Summary.
The bill will prevent human and environmental exposure to toxins, as well as encourage the recycling of consumer packaging, by phasing out the use of toxic, nonrecyclable PVC packaging.

Position and Status.
CAW Supports. AB 2505 is currently awaiting an Asm. Approprations vote in suspense.  Previously, AB 2505 passed out of the Asm. ESTM committee on April 15 with a 5-2 vote.

Governor Schwarzenegger released the following press release this morning regarding his signing of a packaging of energy efficiency bills, including CAW-sponsored AB 1109 (Huffman), which will reduce California's energy use for lighting and encourage the use of compact fluorescent bulbs:

"Governor Schwarzenegger today signed a package of legislation furthering his commitment to energy efficiency, conservation and pollution reduction.

'California is a world leader in improving technologies and promoting conservation while protecting our environment,' said Governor Schwarzenegger. 'That is why I am pleased to sign this legislation that will protect our precious resources and continue to keep California at the forefront of energy and water efficiency.'

The Governor signed the following seven bills:

• AB 662 by Assemblymember Ira Ruskin (D-Redwood City) expands the authority of the California Energy Commission to set water efficiency standards for appliances.

• AB 1103 by Assemblymember Lori Saldaña (D-San Diego) requires electric utilities to maintain records of energy consumption data for all nonresidential buildings to which they provide service and requires building owners or operators to provide benchmarking data to prospective buyers, lessees or lenders beginning January 1, 2010.

• AB 1109 by Assemblymember Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) enacts the California Lighting Efficiency and Toxics Reduction Act which prohibits the manufacturing for sale or the sale of certain general purpose lights that contain hazardous substances. In addition, the bill requires the California Energy Commission to adopt energy efficiency standards for all general purpose lights.

• AB 1406 by Assemblymember Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) adds condominiums to the meaning of “structure” with respect to the use of recycled water for toilet and urinal flushing.

• AB 1470 by Assemblymember Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) creates the Solar Water Heating and Efficiency Act of 2007 which provides incentives to attain the goal of installing 200,000 solar water heating systems in the state by 2017.

• AB 1481 by Assemblymember Hector De La Torre (D-South Gate) creates a uniform, statewide permitting process for landscape irrigation uses of recycled water, such as parks, playgrounds and golf courses, by requiring the State Water Resources Control Board to adopt a statewide general water quality permit.

• AB 1560 by Assemblymember Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) requires the California Energy Commission to incorporate standards for water efficiency and conservation into the existing building standards governing energy efficiency."

See the Complete Press Release>>

SB 966, which establishes one of the nation's first state-wide pharmaceutical disposal pilot projects, passed out of a Senate concurrence vote yesterday and now heads to the Governor's desk.

Currently there are few safe and convenient ways for consumers to dispose of unused prescription drugs. SB 966 will give California consumers the opportunity to dispose of their unused and expired medications in an environmentally responsible manner by developing model, free, in-store disposal programs.

Learn More about this Issue:

• Pharmaceutical Toxins

Since the July 6, 2006 enactment of CAW-sponsored AB 2901(Pavely, 2004) and AB 1125(Pavely, 2005), California retailers are legally obligated to to take back and recycle cell phones and reusable batteries.

In the U.S., cell phone use has surged from 340,000 subscribers in 1985 to over 150 million in 2003. It is estimated that 19 million Californians use a cell phone. Most cell phones have an average life span of only 18 months causing millions to end up in California landfills every year. Not only is this a burden on landfill space, but cell phones contain hazardous materials which, if improperly disposed of, can leak out and contaminate soil and groundwater.

Most consumer electronics contain valuable materials like copper, gold and zinc, which can and should be recycled. A recent Yale University studyconfirmed that extractable metals in the Earth's crust might be threatened with depletion if the usage per person continues to rise. Increasing the recycling rate of all electronic devices is not only imperative for protecting public health, but also for conserving natural resources. The challenge for California and the rest of the planet is educating consumers, developing a convenient infrastructure and covering the costs. Assembly Member Pavley’s legislation is an important step.

These two groundbreaking producer responsibility laws provide consumers with thousands of convenient locations for recycling the tens of thousands of tons of toxic batteries and used cell phones that are discarded or illegally dumped annually in California. Though an important step, these measures only cover a portion of the growing toxic wasterberg plaguing our waste stream.

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