Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, May 07, 2019
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR AB 1672 (BLOOM) RELATED TO THE LABELING OF SINGLE USE WIPES (CITY COUNCIL)
Body
I. SUMMARY
This item came as a request from the County Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County. The Districts have urged cities within the districts to consider taking a support position on AB 1672. The bill must be voted on by the full Assembly by May 31st in order to move to the Senate for consideration there.
AB 1672 is intended to protect publicly owned sanitary sewer collection systems, from accumulations of wipes, which can accrue in pump stations, get hung up in motors, and even make it to the headworks of the water reclamation plants, with the potential to cause sewage spills and lead to higher costs for operations and maintenance.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. APPROVE Letter of Support for AB 1672 and DIRECT staff to mail to the appropriate committees and legislators.
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III. ALTERNATIVES
Take no action.
IV. BACKGROUND
Assembly Bill (AB) 1672, as amended April 11, 2019, by Assembly Member Richard Bloom of Santa Monica, would set technical standards for the use of the term "flushable" when applied to single-use wipes and require the use of a "do not flush" logo when the wipes do not meet the technical standards for flushability. AB 1672 is intended to protect publicly owned sanitary sewer collection systems, including a jurisdictions' local sewer systems and the Sanitation Districts’ sewer systems, from accumulations of wipes, which can cause sewage spills and lead to higher costs for operations and maintenance.
There are specialized types of single-use wipes for cleaning, personal hygiene, baby diapering, makeup removal and more, and people are choosing to use these wipes in ever-increasing numbers. Unfortunately, some of the manufacturers have chosen to market these products as "flushable," based on the premise that it is more convenient to flush them than to place them in the trash. Regrettably, many consumers flush them indiscriminately, i.e. regardless of whether they are labeled flushable or not However, even the so-called "flushable" products may cause problems for home plumbing or septic systems and downstream in the municipal sewer system. These products can accrue in pump stations, get hung up in motors, and some even make it to the headworks of the water reclamation plants that are owned and operated by the County Sanitation Districts. As mentioned, these wipes also can cause or contribute to sewage spills, which threaten water quality and public health, and lead to noncompliance with the Statewide Sanitary Sewer System Waste Discharge Requirements (a State-issued permit for sewer systems that prohibits all sewage spills, regardless of cause). There is no state oversight over these products, and this bill is needed to ensure that single-use wipe packages clearly communicate whether the product can be safely flushed down the drain or whether the wipes should not be flushed.
For these reasons, the County Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County have urged cities within the districts to consider taking a support position on AB 1672. The bill must be voted on by the full Assembly by May 31st in order to move to the Senate for consideration there. A copy of the draft bill and a draft letter of support, along with the County’s request, is attached.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
None.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Request Letter from Grace Robinson Hyde, General Manager and Chief Engineer (Pgs. 3-4)
2. Draft Letter of Support (Pg. 5)
3. Legislative Draft of AB 1672 (Bloom) (Pgs. 6-13)
Prepared by: John S. Raymond, Acting City Manager