GAIA and Environmental Justice Organizations Applaud Governor’s Decision to Veto SB 615
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 2, 2024
Berkeley, CA — The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) commends Governor Gavin Newsom for vetoing Senate Bill 615 on September 29, 2024. The bill, which aimed to establish regulations for the reuse and recycling of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, was rightly rejected. GAIA supports the Governor’s stance on the outsized role of the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), and his emphasis on the need for a more robust extended producer responsibility policy that prioritizes environmental justice, protects vulnerable communities, and ensures responsible battery management.
As California leads the way in the clean energy transition now is a critical opportunity to adopt zero waste solutions from the outset in this period of industry innovation and standard-setting. GAIA stands ready to collaborate on solutions that uphold California’s environmental leadership and ensure that no communities are left behind in a just transition.
“We are relieved that Governor Newsom vetoed SB 615, as it would have allowed harmful practices like incineration and pyrometallurgy to be considered acceptable forms of recycling. These processes release toxic pollutants and harm communities already overburdened by industrial pollution,” said Sheila Davis, US/Canada EV Battery Waste Coordinator at GAIA. “The Exide Technology battery plant recycling facility contaminated 100,000 people over a 2.7 km radius in Vernon, California with lead, heavy metals, and other toxic contamination. Without language to restrict incineration or pyrometallurgy, nothing would prevent such a tragedy from happening again. California leads the nation in progressive environmental policies, setting a model for other states to follow. This veto gives us the chance to create more sustainable and just battery waste management policies that prioritize reuse, repurposing, and safe recycling practices, ensuring protection for our communities and the environment.”
GAIA and six other environmental justice organizations (Comite Civico del Valle, Earthworks, East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, Great Basin Resource Watch, Just Transition Alliance, and Valley Improvement Projects) sent a letter of opposition to SB 615 due to its broad definition of “recycling,” which allowed harmful practices like incineration and pyrometallurgy, contradicting California’s policies that exclude combustion as recycling. This posed significant risks to communities already overburdened by industrial pollution.
GAIA supports the governor’s stance that “this legislation placed a significant burden on DTSC to implement the policy, instead of building on the success of existing producer responsibility models.” SB 615 lacked robust standards to extended producer responsibility (EPR) measures to prioritize reuse, repurposing for a second life and safe recycling, cutting battery life short, and missing opportunities to reduce carbon emissions. Additionally, it failed to regulate battery exports, risking environmental harm in other countries without adequate inspection or reporting standards, an unacceptable practice known as waste colonialism.
GAIA urges lawmakers to lead an open and inclusive process with all stakeholders including environmental justice organizations and frontline communities in order to develop a more comprehensive extended producer responsibility policy on traction batteries. Such a policy must define what qualifies as safe and effective recycling, set strong standards to prioritize and incentivize reuse and repurposing of traction batteries before recycling and disposal, provide fair and equitable access to all necessary battery information for maximizing battery lifespan, and specify guardrails on battery waste exports.
To learn more about GAIA’s EV batteries work, visit www.no-burn.org/batteries.
Press contacts:
María Guillén, Communications Coordinator, US & Canada
mariaguillen@no-burn.org
###
GAIA is a worldwide alliance of more than 1,000 grassroots groups, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in over 90 countries. With our work we aim to catalyze a global shift towards environmental justice by strengthening grassroots social movements that advance solutions to waste and pollution. We envision a just, zero waste world built on respect for ecological limits and community rights, where people are free from the burden of