BILL NUMBER: SB 1383	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 16, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 25, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Hueso

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2014

   An act to amend Section 42357 of the Public Resources Code,
relating to solid waste.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1383, as amended, Hueso. Plastic products: labeling.
   Existing law prohibits the sale of a plastic product labeled as
"compostable," "home compostable," or "marine degradable" unless it
meets a certain specification, certification, or standard and
prohibits the sale of a plastic product that is labeled as
"biodegradable," "degradable," "decomposable," or as otherwise
specified. The term "plastic product" is defined for purposes of
these prohibitions.
   This bill would  require the Department  
additionally prohibit the sale of a plastic product labeled as "soil
biodegradable" and would authorize the Director  of Resources
Recycling and Recovery to adopt a specified standard for the
biodegradability of plastics  upon   , if 
the American Society for Testing and Materials  adopting
  adopts  that standard.  The 
 If the director adopts the ASTM standard specification, the
 bill would prohibit a person from selling in the state
agricultural mulch film, as defined, labeled as biodegradable unless
it meets  this standard.   that ASTM standard
specification. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 42357 of the Public Resources Code is amended
to read:
   42357.  (a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (3), a person
shall not sell a plastic product in this state that is labeled with
the term "compostable," "home compostable,"  or "marine
degradable"   "marine degradable," or "soil
biodegradable"  unless, at the time of sale, the plastic product
meets the applicable ASTM standard specification, as specified in
paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 42356  or
  ,  the Vincotte OK Compost HOME certification, as
provided in paragraph  (4).   (4), or as
provided in subdivision (e). 
   (2) Compliance with only a section or a portion of a section of an
applicable ASTM standard specification does not constitute
compliance with paragraph (1).
   (3) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a person may sell a plastic
product in this state that is labeled with a qualified claim for a
term specified in paragraph (1), if the plastic product meets the
relevant standard adopted by the department pursuant to Section
42356.2.
   (4) (A) A plastic product shall not be labeled with the term "home
compostable" unless the manufacturer of that plastic product holds a
Vincotte OK Compost HOME certificate of conformity with regard to
that product, except as provided in subparagraph (B) or (C).
   (B) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), if the ASTM adopts a standard
specification for the term "home compostable" on or before January 1,
2016, and the department determines that the ASTM standard
specification is at least equal to, or more stringent than, the OK
Compost HOME certification, a plastic product labeled with the term
"home compostable" shall meet that ASTM standard specification. The
department may also take the actions specified in Section 42356.1
with regard to an ASTM standard for home compostability.
   (C) If the department adopts a standard pursuant to Section
42356.2, a plastic product labeled with the term "home compostable"
shall meet that standard and not the standard specified in
subparagraph (A) or (B).
   (b) Except as provided in subdivision (a) or (e), a person shall
not sell a plastic product in this state that is labeled with the
term "biodegradable," "degradable," or "decomposable," or any form of
those terms, or in any way imply that the plastic product will break
down, fragment, biodegrade, or decompose in a landfill or other
environment.
   (c) A manufacturer or supplier, upon the request of a member of
the public, shall submit to that member, within 90 days of the
request, information and documentation demonstrating compliance with
this chapter, in a format that is easy to understand and
scientifically accurate.
   (d)  A product that is in compliance with this chapter shall not,
solely as a result of that compliance, be deemed to be in compliance
with any other applicable marketing requirement or guideline
established under state law or by the Federal Trade Commission.
   (e) (1)  Upon the   If the  ASTM
 adoption of   adopts  a standard for Work
Item ASTM WK29802, New Specification for Aerobically Biodegradable
Plastics in Soil Environment in the Temperate Zone, the 
department shall   director may  adopt that 
ASTM  standard  specification  .
   (2) A person may sell agricultural mulch film labeled with the
term "biodegradable"  only  if it meets  the
  an ASTM  standard  specification  that
the  department   director  has adopted
pursuant to paragraph (1).
   (3) For purposes of this subdivision, "agricultural mulch film"
means film plastic that is used as a technical tool in commercial
farming applications.