Bill > S401

This bill mandates that the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs conduct a comprehensive investigation and study to explore ways to improve statewide recycling programs and municipal waste management. The study will examine the financial implications, legal and regulatory obstacles, existing laws, funding opportunities through grants, new and current technologies, and the necessity for new infrastructure. It will also specifically assess the potential for expanding recycling in public spaces and urban areas, curbside and multi-unit dwelling recycling, and composting initiatives. Furthermore, the office will investigate the feasibility of a statewide pilot program for single-stream recycling, analyzing its costs and benefits, including a long-term cost-benefit analysis comparing the value of recycled materials to the value of waste diverted from landfills. Finally, the study will explore implementing a data-driven sunset provision for the Massachusetts bottle deposit law, which is a program requiring a deposit on certain beverage containers to encourage their return and recycling; this provision would repeal the bottle deposit law once the statewide recycling rate for municipal solid waste equals the recycling rate for containers covered by the deposit program. The findings and any proposed legislation will be reported to relevant legislative committees by December 31, 2016.