| Chapter 356 |
| 2025 -- H 6207 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED Enacted 06/30/2025 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- THE STATEWIDE IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS FOR A BEVERAGE CONTAINER REDEMPTION, PACKAGING, AND RECYCLING PLAN |
Introduced By: Representatives McEntee, Knight, Bennett, Boylan, Carson, McGaw, Cortvriend, Donovan, Handy, and Kazarian |
| Date Introduced: April 09, 2025 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "HEALTH AND SAFETY" is hereby |
| amended by adding thereto the following chapter: |
| CHAPTER 19.19 |
| THE STATEWIDE IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS FOR A BEVERAGE CONTAINER |
| REDEMPTION, PACKAGING, AND RECYCLING PLAN |
| 23-19.19-1. Short title. |
| This chapter shall be known and may be cited as "The Statewide Implementation Analysis |
| for a Beverage Container Redemption, Packaging, and Recycling Plan". |
| 23-19.19-2. Statewide implementation analysis for a beverage container redemption, |
| packaging, and recycling plan. |
| (a) The department of environmental management (DEM), in collaboration with the |
| department of administration (DOA), and the Rhode Island resource recovery corporation |
| (RIRRC), shall commission a statewide needs assessment to determine the infrastructure, policy, |
| and programmatic requirements necessary to support a statewide redemption and recycling plan |
| including packaging materials, paper products, standard and miniature size beverage containers |
| including, but not limited to, aluminum and bimetal containers, glass containers, plastic containers, |
| and other priority materials as designated by the department. |
| (b) By October 29, 2025, the department shall procure an independent third-party |
| consultant with relevant expertise to conduct the assessment, which shall include: |
| (1) A baseline solid waste and recycling analysis, which shall include an analysis of the |
| following: |
| (i) A characterization of the statewide solid waste stream by material type, quantity, source, |
| and disposal method; |
| (ii) A breakdown of recyclable and compostable materials by jurisdiction, type, collection |
| method, and end-market destination; |
| (iii) An analysis of materials that are currently not captured but are recyclable; and |
| (iv) Current costs and revenues associated with municipal solid waste, recycling, and |
| composting operations, including tipping fees and contract terms. |
| (2) An infrastructure and capacity evaluation, which shall include an evaluation of the |
| following: |
| (i) An analysis and inventory of existing collection, sorting, and processing infrastructure, |
| including materials recovery facilities (MRFs), composting operations, and transfer stations; |
| (ii) An assessment of processing capacity gaps and identification of capital investments |
| required to expand local and regional processing; |
| (iii) A review of reuse and refill systems, including reverse logistics and retail-based |
| programs; and |
| (iv) An evaluation of current contamination and litter rates, material flow logistics, and |
| gaps in access to curbside and drop-off collection services. |
| (3) An assessment of environmental geographic considerations, which shall include an |
| assessment of the following: |
| (i) A demographic and geographic analysis of waste service access and participation; |
| (ii) An evaluation of public outreach, education, and participation in reuse and recycling |
| programs; and |
| (iii) Recommendations to enhance job quality, health, and safety for facility and collection |
| workers. |
| (4) Economic and market impacts, which shall include the following: |
| (i) Identification of lost economic value due to landfilling of recyclable materials; |
| (ii) Job estimates and business opportunities related to increased material recovery, |
| recycling, and reuse; |
| (iii) Barriers and recommendations for developing local end-markets and supply chains |
| that utilize recovered and redeemed materials; and |
| (iv) A cost-benefit analysis of a redemption and comprehensive recycling program |
| framework for all impacted parties. |
| (5) A redemption and recycling plan design review, which shall include the following: |
| (i) An evaluation of successful redemption and recycling program designs in peer states; |
| (ii) Recommendations for a Rhode Island redemption fee; and |
| (iii) An analysis of environmental benefits, including greenhouse gas reductions, material |
| recovery targets, and reduced litter and marine debris. |
| (iv) Consideration of recommendations provided in the final report of the special joint |
| legislative bottle waste commission to study and provide recommendations to protect our |
| environment and natural resources from plastic waste. |
| (v) Consideration of the program proposed in H6207/S0996 as introduced in the general |
| assembly January session AD. 2025. |
| (6) Suggested performance targets and phasing recommendations, which shall include the |
| following: |
| (i) Diversion goals, timetables, and metrics for assessing success under low, moderate, and |
| high-impact implementation scenarios; |
| (ii) Recommendations for investment timelines, education campaigns, and dashboard |
| designs, and reporting protocols to ensure transparency and accountability; and |
| (iii) Recommendations for addressing specific items in the waste stream including, but not |
| limited to, miniature size beverage containers. |
| (iv) An analysis of the performance targets and implementation timelines proposed in |
| H6207/S0996 as introduced in the general assembly January session AD. 2025. |
| (c) The implementation analysis pursuant to this section shall be conducted with input from |
| municipalities, quasi-public agencies, and regional planning entities and shall include direct input |
| from industry stakeholders and impacted communities. |
| 23-19.19-3. Rhode Island redemption and recycling advisory council. |
| (a) DEM shall convene a Rhode Island redemption and recycling advisory council to |
| provide guidance, review preliminary findings, and make recommendations throughout the |
| assessment process. |
| (b) The advisory council shall include, but not be limited to: |
| (1) One representative from each of the five (5) counties of the State of Rhode Island, |
| including Bristol County, Kent County, Newport County, Providence County, and Washington |
| County from the public works department or with waste management authority; |
| (2) One representative from a Rhode Island-based packaging or consumer goods producer; |
| (3) One representative from a materials recovery facility operating in Rhode Island; |
| (4) One representative from a composting or organics processing facility; |
| (5) One representative from a Rhode Island reuse or refill systems operator; and |
| (6) One academic or scientific expert on waste systems, environmental health, or circular |
| economy. |
| 23-19.19-4. Rhode Island redemption and recycling advisory report. |
| (a) The department shall, prior to the final report required by this section, hold at least one |
| public hearing to solicit input on the draft implementation analysis before its finalization. |
| (b) An interim status report shall be submitted to the governor, the speaker of the house, |
| the senate president, and the chairs of the house and senate environment committees no later than |
| April 1, 2026. |
| (c) The final report, including findings and recommendations, shall be submitted to the |
| governor, the speaker of the house, the senate president, and the chairs of the house and senate |
| environment committees no later than December 1, 2026. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC002622/SUB A/2 |
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