Code Section

42061.  

The department shall do all of the following:

(a) (1) By July 1, 2024, the department shall establish and post on its internet website a list of covered material categories. The department may consider material types and forms referenced in waste characterization studies or material characterization studies for determining the categories.

(2) The department shall conduct and publish on its internet website a characterization study of covered material categories that are disposed of in California landfills. The department’s activities pursuant to this paragraph, including the department’s determination of the appropriate facilities to include in the study, are exempt from Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

(3) (A) For the department’s first material characterization study conducted pursuant to paragraph (2), which the department shall complete on or before July 1, 2025, the department shall conduct disposal-based characterization studies to determine the approximate amount of covered material disposed of in California landfills.

(B) The department shall, on or before January 1, 2024, report to the Legislature in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code on the status of material types relative to the requirements in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 42355.51. When updating information pursuant to clause (ii) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 42355.51, the department may identify materials that are trending toward meeting the requirements in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 42355.51 and measurable increase of statewide collection and sorting rates through either statewide recycling programs or alternative programs, such as take-back systems, and for which the continued increase in the collection, sorting, and viable responsible end market development the department determines will be disrupted by a loss of a recyclable designation. Those material types and forms shall be considered recyclable in the state and may be labeled as recyclable, notwithstanding subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 42355.51, so long as the material types and forms satisfy subparagraphs (A) to (D), inclusive, of paragraph (3) of subdivision (d) of Section 42355.51 and until the material types and forms are a part of, and in compliance with, a program described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (d) of Section 42355.51.

(4) The department shall update the material characterization study required pursuant to this subdivision in 2028, 2030, 2032, and at least every four years thereafter.

(5) Notwithstanding paragraphs (2) and (3), the department may publish additional information that was not available at the time of the most recent periodic material characterization study regarding the appropriate characterization of material types and forms.

(6) For purposes of studying a representative sample of material types and forms in the state, within 90 calendar days of a department request, a transfer, processing, or recycling facility shall allow for periodic sampling conducted by a designated representative of the department on a mutually agreed upon date and time. The department shall not require a periodic sampling of a transfer, processing, or recycling facility if that facility was sampled during the previous 24 months.

(7) For each material characterization study conducted pursuant to this subdivision, the department shall publish on its internet website the preliminary findings of the study and conduct a public meeting to present the preliminary findings and receive public comments. The public meeting shall occur at least 30 calendar days after the department publishes the preliminary findings. After receiving and considering public comments, and within 60 calendar days of the public meeting, the department shall finalize and publish on its internet website the findings of the study.

(b) (1) By January 1, 2026, the department shall calculate and publish on its internet website the current recycling rates being achieved in the state for each covered material category. These recycling rates shall be deemed to meet the description in subdivision (g) of Section 11340.9 of the Government Code and may be filed by the Office of Administrative Law, at the request of the department, pursuant to Section 11343.8 of the Government Code.

(2) In determining a recycling rate, the department may consider data gathered pursuant to any of the following, including any amendments thereto:

(A) Chapter 746 of the Statutes of 2015.

(B) Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 42370).

(C) Chapter 395 of the Statutes of 2016.

(D) Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 42300).

(E) Division 12.1 (commencing with Section 14500).

(F) Chapter 5.7. (commencing with Section 42355).

(G) Data voluntarily provided by local jurisdictions.

(H) Data and information received from producers.

(I) Any other relevant data and information received by the department.

(c) By January 1, 2024, the department shall publish on its internet website a list of covered material categories that are, based on available collection and processing infrastructure and recycling markets, deemed recyclable as of January 1, 2024. Covered material is deemed recyclable if it meets the requirements of Section 17989.2 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, as that section existed on January 1, 2023, and Section 42355.51. The list shall include covered material categories identified by the department and considered recyclable pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 42355.51.

(d) By January 1, 2024, the department shall create and post on its internet website a list of covered material categories that are deemed compostable as of January 1, 2024. Covered material is deemed compostable if it meets the requirements to be labeled as compostable pursuant to Chapter 5.7 (commencing with Section 42355).

(e)  The department shall determine a process for updating the lists created pursuant to subdivisions (c) and (d) to either add covered material categories that are deemed to meet all of the criteria in either subdivision (c) or (d) or remove covered material categories if they can no longer be deemed recyclable or compostable pursuant to subdivision (c) or (d). As part of the process, the department shall update the list at least annually until January 1, 2032. After January 1, 2032, the department shall regularly, but no less than once every two years, evaluate the list to determine if it is still accurate and update it as needed. Covered material categories deemed to be recyclable or compostable as of January 1, 2032, and listed pursuant to subdivision (c) or (d) shall be deemed to be compliant with subdivision (b) of Section 42050 until and unless the department determines that the covered material category no longer meets the requirements of subdivision (c) or (d).

(f) (1) The department shall determine a process for updating the rates published pursuant to subdivision (b). The department shall update the list at least every two years and shall regularly, but no less than once every two years, evaluate the list of rates to determine whether the rates are still accurate. After evaluation, the department may amend the list to remove, add, or change rates. The department shall post any updates to the list on its internet website.

(2) A producer may demonstrate compliance with the rates in subdivision (c) of Section 42050 by submitting to the department evidence that the particular type of covered material meets the applicable recycling rate by reference to a recycling rate on the department’s list or through another mechanism approved by the department.

(3) A producer that seeks to have a rate included or changed on the list, or a covered material category added to the list, may be required by the department to submit data for purposes of the department’s determination of the rate to include on the list or the appropriateness of adding the category.

(4) Publication of and updates made to the list pursuant to this subdivision are exempt from Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.