U.S. Senate Legislation Would Expand Metals Recycling

On April 19, three members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works — Chair Tom Carper (D-Del.), Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), and Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) — reintroduced two pieces of bipartisan legislation that would improve U.S. recycling and composting systems.

Specifically:

• The Recycling and Composting Accountability Act would improve the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to gather data on U.S. recycling systems and explore opportunities for implementing a national composting strategy. The legislation also would require EPA to collect and publish data on recycling and composting rates across the country to provide an accurate reflection of performance both nationwide and at the state level. This information is critical to improving existing recycling and composting programs and evaluating future recycling policies, the senators said.
• The Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act of 2023 would allow the EPA to create a pilot program to improve recycling services in underserved areas. The program would award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities for improving recycling accessibility in a community or communities within the same geographic area. The goal of the program is to fund eligible projects that would significantly improve access to recycling systems in underserved communities through the use of a hub-and-spoke model for recycling infrastructure development.

Members of the U.S. Senate approved both bills by unanimous consent in the last Congress, but, unfortunately, the U.S. of Representatives did not act on the measures.