recycling.

Establishes intent to promote in-state recycling of plastic beverage containers for local manufacturing. Recognizes the plastic reclaiming industry as essential for reducing waste and promoting sustainability. Aims to create jobs and economic growth through closed-loop recycling systems.

Requires beverage manufacturers to report the country of origin for imported recycled plastic used in containers. Mandates third-party validation of recycled plastic content in beverage containers. Requires annual reporting of recycled plastic usage to the state by March 1 each year. Requires the state to publish manufacturer recycling data online within 45 days of submission.

Expands California water quality regulations to protect non-navigable waters and align with federal standards. Requires businesses to demonstrate enrollment in water discharge permit programs when applying for licenses. Establishes a citizen enforcement program allowing public lawsuits to enforce water quality standards. Increases civil penalties for violations and requires annual inflation adjustments starting January 2026.

Requires local approval to ensure new landfills do not harm disadvantaged communities before permits are issued. Mandates public hearings by local agencies before state waste discharge permits can be granted for new landfills. Applies to landfills that have not received waste or permits before January 1, 2026.

Establishes a manufacturer-funded program for collecting and safely disposing of marine emergency flares. Requires manufacturers to submit detailed disposal plans to state regulators by January 2028. Prohibits the sale of marine flares containing perchlorate in California. Creates a Marine Flare Recovery Fund to cover state oversight and enforcement costs.

Establishes a state plan to reduce alcohol and drug-related deaths by 50% by 2031. Creates an advisory group of health experts and community members to develop recommendations by 2028. Requires annual progress reports to the Governor and Legislature on addiction reduction efforts. Mandates evaluation of treatment access and quality standards for substance use disorder services.

Establishes new rules for handling confiscated vape pens as household hazardous waste at schools. Requires hazardous waste collection facilities to submit consolidated annual reports to state departments. Authorizes collection facilities to disassemble vape pens and other hazardous waste items safely. Prohibits vape pens from being included in hazardous waste materials exchange programs.

Expands hazardous materials management funding to all rural counties with populations under 150,000. Increases maximum county funding from $60,000 to $100,000 with annual inflation adjustments starting 2027. Provides larger funding percentages to smaller counties, with the smallest receiving up to 75% of program costs.

Requires local agencies to permanently match state standards for using recycled materials in road construction. Mandates agencies to justify any inability to meet recycled material requirements when requested. Removes existing requirements to use advanced technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Exempts smaller cities and counties with populations under 25,000 and 100,000 respectively from these rules.

Establishes new recycling requirements for plastic manufacturers to use minimum recycled content in their products by 2028. Requires manufacturers to register annually and pay up to $1,000 in fees starting July 2026. Mandates third-party certification of recycled content levels in plastic products beginning January 2029. Imposes penalties of 40 cents per pound on manufacturers who fail to meet recycled content requirements.

Expands state waste management program to fund removal of abandoned recreational vehicles and illegal dumping enforcement. Authorizes new grants to public entities for cleaning up illegal disposal sites. Requires local agencies to provide ongoing enforcement to prevent recurring illegal dumping. Prioritizes cleanup projects in disadvantaged communities to promote environmental justice.

Bans harmful chemicals in food packaging including bisphenols and ortho-phthalates starting January 1, 2027. Authorizes the Department of Toxic Substances Control to set and enforce chemical safety limits in food packaging. Imposes penalties up to $5,000 for first violations and $10,000 for subsequent violations. Applies to all food containers, utensils, and packaging materials used for food service and storage.