Recycling: reusable beverage containers.

The California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act, which is administered by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, is established to promote beverage container recycling. The act defines "beverage container" to mean the individual, separate bottle, can, jar, carton, or other receptacle, however denominated, in which a beverage is sold, and that is constructed of metal, glass, or plastic, or other material, or any combination of these materials, but does not include cups or other similar open or loosely sealed receptacles. The act defines "reusable beverage container" to mean a glass beverage container that has an established refund value and that is processed by a processor for subsequent washing for refill and sale by a beverage manufacturer. A violation of the act is a crime. This bill would require, for certain beverage manufacturers, by January 1, 2031, that no less than 5% of the volume of beverages that a beverage manufacturer sells in beverage containers in California be sold in reusable beverage containers, and that by January 1, 2032, no less than 60% of that 5% be in reusable beverage containers that were returned for reuse. The bill would provide for periodic increases to those percentages. The bill would require, beginning January 1, 2030, and annually thereafter, a beverage manufacturer to report certain information to the department regarding the sale of beverages in beverage containers and reusable beverage containers, as specified. The bill would require a beverage manufacturer to make those reports publicly available on the beverage manufacturer's internet website. The bill would require, beginning in 2031, the department to aggregate the information provided by beverage manufacturers into an annual report, as specified. The bill would authorize one or more beverage manufacturers to form a reusable beverage container management system and to submit a plan to the department regarding their plan to comply with the requirements of this bill, as specified. By creating new requirements under the act, a violation of which would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.