49-837. Recycling fund; use; advisory committee

A. A recycling fund is established to be administered by the director. The fund consists of monies appropriated by the legislature, gifts, grants, donations and monies derived from the landfill disposal fees in section 49-836. Monies derived from landfill disposal fees are subject to legislative appropriation. Monies in the fund are exempt from lapsing under section 35-190. On notice from the director, the state treasurer shall invest and divest monies in the fund as provided by section 35-313, and monies earned from investment shall be credited to the fund.

B. Monies from the recycling fund shall be used for the following purposes:

1. Grants to or contracts with political subdivisions, nonprofit organizations or private enterprise for research, demonstration projects, new technologies, market development and source reduction studies and implementation of the recommendations or reports prepared pursuant to this article.

2. Public information, public education and technical assistance programs concerning litter control, recycling and source reduction.

3. The collection and administration of monies in the fund.

4. The administration of this article.

5. The administration of the Arizona commerce authority's recycled market development program.  At the end of each fiscal year, any funds not spent by the authority for this purpose shall be returned to the fund.

6. The department's solid waste control program activities prescribed in this chapter and in title 44.

C. In making expenditures pursuant to subsection B, paragraph 2 of this section, the director shall ensure that counties having a population of less than five hundred thousand persons receive benefits in proportion to their contributions to the fund.

D. The director shall appoint an advisory committee to advise the director on the use of monies in the recycling fund. The advisory committee shall consist of two representatives from private solid waste collection businesses, two representatives from private solid waste recycling businesses, four representatives from political subdivisions that have implemented recycling and source reduction programs, at least one of whom resides in a county having a population of fewer than five hundred thousand persons, and one representative of the general public. The members of the committee serve at the pleasure of the director and are not eligible to receive compensation, and the committee is an advisory committee for purposes of title 38, chapter 3, article 3.1.