Page 44 - Plastics News February 2024

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Bills introduced in 2024 focus on EPR, bans

ment of Health to conduct a state- tic utensils except upon customer re-
wide needs assessment to inform the quest.
future establishment of an EPR pro- HB 1630 would create an EPR pro-
gram for packaging. gram for packaging.
SB 2576 and HB 1897 would prohibit HB 1636 would create a container
lodging establishments from providing deposit system.
personal care products in small plastic
containers. New Jersey:
Illinois: Assembly Bill 426 (carried over from
he 2024 legislative season is in full HB 4448 would ban stores or food last year) would repeal a ban on pro-
Tswing, with dozens of bills filed so service businesses from providing or viding or selling some single-use prod-
far on extended producer responsi- selling single-use plastic bags and gro- ucts.
bility for packaging and regulation of cery stores from providing or selling A 1816 (carried over from last year)
plastic products. single-use paper bags. would prohibit the manufacture, sale,
Stewardship programs, extended SB 85 would create a container de- or promotion of consumer products
producer responsibility (EPR) pro- posit system. containing microbeads.
grams and bans on single-use plastic A 2776 (carried over from last year)
items are common so far, similar to SB 2816 would require public report- would exempt certain plastic materi-
last year. ing of the types and volumes of ma- als processed at chemical processing
terial treated at authorized recycling facilities from laws regulating solid
Here’s a quick rundown by state of facilities, composting facilities and mu-
some plastic-related bills that have nicipal landfills. waste disposal and recycling.
been introduced as of Jan. 22: S 208 (carried over from last year)
Kansas:
Florida: HB 1446 would prohibit cities and would establish EPR for packaging.

S 0036 and H 0455 would require the counties from regulating plastic and S 224 and A 2775 (carried over from
Department of Environmental Pro- other containers. last year) would set recyclability labe-
tection to develop a comprehensive ling requirements.
waste reduction and recycling plan. Maryland: S 964 (carried over from last year)

S 0498 would restrict local govern- HB 168 would require producers of would remove a ban on grocery
ments’ ability to regulate auxiliary certain plastic products to pay an an- stores providing single-use paper and
containers, wrappings, disposable nual fee and would establish minimum plastic bags.
plastic bags and polystyrene products, post-consumer recycled content re- New York:
giving any such regulation made by quirements. S 4246 (carried over from last year)
the state precedence. Massachusetts: would enact EPR for packaging.
a ban on local laws regulating auxil- S 570 would ban single-use plastic S 8361 would require all state agen-
iary containers, wrappings, disposable bags and single-use foodservice ware, cies and offices to stop buying single-
plastic bags and polystyrene products. regulate the use of plastic bottles, ex- use plastic water bottles and install
H 0905 would require consumers and plore EPR for packaging and encour- water bottle filling stations in state
dealers to pay deposit fees for speci- age composting. buildings.
fied beverage containers and get those Missouri: Rhode Island:
fees refunded upon redemption. HB 2419 would repeal a ban on lo- S 2051 would exempt reusable bags
Hawaii: cal governments regulating paper and from the state sales tax.

HB 1585 would prohibit state agen- plastic bags. H 7215 would mandate that food
cies from purchasing or using polysty- New Hampshire: service establishments only provide
rene food-service containers. HB 1207 would ban food service fa- single-use utensils to a customer upon
SB 2368 would require the Depart- cilities from providing disposable plas- request.
46 PLASTICS NEWS February 2024