Section 11374.5 - Unlawful disposal of hazardous substances or hazardous waste[See Note](a) Any manufacturer of a controlled substance who disposes of any hazardous substance that is a controlled substance or a chemical used in, or is a byproduct of, the manufacture of a controlled substance in violation of any law regulating the disposal of hazardous substances or hazardous waste is guilty of a public offense punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for two, three, or four years or in the county jail not exceeding one year.(b)(1) In addition to any other penalty or liability imposed by law, a person who is convicted of violating subdivision (a), or any person who is convicted of the manufacture, sale, possession for sale, possession, transportation, or disposal of any hazardous substance that is a controlled substance or a chemical used in, or is a byproduct of, the manufacture of a controlled substance in violation of any law, shall pay a penalty equal to the amount of the actual cost incurred by the state or local agency to remove and dispose of the hazardous substance that is a controlled substance or a chemical used in, or is a byproduct of, the manufacture of a controlled substance and to take removal action with respect to any release of the hazardous substance or any items or materials contaminated by that release, if the state or local agency requests the prosecuting authority to seek recovery of that cost. The court shall transmit all penalties collected pursuant to this subdivision to the county treasurer of the county in which the court is located for deposit in a special account in the county treasury. The county treasurer shall pay that money at least once a month to the agency that requested recovery of the cost for the removal action. The county may retain up to 5 percent of any assessed penalty for appropriate and reasonable administrative costs attributable to the collection and disbursement of the penalty.(2) If the Department of Toxic Substances Control has requested recovery of the cost of removing the hazardous substance that is a controlled substance or a chemical used in, or is a byproduct of, the manufacture of a controlled substance or taking removal action with respect to any release of the hazardous substance, the county treasurer shall transfer funds in the amount of the penalty collected to the Treasurer, who shall deposit the money in the Illegal Drug Lab Cleanup Account, which is hereby created in the General Fund in the State Treasury. The Department of Toxic Substances Control may expend the money in the Illegal Drug Lab Cleanup Account, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to cover the cost of taking removal actions pursuant to Article 16 (commencing with Section 79350) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 45.(3) If a local agency and the Department of Toxic Substances Control have both requested recovery of removal costs with respect to a hazardous substance that is a controlled substance or a chemical used in, or is a byproduct of, the manufacture of a controlled substance, the county treasurer shall apportion any penalty collected among the agencies involved in proportion to the costs incurred.(c) As used in this section the following terms have the following meaning:(1) "Dispose" means to abandon, deposit, intern, or otherwise discard as a final action after use has been achieved or a use is no longer intended.(2) "Hazardous substance" has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 78075.(3) "Hazardous waste" has the same meaning as defined in Section 25117.(4) For purposes of this section, "remove" or "removal" has the same meaning as set forth in Section 78135.Ca. Health and Saf. Code § 11374.5
Amended by Stats 2022 ch 258 (AB 2327),s 29, eff. 1/1/2023, op. 1/1/2024.Amended by Stats 2011 ch 39 (AB 117),s 68, eff. 6/30/2011.Amended by Stats 2011 ch 15 (AB 109),s 170, eff. 4/4/2011, but operative no earlier than October 1, 2011, and only upon creation of a community corrections grant program to assist in implementing this act and upon an appropriation to fund the grant program.