BILL ANALYSIS
AB 820
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Date of Hearing: May 2, 2007
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mark Leno, Chair
AB 820 (Karnette) - As Amended: April 9, 2007
Policy Committee: Natural Resources
Vote: 5-3
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill prohibits, starting January 1, 2009, a state facility
from selling, possessing or distributing expanded polystyrene
food containers, with the following conditions:
1)Applies to campus facilities of the University of California
only if the UC Regents approve the ban.
2)Applies to facilities of the Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation and the Department of Mental Health, unless
those departments' respective directors determine use of
expanded polystyrene food containers is the only alternative
that would not present a danger to persons in their
facilities.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Potential moderate costs, in the range of $500,000 annually
starting in 2008-09, to all state agencies that maintain
facilities at which food is served, resulting from the ban on
use of expanded polystyrene food containers, and to the extent
adequate alternative containers are more expensive to purchase
and use. (GF and various special funds.)
2)Minor ongoing costs, probably less than $50,000 annually
starting in 2009-09, to all state agencies who contract out
the management of food concessions facilities to enforce the
prohibition on these contractors. (GF and various special
funds.)
COMMENTS
AB 820
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1)Rationale . The author believes that disposal of expanded
polystyrene food containers (popularly known under the brand
name "Styrofoam") results in several environmental and solid
waste landfill capacity problems. As litter, these containers
account for a significant portion of marine debris and
contribute to the level of visual blight on land. As solid
waste, these containers contribute to the volume of waste that
must be received and processed at landfills and they decompose
slowly.
2)Background . SB 2117 (Karnette) - Chapter 406, Statutes of
2001 required the California Integrated Waste Management Board
to study the use of disposal of polystyrene in California.
The 2004 report recommended several ways to decrease use and
disposal of these materials, including developing better
anti-litter education efforts and data on polystyrene
contribution to statewide litter, enhancing penalties for
littering, studying compostable plastics, and promoting better
manufacturer stewardship of products made out of polystyrene.
The CIWMB did not recommend banning the sale, use or
distribution of expanded polystyrene food container or any
other polystyrene products. The author notes that this ban is
limited to expanded polystyrene food containers used at state
facilities and that the state should set an example by
eliminating its use of these containers.
3)Alternatives . State agencies, and the concessionaires they
contract with to operate cafeterias and other food service
facilities, would have to replace expanded polystyrene
containers with other containers made of plastic, cardboard,
or paper to provide both convenience to the consumer and the
facility. These facilities also have the option to serve food
on reusable plates and in reusable bowls that would have to be
collected and washed at the facility before they could be used
again.
4)Prior Legislation . AB 1866 (Karnette) of 2006, held on this
committee's Suspense File, was virtually identical to this
bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Steve Archibald / APPR. / (916)
319-2081