SACRAMENTO – The Assembly Appropriations Committee on Friday approved a bill by Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast) that would create the California Product Stewardship Act.

AB 2139 would establish an Extended Producer Responsibility framework with a single law to cover a wide array of toxic products that are banned from landfills. These products include hypodermic needles, antifreeze, and small propane tanks.

Under an Extended Producer Responsibility Framework, manufacturers would be required to take more responsibility for disposing of products after consumers are through with them. This includes increasing the recyclability of products and reducing packaging.

“Consumers want convenient options for disposing of these products,” Chesbro said. “Right now local governments are burdened with the cost of disposing of them. This bill will provide relief to local governments by getting industry to share these costs and will create an incentive for manufacturers to design products that can be more easily recycled. This will result in a lot more diversion of toxic wastes away from our landfills.”

AB 2139 is supported by a lengthy list of local governments, recycling and waste management organizations and environmental groups, including the Sierra Club of California.

The bill next goes to the full Assembly for a vote.