Critical Toxic, Waste Prevention, and Recycling Bills on Schwarzenegger's Desk

AB 548 will require that an owner of a multifamily dwelling to arrange appropriate recycling services for the dwelling on and after July 1, 2008. The bill also defines a multifamily dwelling as a residential building which consists of five or more units.

Click here to take action and learn more about this bill.

AB 1109 would task the California Energy Commission with reducing lighting energy usage in indoor residences and state facilities by no less than 50%, by 2018, as well as require a 25% reduction in commercial facilities by that same date. To achieve these efficiency levels, the California Energy Commission would apply its existing appliance efficiency standards to include lighting products, as well as require minimum lumen/watt standards for different categories of lighting products. The bill would also expand existing incentives for energy efficient lighting.

As part of its hazardous waste component, the bill would require manufactures to reduce the levels of toxins in lighting products, such as mercury in fluorescent and lead in incandescents, consistent with requirements already in place in the European Union. Additionally, the bill would require the Waste Board to create a task force to make recommendations by June 1, 2008 on the most effective and cost-effective method for collecting and recycling end-of-life light bulbs.

Click here to take action and learn more about this bill.

SB 966 would begin the process of establishing a state-wide solution for the growing problem of improper disposal of unused and expired pharmaceutical drugs by creating model disposal programs and requiring the California Integrated Waste Management Board to report back to the legislature on their potential state-wide implementation.

Currently there are few safe and convenient ways for consumers to dispose of unused prescription drugs. Nearly all unused pharmaceuticals enter either our solid waste system or our sewage system. Neither disposal methods are environmentally sound. Pharmaceuticals flushed down the toilet pass through our sewage treatment plants—which are generally not designed to screen for these chemicals. Pharmaceuticals discarded in landfills can seep into the surrounding watertable. Several studies, including a 2002 analysis by the US Geological Survey of 139 streams across 30 states found that 80 percent of waterways tested had measurable concentrations of prescription and nonprescription drugs, steroids, and reproductive hormones. SB 966 would help ensure proper disposal of prescription pharmaceuticals by allowing retailers of pharmaceutical drugs and other organizations to have in place a system for the acceptance and collection of drugs.

Click here to take action and learn more about this bill.

SB 1021 extends multifamily recycling grants to 2008 and increases funding from $5 million to $15 million.

This one-year program would use a small portion of the unclaimed Beverage Container Recycling Program ("the Bottle Bill") funds to help fund increased recycling by placing recycling receptacles in multifamily dwellings.

Most residents of multifamily dwellings do not have access to convenient recycling and this has resulted in much lower diversion rates compared to those living in single-family homes. SB 1021, along with CAW-sponsored AB 548, will help ensure that more Californians have the opportunity to recycle

Click here to take action and learn more about this bill.

Mark Murray is the Executive Director of the environmental group Californians Against Waste (CAW). He lobbies for CAW and is recognized as one of the environmental communities leading experts on waste prevention and recycling policies. CAW has been actively involved in the development, negotiation and passage of virtually every piece of waste reduction and recycling legislation enacted in California.