A coalition of local governments and solid waste industry representatives, led by RCRC, requests a number of regulatory delays and additional operational guidance from the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) and the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle). The relief is necessary to help solid waste and recycling operations continue serving residents throughout California during, through and after the coronavirus COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders.
While CalEPA released a statement on April 15, 2020 acknowledging that regulated entities may need compliance assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, specific requests made by RCRC and other organizations on behalf of those managing the solid waste and recycling infrastructures have largely gone unfulfilled by CalRecycle. The coalition is requesting temporary relief from penalties that could result from failure to meet a number of statutory mandates during the pandemic, including solid waste diversion requirements and mandatory commercial recycling and organic waste recycling mandates. Requests also include a delay of implementation of any new major regulations, such as the short-lived climate pollutant organic waste regulations, until at least six months after the pandemic is deemed over by the State, and guidance on which parts of recycling operations count as essential services.
The coalition is seeking to meet with CalEPA and CalRecycle leadership in the short term to discuss the issues outlined in the letter to better provide guidance to the entire solid waste and recycling infrastructure.