HomeMy WebLinkAbout11. (Handout) AB 1672 Letter in Support -d&N- CENTRAL SAN Item 11. (Handout)
CENTRALCONTRA COSTA SANITARY DISTRICT 5019 IMHOFF PLACE, MARTINEZ, CA 94553-4392
April 3, 2019 PHONE: (925)228-9500
FAX.- (925)335-7744
www.centralsan.org
ROGER S.BAILEY
General Manager
The Honorable Bill Quirk, Chair KENTONL.ALM
AssemblyEnvironmental Safety and Toxic Materials counsel fort he District
y (slo)375-4571
Committee
KATIE YO UNC
1020 N Street, Room 171 Secretary ofthe District
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: Central San's Support of AB 1672 (Bloom)
Dear Assemblymember Quirk:
Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (Central San) is pleased to support AB 1672 (Bloom).
Central San, established in 1946, provides wastewater collection and treatment services to
nearly 500,000 residents and more than 3,000 businesses in the East San Francisco Bay Area.
Within its 145 square mile service area, Central San operates a 54 million gallon-per-day
capacity treatment plant, 18 pumping stations, over 1,500 miles of sewer lines, a household
hazardous waste collection facility, and provides both commercial and residential recycled water
programs.
AB 1672 would establish labeling requirements and performance standards for wet wipes so
that Californians will know whether a product can be discarded safely by their plumbing. In
recent years, wet wipes have gained popularity as they're designed for a variety of daily
household purposes, and some are advertised as "flushable," which encourages residents to
dispose of wipes products generally by their toilet instead of in the trashcan. Because many wet
wipes are not compatible with sewer systems and infrastructure, flushing these products results
in their getting caught in pipes or accumulating with fats, oils, and grease and becoming larger
obstructions that cause costly backups, or further down the sewer line, weaving together and
creating giant rags which get stuck in pump systems and motors and damage expensive agency
equipment.
a
A 1�
Central San pump clean out- Moraga, CA
Central San's Support of AB 1672
April 2, 2019
Page 2
Central San has been tackling wipes issues for several years within our infrastructure. Our
active outreach program to help consumers make proper disposal choices consist of the
following labor-intensive work:
• Production of educational videos for children and adults about proper wipes disposal
and their harmful impact to the local sewer systems
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miPuVgozntw,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkxLT-d9Z9U
• Attendance of community events with pipe clogging and wipes demonstrations that
show after hours they do not disperse in water like toilet paper
FLUSH ONLY USE RECYCLED USE AN OVERFLOW t
HUMAN WASTE S WATER FROM PROTECTION
N� TOILET PAPER OUR FILL STATION DEVICE
r
n —
s � '
CCC _
�1
nctiug public He
John Muir Birthday—Earth Day Celebration—Martinez, CA
Customer educational displays— Toilet Paper vs. Wipes and Wipes Pipe Clogging Demonstration
Central San's Support of AB 1672 (Bloom)
April 2, 2019
Page 3
• Placing of door hangers in neighborhoods that have experienced sewer clogs and
overflows due to wipes being flushed and causing large rags in the sanitary sewer
THERE IS NO NEVER FLUSH
SUCH THING ASA ANY WIPES
FLUSHABLE WIPE
alpes(even those labeled as
"flushable')ar e designed
bl
to be d.,We when at.
wet.
Many wipes a,e made from Y
synths i,plastic fibers.Unlike toilet Q
paper,wipes remain Intact as they
[ravel through sewer pipes.They clog
pipes and causeverflows In homes
d streets and o se equipment
matfunctions In pumpingstations and
wastewater treatment plants across the
ountry,resulting in millions of dollar:
in damages.NEVER FLUSH ANY W/PES1
lrti�1�' Please dispose
all wipes in the trash,
... not the Collet
Door hangers placed on customers'doors who have wipes problems.
Wet wipes have been an increasing problem for property owners, sewer systems paid for by the
public, and the environment as they cause major damage to equipment, require labor to rectify
the problem, and cause sanitary sewer overflows in neighborhood streets and local waterways.
t
r
�f
1 ?� t.... �r.,t at. •i�rr.E jw}. iC�
Overflow caused by wipes— Lafayette, CA
Central San's Support of AB 1672 (Bloom)
April 2, 2019
Page 4
Central San and other wastewater agencies around the state are expending extensive labor and
resources to properly maintain sewer systems and educate the public on wipes disposal, while
wipes manufacturers continue to reap the benefits of sales without proper consumer education.
AB 1672 would ensure wet wipes packaging clearly communicates whether the product can
safely be discarded through a toilet, or will not break apart like toilet paper, and should not be
flushed. This gives the consumer the information they need to make the correct disposal option.
For these reasons, the Central San strongly supports AB 1672, and we respectfully request your
"Aye" vote when the bill is heard before you on April 9, 2019.
Sincerely,
�11 .. n N.I
Roger S. Bailey
General Manager
cc: Assemblymember Richard Bloom
Members, Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee
Assemblymember Timothy Grayson
Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan
Jessica Gauger, California Association of Sanitation Agencies
Paige Brokaw, Consultant, Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials
Committee