SACRAMENTO – The California State Assembly today passed Assembly Bill 548 by Assemblymember Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys), a measure that would expand recycling in California by providing a residential recycling opportunity for the more than 7.1 million Californians residing in more than 2.4 million multi-family dwelling units.

The measure passed by a vote of 47-24 and now heads to the Governor’s desk to await his consideration.

“I’d like to thank my colleagues for having the wisdom to pass this legislation that would allow millions of California residents to have the opportunity to recycle,” Assemblymember Levine said. “While nearly 70 percent of Californians living in single family homes have access to curbside recycling, no more than 40 percent of those living in multi-family dwellings have access to a residential recycling opportunity – and many of those are unaware of it. All Californians deserve the opportunity to recycle, and I hope by signing this measure into law, the Governor gives it to them.”

While overall California is diverting more than 50 percent of generated waste, it is estimated that just 15 percent of waste generated at multi-family dwellings is currently diverted. While just 19.1 percent of Californians live in multi-family dwellings, these housing units account for 26 percent of the residential waste stream.
 
A 2004 waste stream analysis by the California Integrated Waste Management Board found that 26.4 percent of the multi-family waste stream is recyclable and that more than 894,687 tons of recyclable materials are currently being landfilled by multi-family dwelling residents.

Assembly Bill 548 requires that an owner of a multi-family dwelling provide appropriate recycling services for the dwelling in accordance with the local jurisdiction’s recycling plan.

Expanding curbside recycling to multifamily dwellings could divert an additional 329,000 tons of recyclable materials. Additionally, this increased recycling will reduce GHG emissions by nearly one million tons, as the landfilling of solid waste results in the single largest man-made source of methane gas – a major greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than C02.

Assembly Bill 548 is sponsored by Californians Against Waste, Sierra Club California, and the California State Association of Counties.