SB 1625 (Corbett, 2007-08) Updating California's Bottle and Can Recycling Law

Summary. 
SB 1625 aimed to update California's Bottle and Can Recycling Law by, among other measures, expanding the program to include all plastic bottles.

Position and Status
CAW Supported. SB 1625 was denied a floor vote in the Assembly. Previously, the bill passed out of Assembly Appropriations Aug 7, passed out of Assembly Natural Resources June 16, passed off the Sen. Floor May 29, passed out of Sen. Approps on May 22 and passed out of the Sen. Environmental Quality Committee April 14 with a 5-2 vote.

Description.
SB 1625 aimed to significantly reduce the amount of plastic litter pollution entering our marine environment by expanding the scope of California's successful Bottle and Can Recycling Law to include more plastic bottles. Plastic marine debris pollution is a serious and growing problem, the source of which is right here on land. Up to 80% of marine debris pollution consists of plastic from urban litter. Containers under California's Bottle and Can Recycling Law are littered less than other plastic items because they have a redemption value. However, because plastics are the fastest growing component of the waste stream, only about 50% of plastic bottles are currently covered by California's Bottle and Can Recycling Law. Expanding the program to include more plastic bottles would significantly reduce plastic litter pollution this measure will result in the recycling of more than 3 billion additional plastic bottles, reducing littered and landfilled plastic waste by 130,000 tons annually and providing local governments with an additional $100 million dollars annually.

CAW Staff Contacts.
Mark Murray and Bryan Early ph 916-443-5422, fx 916-443-3912

Current Actions.
No current actions on this bill.

Senator Ellen Corbett 
State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814 
fax: 916-327-2433

 

Supporters.

Alameda County Waste Management Authority
Alameda Countywide Clean Water Program
Allied Waste Industries
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
California League of Conservation Voters
California Refuse Removal Council
California State Association of Counties
City and County of San Francisco Department of Environment
City of Bakersfield
City of Dublin
City of Fairfield
City of Fremont
City of La Quinta
City of Manteca
City of Norwalk
City of Sacramento
City of Santa Barbara Environmental Services
City of San Jose
City of Sunnyvale
City of Pleasanton
City of Riverside
Contra Costa Clean Water Program
County of Contra Costa
County of San Bernardino
County of Santa Clara
County of Santa Cruz
Del Norte Solid Waste Management Authority
Environment California
Glass Packaging Institute
Heal the Bay
Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries
League of California Cities
Natural Resource Defense Council
The Northern California Recycling Association
Owens-Illinois
Planning and Conservation League
Regional Council of Rural Counties
San Luis Obispo County Integrated Waste Management Authority
Surfrider Foundation
Surfrider Foundation’s San Francisco Chapter
The Sierra Club
Tomra Pacific, Inc.
Waste Management

Opposition.

American Chemistry Council
California Grocers Association
California Chamber of Commerce
California Nevada Soft Drink Association
California Recycling Services Corporation
Clorox
Coalition of Independent Recyclers
Consumer Specialty Products Association 
SC Johnson
Soap and Detergent Association

Current Language, Analyses and Votes.

Additional Resources: