Legislation designed to give local cities and counties greater flexibility in waste management has been approved. Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law AB 1572, authored by Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters. This bill gives the state Department of Resources and Recycling Recovery more discretion to at meeting sustainable waste management laws while still reducing burdens associated with oversight for areas that exceed state requirements.
“California just took a stand against climate change by passing a landmark a Cap and Trade extension,” said Aguiar-Curry. “Sustainable waste management strategies are another way Californians can continue to fight global warming. When we reduce waste and divert organic material from in landfills, we reduce greenhouse gas emissions. AB 1572 ensures CalRecycle is implementing these waste management programs in the most effective way possible.”
Legislation passed in 2016 asks local government to divert 50 percent of all organic waste from landfills by 2020 and 75 percent by 2025. These ambitious goals are in addition to other existing laws asking local governments to reduce waste at the source, increase recycling efforts, and safely handle hazardous waste.
Collectively, these laws are expected to produce environmentally conscious waste management strategies at the local level.
Aguilar-Curry said AB 1572 is another step in determining how to consolidate state review processes while achieving these sustainability goals.
“Our local partners are committed to sustainable waste management,” said Aguiar-Curry. “We need to make sure compliance review processes are not duplicative or overly burdensome, especially for those who far exceed state goals. I look forward to building on these successful efforts in the future. CalRecycle has been a great partner in achieving these goals.”
This is the second of two bills by Aguiar-Curry that were presented to and signed by the Governor. She hopes to keep up this momentum as the 2016-17 Legislative Session heads into its final few weeks.
To read the full story, visit http://www.dailydemocrat.com/environment-and-nature/20170802/setting-sustainable-waste-goals-gets-easier-for-cities.