(a) As part of the annual report required to be submitted by the board to the Legislature pursuant to Section 40507 on or before March 1, 2003, the board shall include a report on new and emerging conversion technologies, including, but not limited to, noncombustion thermal technologies, including gasification and pyrolysis, chemical technologies such as acid hydrolysis or distillation, and biological technologies, other than composting, such as enzyme hydrolysis. The board shall only evaluate those conversion technologies that provide demonstrated environmental benefits over the transformation and disposal of solid waste.
(b) The report required by subdivision (a) shall contain all of the following:
(1) Specific and discrete definitions and descriptions of each conversion technology evaluated.
(2) A description and evaluation of the life-cycle environmental and public health impacts of each conversion technology in comparison to those environmental and public health impacts from the transformation and disposal of solid waste.
(3) A description and evaluation of the technical performance characteristics, feedstocks, emissions, and residues used by each conversion technology and identification of the cleanest, least polluting conversion technologies.
(4) A description and evaluation of the impacts on the recycling and composting markets as a result of each conversion technology.
(c) The board shall require that the report be subject to an external scientific peer review process conducted pursuant to Section 57004 of the Health and Safety Code.
(d) The board shall consult with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission and other state, federal, or international governmental agencies in preparing the report required by this section.
(Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 740, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2003.)