AB 1109, the California Lighting Efficiency and Toxics Reduction Act, was signed into law as Chapter 534 (PDF file, 86KB), on October 12, 2007. The law required the Department of Toxic Substances Control and the California Integrated Waste Management Board to make policy recommendations for designing a statewide collection program for end-of-life compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). As a result, the Lighting Task Force, submitted the following recommendations to the state legislature on September 1, 2008:

• The program should be administered by a independent third party organization (TPO)
• Program implementation should be a shared responsibility amongst all parties
• Retailers, manufacturers, utilities, and recycles should provide data to the TPO; the TPO should compile the data and report it to the state
• Agencies overseeing the collection program should measure performance of all participants by establishing clear goals and measurement standards
• Only fluorescent lamps from manufacturers that participate in the TPO should be allowed to be sold in the state
• The collection system must be convenient to citizens
• Education and outreach programs should combine messages of energy efficiency and proper management of end-of-life CFLs. Education and outreach programs must use a wide range of methods and media
• Labels and designations on packaging should be consistent with other states’ existing standards

See the Lighting Task Force Report (PDF file, 1.82MB) for more information about the recommendations provided to the legislature. See the legislative history for more information.