Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024
(a) This section sets forth definitions and related provisions regarding activities that are not subject to the requirements of Articles 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and 6.35 of this Chapter.
(1) Activities that are not in compliance with the applicable definitions and related provisions of this section shall be subject to the requirements of Articles 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and 6.35 of this Chapter.
(2) The definitions and related provisions of this section are for use only to determine the applicability of Articles 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and 6.35 of this Chapter.
(b) The following general definitions may apply to one or more of the activities that are more specifically defined in subdivisions (c) and (d) of this section.
(1) "Residual" means the solid waste destined for disposal, further transfer/processing as defined in section 17402(a)(30) or (31) of this Article, or transformation which remains after processing has taken place and is calculated in percent as the weight of residual divided by the total incoming weight of materials.
(2) "Reuse" means the use, in the same, or similar, form as it was produced, of a material which might otherwise be discarded.
(3) "Separated for Reuse" means materials, including commingled recyclables, that have been separated or kept separate from the solid waste stream for the purpose of additional sorting or processing those materials for recycling or reuse in order to return them to the economic mainstream in the form of raw material for new, reused, or reconstituted products which meet the quality standards necessary to be used in the marketplace, and includes materials that have been "source separated".
(4) "Source Separated" means materials, including commingled recyclables, that have been separated or kept separate from the solid waste stream, at the point of generation, for the purpose of additional sorting or processing those materials for recycling or reuse in order to return them to the economic mainstream in the form of raw material for new, reused, or reconstituted products which meet the quality standards necessary to be used in the marketplace.
(c) Activities included in one of the following definitions are not subject to the requirements of Articles 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and 6.35 of this Chapter, provided that these activities do not include the acceptance of solid waste which has not been separated for reuse. If an activity defined in this section is accepting solid waste which has not been separated for reuse, it must meet the requirements of subdivision (d) of this section or else it shall be subject to the requirements of Articles 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and 6.35 of this Chapter.
(1) "Auto Dismantler" means a person or business entity engaged in the business of buying, selling, or dealing in vehicles including nonrepairable vehicles, for the purpose of dismantling the vehicles, buying or selling the integral parts and component materials thereof, in whole or in part, or dealing in used motor vehicle parts pursuant to California Vehicle Code, section 220.
(2) "Auto Shredder" or "Metal Shredder" means a person or business entity that accepts scrap metal, typically automobiles and white goods, and mechanically rends that scrap metal into fist sized bits and pieces and separates the ferrous metals, nonferrous metals and other materials for the purpose of recycling.
(3) "Buy Back Center" means a person or business entity engaging in those activities defined in Public Resources Code Sections 14518, or 14520.
(4) "Drop-off Center" means a person or business entity engaging in those activities defined in Public Resources Code Section 14511.7.
(5) "Manufacturer" means a person or business entity that uses new or separated for reuse materials as a raw material in making a finished product that is distinct from those raw materials.
(6) "Regional Organic Distribution Center" means a distribution center that receives unsold food produce, including packaged food produce (sometimes referred to as "pre-consumer") back from stores to which it was originally sent by that distribution center, and which remains the property of the distribution center or stores, for the purpose of data collection, depackaging, and transferring this produce and other food to a compostable material handling operation or facility, in-vessel digestion operation or facility, or to another beneficial use.
(7) "Rendering Activities" means an activity that is a licensed animal food manufacturing activity, or a rendering activity which is authorized by the California Department of Food and Agriculture pursuant to Section 19300 of the Food and Agricultural Code, and in which no solid waste feedstock bypasses the manufacturing or rendering process.
(8) "Reuse Salvage Operation" means a person or business entity which sterilizes, dismantles, rebuilds, or renovates, nonputrescible separated-for-reuse materials, and that recovers for recycling or reuse distinct material types that have not been commingled with other materials before they enter the waste stream. Examples of this activity include, but are not limited to, wire choppers, and dismantlers of furniture and mattresses, and "brown goods" such as computer equipment, VCRs, and televisions.
(9) "Scrap Metal Recyclers and Dealers" means a person or business entity including all employees of the person or business entity, (except automotive recyclers and auto shredders as defined in this section), whose primary business is the purchasing; processing by shredding, shearing, baling, and torching; trading, bartering or otherwise receiving secondhand or castoff metal material which includes ferrous metals, nonferrous metals, aluminum scrap, auto bodies, major appliances and other metals, including containers that are regulated pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 14511.7, 14518 or 14520.
(10) "Wire Chopper" means a person or business entity which uses source separated metal components or wire for the purpose of recycling or reuse.
(11) "Wood, Paper or Wood Product Manufacturer" means a person or business entity that uses separated for reuse paper or woody materials in order to produce a finished product able to be used as is, or to manufacture another product such as, boxes or boards, without further processing.
(d) A "Recycling Center" means a person or business entity that meets the requirements of this subdivision. A recycling center shall not be subject to the requirements of Articles 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and 6.35 of this Chapter.
(1) A recycling center shall only receive material that has been separated for reuse prior to receipt.
(2) The residual amount of solid waste in the separated for reuse material shall be less than 10% of the amount of separated for reuse material received by weight.
(A) The residual amount is calculated by measuring the outgoing tonnage after separated for reuse materials have been removed.
(B) The residual amount is calculated on a monthly basis based on the number of operating days.
(3) The amount of putrescible wastes in the separated for reuse material shall be less than 1% of the amount of separated for reuse material received by weight, and the putrescible wastes in the separated for reuse material shall not cause a nuisance, as determined by the EA.
(A) The amount of putrescible wastes is calculated in percent as the weight of putrescible wastes divided by the total incoming weight of separated for reuse material.
(B) The amount of putrescible wastes is calculated on a monthly basis based on the number of operating days.
(4) The only separation that may occur at the recycling center is the sorting of materials that have been separated for reuse prior to receipt.
(5) The recycling center may include an adjustment in the calculation to include the weight of water in the residual, when the use of water is essential to the sorting or processing of the material, provided that such an adjustment is also made in the weight of materials received for processing.
(6) The following materials shall not be included in calculating residual as set forth in subdivision (d)(2) of this section, if the recycling activities are separated from the material handling activities noted below by a defined physical barrier or where the activities are otherwise separated in a manner that the EA determines will keep the materials from being commingled:
(A) materials received at an on-site Buy Back Center;
(B) materials received at an on-site Drop-off Center;
(C) cannery waste;
(D) construction and demolition materials;
(E) nonhazardous contaminated soil;
(F) grease-trap pumpings;
(G) nonhazardous asbestos;
(H) nonhazardous ash;
(I) compost and compost feedstock;
(J) sewage sludge;
(K) tires.
(7) If the EA has information that material that is being received is not separated for reuse or source separated, that the residual is 10% or more of the total per month, or that the amount of putrescible wastes is 1% or more of the total per month, the burden of proof shall be on the owner or operator to demonstrate otherwise.
(A) A business that accepts loads of material that are not separated for reuse or source separated does not qualify as a recycling center.
(B) If the EA has reason to believe that a business is accepting material that is not separated for reuse or source separated due to averaging or combining of those loads with other loads of separated for reuse material, the burden of proof will be on the business to demonstrate that it is not accepting loads of mixed solid waste.
(C) If the EA has reason to believe that a business is accepting material that is not separated for reuse or source separated due to the separation of portions of the material at consecutive sites, each of which removes less than 10% residual, the burden of proof will be on the business to demonstrate that it is not accepting loads of mixed solid waste.
(D) If the EA determines that a business has exhibited a pattern and practice of failing to comply with the provisions of this subsection, the EA may issue a Notice and Order requiring the business to obtain a Registration Permit or Full Permit or comply with the Enforcement Agency Notification requirements as made applicable in sections 17403 through 17403.7 of this Article.
(E) At the time that the EA requires a recycling center to provide evidence that it is in compliance with this subdivision, the EA shall provide the recycling center with a written description of the information that has caused the EA to believe that the recycling center is not in compliance. Nothing in this requirement is intended to require the EA to identify the name or other identifying information regarding any individual(s) who have complained about the recycling center.
(F) Nothing in this section precludes the enforcement agency or the Department from the following: inspecting a business to verify that it is conducted in a manner that meets the provisions of this subsection; or, from taking any appropriate enforcement action, including the use of a Notice and Order as provided in Section 18304.
(8) Operations which do not meet the 10% residual percentage in subdivision (d)(2) of this section but which qualify as a Limited Volume Transfer Operation, shall comply with the requirements of section 17403.3 within one month of March 5, 1999.
(9) recycling center operators may voluntarily report their residual percentage to the EA and the Department using form CIWMB 607 (located in Appendix A).
(10) If the EA determines that a person or business entity purporting to operate a recycling center is not in compliance with this subsection and issues an enforcement order, that person or business entity may appeal that order in accordance with Public Resources Code section 44307.
(e) If a Chipping and Grinding Operation or Facility, as defined in section 17852(a)(10) of this Division, handles material that fails to meet the definition of green material due to contamination as set forth in section 17852(a)(21) of this Division, the operation or facility shall not be considered to be a recycling center as set forth in subsections (c) or (d) of section 17402.5
1. New section filed 3-5-99; operative 3-5-99 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(d) (Register 99, No. 11).
2. Amendment filed 8-13-2001 as an emergency; operative 2-11-2002 (Register 2001, No. 33). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 7-11-2002 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.
3. Amendment refiled 6-13-2002 as an emergency; operative 6-13-2002 (Register 2002, No. 24). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 10-11-2002 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.
4. Certificate of Compliance as to 6-13-2002 order, including further amendment of section, transmitted to OAL 8-22-2002 and filed 9-30-2002 (Register 2002, No. 40).
5. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (e) filed 6-29-2004 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2004, No. 27).
6. Amendment of subsection (c)(6), repealer and new subsection (c)(7), amendment of subsections (d)(7)(F) and (d)(9) and amendment of NOTE filed 11-3-2020; operative 1-1-2022 pursuant to Public Resources Code section 42652.2(a)(6) (Register 2020, No. 45).
Note: Authority cited: Sections 40502, 43020 and 43021, Public Resources Code. Reference: Sections 40053, 42652.5, 43020 and 43021, Public Resources Code; and Section 39730.6, Health and Safety Code.
