Bill > H4780

This bill establishes a special commission on municipal solid waste, comprised of 13 members including state officials, legislative appointees, and representatives from various organizations like the Massachusetts Municipal Association, the American Public Works Association, the Government Finance Officers Association, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, and the waste and recycling, waste reduction, and environmental communities. The commission's purpose is to examine ways to reduce municipal waste and increase recycling, composting, source reduction, and other beneficial materials management practices, aiming for cost savings for cities and towns, progress towards greenhouse gas reduction goals set by the Global Warming Solutions Act, resource preservation, green job creation, and a target of no more than 450 pounds of municipal solid waste per capita annually. The commission will assess current waste disposal capacity, analyze the composition of municipal solid waste to identify reduction potential, evaluate the effectiveness of existing waste reduction goals, identify cost-effective options for waste reduction and increased recycling, and review best practices from local governments in Massachusetts and other states. By September 1, 2017, the commission is required to submit a report detailing its findings, reviewing the impacts of current goals and potential improvements, analyzing financial and climate change impacts of better waste management, and recommending specific legal and regulatory changes to achieve these objectives.