Hazardous materials: metal shredding facilities

The law keeps metal recycling facilities operating under industry-specific rules while imposing enforceable controls intended to prevent fires, releases, and community health risks.

What the law does ​

• Requires covered metal shredding facilities to obtain DTSC permits, while qualifying existing facilities may operate during permit review if they meet interim requirements.
• Requires operating plans for fire prevention, release control, housekeeping, inspections, stormwater, inventory limits, training, closure, and financial assurance.
• Requires enclosed or covered handling and storage of metal shredder aggregate, with limited DTSC-approved exceptions for temporary outdoor storage.
• Requires screening to keep hazardous materials, batteries, e-waste, explosives, asbestos, and other listed materials out of shredding feedstock.
• Requires public engagement before applications, DTSC progress meetings and public comment before permit decisions, public online facility information, and at least one DTSC site visit.
• Requires annual DTSC compliance inspections, authorizes permit denial, suspension, revocation, and enforcement referrals, and directs penalties to the Toxic Substances Control Account.
• Establishes annual facility fees and application-cost reimbursement to fund DTSC, the Board of Environmental Safety, and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment duties.
• Treats properly managed shredder aggregate and qualifying chemically treated shredder residue as nonhazardous, while regulating qualifying releases as hazardous waste.
• Requires fence-line monitoring, health-protective thresholds, and community-notification procedures for covered facilities.

Who it affects ​

• Owners and operators of covered metal shredding facilities.
• Metal recyclers, transporters, receiving processors, and landfills handling shredder aggregate or chemically treated shredder residue.
• Nearby communities, local fire departments, local air districts, unified program agencies, and local health officials.

Context ​

The law does not replace other federal, state, or local environmental requirements that apply to a facility.