We are in the middle of our 2 year state legislative cycle, the 194th General Court, which began in January 2025 and will end July 31, 2026.
Below is an update on the initiatives Zero Waste Arlington is following at the State House.
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Expanded Bottle bills
Bills under consideration generally include the following provisions:
- Increase the redemption fee from 5 to 10 cents.
- Expand the types of containers covered to include sports drinks, fruit drinks, teas, nips, water and other noncarbonated beverages.
- Increase the handling fees paid to retailers and redemption centers.
- Establish a Clean Environmental fund funded by unclaimed deposits which will finance solid waste management and environmental practices...
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Reduce the sale of single use plastics
Numerous bills filed target items including single use plastic bags, polystyrene, restaurant cutlery, straws and stirrers, water bottles, and black plastic.
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Implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies
EPR is a legislated directive that places primary responsibility on producers for the reuse, buyback, recycling, or disposal of their products at their end life. The strategy shifts the preponderance of responsibility for collecting, transporting, and managing end-of-life products away from local governments and consumers and onto manufacturers.
Commodities being considered for EPR implementation include paper & packaging, paint, mattresses, electronics, and lithium-ion batteries.
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There are an estimated 8000 bills that have been filed in the current legislative session. Only a small fraction get enacted into law.
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But with public support and action, we have a better chance to move these bills towards the finish line.
As we begin the final stretch toward the end of this session, the pace of activity is picking up and we expect one or more waste related bills to gain traction. We will keep you informed of the status of bills that we are following, and when needed will ask for your timely support to move them forward.
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Many thanks for your interest.
Paul Goldberg
Zero Waste Arlington Committee
