SACRAMENTO – Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) released the following statement today after pulling SB 1234 from consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

“After lengthy discussions with stakeholders from key environmental justice organizations, metal shredding facilities, and the Department of Toxic Substances Control, I have decided that this policy would benefit from more time to hear more from all interested parties. Our goal in introducing SB 1234 was to ensure California’s metal shredding industry could continue its vital work while protecting the environment and public health,” said Senator Allen. “The metal shredding industry provides a critical service to our circular economy by recycling materials of old vehicles, household appliances, and other large metallic items that would otherwise overwhelm our landfills, but surrounding communities may suffer from the discharge of hazardous waste, fire dangers, and diminished air and water quality.

“On behalf of these communities, we need to develop a new comprehensive regulatory framework that will oversee the metal shredding industry, rather than rely on the current facility-by-facility approach. All parties, from the facility managers to the regulators, agree that this is in the best interest of the public and the industry, but we need to get this right. I am confident we will do so as we continue our productive discussions this fall.”

Ben Allen represents the 24th State Senate District, which consists of the Westside, Hollywood, coastal South Bay, and Santa Monica Mountains communities of Los Angeles County.