Beverage container recycling: nonpetroleum materials.

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 891 Introduced by Assembly Member Irwin February 14, 2023 An act to add Section 14547.1 to the Public Resources Code, relating to recycling. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 891, as introduced, Irwin. Beverage container recycling: nonpetroleum materials. The California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act, which is administered by the Department of Resource Recovery and Recycling, is established to promote beverage container recycling. The act requires plastic beverage containers, as defined, to contain an average of 15% of postconsumer recycled plastic per year. The act provides for periodic increases in the required percentage. The act increases the required percentage to 25% for each year from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2029, and to 50% on and after January 1, 2030. This bill would provide that it is the policy goal of the state that the total number of plastic beverage containers filled with a beverage sold by a beverage manufacturer, as specified, contain, on average, no less than an unspecified percentage of nonpetroleum materials, by January 1, 2026, and no less than an unspecified percentage of nonpetroleum materials by January 1, 2030. The bill would define “nonpetroleum materials” for this purpose. The bill would authorize the department to identify incentives to encourage beverage manufacturers to use nonpetroleum materials in their beverage containers, as provided. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 14547.1 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read: 14547.1. (a) For the purposes of this section, “nonpetroleum materials” means materials produced from nonpetroleum feedstocks not fit for human or animal consumption that provide biobased or biogenic carbon as referenced in ASTM International (ASTM) D6866-22. “Nonpetroleum materials” include any of the following: (1) Agricultural crop residues. (2) Bark, lawn, yard, and garden clippings. (3) Leaves, silvicultural residue, and tree and brush pruning. (4) Wood, wood chips, and wood paste. (5) Nonrecyclable pulp and nonrecyclable paper materials. (6) Old corrugated cardboard. (7) Cotton waste products. (b) Notwithstanding any other section of this chapter, the policy goal of the state is as follows: (1) On or before January 1, 2026, the total number of plastic beverage containers filled with a beverage sold by a beverage manufacturer subject to the California Redemption Value, pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 14560), for sale in the state shall, on average, contain no less than ____ percent nonpetroleum materials. (2) On or before January 1, 2030, the total number of plastic beverage containers filled with a beverage sold by a beverage manufacturer subject to the California Redemption Value, pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 14560), for sale in the state shall, on average, contain no less than ____ percent nonpetroleum materials. (c) The department may, within its discretion, identify incentives under its existing authority to encourage beverage manufacturers to source from nonpetroleum materials for the production of their beverage containers.