Bill > H1037

This bill aims to increase transparency and accountability for Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs), which are facilities that process and recycle post-consumer materials. The legislation requires MRFs to provide detailed regular reports to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, including information about the weight of incoming and outgoing materials, commodity compositions, contamination levels, and destinations of recycled materials. Key provisions mandate that MRFs use third-party audits to determine the composition of incoming and outgoing materials, report their pricing to industry indices, and provide index value information to municipalities. The bill also limits fees for contamination to no more than 150% of actual disposal costs and requires MRFs to meet specific waste disposal standards. MRFs must use the most recently reported commodity compositions and index values when invoicing municipal customers, and if no index exists for a particular commodity, they must provide primary documentation of how its value was determined. The department is required to establish regulations by July 1, 2026, with most provisions taking effect on January 1, 2026. The overall goal is to increase transparency, ensure fair pricing, and improve the efficiency and accountability of recycling facilities.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1037