Discussion about Bill H.765, currently under consideration at the MA State House.

2. Why a “Universal Recycling” Bill?
• Munis provide recycling access to most residents served
•1 million residents are not served by municipal programs
• Focus for diversion has been on municipalities
• Many private customers opt out of “optional” recycling
• More recovery potential from commercial sector:
1 MassDEP 2011 Solid Waste Update, Table 2
2 MassDEP Municipal Solid Waste and Recycling
Surveys 2011
3 US Census Bureau Massachusetts Quick Facts
Total MSW: 4.9 million tons disposed 2011 1
Municipalities: 1.8 million tons disposed 2011 2,3
Remainder = commercial: 3.1 million tons

3. Current regulations
• MassDEP Waste Bans enforced at end of pipe
• high diminimis action levels
• difficult to ID generator
• low chance of NON or fine
• SWMP, p.21: Policy Objective One: “Increase recycling
and composting by businesses and institutions through
TA, a requirement on waste haulers to provide full
recycling services to their customers, more aggressive
enforcement of Waste Bans on haulers and generators”

4.  All residents, businesses and institutions must separate waste-banned
materials from the trash
 All waste haulers must provide offer adequate recyclables collection service
to all customers
 waste service customers that decline recycling service through their waste
hauler must sign a waiver that they have been informed, to be provided to
local health dept. and MassDEP.
 recycling service is included with solid waste collection service cost.
 All haulers must register with and report to MassDEP
 Waste Bans enforced from point of generation through the point of disposal.

5. Potential Impacts
Environmental:
 Recover valuable materials
 Eliminate need for new disposal capacity
 Reduce GGEs from manufacturing, disposal
Economic:
 Improve collection route efficiencies
 Create jobs
 Increase revenues/ Reduce costs?

6. Models
 76 Local ordinances in Mass.
 Waste haulers must provide recycling
service to all customers, document to town
 33: bundled pricing
 Some: businesses must recycle
 Enforcement by BOH: challenging
 Vermont Act 148: Universal recycling of solid waste
2012
 Delaware SB234: Universal Recycling Law 2010
 California AB341: Recycling Law 2012

7. The Hingham Model
 2012 Recycling and Dumpster regulations
 No recyclables in the trash
 All municipal, residential and commercial property
 Residents, businesses, haulers all liable to comply
 Haulers must report tons/month of recyclables to BOH
 Permit required for all dumpsters if TV property>4CY
 Enforcement by DPW, HD, FD, PD
 Compliance Coordinator partially funded through DEP grant
 Fines up to $500/day (nonhaz); revocation of permit
 Variances through BOH

8. Status
 13 Cosponsors
 Committee: Environment,
Natural Resources and Agriculture 617-722-2210
 Hearing date: 6/27/2013
 Presented to SWMs at MassRecycle Forum July 9
 Met with ENRA Chairman Gobi 9/13
 MassRecycle Stakeholder working group has met 3
times, will meet again soon
 Redraft to ENRA soon

9. Details details details…
 Who, how to coordinate permitting, reporting,
communication, enforcement
 Local officials
 Haulers
 MassDEP
 Add to Housing, Sanitary codes?
 Ensure level field for large and small haulers,
specialized recyclers

10. What’s next?
 Engage the municipal health community
 Address one issue at a time in Workgroup
 ENRA seeks a multi-stakeholder redraft of H765
 Join the discussion!
Together we can build
a better material
management
system

11. Claire Sullivan Galkowski, Executive Director
781.329.8318
ssrecyclingcoop@verizon.net

12. Source: MassDEP
2010-2020 Solid
Waste Master
Plan, Dec. 2012,
Fig, 5