(a)The California Consumer Education and Outreach Program is hereby established. As part of the program, covered entities, in collaboration with other covered entities, shall do all of the following:
(1)Participate in a collection study conducted in collaboration with wastewater agencies for the purpose of gaining understanding of consumer behavior regarding the flushing of covered products as a key input into the design of a consumer education and outreach program. The collection study shall be jointly coordinated by the California Association of Sanitation Agencies and a group of covered entities.
(2)Conduct a consumer opinion survey to identify baseline consumer behavior and awareness regarding the flushing or other disposal of covered products.
(3)Measure effectiveness of the consu
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(a)
The California Consumer Education and Outreach Program is hereby established. As part of the program, covered entities, in collaboration with other covered entities, shall do all of the following:
(1)
Participate in a collection study conducted in collaboration with wastewater agencies for the purpose of gaining understanding of consumer behavior regarding the flushing of covered products as a key input into the design of a consumer education and outreach program. The collection study shall be jointly coordinated by the California Association of Sanitation Agencies and a group of covered entities.
(2)
Conduct a consumer opinion survey to identify baseline consumer behavior and awareness regarding the flushing or other disposal of covered products.
(3)
Measure effectiveness of the consumer education program on consumer awareness of the symbol and label notice and consumer attitudes about disposal of covered products by conducting a subsequent consumer awareness survey comparing the baseline data provided by the 2022 survey with survey data from subsequent years. The surveys to determine the effectiveness and ongoing success of the consumer education program shall take place annually until December 31, 2026.
(b)
Covered entities, either independently or in collaboration with other covered entities or other organizations, shall conduct a comprehensive multimedia
education and outreach program in the state. At a minimum, the education and outreach program shall do both of the following:
(1)
Promote consumer awareness and understanding of and compliance with the symbol and label notice requirements. Covered entities shall provide wastewater agencies with the consumer education messaging for the symbol and the label notice. The wastewater agencies may include the messaging as part of their routine communications with customers within their service area.
(2)
Provide education and outreach in Spanish and English.
(c)
Covered entities shall take reasonable steps to ensure that they do not promote products outside of the scope of this part as part of the education and outreach
program.
(d)
Covered entities shall take reasonable steps to ensure that their education and outreach program does not conflict with the programs of other covered entities or groups of covered entities.
(e)
Covered entities, either independently or in collaboration with other covered entities, shall report to the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality, the Assembly Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, and the State Water Resources Control Board on their activities under this section on an annual basis. The State Water Resources Control Board shall post the reports on its internet website.
(f)
The California Consumer Education and Outreach Program shall conclude on December 31, 2026.
(g)
This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed.