(a) The Legislature finds and declares that pollution prevention should be the first step in a hierarchy for reducing pollution and managing wastes, and to achieve environmental stewardship for society. The Legislature also finds and declares that pollution prevention is necessary to support the federal goal of zero discharge of pollutants into navigable waters.
(b) (1) For the purposes of this section, “pollution prevention” means any action that causes a net reduction in the use or generation of a hazardous substance or other pollutant that is discharged into water and includes any of the following:
(A) “Input change,” which means a change in raw materials or feedstocks used in a production process or operation so as to reduce, avoid, or eliminate the generation of pollutants discharged in wastewater.
(B) “Operational improvement,” which means improved site management so as to reduce, avoid, or eliminate the generation of pollutants discharged in wastewater.
(C) “Production process change,” which means a change in a process, method, or technique that is used to produce a product or a desired result, including the return of materials or their components for reuse within the existing processes or operations, so as to reduce, avoid, or eliminate the generation of pollutants discharged in wastewater.
(D) “Product reformulation,” which means changes in design, composition, or specifications of end products, including product substitution, so as to reduce, avoid, or eliminate the generation of problem pollutants discharged in wastewater.
(2) For the purposes of this section, “pollution prevention” does not include actions that merely shift a pollutant in wastewater from one environmental medium to another environmental medium, unless clear environmental benefits of such an approach are identified to the satisfaction of the state board, the regional board, or POTW.
(c) For the purposes of this section, “discharger” means any entity required to obtain a national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit pursuant to the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1251 et seq.), or any entity subject to the pretreatment program as defined in Part 403 (commencing with Section 403.1) of Subchapter N of Chapter 1 of Part 403 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(d) (1) The state board, a regional board, or a POTW may require a discharger subject to its jurisdiction to complete and implement a pollution prevention plan if any of the following apply:
(A) A discharger is determined by the state board to be a chronic violator, and the state board, a regional board, or the POTW determines that pollution prevention could assist in achieving compliance.
(B) The discharger significantly contributes, or has the potential to significantly contribute, to the creation of a toxic hot spot as defined in Section 13391.5.
(C) The state board, a regional board, or a POTW determines pollution prevention is necessary to achieve a water quality objective.
(D) The discharger is subject to a cease and desist order issued pursuant to Section 13301 or a time schedule order issued pursuant to Section 13300 or 13308.
(2) A pollution prevention plan required of a discharger other than a POTW pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include all of the following:
(A) An analysis of one or more of the pollutants, as directed by the state board, a regional board, or a POTW, that the facility discharges into water or introduces into POTWs, a description of the sources of the pollutants, and a comprehensive review of the processes used by the discharger that result in the generation and discharge of the pollutants.
(B) An analysis of the potential for pollution prevention to reduce the generation of the pollutants, including the application of innovative and alternative technologies and any adverse environmental impacts resulting from the use of those methods.
(C) A detailed description of the tasks and time schedules required to investigate and implement various elements of pollution prevention techniques.
(D) A statement of the discharger’s pollution prevention goals and strategies, including priorities for short-term and long-term action.
(E) A description of the discharger’s existing pollution prevention methods.
(F) A statement that the discharger’s existing and planned pollution prevention strategies do not constitute cross media pollution transfers unless clear environmental benefits of such an approach are identified to the satisfaction of the state board, the regional board, or the POTW, and information that supports that statement.
(G) Proof of compliance with the Hazardous Waste Source Reduction and Management Review Act of 1989 (Article 11.9 (commencing with Section 25244.12) of Chapter 6.5 of Division 20 of the Health and Safety Code) if the discharger is also subject to that act.
(H) An analysis, to the extent feasible, of the relative costs and benefits of the possible pollution prevention activities.
(I) A specification of, and rationale for, the technically feasible and economically practicable pollution prevention measures selected by the discharger for implementation.
(3) The state board or a regional board may require a POTW to complete and implement a pollution prevention plan that includes all of the following:
(A) An estimate of all of the sources of a pollutant contributing, or potentially contributing, to the loading of that pollutant in the treatment plant influent.
(B) An analysis of the methods that could be used to prevent the discharge of the pollutants into the POTW, including application of local limits to industrial or commercial dischargers regarding pollution prevention techniques, public education and outreach, or other innovative and alternative approaches to reduce discharges of the pollutant to the POTW. The analysis also shall identify sources, or potential sources, not within the ability or authority of the POTW to control, such as pollutants in the potable water supply, airborne pollutants, pharmaceuticals, or pesticides, and estimate the magnitude of those sources, to the extent feasible.
(C) An estimate of load reductions that may be attained through the methods identified in subparagraph (B).
(D) A plan for monitoring the results of the pollution prevention program.
(E) A description of the tasks, cost, and time required to investigate and implement various elements in the pollution prevention plan.
(F) A statement of the POTW’s pollution prevention goals and strategies, including priorities for short-term and long-term action, and a description of the POTW’s intended pollution prevention activities for the immediate future.
(G) A description of the POTW’s existing pollution prevention programs.
(H) An analysis, to the extent feasible, of any adverse environmental impacts, including cross media impacts or substitute chemicals, that may result from the implementation of the pollution prevention program.
(I) An analysis, to the extent feasible, of the costs and benefits that may be incurred to implement the pollution prevention program.
(e) The state board, a regional board, or a POTW may require a discharger subject to this section to comply with the pollution prevention plan developed by the discharger after providing an opportunity for comment at a public proceeding with regard to that plan.
(f) The state board, regional boards, and POTWs shall make the pollution prevention plans available for public review, except to the extent that information is classified as confidential because it is a trade secret. Trade secret information shall be set forth in an appendix that is not available to the public.
(g) The state board or regional board may assess civil liability pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 13385 against a discharger for failure to complete a pollution prevention plan required by the state board or a regional board, for submitting a plan that does not comply with the act, or for not implementing a plan, unless the POTW has assessed penalties for the same action.
(h) A POTW may assess civil penalties and civil administrative penalties pursuant to Sections 54740, 54740.5, and 54740.6 of the Government Code against a discharger for failure to complete a pollution prevention plan when required by the POTW, for submitting a plan that does not comply with the act, or for not implementing a plan, unless the state board or a regional board has assessed penalties for the same action.
(i) A discharger may change its pollution prevention plan, including withdrawing from a pollution prevention measure required by the state board, a regional board, or a POTW, if the discharger determines that the measure will have a negative impact on product quality, the safe operation of the facility, or the environmental aspects of the facility’s operation, or the discharger determines that the measure is economically impracticable or technologically infeasible. Where practicable and feasible, the discharger shall replace the withdrawn measure with a measure that will likely achieve similar pollution prevention objectives. A measure may be withdrawn pursuant to this subdivision only with the approval of the executive officer of the state board or the regional board, or the POTW.
(j) The state board shall adopt a sample format to be used by dischargers for completing the plan required by this section. The sample format shall address all of the factors the discharger is required to include in the plan. The board may include any other factors determined by the board to be necessary to carry out this section. The adoption of the sample format pursuant to this section is not subject to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(k) The state board, a regional board, or POTW may not include a pollution prevention plan in any waste discharge requirements or other permit issued by that agency.
(l) This section prevails over Section 13263.3, as added to the Water Code by Assembly Bill 1104 of the 1999–2000 Regular Session.
(Amended (as added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 93) by Stats. 2000, Ch. 807, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2001.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018