Kansas Legislature establishes battery recycling stewardship act requiring producer-funded collection programs

Original title: AN ACT concerning the environment; enacting the safe battery collection and recycling act; prohibiting the sale of covered batteries or battery-containing products unless the producer is part of a battery stewardship organization with an approved plan; requiring battery stewardship organizations to submit a battery stewardship plan to the secretary of health and environment for approval; providing the responsibilities of battery stewardship organizations, including cost coverage and reimbursement to local governments; mandating the collection of covered batteries and setting criteria for collection sites and events; promoting the implementation of the battery stewardship plan through education, outreach and safety training; requiring annual reports from battery stewardship organizations, detailing financials, collection data and outreach efforts; mandating the department to publish approved plans and reports on its website, while protecting proprietary information; providing liability protection for compliance with an approved battery stewardship plan; allowing independent fee-based collection services under certain conditions; prohibiting improper disposal of covered batteries and outlining responsibilities for waste facilities; establishing penalties for violations of the act, including false statements and fee nonpayment; directing the department to review studies on expanding coverage to other products or batteries; allowing battery stewardship organizations to recover costs from noncompliant producers through civil actions; establishing the battery stewardship fund for administering the act; authorizing the secretary to adopt rules and regulations for the administration of the act; limiting the number of full time equivalent positions that the department can fill to administer and enforce the act; amending K.S.A. 65-3427 and repealing the existing section.