(a) Except as provided in Section 14573.6, a processor shall pay, by check or electronic transfer, to a certified recycling center, dropoff or collection program, or curbside program, for all types of empty beverage containers, by type of beverage container, received by the processor from a recycling center, curbside program, or dropoff or collection program, upon receipt by the certified processor of a shipping report from the supplier of the material, in the form adopted by the regulations adopted by the department. A processor shall not make the payment in cash. The payment shall include the sum of all of the following amounts:

(1) The refund value.

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(2) Three-fourths of 1 percent of the refund value for administrative costs.

(3) The processing payment established pursuant to Section 14575.

(b) The processor shall make the payment required in subdivision (a) within two working days of the date that the processor receives these empty beverage containers, or within the time which the department determines to be necessary and adequate. Under the procedures authorized by the department, the department may authorize a certified recycling center to cancel containers, and a certified processor may authorize a certified recycling center to cancel containers on behalf of the certified processor.

(c) If the department has set up an accounts receivable procedure or other procedure for seeking the payment of money improperly obtained by a certified recycling center from the fund, the department may reimburse the processor for its payments to that certified recycling center.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 977, Sec. 2. (SB 38) Effective January 1, 2023.)