Bill > H925

This bill aims to increase recycling access and efficiency in Massachusetts by first defining key terms like "recyclable," "recycling," and "post-consumer recyclables" in Chapter 21H of the General Laws. The bill mandates that all cities and towns providing curbside waste removal must also offer curbside recycling pickup, and facilities with waste drop-off sites must provide recycling options. It prohibits mixing recyclable materials with solid waste destined for disposal and requires waste collection services to provide single or dual stream recycling collection for residential and commercial customers, including appropriately sized containers. Specifically, the bill defines recyclable materials as pre-sorted items like metal, glass, plastic, and paper containers, packaging, and various paper grades, while excluding organic materials and construction waste. Recycling is defined as recovering materials for reuse in industrial processes or as substitutes for commercial products, explicitly excluding energy recovery through combustion. The bill requires recycling collection services to occur at least once every two weeks, with the overall goal of reducing solid waste, lowering management costs, protecting the environment, and increasing citizens' access to recycling.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H925