Environmentally preferable purchasing: single-use plastic bottles.

Existing law generally governs the state procurement of materials, supplies, equipment, and services. Existing law also provides various procedures and requirements pertaining to the purchase of recycled items by the state, including minimum content requirements for recycled plastic products. Existing law requires the Department of General Services, in consultation with specified parties, to provide state agencies with information and assistance regarding environmentally preferable purchasing, including, but not limited to, the promotion of environmentally preferable purchasing and the development and implementation of a strategy to increase environmentally preferable purchasing. This bill would, with certain exceptions, prohibit state agencies from entering into, modifying, amending, or renewing a contract, on or after January 1, 2025, to purchase single-use plastic bottles, as defined, for internal use or resale and would require state agencies to take appropriate steps to replace the use of single-use plastic bottles at food service facilities with nonplastic, recyclable, and reusable alternatives, as specified. The bill would require the Department of General Services to ensure that any new, modified, or renewed agreements, contracts, or procurement undertaken by a food service facility as part of a contract or agreement with the Department of General Services comply with the bill, as specified. The bill would require state agencies to submit a report, on or before January 1, 2026, to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, confirming its compliance with these requirements. The bill would define a state agency for these purposes to include various agencies. The bill would create an exception to the above-described prohibition that would become operative only if Assembly Bill 2527 of the 2023–24 Regular Session is enacted and takes effect on or before January 1, 2025.