An Act establishing the commission on extended producer responsibility

1 of 1 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1705 FILED ON: 1/18/2023 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 833 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts _________________ PRESENTED BY: Bradley H. Jones, Jr. _________________ 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 establishing the commission on extended producer responsibility. _______________ PETITION OF: NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED: Bradley H. Jones, Jr. 20th Middlesex 1/18/2023 Nicholas A. Boldyga 3rd Hampden 1/26/2023 F. Jay Barrows 1st Bristol 1/26/2023 Paul K. Frost 7th Worcester 1/31/2023 Patrick M. O'Connor First Plymouth and Norfolk 2/15/2023 1 of 3 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1705 FILED ON: 1/18/2023 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 833 By Representative Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 833) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others relative to establishing a special commission (including members of the General Court) on extended producer responsibility related to the manufacture and post-consumer management of products. Environment and Natural Resources. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts _______________ In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court (2023-2024) _______________ An Act establishing the commission on extended producer responsibility. 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. There shall be a special commission, referred to as the commission on 2 extended producer responsibility, to study and report on implementing extended producer 3 responsibility laws in the commonwealth. The commission shall consist of the secretary of 4 energy and environmental affairs, or a designee; the commissioner of environmental protection, 5 or a designee; 1 member of the department of business development; 3 members of the house of 6 representatives, 2 of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house, and 1 of whom shall 7 be appointed by the minority leader of the house; 3 members of the senate, 2 of whom shall be 8 appointed by the senate president, and 1 of whom shall be appointed by the senate minority 9 leader; and 2 members who shall be appointed by the governor. 10 The scope of the commission shall include, but not be limited to: researching, evaluating, 11 and developing recommendations regarding the economic, environmental, and public health 12 benefits and costs of extended producer responsibility laws related to the manufacture and post- 2 of 3 13 consumer management of products including, but not limited to, the following: leftover paint, 14 electronics, pesticides, household batteries, fluorescent lamps, phone books, carpet, medical 15 sharps, consumer packaging and printed materials, pharmaceuticals, tires and mercury 16 thermostats. The commission shall also research and make recommendations regarding the 17 establishment of a comprehensive product stewardship approach, also known as a framework 18 approach, to create a statewide policy structure for product stewardship that may be applied to an 19 array of products. The commission shall consult with manufacturers, retailers, recyclers, 20 environmental advocacy organizations, local units of government, and other interested parties, 21 and shall provide at least one opportunity for public comment and the public review of the 22 commission’s draft report. The commission report shall include, but not be limited to, summaries 23 of the following: (1) the existing infrastructure for managing post-consumer materials and the 24 need for improvements to make this infrastructure convenient for the public; (2) the need for 25 public education to reach target populations; (3) the need for incentives to change consumer 26 behavior; (4) the current extended producer responsibility laws and pending extended producer 27 responsibility legislation in other new england states and around the country; (5) the common 28 elements of extended producer responsibility laws; (6) the opportunities to maximize the 29 efficiency of extended producer responsibility programs by coordinating with other states in the 30 region; and (7) the methods for evaluating the effectiveness of extended producer responsibility 31 programs. 32 The commission shall submit its report of the findings and recommendations together 33 with recommendations for legislation to implement those recommendations by filing the same 34 with the executive office of energy and environmental affairs; the department of environmental 35 protection; the department of business development; the joint committee on environment, natural 3 of 3 36 resources and agriculture; and the clerks of the senate and the house no later than 1 year after the 37 passage of this bill.