AB 187 (Garcia)—Used Mattress Recovery and Recycling Act

Overview: This bill implements governance changes to the Act to increase accountability and accomplish the state’s mattress recycling goals.

CAW Position: Support

Status: Signed by Governor

In Context: In 2013, the legislature enacted the Used Mattress Recycle and Revocery Act. The Mattress Recycling Council (MRC), with oversight from CalRecycle,  is the stewardship organization tasked with implementing California’s mattress recycling program. As part of the program the MRC collects a consumer fee on each mattress sold (roughly 40 million in 2018) from California consumers, which is used to implelent the MRC’s recycling plan.

The MRC’s plan also requires the organization to increase the number of used mattresses diverted from landfills, reduce ilegall dumping of  mattresses and increase the quantity of used materials recovered and recycled for other uses.

Bill Summary: Among other things, AB 187:

This bill makes various changes to the Used Mattress Recovery and Recycling Act in response to an audit report conducted by the Bureau of State Audits, as well as other changes to the program to enhance used mattress collection and recycling.

Senate Floor Amendments of 9/6/19 make a technical change to refer to calendar year instead of fiscal year in reference to the requirement that the mattress recycling organization maintain reserves not more than 60% of its annual operating expenses.

Current language, analysis, and votes

Supporters:

• California Product Stewardship Council

• California Refuse Recycling Council

• Northern District California Resource Recovery Association

• City of Torrance

• Public Works Department County of Alameda

• National Stewardship Action Council

• Northern California Recycling Association

• Rethink Waste

• Rural County Representatives of California

• StopWaste

• SWANA

• California Chapters Legislative Task Force

• Western Placer Waste Management Authority

CAW Staff Contact: Robert Nunez, (916)443-5422