• Introduced: February 19, 2025 

• Co-Sponsors: National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC) and Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), Resource Recovery Coalition of California (RRCC) 

• Author: Senator Ben Allen (D–Santa Monica)

• Bill Text: SB 501 on Leg Info

• Press Release: Senator Allen Introduces Extended Producer Responsibility Legislation for Household Hazardous Waste 

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CA SB 501 Overview 

Senate Bill 501 will create an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program for Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) and require the producer of products that become HHW to provide a convenient collection and management system for covered products.

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This legislation ensures that producers of toxic and hard-to-manage consumer products—such as pesticides, pool chemicals, gas cylinders, and vaping devices—are held financially and operationally responsible for the products they put on the market. SB 501 alleviates the burden on local governments and ratepayers, while increasing safety, equity, and environmental protection across the state. 

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What the Bill Does: Key Provisions of CA SB 501  

 

​Defines “Covered Products” including: 

• A pesticide, as defined in Section 12753 of the Food and Agricultural Code. 

• An aerosol. 

• An oxidizer. 

• An adhesive, glue, cleaner, degreaser, or solvent, which is ignitable, toxic, corrosive, or reactive. 

• A lubricant, oil, antifreeze, cleaner, wax, or degreaser, which is an automotive product used for purposes of maintaining the function of a motor vehicle, as defined in Section 670 of the Vehicle Code. 

• A compressed gas, including, but not limited to, propane, helium, and oxygen. 

• A lithium battery. 

• A product containing asbestos, mercury, or polychlorinated biphenyls. 

• An electronic delivery system of a nicotine or non-nicotine aerosolized or vaporized solution to a person, including electronic cigarettes and vape pens. 

• A product that is ignitable, toxic, corrosive, or reactive and is added by the department via the needs assessment, and is not exempted 

• Requires Producers to Join a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) responsible for creating and executing a statewide plan for safe collection, transport, and end-of-life management. 

• Mandates that producers—not taxpayers—fund the system. 

• Requires Reimbursement for Local Government Services if the program plan uses existing public collection systems. 

• Imposes Strong Oversight and Transparency Requirements including annual reporting and financial audits. 

• Includes Carrots and Sticks to incentivize and ensure producers meet goals. 

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CA SB 501: Why It Matters 

​Household hazardous waste requires special handling and disposal because of the risks they pose to workers and the environment if improperly thrown in the trash, poured down storm drains, or released into the environment. Local governments are responsible for the operation of local household hazardous waste collection programs, which offer residents free drop-off opportunities for HHW. These programs are expensive and put serious financial pressure on both the programs and local governments that operate them. The cost for local governments to manage some types of household hazardous waste can often approach or exceed the initial purchase price that consumers pay at the point of sale.

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Local governments and the solid waste industry have no control over which products will be introduced into the marketplace.  SB 501 ensures that manufacturers bear financial responsibility for the management and disposal of the products they introduce into the stream of commerce. By compelling manufacturers to bear responsibility for these costs, and making proper disposal opportunities more convenient for residents, SB 501 will drive manufacturers to improve product design to make those products safer and easier to manage at the end of their useful lives.

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Support and Rationale 

​The National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC) proudly co-sponsored SB 501 to advance a circular, just, and accountable system for managing hazardous household products. NSAC’s Executive Director Heidi Sanborn chaired the California Commission on Recycling Markets and Curbside Recycling, which was comprised of 16 experts representing materials management companies, local governments, unions, and NGOs. The Commission unanimously recommended that the legislature, “pass EPR framework legislation to establish and maintain a convenient and fully funded recovery system for all hazardous products - including residuals and their containers as they are contaminants to other recycling/composting streams.” According to the Commission, “in the absence of such a system, the variety and volume of hazards in the discard and recovery streams continues to expand”, which can endanger our materials management workers. 

 

In January 2025, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to approve a motion that directed the staff to explore the feasibility of an EPR program for HHW and electronic waste as they are spending $14 million a year on HHW management. Several local governments are considering drafting local HHW EPR ordinances, as well as several other states to reduce fires and increase safety throughout the waste management system. Failure to pass state legislation will likely result in a county-by-county approach which is not cost-effective nor best for California.

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