California legislature advances battery EPR and takeback bills, aiming to avert facility fires

By Megan Quinn

Excerpted from Waste Dive

"Both bills have passed and supporters expect them to end up on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk soon. Proponents have attempted to pass versions of these bills in recent years, but supporters say they gained better traction this year partly because of the rise in facility fires.

“Many Californians don’t realize that all batteries are hazardous waste” and that throwing batteries in curbside bins can lead to “devastating” fires in collection vehicles and at waste and recycling facilities, said Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, a sponsor of the bill, in a statement. 

California already has a takeback program for some types of rechargeable batteries, but many consumers dropped off numerous other types of batteries because they were not sure which ones applied to the program, bill proponents said.

“AB 2440 makes sure that there’s convenience for the consumers, that it’s paid for by the manufacturers, and that the batteries are being recycled,” said Doug Kobold, executive director of the California Product Stewardship Council, a sponsor of the bill along with Rethink Waste and Californians Against Waste. Supporters also include Republic Services and numerous solid waste management districts.

The bill covers many kinds of batteries, including most rechargeables as well as loose household batteries and others. It also calls for more battery drop-off locations in each county and would require some retailers to have permanent collection sites. The state plans to continue using existing retail collection and recycling infrastructure, according to a bill analysis."

Read the full article here.