Bill Text: CA SB1156 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Lithium-ion batteries: illegal disposal: fire prevention.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-09-01 - Ordered to inactive file. [SB1156 Detail]

Download: California-2019-SB1156-Amended.html

Amended  IN  Senate  April 29, 2020

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 1156


Introduced by Senator Archuleta

February 20, 2020


An act to add Article 10.6.1 (commencing with Section 25216.5) to Chapter 6.5 of Division 20 of the Health and Safety Code, Chapter 7.9 (commencing with Section 42435) to Part 3 of Division 30 of the Public Resources Code, relating to hazardous waste.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 1156, as amended, Archuleta. Lithium-ion batteries: illegal disposal: penalties. fire prevention.
The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Act of 2006 requires every retailer, as defined, to have in place a system for the acceptance and collection of used rechargeable batteries, defined to include lithium-ion batteries, for reuse, recycling, or proper disposal. The act requires the system for the acceptance and collection of used rechargeable batteries to include, at a minimum, specified elements, including, among others, the take-back of a used rechargeable battery at no cost to the consumer.
The Hazardous Waste Control Law, hazardous waste control laws, among other things, vests authorize the Department of Toxic Substances Control with the authority to regulate the generation and disposal of hazardous waste. The law defines “hazardous waste” to include wastes that may pose a substantial hazard to human health or to the environment. The law prohibits the disposal of hazardous waste at any unauthorized location. Existing law prohibits a person from intentionally disposing of or causing the disposal of a hazardous or extremely hazardous waste at a point not authorized by the hazardous waste control laws, as provided. Under existing department-adopted regulations, specified hazardous wastes, including certain batteries, are designated as “universal waste” and are regulated separately pursuant to universal waste management provisions. A violation of the Hazardous Waste Control Law, hazardous waste control laws, including a regulation adopted pursuant to that law, those laws, is a crime.
This bill would prohibit a person from knowingly disposing of a lithium-ion battery in a container or receptacle that is intended for the collection of solid waste or recyclable materials. The bill would require a violation of that prohibition to be charged as a misdemeanor if the violation resulted in a fire that damaged property, as specified, but would otherwise allow authorize a violation of that provision to be charged as a misdemeanor or an infraction. infraction, except that, on and after January 1, 2025, the bill would require a violation that results in a fire causing damage to property, as specified, in excess of $1,000 to be charged as a misdemeanor. Because a violation of this prohibition would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

The bill would require the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, before January 1, 2022, and in consultation with the Department of Toxic Substances Control, to develop and promote a public information program relating to the proper handling and disposal of lithium-ion batteries and products that contain lithium-ion batteries, as provided. The bill would authorize the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, in carrying out that requirement, to solicit and use any expertise available in other state agencies, and would require the department to convene a specified working group to advise on the content, development, and promotion of the program.
The bill would require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, before January 1, 2022, in consultation with relevant state agencies and stakeholders, to develop a model protocol and training that identifies best practices for the detection, safe handling, and suppression of fires that originate from discarded lithium-ion batteries or products that contain lithium-ion batteries on or in solid waste or recycling collection vehicles, transfer or processing stations, or disposal facilities, as provided. The bill would require a solid waste enterprise, as defined, before July 1, 2022, after consulting with the county fire marshal of every county in which the solid waste enterprise conducts solid waste collection operations, to adopt a protocol identifying procedures to follow under those same circumstances. By imposing new duties on county fire marshals, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1) Many types of batteries, including common rechargeable and single-use batteries, exhibit hazardous characteristics and are considered hazardous waste when they are discarded. Currently, batteries are prohibited from being disposed of in trash or household recycling collection bins intended to receive other nonhazardous waste or recyclable materials. Despite this prohibition, many batteries are improperly disposed of in this way.
(2) While the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Act of 2006 has resulted in the recovery of millions of rechargeable batteries, the act does not apply to the sale of rechargeable batteries that are contained in or packaged with a battery-operated device. Too often, these battery-operated devices are disposed of along with ordinary household waste.
(3) Lithium-ion batteries are often found in consumer electronics, including notebook computers, tablets, and cellular telephones. Because lithium-ion batteries offer advantages in performance over traditional alkaline and lead-acid batteries, they are the fastest growing type of rechargeable battery. As the use of consumer electronics increases, the use of lithium-ion batteries also increases. A major downside to the lithium-ion battery is safety, particularly the risk of fire that can result from overcharge, internal short circuit, or other factors, including their high energy density and use of a flammable organic electrolyte.
(4) Most waste collection services are now automated, which has led to greater collection efficiencies and improved worker safety. Waste collection vehicles use hydraulic pressure to compact the load and evenly distribute weight. A balanced load contributes to the safe operation and handling of the vehicle. However, automation and load consolidation afford little opportunity to identify or detect the presence of prohibited materials, such as small batteries and battery-operated devices, in carts that are set out for collection.
(5) Waste collection and recycling vehicle fleet operators report dramatic increases in payload fires over the past few years, corresponding to the increased presence of lithium-ion batteries and battery-operated devices that have been illegally discarded into the waste stream. Transfer stations and recycling facilities also report a significant increase in the incidence of fires. Improperly disposed of lithium-ion batteries and battery-operated devices are a major cause of those vehicle and facility fires. These fires are particularly difficult to detect and extinguish when they originate deep within a compacted load.
(6) Waste and recycling collection vehicle, transfer station, and recycling facility fires attributable to illegally disposed batteries are estimated to have resulted in property losses of several millions of dollars. They also disrupt the conduct of waste recycling activities, which represent an essential public service that provides a broad array of environmental and emissions reduction benefits. Seasonal drought conditions can exacerbate the risk of wildfire resulting from even a single vehicle or facility fire.
(7) More must be done to better educate the public about, and bring awareness to, the risks presented by the illegal disposal of lithium-ion batteries and products that contain lithium-ion batteries, and to discourage that behavior.
(b) It is therefore the intent of the Legislature to address the issue of illegally discarded lithium-ion batteries and products that contain lithium-ion batteries.

SEC. 2.

 Chapter 7.9 (commencing with Section 42435) is added to Part 3 of Division 30 of the Public Resources Code, to read:
CHAPTER  7.9. Lithium-Ion Batteries

42435.
 (a) Before January 1, 2022, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, in consultation with relevant state agencies and stakeholders, including, but not limited to, the Department of Toxic Substances Control, the department, the Department of the California Highway Patrol, and representatives from the solid waste industry shall, using existing resources, develop a model protocol and training that identifies best practices for the detection, safe handling, and suppression of fires that originate from discarded lithium-ion batteries or products that contain lithium-ion batteries on or in solid waste or recycling collection vehicles, transfer or processing stations, or disposal facilities.
(b) Before July 1, 2022, a solid waste enterprise shall, after consulting with the county fire marshal of every county in which the solid waste enterprise conducts solid waste collection operations, adopt a protocol identifying procedures to follow for the detection, safe handling, and suppression of fires that originate from discarded lithium-ion batteries or products that contain lithium-ion batteries on or in solid waste or recycling collection vehicles, transfer or processing stations, or disposal facilities.

42435.5.
 (a) Before January 1, 2022, the department, in consultation with the Department of Toxic Substances Control, shall develop and promote a program to better inform, educate, and increase public awareness as to the proper handling of, and the risk of fire due to the mishandling or improper disposal of, lithium-ion batteries and products that contain lithium-ion batteries, and to reduce the likelihood of illegal disposal. In carrying out this section, the department may solicit and use any expertise available in other state agencies.
(b) For purposes of this section, the department may prepare, publish, or issue any materials that the department determines necessary for disseminating information to the public.
(c) The department shall convene a working group composed of representatives from the solid waste industry and local government to advise the department on the content, development, and promotion of the program specified in subdivision (a).
(d) It is the intent of the Legislature that the costs associated with the development and promotion of the program specified in subdivision (a) be the responsibility of the department and not local governments or local government service providers.

42436.
 (a) A person shall not knowingly dispose of a lithium-ion battery by depositing it in a container or receptacle that is intended for the collection of solid waste or recyclable materials.
(b) Notwithstanding any other law, except as provided in subdivision (c), a violation of this section may be charged as either a misdemeanor or an infraction.
(c) On and after January 1, 2025, a violation of this section that results in a fire causing damage to a solid waste collection vehicle, a waste processing facility, or to any property in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000) shall be charged as a misdemeanor.

SEC. 3.

 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution for certain costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district because, in that regard, this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.
However, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains other costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
SECTION 1.Article 10.6.1 (commencing with Section 25216.5) is added to Chapter 6.5 of Division 20 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:
10.6.1.Lithium-Ion Batteries
25216.5.

(a)A person shall not knowingly dispose of a lithium-ion battery by depositing it in a container or receptacle that is intended for the collection of solid waste or recyclable materials.

(b)(1)Notwithstanding any other law, except as provided in paragraph (2), a violation of this article may be charged as either a misdemeanor or an infraction.

(2)A violation of this article that results in a fire causing damage to a solid waste collection vehicle, a waste processing facility, or to any other property in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000) shall be charged as a misdemeanor.

(3)A violation of this article charged as a misdemeanor shall be punishable pursuant to Section 19 of the Penal Code.

SEC. 2.

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

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