SB 1215 Covered Battery-Embedded Products

Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 1215 into law to reduce battery fires and injuries to sanitation workers and to ensure that batteries are collected for recycling rather than ending up in the waste stream.

Reusing and recycling as many materials sold in California as possible is vital to the state’s larger effort to build a circular, remanufacturing economy that turns pollution sources into new materials

This webpage provides only an overview of the main provisions of SB 1215 as it pertains to the Covered Electronic Waste (CEW) Recycling Program and is not intended to replace a thorough review of the text of SB 1215.

SB 1215 amends the Electronic Waste Recycling Act and adds covered battery-embedded products to the CEW Recycling Program.

Covered battery-embedded product means a product covered in this program that contains a battery that is not designed to be easily removed by the user with no more than commonly used household tools.

The following products are excluded from the scope of the CEW Recycling Program:

Certain medical devices
Existing covered electronic devices (video display devices)
Certain energy storage systems
Electronic nicotine delivery systems

Timeline

Icon of a low-charged battery, indicated by two red bars.

2025

Effective January 1, 2025, CalRecycle shall establish, through regulations, a process for CEW recyclers to submit payment claims for covered battery-embedded waste.
On or before July 1, 2025, manufacturers of covered battery-embedded products must list covered products and exempt products in an annual notice to California retailers and CalRecycle.
On or before October 1, 2025, CalRecycle will establish a CEW recycling fee for covered battery-embedded products.

Icon of a medium-charged battery, indicated by four orange bars.

2026

Beginning on January 1, 2026, consumers will pay the recycling fee for covered battery-embedded products at the time of purchase.
The covered products must be labeled with the name of the manufacturer or the manufacturer’s brand; and,
The covered products must either be labeled with information identifying the chemistry of the battery in the battery-embedded product or include that information on the manufacturer’s internet website.
On April 1, 2026, the CEW Recycling Program will begin accepting payment claims for covered battery-embedded waste collected on or after January 1, 2026.
Beginning August 1, 2026, CalRecycle has the authority to annually adjust the covered battery-embedded product recycling fee.

Icon of a almost fully-charged battery, indicated by seven light green bars.

2027

On or before July 1, 2027, manufacturers of covered battery-embedded products must begin sending CalRecycle annual Manufacturer Reports.

Icon of fully charged battery, indicated by green bars.

2028

Beginning on July 1, 2028, CalRecycle has the authority to adjust the payment rate for covered battery-embedded waste annually.
Beginning on August 1, 2028, CalRecycle may, if necessary, establish more than one covered battery-embedded product recycling fee based on categories of battery-embedded products.

SB 1215 also makes changes to the CEW Recycling Program related to Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) CEW and non-CRT CEW.

Beginning July 1, 2023, CalRecycle may assess payment rates on an annual basis rather than every other year.

For Manufacturer Reporting, SB 1215:

- Clarified that the reporting requirement related to Public Resources Code Section 42465.2(a)(1)(C) pertains to the amount of recycled materials contained within a covered electronic device; and
- Updated the definition of a manufacturer.

To receive updates regarding implementation of SB 1215, and other information relative to end-of-life e-waste management, subscribe to the California E-Waste Updates electronic newsletter.

This page is for informational purposes only; it does not list all requirements in statute and regulations.

For more information, contact embeddedbatteries@calrecycle.ca.gov