Notes from recent meeting at State House

Recycling crisis, H447 "An act to reduce packaging waste in the Commonwealth"
State House, Room 348, Rep. Hecht host
June 5, 2018

Present:
Rep. Jonathan Hecht
staff from:
House W&M Chairman Jeffrey Sanchez’ office
Rep. Ruth Balser’s office
Rep. Claire Cronin’s office
Rep. David DeCoste’s office
Rep. Dylan Fernandes’ office
Rep. Kay Khan’s office
Rep. Paul McMurtry’s office
Sen. Vinnie DeMacedo’s office
MassRecycle:  Edward Hsieh
SSRC: Claire Galkowski  (also Mass​ Product Stewardship Council)​​, ​Julie Sullivan
Town of Plymouth volunteers​:  Ken Stone, John Hammond
 
On phone:  
Casella Waste and Recycling:  Mark Evans, Abbie Webb
Miller Recycling:  Bob Boucher
Republic Services:  Terry Grady
Town of Bedford/ Mass. P​roduct ​Stewardship C​ouncil​:  Edward McGrath
 
·         Impact of China embargo, Ardagh Glass plant closure on recycling industry, municipalities, environment:  China, our region’s outlet for about 30% of residential recyclables, has stopped accepting our material.  Main reason:  increasing amount of nonrecyclable material in the bales, especially soft plastics, food and liquids.  Values and outlets have plummeted, and costs have gone from $0-$60 or 70/ton for single stream material since last fall. Recycling facilities have huge backlogs of material with no place to go.  Article about crisis was on front page of Globe today.
·         Town of Plymouth suspending municipal curbside collection program end of month because of this.  Residents will pay much more to private haulers.
·         Disposal capacity projections in Mass. also point to fewer outlets.  Disposal capacity will be 10-20% below in state generation by 2022.
·         Casella Mark Evans: despite public outreach efforts, contamination rates still high, complicates sortation.  Problem has grown over past 10 years. “Wishful recycling” evident, especially with PAYT programs.  Rules are difficult to communicate. 
·         SSRC Recycling Education and Compliance Officer Julie Sullivan:  Consumers are confused by recycling symbols on non-recyclable materials, misleading messaging.  She sees much disgusting stuff in recycling, diapers and worse. Has tried many methods of communicating directly with residents, makes a marginal difference.
·         MassRecycle Director Ed Hsieh:  we aren’t communicating on the same level as producers who have millions in advertising budgets.  Waste bans prohibit disposal of recyclables at facility, but up to cities/towns to require it at point of generation. Public space kiosks with behavior science based signage in a few places; need more sophisticated marketing.
·         Role of packaging waste in recycling, disposal, embargo:  30% of all waste is packaging, 60% of recycling.  Producers have no responsibility for resultant waste.
·         Packaging stewardship models: EU, Canada producers must take physical custody of their disposed material. 
·          H447 would only require financial custody, maintain current infrastructure. Shared responsibility through a packaging fee to an expendable trust. Lower fee for recyclable, recycled and low volume packaging.  Would help reduce waste volume, improve quality of recyclables, and increase demand for recycled material. Funds used to bolster recycling infrastructure, outreach and education.
·         Packaging stewardship efforts in CT, CA are underway. 
·         In EU, unnecessary packaging eliminated altogether due to producer responsibility, i.e. toothpaste boxes. 
Discussion:

• Imports?  Importer responsible for fee.
• Online purchases, i.e. Amazon?  Should specify in bill.  They must charge sales tax, system is in place.
• Fee on producer of product, or of packaging?  Product; packagers would be too difficult to track.  Product manufacturers specify and select packaging. 
• Crisis is now, this would take time.  How can legislature help now?  Reduce contamination.  Need permanent enforcement, such as Ms. Sullivan’s lid-flipping (contaminated carts of recycling flagged for noncollection).  Unfunded in most municipalities. (n.b. commercial sector is a larger generator of waste than municipal)
• H447 is a more long term solution, need to start now.
• Paint, mattress industries are on board with product stewardship, bills are in play.
• Who else to engage?  Municipalities connect with legislators.  Manufacturers, Amazon. (n.b. SWANA is engaging now about this in DC).  P&G, Unilever are making efforts, others need compulsion. Change shipping standards (online retail).  Chairs of Cmte on Env, Nat res and Ag (reported favorably)- Rep. Hecht, McMurtry will connect.  Rep. Sanchez staff will share info.  MMA?  MassRecycle consults with their leg cmte,, re-engage now?