[GreenYes] CRT recycling bills in State Legislature

[Sharon_Gates@ci.long-beach.ca.us]

As you may know, 2 bills have been making their way through the California legislature:  SB 1619 and SB 1523.  SB 1619 directs the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) to provide grants to local governments to establish and maintain local programs for collection and recycling of CRT devices.  SB 1523 originally instituted a fee to be collected at point-of-sale on all CRT devices sold in the State, with the collected fees going to fund the grants called for in SB 1619.  In May, SB 1619 passed the Senate by a vote of 24 to 11 and SB 1523 passed the Senate by a vote of 21 to 12.

On July 2, the State Assembly amended (one might say gutted) SB 1523 to remove all references to a fee, reducing a major funding mechanism to mere findings that e-waste contains hazardous materials and localities lack the infrastructure to deal with them.  Further, SB 1523 now includes a finding that "it is the intent of the Legislature to avoid putting California businesses at a competitive disadvantage."  SB 1619 was also amended slightly -- mostly to remove the provision that 1619 would take effect only in 1523 is enacted.

The State Assembly has yet to vote on these measures, and further amendments are possible.  But if the current texts are enacted, the CIWMB might possibly provide e-waste recycling grants, if they find the money somewhere, but the fund from which grants were to come will not be created.

You can see the full text of the bills, with all amendments and vote histories, at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html.  Just type the bill number into the box and click on "Search."

Sharon Gates
Recycling Specialist
City of Long Beach, California
562/570-4694