SB 634 Summary

• Increases the maximum percentage of convenience zones eligible for exemption from recycling center requirements from 35% to 40%, and requires the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery to review exemptions every 2 years to ensure they still meet criteria.

• Exempts dealers with gross annual sales under $2,000,000 and non-supermarket dealers with less than 5,000 square feet of retail space from convenience zone redemption requirements; provides additional temporary exemptions until December 31, 2021 for dealers in zones affected by recycling center closures.

• Authorizes the department to declare a "recycling exigency" if specific conditions are met, allowing it to increase processing payments by at least 10%, increase handling fees by at least 10%, and distribute up to $500,000 monthly each for supplemental recycling incentives and PET quality incentive payments.

• Establishes $3,000,000 in annual supplemental handling fee payments through July 1, 2022 to low-volume recycling centers in underserved convenience zones and suspends cost survey usage until January 1, 2021.

• Requires the department to convene a public hearing by July 1, 2020 to discuss guidelines for potentially withholding beverage container recycling fund payments to jurisdictions that restrict supermarket siting.