AB 987

Current law requires the Department of Natural Resources to prepare

educational materials about municipal and county solid waste management

programs. This bill requires DNR to also prepare educational materials to inform

the public about the dangers of rechargeable batteries in the waste and recycling

streams and about existing options for properly recycling rechargeable batteries.

The bill also requires DNR to provide grants to responsible units,

municipalities, businesses, tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations for the

purpose of expanding rechargeable battery collection and recycling operations,

creating new sites for the collection or recycling of rechargeable batteries,

purchasing rechargeable battery collection and shipping kits and equipment for

handling damaged or defective rechargeable batteries, and transporting

rechargeable batteries to third-party collection and recycling facilities. DNR may

provide more than one grant to a single responsible unit, municipality, business,

tribal government, or nonprofit organization; however, DNR may not provide a total

amount of more than $20,000 to a single collection site.

Under the bill, DNR must also provide grants to solid waste facilities and

materials recovery facilities for the purpose of installing, upgrading, or expanding

fire detection and suppression systems to address the increased risk of fire due to the

presence of rechargeable batteries in the waste and recycling streams. DNR may

provide more than one grant to a single solid waste facility or materials recovery

facility; however, DNR may not provide a total amount of more than $50,000 to a

single solid waste facility or materials recovery facility.

In addition, current law provides an appropriation to DNR from the segregated

environmental fund for various environmental programs and for the administration

of this state's solid waste reduction, recovery, and recycling programs. The bill allows

this appropriation to be used for the existing statewide program to educate

government employees, businesses, and the general public about the dangers of

rechargeable batteries in the waste and recycling streams and about existing options

for proper recycling of such batteries.

Finally, under the bill, DNR must submit a request to the Joint Committee on

Finance for supplemental funding, not to exceed $10,000,000, for these purposes.