VC Star
October 12, 2024
David Goldstein Special to Ventura County Star
California’s 2023-24 legislative session wrapped up last month with some new laws to reduce waste. The governor also vetoed related bills but provided explanations sure to give lawmakers reason to adjust proposals and try again next year.
Assembly member Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, authored Assembly Bill 660, which her website touts as “a major victory for consumers and the environment.” It standardizes date labels on food packaging, banning phrases such as “sell by,” which was leading to unnecessary disposal of perfectly good food.
Rather than the 50 phrases her website says are currently in use to communicate everything from peak quality to spoilage expectations, future packaging will be labeled either “best if used by…” or “use by.” The former phrase will communicate freshness, and the latter will be a product safety notice.
Another new law combining consumer advocacy with environmental goals is Senate Bill 244, authored by Sen. Susan Talamantes Eggman, D-Stockton. Following similar laws in Minnesota and New York, the new law was spurred by the “right to repair” movement, which advocates for enhancing consumers’ legal and technical abilities to fix, rather than discard, items.
Focusing on electronics, consumers were frustrated by manufacturers’ attempts to limit repairs to only a small number of exclusively selected repair contractors and to make some items in ways that did not facilitate repair. Under SB 244, companies must meet goals for providing repair materials like parts, tools, documentation and software.
For products costing $50 to $99.99, manufacturers must facilitate repairs in these ways for at least three years, and for products priced at $100 or more, the minimum is seven years. The bill will cover electronics and appliances made and sold after July 1, 2021.
The “paper versus plastic” choice at supermarket checkout counters has also been cast as an issue of consumer rights. So when a previous California law banned single-use plastic bags, it left in place an option for consumer choice. Californians could still purchase plastic bags, albeit only the thicker bags that are considered reusable.
This year, Senate Bill 1053 revised the ban to include all plastic bags. Another ban also passed this year. Senate Bill 1280 will prohibit the sale of propane cylinders unless they are reusable or refillable, beginning Jan. 1, 2028.
Sometimes, fearing a ban that could be enacted either by legislation or initiative, industries instead compromise with waste reduction advocates. Such was the case with Senate Bill 707, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 28. It will require textile producers to establish a stewardship program.
Like similar programs for paint, carpet and mattresses, a textile industry-led organization will coordinate collection and recycling of the product from which they profit. They will collect fees charged on the purchase of specified textiles and use the funds to pay for some of their programs.
The California Product Stewardship Council first attempted to shepherd this bill through the Legislature last year then boosted the chances of passage by hosting stakeholder discussions. These talks led to changes in the bill language, resulting in SB 707 gaining a large list of endorsements. It also made California the first state to enact a bill extending to textile producers the responsibility for reducing textile waste.
The governor also vetoed similar legislation, including Senate Bill 1066, which would have required manufacturers of marine flares to submit to the Department of Toxic Substances Control a plan for collection and safe disposal of their products. Currently, when marine flares expire, consumers are stuck with an item they must pay high fees to dispose of properly.
Unlike road flares, marine flares are classified as an explosive device and have special handling and transportation requirements. Therefore, marine flares are not accepted at publicly sponsored household hazardous waste collection events. The governor’s veto message encouraged proponents to make changes and try again, saying his primary objection was a lack of funding to the department for implementation costs
David Goldstein, a Ventura County Public Works Agency Environmental Resource Analyst, may be reached at 805-658-4312 or david.goldstein@ventura.org
Eco-tip: New laws reducing waste, aid consumers (vcstar.com)