A climate bill has done what years of trying to enact waste stream specific EPR bills have not. At the end of November, Massachusetts Governor Healey signed into law An Act promoting a clean energy grid, advancing equity, and protecting ratepayers. It’s a climate law of considerable scope primarily focused on clean energy, its infrastructure, and costs. Tucked away in Section 108 is a requirement to establish a commission to recommend EPR policies for The Commonwealth.
This new 20 member commission, in conjunction with experts and the public, will be responsible for:
- Recommending EPR policies and strategies for paint, mattresses, electronics, lithium-ion batteries, plastics and other packaging
- Note that beverage containers were excluded from the commission’s scope
- Proposing processes for collection and processing
- Identifying financial impacts, responsible parties, and system costs
- Incentivizing product reduction, reuse and lifecycle extension
This research and recommend legislation follow the example of work being done in Illinois and Maryland, that are currently in the process of assessing best practices, what is needed in their state, and developing EPR recommendations for packaging waste.
Once staffed, the commission is expected to start holding meetings in early 2025. It is likely that the first bills based on committee recommendations will not be submitted until sometime in 2026.
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Published December 11, 2024
Image generated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence.