Bill > S1653

This bill mandates increased recycling efforts across various public spaces in Massachusetts, requiring state agencies, courts, and municipalities to provide recycling receptacles for glass containers, metal containers, paper, and plastic bottles in public buildings and open spaces by specific deadlines, with privately-owned high-traffic venues like stadiums and airports also needing to comply. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), led by the Commissioner, is tasked with creating rules and regulations to support these recycling initiatives, and lease agreements for state agencies and courts will need to include recycling provisions. The bill also outlines penalties for non-compliance, with fines varying for agencies, private facilities, and municipalities, and establishes a dedicated "sustainable materials management expendable trust" funded by these penalties to cover administrative costs for implementing and enforcing the act, including staff support and public education.