California Senators Considering Bill to Shift Regulation of Scrap Metal Recyclers to the State

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): A proposed bill in the California Senate aims to provide consistent regulation for California's scrap metal recycling facilities, including Oakland's Radius Recycling, whose West Oakland plant caught fire two years ago, spewing toxic smoke into the community for days.

The bill is backed by Democratic State Senator Anna Caballero, who represents much of the Central Valley, and is supported by the California Metal Recyclers Coalition, which — according to the state's Department of Toxic Substances Control — includes Radius Recycling and seven other companies across the state. The bill's proponents say it will create a clear framework for these companies to operate; opponents say the bill's redefinition of hazardous waste could lead to greater environmental harm.

Metal shredding facilities handle challenging waste, such as old appliances, trashed cars, and scrap from disasters like urban fires, selling the reusable metal and disposing of the rest. Yet metal shredding and recycling can lead to the production of hazardous waste, including mercury, lead, and fire-resistant chemicals. The operations also pose risks to air quality and have been associated with scrap metal fire fires, like the one at Radius Recycling in August 2023.

SB 404 aims to standardize the permitting of these facilities and set clearer guidelines around their hazardous by-products. Proponents of the bill say it streamlines permitting and regulation of these facilities by consolidating this oversight in the state's Department of Toxic Substances Control while maintaining the benefits of recycling scrap metal — which might otherwise end up in landfill.

"SB404 will ensure that California has the robust regulatory process and remains a sustainable leader in reducing, reusing, and recycling by fostering the recycling of scrap metal," Caballero said at a Senate committee hearing in July.

Metal recycling advocates say that the lack of clear oversight has left metal recyclers in a state of uncertainty and that the bill would create a clear structure for permitting and fees.

"SB 404 provides enforceable standards that will both protect neighboring communities and advance critical recycling in California," said Margaret Rosegay, a representative of the California Metal Recyclers Coalition, at the July committee meeting. "The legal and regulatory certainty this bill provides is essential for the future viability of this critical industry and the thousands of employees, businesses. and communities that rely upon it."

Courtesy: www.smdailyjournal.com