Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S570 Compare Versions

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22 SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2074 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
33 SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 570
44 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
55 _________________
66 PRESENTED BY:
77 Rebecca L. Rausch
88 _________________
99 To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
1010 Court assembled:
1111 The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
1212 An Act to reduce plastics.
1313 _______________
1414 PETITION OF:
1515 NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Rebecca L. RauschNorfolk, Worcester and MiddlesexJames B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/14/2023Jason M. LewisFifth Middlesex2/28/2023 1 of 11
1616 SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2074 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
1717 SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 570
1818 By Ms. Rausch, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 570) of Rebecca L. Rausch, James
1919 B. Eldridge and Jason M. Lewis for legislation to reduce plastics. Environment and Natural
2020 Resources.
2121 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
2222 _______________
2323 In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
2424 (2023-2024)
2525 _______________
2626 An Act to reduce plastics.
2727 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
2828 of the same, as follows:
2929 1 SECTION 1. The General Laws are hereby amended by inserting after chapter 21O the
3030 2following chapter:-
3131 3 CHAPTER 21P: MASSACHUSETTS PLASTICS REDUCTION ACT
3232 4 Section 1. As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the following meanings
3333 5unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
3434 6 “Biodegradable”, made entirely of organic materials, including wood, paper, bagasse and
3535 7cellulose.
3636 8 “Carryout bag”, a bag provided to a customer to hold items purchased from or serviced
3737 9by a retail establishment. A carryout bag does not include a bag: (i) provided by a pharmacy to a
3838 10customer purchasing prescription medication; (ii) used to protect items from damaging or
3939 11contaminating other purchased items placed in a recycled paper bag or a reusable grocery bag; 2 of 11
4040 12(iii) provided to contain an unwrapped food item; (iv) used to protect articles of clothing on a
4141 13hanger; (v) used to prevent frozen food items from thawing; (vi) containing products or items
4242 14that are saturated, wet, prone to leak or need to be immersed in a liquid; (vii) containing products
4343 15or items that are granular, powdery, dirty or greasy; or (viii) used to protect small items from
4444 16loss.
4545 17 “Compostable”, made entirely of material capable of being broken down or decomposed
4646 18at the end of its useful life into a beneficial soil amendment or conditioner. Composting shall not
4747 19include thermochemical processing.
4848 20 “Department”, the department of environmental protection.
4949 21 “Disposable”, designed to be discarded after a single or limited number of uses and not
5050 22designed or manufactured for long-term multiple reuse.
5151 23 “Food facility”, an operation that stores, prepares, packages, serves, vends, or otherwise
5252 24provides food to the public for human consumption, regardless of the intended location of such
5353 25consumption.
5454 26 “Food service ware”, disposable products used for serving or transporting foods or
5555 27beverages for human consumption, including without limitation plates, bowls, trays, cups,
5656 28cartons, hinged or lidded containers, straws, stirrers, cup spill plugs, cup sleeves, condiments
5757 29containers, utensils, cocktail sticks/picks, toothpicks, film wrap, and napkins. Food service ware
5858 30does not include detachable lids for beverage cups or food containers, coolers or ice chests.
5959 31 “Person”, an individual, partnership, trust, association, corporation, society, club,
6060 32institution, organization or other entity. 3 of 11
6161 33 “Postconsumer recycled material”, material used in a recycled paper bag that would
6262 34otherwise be destined for solid waste disposal, having completed its intended end use and
6363 35product life cycle, and that does not comprise any material or byproduct generated from, and
6464 36commonly reused within, an original manufacturing and fabrication process.
6565 37 “Recycle”, to separate, dismantle, or process the materials, components or commodities
6666 38in covered materials for the purpose of preparation for use or reuse in new products or
6767 39components. Recycling shall not include energy recovery or energy generation by means of
6868 40combustion including but not limited to pyrolysis, gasification and any other heat chemical
6969 41conversion processes, landfill disposal of discovered covered products, or discarded product
7070 42component materials.
7171 43 “Recycled paper bag”, a paper bag that is 100 per cent recyclable and contains at least 20
7272 44per cent postconsumer recycled material; provided, however, that a paper bag with a weight load
7373 45capacity of more than 8 pounds shall contain at least 40 per cent postconsumer recycled material.
7474 46 “Retail establishment”, a store or premises in which a person is engaged in the business
7575 47of selling or providing merchandise, goods, foods, or item servicing directly to customers,
7676 48including, but not limited to, grocery stores, department stores, pharmacies, convenience stores,
7777 49restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks and other mobile businesses, and seasonal and temporary
7878 50businesses, such as farmers markets and public markets; provided, however, that a “retail
7979 51establishment” shall include a non-profit organization, charity or religious institution that holds
8080 52itself out to the public as engaging and does engage in retail activities that are characteristic of
8181 53similar type retail businesses, whether or not for profit when engaging in such activity. 4 of 11
8282 54 “Reusable bag”, a bag that: is made of machine-washable cloth, fabric, hemp or other
8383 55woven or non-woven fibers; has handles that are stitched and not heat-fused; and is designed and
8484 56manufactured for multiple uses. A bag made of plastic film of any thickness is not a reusable
8585 57bag.
8686 58 “Serviced” or “Servicing”, the past or present act of cleaning, repairing, improving,
8787 59refinishing or altering an item owned by a customer by a person engaged in a retail business of
8888 60customarily providing such services, including, but not limited to, dry cleaning and tailoring
8989 61articles of clothing, jewelry repair and shoe and leather repair.
9090 62 Section 2. (a) A retail establishment shall not provide a customer with a carryout bag
9191 63unless such carryout bag is a recycled paper bag or a reusable bag; provided, however, that a
9292 64retail establishment shall charge a customer not less than ten cents per carryout bag; and
9393 65provided further, that a carryout bag purchased under this section shall not be subject to taxation
9494 66pursuant to chapter 64H or 64I.
9595 67 (b) A retail establishment shall remit five cents per recycled paper bag sold to the
9696 68commissioner of revenue at the same time and in the same manner as sales taxes are due to the
9797 69commonwealth. The department of revenue may promulgate regulations to facilitate the
9898 70collection of the fee set forth in this subsection.
9999 71 (c) Except as provided in subsection (b), a retail establishment shall retain amounts
100100 72charged to customers for carryout bags.
101101 73 (d) Nothing in this section shall prohibit: (i) a customer from bringing a personal bag
102102 74made or comprised of any material to a retail establishment to carry out items purchased from or
103103 75serviced by the retail establishment; or (ii) a retail establishment from selling or offering for sale 5 of 11
104104 76to customers packages containing several bags, products or goods with a protective or other bag
105105 77received from a manufacturer or distributor, or bags offered for sale as a product or merchandise
106106 78that are not carryout bags.
107107 79 (e) This section shall not apply to bags otherwise required to be used under state or
108108 80federal law or a nonprofit organization, charity or religious institution in the provision or
109109 81distribution of food, clothing or other items at no cost or substantially reduced cost.
110110 82 (f) A retail establishment that violates this section shall be subject to a warning for a first
111111 83violation, a civil penalty of not more than $500 for a second violation and a civil penalty of not
112112 84more than $1,000 for a third or subsequent violation. Each day a retail establishment is in
113113 85violation of this section shall be considered a separate violation.
114114 86 (g) Upon attestation to the department confirming satisfaction of the criteria set forth in
115115 87this subsection, this section shall not apply to retail establishments with not more than 3 store
116116 88locations under the same ownership; provided, however, that each location has not more than
117117 894,000 square feet of retail selling space and not more than 15 employees; and provided further,
118118 90that the retail establishment provided fewer than 15,000 carryout bags in total during the
119119 91previous calendar year. Retail establishments exempt under this subsection shall not be
120120 92prohibited from offering carryout bags for sale.
121121 93 Section 3. (a) A food facility shall not provide a customer with disposable food service
122122 94ware unless such food service ware is biodegradable or compostable; provided, however, that
123123 95drinking straws that are not biodegradable or compostable may be provided to a customer by the
124124 96customer. 6 of 11
125125 97 (b) A food facility may charge a customer a fee for disposable food service ware;
126126 98provided, however, that any such fee charged pursuant to this section shall not be subject to
127127 99taxation pursuant to chapter 64H or 64I; and provided further, that a food facility charging a fee
128128 100pursuant to this section shall retain the entirety of any such fee charged.
129129 101 (c) A food facility that violates this section shall be subject to a warning for a first
130130 102violation, a civil penalty of not more than $250 for a second violation and a civil penalty of not
131131 103more than $500 for a third and each subsequent violation. Each day a food facility is in violation
132132 104of this section shall be considered a separate violation.
133133 105 Section 4. The department shall establish a program to provide for recycling of child
134134 106passenger restraints, as defined in section 1 of chapter 90, and is hereby authorized to: (i)
135135 107implement state, local, or regional child passenger restraint recycling programs; (ii) accept
136136 108applications from municipalities for grants and to award grants to assist in the development or
137137 109establishment of local and regional child passenger restraint recycling projects; and (iii) to
138138 110partner or contract with private organizations to assist in the development or establishment of a
139139 111child passenger restraint recycling program.
140140 112 Section 5. No retail establishment shall sell or otherwise provide to a consumer alcoholic
141141 113beverages in plastic containers less than or equal to 100 milliliters. A retail establishment that
142142 114violates this section shall be subject to a warning for a first violation, a civil penalty of not more
143143 115than $150 for a second violation and a civil penalty of not more than $300 for a third and each
144144 116subsequent violation. Each day a retail establishment is in violation of this section shall be
145145 117considered a separate violation. 7 of 11
146146 118 Section 6. (a) No retail establishment shall sell or otherwise provide to a consumer plastic
147147 119bottles containing 1 liter or less of non-carbonated, non-flavored water, except as may be
148148 120required for safety, health, or emergency situations. A retail establishment that violates this
149149 121section shall be subject to a warning for a first violation, a civil penalty of not more than $150 for
150150 122a second violation and a civil penalty of not more than $300 for a third and each subsequent
151151 123violation. Each day a retail establishment is in violation of this section shall be considered a
152152 124separate violation.
153153 125 (b) State funds shall not be used to purchase plastic bottles containing 64 ounces or less
154154 126of non-carbonated, non-flavored water for use in facilities that are served by public water
155155 127supplies or potable well water, except as may be required for safety, health, or emergency
156156 128situations.
157157 129 Section 7. No ordinance, by-law or other rule or regulation inconsistent with the
158158 130provisions of this chapter may be adopted, promulgated or otherwise effectuated.
159159 131 Section 8. The department shall conduct an annual assessment of packaging production
160160 132and sales in the commonwealth. The assessment shall include, without limitation: the volume of
161161 133packaging made from plastics, metals, newsprint and other paper, glass, and other material
162162 134produced or sold in the commonwealth, delineated by material; the percentage of such packaging
163163 135deposited into a waste management stream, including recycling and composting, delineated by
164164 136material and waste management stream type; and of the packaging deposited into a waste
165165 137management stream, the percentage of recyclable or compostable material actually recycled or
166166 138composted, delineated by material. The department shall submit a report summarizing the
167167 139assessment to the senate and house committees on ways and means and the joint committee on 8 of 11
168168 140the environment, natural resources and agriculture not later than January 31 of each year for the
169169 141preceding calendar year. The department shall also provide access to the raw data of the
170170 142assessment. Each report and data set shall be a public record.
171171 143 Section 9. Except as otherwise provided, the department shall promulgate regulations to
172172 144implement the provisions of this chapter. The department may promulgate regulations to
173173 145increase: (i) the minimum postconsumer recycled material required for recycled paper bags; and
174174 146(ii) the fee established in subsection (b) of section 2.
175175 147 SECTION 2. Chapter 29 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
176176 148section 2QQQQQ the following section:-
177177 149 Section 2RRRRR. (a) There shall be an Environmental Protection Trust Fund. The fund
178178 150shall be expended to: improve the air, water, soil, or other environmental conditions for
179179 151environmental justice populations, as defined by section 62 of chapter 30; provide reusable bags
180180 152to environmental justice populations and individuals receiving benefits administered by the
181181 153department of transitional assistance at no cost; issue grants to small businesses that are
182182 154incorporated and have principal places of business in the commonwealth to assist in the
183183 155reduction of plastic use within each business, including without limitation small businesses in the
184184 156food service and production industries; and provide multilingual, culturally competent
185185 157educational materials and programming, including but not limited to experiential education,
186186 158regarding bag reuse and recycling and other aspects of environmental protection. The fund
187187 159shall consist of: (i) revenue from appropriations or other money authorized by the general court
188188 160and specifically designated to be credited to the fund; (ii) interest earned on such revenues; (iii)
189189 161funds from public and private sources, including but not limited to gifts, grants, donations, and 9 of 11
190190 162settlements received by the commonwealth that are specifically designated to be credited to the
191191 163fund; (iv) federal funds paid to the commonwealth designated to be credited to the fund; and (v)
192192 164monies paid to the commonwealth pursuant to chapter 21P. Any bond proceeds deposited into
193193 165the fund shall be kept separate from any and all other funds deposited into the fund. Any balance
194194 166in the fund at the close of a fiscal year shall be available for expenditure in subsequent fiscal
195195 167years and shall not be transferred to any other fund or revert to the general fund. 
196196 168 (b) The department of environmental protection shall administer the fund. Annually not
197197 169later than March 1, the department shall report on the activities of the fund from the previous
198198 170calendar year to the senate and house committees on ways and means and the joint committee on
199199 171environment, natural resources and agriculture. The department may promulgate regulations or
200200 172issue other guidance to implement this section. The department shall consult with the department
201201 173of transitional assistance to equitably implement the provision of no-cost reusable bags as set
202202 174forth in subsection (a). The department shall consult with the Massachusetts growth capital
203203 175corporation to equitably implement the provision of grants to small businesses to assist in the
204204 176reduction of plastic use.
205205 177 SECTION 3. The department of environmental protection shall prepare a plan to
206206 178establish comprehensive publicly accessible statewide composting. The plan shall be designed to
207207 179increase the rate at which food and organic waste is composted and reduce the contamination of
208208 180waste and recycling streams by compostable materials. Not later than August 31, 2024, the
209209 181department shall submit to the senate and house committees on ways and means and the joint
210210 182committee on the environment, natural resources and agriculture a report stating the plan and
211211 183indicating any resources necessary to implement the plan. Subject to appropriation, the
212212 184department shall implement the plan by December 31, 2025. 10 of 11
213213 185 SECTION 4. There shall be a special legislative commission for the purpose of
214214 186recommending to the legislature an extended producer responsibility plan for the commonwealth.
215215 187The commission shall include the commissioner of the department of environmental protection
216216 188or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the commissioner of the department of agricultural
217217 189resources, or a designee; the director of the office of business development, or a designee; an
218218 190appointee of the attorney general with expertise in consumer protection; an appointee of the
219219 191senate chair of the joint committee on environment, natural resources and agriculture; an
220220 192appointee of the house chair of the joint committee on environment, natural resources and
221221 193agriculture; and additional individuals appointed by the chair who represent packaging
222222 194producers, retailers, waste haulers, material recovery facility operators, municipalities, food
223223 195producers, farmers, statewide environmental protection organizations, statewide or community
224224 196environmental justice organizations, regional or community environmental protection
225225 197organizations, freshwater and marine litter programs, regional waste management entities, and
226226 198environmental and human health scientists. Each commission member may represent only 1
227227 199listed category and the chair shall ensure that no category is disproportionately represented on
228228 200the commission. The chair may select a third-party facilitator for the commission. The
229229 201commission shall use the initial assessment report required by section 8 of chapter 21P of the
230230 202General Laws in crafting its recommended extended producer responsibility plan. The
231231 203recommended plan shall include a material cost differentiation system; a proposed structure for
232232 204producer payments and collector reimbursements; net costs of residential curbside collection or
233233 205transfer station operations, on-site processing costs for each readily recyclable material type,
234234 206management costs of non-readily recyclable materials, and other cost factors; and methods of
235235 207incentivizing packaging production and waste stream contamination reduction, which may 11 of 11
236236 208include reuse and lifespan extensions. Not later than December 2, 2024, the commission shall
237237 209submit its recommendations and related factual findings to the senate and house committees on
238238 210ways and means and the joint committee on the environment, natural resources and agriculture
239239 211and publish said recommendations and related factual findings on the website of the department
240240 212of environmental protection.
241241 213 SECTION 5. Except as otherwise provided herein, the provisions of this act shall take
242242 214effect on August 1, 2024.
243243 215 SECTION 6. Section 3 of chapter 21P of the General Laws shall take effect on
244244 216September 1, 2026.
245245 217 SECTION 7. Subsection (g) of section 2 of chapter 21P of the General Laws is hereby
246246 218repealed.
247247 219 SECTION 8. Section 7 shall take effect on September 1, 2026.