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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 669 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 450
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Cynthia Stone Creem
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to reduce plastic packaging waste.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Cynthia Stone CreemNorfolk and MiddlesexCarmine Lawrence Gentile13th Middlesex2/10/2023Jason M. LewisFifth Middlesex2/17/2023John F. KeenanNorfolk and Plymouth3/5/2023 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 669 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 450
By Ms. Creem, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 450) of Cynthia Stone Creem,
Carmine Lawrence Gentile, Jason M. Lewis and John F. Keenan for legislation to establish the
Sustainable Food Service Ware Act. Environment and Natural Resources.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 503 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to reduce plastic packaging waste.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 21 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition,
2is hereby amended by inserting the following section:
3 Section 68. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context
4clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-
5 “Biodegradable”, entirely made of organic materials such as wood, paper, bagasse or
6cellulose; or bioplastics that meet the American Society for Testing and Materials D7081
7standard.
8 “Compostable”, bioplastic materials certified to meet the American Society for Testing
9and Materials standard D6400 or D6868. 2 of 2
10 “Food establishment”, an operation that stores, prepares, packages, serves, vends, or
11otherwise provides food for human consumption. This includes without limitation restaurants
12and food trucks.
13 “Recyclable”, material that can be sorted, cleansed, and reconstituted for the purpose of
14using the altered form in the manufacture of a new product.
15 “Reusable”, food service ware that can be used more than once in the same form by a
16food establishment.
17 (b) All retail food establishments shall use food service ware that is biodegradable,
18compostable, recyclable, or reusable for any food prepared or packaged on premises.
19 (c) The department shall promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary for the
20enforcement of this section.