(a) For purposes of this section, “spent dry cell battery containing zinc electrodes” means an alkaline or zinc-carbon battery, that meets all of the following conditions:
(1) It is an enclosed device or sealed container consisting of one or more voltaic or galvanic cells, electrically connected to produce electric energy, of any shape, including, but not limited to, button, coin, cylindrical, or rectangular, and designed for commercial, industrial, medical, institutional, or household use.
(2) It contains an electrode comprised of zinc or zinc oxide or a combination thereof, and a liquid starved or gelled electrolyte.
(3) It does not contain any constituent, other than zinc or zinc oxide, that would cause it to be classified as a hazardous waste pursuant to this chapter.
(4) It is discarded by the user.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a spent dry cell battery containing zinc electrodes is not a hazardous waste, and is not subject to the requirements of this chapter, if all of the following conditions are met:
(1) The spent dry cell battery containing zinc electrodes is disposed of in a permitted municipal solid waste landfill, as defined in Section 20164 of Title 27 of the California Code of Regulations, or in a permitted municipal solid waste transformation facility, as defined in Section 40201 of the Public Resources Code, or is accumulated for recycling.
(2) The spent dry cell battery containing zinc electrodes is not stored or accumulated for longer than 180 days. In addition, at least 75 percent, by weight or volume, of all spent dry cell batteries containing zinc electrodes stored or accumulated at a site during a calendar year shall be transferred to a different site for disposal or recycling during that calendar year.
(3) The spent dry cell battery containing zinc electrodes is stored, accumulated, and transferred in a manner that minimizes the possibility of fire, explosion, or any release of hazardous substances or hazardous waste constituents.
(Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 281, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1999.)