Legislative Information on Recycling in Massachusetts

Legislative Information

MassRecycle's Legislative page contains information about recycling legislation in Massachusetts. Within these pages you will find links to the Solid Waste Master Plan, Waste Bans, the Bottle Bill and the State Budget. Most importantly, look below to learn how you can get involved.

Existing Legislation & Regulations:

Solid Waste Master Plan | Waste Bans | Bottle Bill | More on the Bottle Bill | Department Approved Recycling Program (DARP)

Current Legislative Developments
Legislative Developments (updated 6/4/2008)
MassRecycle supports the bills listed below which are currently before our legislators. If you would like to contact the elected official related to these bills, click here.

Updated Bottle Bill
The current Bottle Bill law is no longer working as intended, largely because consumers have changed their beverage container preferences to types not covered under the law. These update bills aim to solve this problem by adding a deposit to most of these newer containers. This legislation is currently in the Telecommunication, Utilities and Energy Committee and MassRecycle is lobbying hard to have the committee report the bill favorably to the full house and senate for a vote.

An Act to Improve Recycling Rates in the Commonwealth (H 3356)
An Act to Improve Recycling in the Commonwealth (S 1935)

Clean Environment Fund
The Clean Environment Fund, created in 1989, was established to support recycling programs using unclaimed bottle deposits. It was eliminated in 2002 by Governor Romney to free funds to balance the budget. This legislation aims to reinstate the fund and use the unclaimed bottle deposits for the purpose they were originally intended. This legislation is currently in the Telecommunication, Utilities and Energy Committee and MassRecycle is lobbying hard to have the committee report the bill favorably to the full house and senate for a vote.

An Act to Reinstate the Clean Environment Fund (H 792)
An Act Reinstating the Clean Environment Fund to Reduce Waste and Protect the Environment in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (S 1923)

Massachusetts Electronic Equipment Recycle Bill
This bill would require manufacturers of televisions and certain other large electronic equipment to provide services for recycling those products.

An Act to Require Producer Responsibility for Recycling of Discarded Electronic Products (H864)

Massachusetts Plastic Bag Bill
This bill would impose an excise or plastic carryout bags.

An Act Imposing an Excise on the Use of Plastic Carryout Bags in Certain Stores (S2521)

Updated 2/1/2008: Stay tuned! Hearings for each of these bills have been scheduled this spring, so check back for more information and to learn what you can do to get them passed.

Additional Legislation of Interest to MassRecycle (NOT yet officially endorsed by MassRecycle)

Boston City Plastic Bag Ban
Boston City Councilman Consalvo introduced a measure this past April that could limit or ban the use of disposable plastic bags within the city limits. No recent action has been taken on this.

Green Building Income & Excise Tax Credit

An act to establish a green building income and excise tax credit for the use of certain environmental practices (H2902)
HEARING ALERT: Public Hearing May 14, 2008 at 12 pm at the State House (Room B-1)

National Bottle Bill
This bill would create a national system for bottle deposits.

Bottle Recycling Climate Protection Act of 2007 (HR 4238)

National Mining Bill
This bill seeks to require mining companies to pay fees when they mine on public lands, provides money for cleanup of abandoned mines and gives environmental oversight of mining activities to safeguard local environment and water supply.

Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007 (HR 2262)

Discussions on Current Bills

Click to join MassRecycle's Listserv through Yahoo Groups!

The Listserve posts much information concerning the state budget, including:

Updates on current goings-on
Legislative budget timelines
Sample letters and talking points sent to legislators
Contact information for legislators, the Governor, and EOEA
State House meeting/hearing information
Related editorials & newspaper articles

State Budget Information

Released from Senate Budget for Fiscal Year 2009
This budget was finalized as of May 22nd. Opportunities to contact your local legislator in the Budget Conference Committee will be coming soon.

2010-0100 the budget was actually dropped by about 200,000 against the suggestion of the House WM, following the govenor’s suggestion..

2010-0100 For recycling and related purposes consistent with the recycling plan of the solid waste master plan which includes municipal equipment, a municipal recycling incentive program, recycled product procurement, guaranteed annual tonnage assistance, recycling transfer stations, source reduction and technical assistance, consumer education and participation campaign, municipal household hazardous waste program, the recycling loan program, research and development, recycling market development and recycling business development, and the operation of the Springfield materials recycling facility; provided, that funds may be expended for a recycling industry reimbursement program pursuant to section 241 of chapter 43 of the acts of 1997; and provided further, that funds may be expended on municipal recycling incentives and equipment grants ................................................................ $1,961,987

2010-0200 For redemption centers; provided, that the department of environmental protection shall expend the funds appropriated in this item for a program to preserve the continuing ability of redemption centers to maintain operations in pursuit of the commonwealth’s recycling goals consistent with section 323 of chapter 94 of the General Laws; provided further, that for the purposes of this item and said chapter 94, a redemption center shall be any business registered with the commonwealth whose primary purpose is the redemption of reusable beverage containers; provided further, that the program shall take into consideration the volume of redeemables per redemption center, the length of time the center has been in operation, the number of returnables redeemed quarterly by the centers, the submission by the centers of documentation of their redeemed returnables to the department and the costs of transportation, packing, storage and labor; and provided further, that a redemption center shall be eligible for the funds if registered with the commonwealth as of April 1, 2003.................... $550,000

Department of Public Utilities	$17,480,188	$2,375,000	$19,855,188
Division of Energy Resources	$738,380	$0	$738,380
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs	$5,512,375	$625,000	$6,137,375
Department of Environmental Protection	$44,595,780	$1,200,000	$45,795,780
Department of Fish and Game	$14,077,526	$217,989	$14,295,515
Department of Agricultural Resources	$4,564,025	$0	$4,564,025
Department of Conservation and Recreation	$14,632,432	$10,054,826	$24,687,258
TOTALS :	$101,600,706	$14,472,815	$116,073,521

History of MassRecycle's Work
MassRecycle has done terrific work in the past in following the state budget situation and being an advocate for increased recycling spending.

Current FY 2009 buget request submitted by the governor to the state legislature has slashed nearly $200,000 in funding for recycling coordination, solid waste management programs and projects and $34,000 from money supporting recycling and redemption centers. MassRecycle is urging the legislature to increase funding for these items to at least FY 2008 levels.
During the FY 2008 budget cycle, MassRecycle members urged the Conference Committee to match the House of Representative's recommended level of funding for recycling coordination. While this funding level is a far cry from those of previous years, we successfully kept them from funding it at a lower level.
During the FY 2004 budget cycle MassRecycle coordinated a huge grassroots effort to keep $3.5 million in the recycling budget.
MassRecycle went into high gear again in November 2003 when we heard that EOEA planned to zero out the recycling line in the governor's FY 2005 budget. MassRecycle members and municipal officials also testified at Executive Office of Environmental Affairs' (EOEA) FY05 budget hearing. Apparently, the comments regarding recycling outweighed comments on all other budget items. Our efforts were successful.

History of the Commonwealth's budget for recycling and solid waste management programs (line item 2010-0100).
In $ million

FY 2000	FY 2001	FY 2002	FY 2003	FY 2004	FY 2005	FY 2006	FY 2007	FY 2008	H1 FY 2009
9.499	7.645	7.407	3.506	2.138	1.976	2.161	2.305	2.148	1.962

State Budget Timetable:

November to December ~ Agencies develop budgets
Late January ~ Governor releases budget
April ~ House of Representatives releases their budget
May ~ Senate releases their budget
June ~ Conference Committee meets to finalize budget
June ~ Governor makes his/her vetos
Late June ~ Possible overrides take place in House and Senate

Get Involved: How to Communicate with Your Legislators

Writing a Letter^1,2

Sample letters to your elected official:
Letter to Elected Official
Sample Letter-Do Not Copy

When writing a letter, this list of suggestions will improve its effectiveness:

Individually written letters, rather than mass generated form letters, make a greater impression on your legislator. Be sure to include your name, address, and phone number.
Be specific. Your purpose for writing should be stated in the first paragraph of the letter. If your letter pertains to a specific piece of legislation, be sure to identify its full name and number, e.g. House Bill: H_____, Senate Bill: S_____.Try to send your letter while the issue is still alive.
Stay focused: Avoid writing a "laundry list" of issues. Be courteous and to the point, keeping your letter focused on one issue.
State clearly what you would like your reader to do.
State your position. Explain why you think s/he should do this. Help your reader understand the need for action on her/his part. Keep in mind that local examples concerning the impact of this legislation are very powerful.
Ask for a response. Indicate to your legislator that you would appreciate a reply containing his/her position on the issue.
Do not use a negative, condescending, threatening or intimidating tone.
Follow up. If you agree with your legislator's vote, take the time to let him/her know that. Similarly, if you disagree with his or her vote, inform your legislator.

Emailing Your Legislators¹

When e-mailing a legislator, make sure to:

Include a note in the subject line indicating that you are a constituent, such as "Message from a Recycling Supporter in District XX." Legislators want to hear from their own constituents, but often don't have the time to consider the opinions of people who live outside their district. (That's why you should not send a blanket e-mail to every legislator at the State House.)
Avoid informal language. An email to a legislator should be treated as seriously as a written letter. Resist the temptation to use the informal language and symbols often associated with email communications.
Sign the message with your full name and home address.
Ask them to write back if you are writing about a specific issue and want a response from your legislator. "I'm looking forward to your response on this important issue," for example. (If you don't need a response, legislators appreciate being told that too.)

Calling Your Legislators³

Since most telephone calls are often taken by a staff member and not the actual legislator, ask to speak with the aide who handles the issue you are interested in. If they are not available, leave a message. If you speak with someone other than your legislator, take down their name and title.

Upon reaching your state legislator on the phone, it's easiest to follow these four basic steps:

Identify yourself by name and the organization (if any) that you represent or the town from which you are calling.
Explain why you are calling: "I am calling to support/oppose House Bill: H_____, Senate Bill: S_____." Be polite and concise. Creating 1 or 2 talking points will focus the content of your message. Too much information may confuse your message. Ask your legislator his/her position on this issue. Don't assume that your legislator has prior knowledge of your issue. Be calm, respectful, and be prepared to educate, using local examples to accentuate your point.
Request a written response to your phone call if you did not speak to your legislative member. If the legislator requires further information, provide it as soon as possible.
Thank the person who took the phone call for their time and consideration.

Talking Points

MassRecycle's Recycling Benefits Webpage
MassRecycle's Economic Benefits Webpage
Mass Recycles Paper Save Money Webpage

Get Involved: VOTE

The best way to make you voice heard is by voting for politicians with strong stances on environmental issues. Below are some resources to help you make informed decisions:

To get background information on an elected official, visit Project Vote Smart
Find out where you can register to vote here
Find out where you can vote here.

Sources:

Minnesota Citizens for the Arts. Advocacy: Writing your legislators.
The Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania (PROPS). Communicating with State Legislatures: Pennsylvania Legislative Protocol: Tips for Writing Your State Legislators.
The Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania (PROPS). Communicating with State Legislatures: Pennsylvania Legislative Protocol: Tips for Calling Your State Legislators.

MassRecycle, Inc.
198 Tremont Street, Box 143
Boston, MA 02116
Phone: (617) 338-0244
Email: info@massrecycle.org