Weekly Policy Pickup
May 21
This week’s edition is a long one – it has details on bills that moved or died as legislative sessions ended in Colorado, Connecticut, Hawai’i, Iowa, Minnesota and South Carolina. In addition, there’s plenty of news coming from California’s existing programs, and the Washington Department of Ecology is seeking feedback on several issues.
And now, policy:
Bill Updates
At the federal level, HB 4109 was sent from the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment to the full committee on May 14. It would require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out certain activities to improve recycling and composting programs in the United States.
In California, SB 1180 crossed chambers on May 19. It would set more parameters for the use of SB 54’s Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund.
In Colorado, SB 192 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have affirmed the appeals process for producers to contest eco-modulated in its packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) program.
In Colorado, HB 1111 was sent to the governor on May 12. It would create a separate EPR program for pesticide containers.
In Connecticut, HB 5151 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have required recommendations, including on EPR, based on the latest waste study.
In Connecticut, HB 5524 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have banned PS containers in restaurants, single-use food service items unless requested, and single-use straws with PFAS.
In Hawai’i, SCR 136, SR 128, HR 195, and HCR 205 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. They would have required studies on recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable labeling.
In Hawai’i, SB 103 and HB 788 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. They would have created an EV battery study group.
In Hawai’i, SB 391 and HB 332 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. They would have created a Li-ion battery study group.
In Hawai’i, SB 551 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have required on-site composting if compostables are offered for sale.
In Hawai’i, SB 670, HB 348, and HB 1948 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. They would have banned plastic toiletry bottles in hotel rooms.
In Hawai’i, SB 674 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have required an EPR needs assessment.
In Hawai’i, SB 987 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have expanded the current e-scrap program.
In Hawai’i, SB 1020 and HB 644 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. They would have banned certain single-use plastics.
In Hawai’i, SB 1067, SB 2474, SB 724, HB 1928, and HB 786 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. They would have altered the current DRS for beverage containers.
In Hawai’i, SB 1551 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have banned plastic bags.
In Hawai’i, SB 2052 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have created the right to repair for portable wireless devices.
In Hawai’i, SB 2205 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have required that caps of plastic beverage containers be tethered to the bottle.
In Hawai’i, SB 2361 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have banned single use plastic serviceware.
In Hawai’i, SB 2476 and HB 1924 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. They would have created an EPR program for mattresses.
In Hawai’i, HB 1264 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have created an EPR program for packaging.
In Iowa, SF 2477 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have altered the current EPR program for batteries.
In Minnesota, SF 4214 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It was an omnibus bill that included an EPR program for batteries and changes to current rechargeable battery regulations.
In Minnesota, SF 4610 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have banned hotels from providing single-use plastic toiletries.
In Minnesota, SF 4679 and HF 4565 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. They would have created an EPR program for batteries, amends the landfill ban, bans mercury in batteries
In Minnesota, SF 4935 and HF 4819 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. They would have required a study of critical materials in the waste stream.
In Minnesota, SF 5174 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have created an EPR program for batteries.
In Minnesota, SF 5211 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It was an omnibus bill that included an EPR program for batteries.
In Minnesota, HF 3713 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have created an EPR program for textiles, carpet, and mattresses.
In Minnesota, HF 4997 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have created an EPR program for batteries.
In South Carolina, S 750 died in committee when the 2026 legislative session ended. It would have created a deposit refund system (DRS) for beverage containers.
In South Carolina, HR 5238 passed the House and Senate. It is a resolution that supports efforts to reduce waste generation and increase opportunities for waste diversion through recycling.
Rulemaking News
In New York, the American Forest & Paper Association held a lobbying day on May 19 with state legislators to discuss the impacts of EPR proposals on the paper packaging industry. AF&PA generally opposes including paper in packaging EPR programs.
In Washington, the Department of Ecology is asking community members and those in the recycling industry to take a survey on the effects of a potential statewide DRS for beverage containers. The Recycling Refund Survey is open until May 31.
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Program Updates
In California, The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) added 12 manufacturers to its covered battery-embedded product list, including FUJIFILM. In addition, Acer and TTI Floor Care North America updated their product lists.
In California, the Circular CRV Association withdrew its proposed changes to its stewardship plan and resubmitted an edited version.
In California, CalRecycle again rejected Carpet America Recovery Effort’s revised differential assessments plan amendment. CARE wants to replace its existing differential assessments structure, which is based on broadloom carpet versus carpet tile, with a structure based on polymer composition, but CalRecycle determined that the proposed system doesn’t meet all of the requirements laid out in statute.
Also in California, CalRecycle’s packaging EPR portal will now accept Categorically Excluded Materials Notice forms for food and agricultural commodity packaging.
In New Jersey, the state Department of Environmental Protection gave PureCycle a one-year conditional approval for its PP resin to count toward the state packaging minimum recycled content law, Resource Recycling reported.
In Oregon, the Department of Environmental Quality approved packaging producer responsibility organization Circular Action Alliance’s amendment to its program plan that adds more detail to responsible end market verification.
Looking Forward
In California, CalRecycle rescheduled a May 26 informal public workshop on the covered battery-embedded waste recycling fee to June 17.
In Washington, the Department of Ecology is seeking comment on draft rule language for the state packaging EPR law before June 24. Ecology will host a rulemaking committee meeting on May 27.
–Marissa Heffernan
