Bill > SB1010

This bill, titled the Refrigerant Stewardship and Recovery Act, establishes a new program to manage refrigerants and other hazardous materials in household appliances at the end of their life. It requires manufacturers, referred to as "producers," of certain appliances containing refrigerants, such as refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners (collectively "covered products"), to join a "producer responsibility organization" (PRO). This PRO, approved by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (the "department"), will be responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive plan for the collection, transportation, dismantling, refrigerant recovery, recycling, reclamation, destruction, and safe disposal of these covered products. The bill mandates that PROs submit detailed plans for department approval, and upon approval, producers must participate in these plans to avoid civil penalties. The department is tasked with adopting regulations to implement this program by January 1, 2029, and PROs will be required to submit annual reports and pay fees to cover the department's regulatory costs, which will be deposited into a dedicated Refrigerant Stewardship Recovery Fund. The bill also authorizes the department to impose significant daily penalties for violations, with higher penalties for intentional or knowing violations, and establishes a penalty account within the fund for collected fines. Importantly, the bill aims to protect the environment and public health by ensuring proper management of refrigerants, which can be harmful greenhouse gases if released, and by promoting reuse and recycling of appliance components.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB1010