CT Recycling Laws & Regulations Connecticut Department of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Energy and Environmental Protection
Sustainable Materials Management Systems approach to using and reusing materials more productively over their entire life cycles. Represents change in how our society thinks about the use of natural resources and environmental protection. By looking at a product s entire life cycle, we can find new opportunities to reduce environmental impacts, conserve resources and reduce costs.
Recycling Laws and Regulations Recycling Laws (annotated listing) Mandatory Recycling Regulation Recycling...It's the Law! Electronic Waste (E-Waste) Law Connecticut Bottle Bill Leaf Composting Regulation, Law, and Grass Clipping Disposal Ban Public Act 86-1 (Authorized state funding for recycling infrastructure) Public Act 10-87 (Expansion & Clarification of CT Recycling Requirements) Public Act 11-24 (Paint Stewardship Law) Public Act 13-285 (An Act Concerning Recycling & Jobs) Public Act 87-544 (Mandated statewide recycling and authorized recycling regulations) Commercial Organics Recycling Law Recycling of Source Separated Organics (CGS Sec. 22a-226e) Public Act 13-42 (Mattress Stewardship Law) Public Act 14-94 (An Act Concerning CT's Recycling & Materials Management Strategy...)
Definition of Designated Recyclable Item Sec. 22a-207(27) Designated Recyclable Item means an item required to be recycled pursuant to Connecticut mandatory recycling regulation or designated for recycling pursuant to CT General Statutes Sec. 22a-256 or Sec. 22a-208v. Note: Current designated recyclable items include: 1) glass and metal food containers; 2) residential and non-residential high grade white office paper; 3) old newspaper; 4) scrap metal; 5) old corrugated cardboard; 6) waste oil; 7) motor vehicle storage batteries (e.g. lead acid storage batteries); 8) Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries; 9) leaves; 10) grass clippings; 11) HDPE and PETE plastic containers; 12) boxboard; 13) magazines; and 14) colored ledger paper.
Statute vs Regulation Statute a law enacted by a legislative body of government. Regulation rules and administrative codes issues by governmental agencies at all levels. While not laws, regulations have the force of law, since they are adopted under the authority granted by statutes, and often include penalties for violations.
Materials Management Hierarchy
Sec. 22a-228. State-wide solid waste management plan. (b) On or after January 1, 1987, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall adopt a state-wide solid waste management plan which shall incorporate each municipal solid waste management plan approved pursuant to section 22a-227. The plan shall establish specific goals for source reduction, bulky waste recycling and composting. The plan shall establish the following order of priority for managing solid waste: Source reduction; recycling; composting of yard waste or vegetable matter; bulky waste recycling; resource recovery or waste-to-energy plants; incineration and landfilling.
Sec. 22a-241. Revisions to state-wide solid waste management plan concerning recycling. (a) On or before July 1, 2016, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall revise the state-wide solid waste management plan adopted pursuant to section 22a-228 to include a strategy for diverting, through source reduction, reuse and recycling, not less than sixty per cent of the solid waste generated in the state after January 1, 2024. Such strategy shall include, but not be limited to, modernization of solid waste management infrastructure throughout the state through the efforts of private, public and quasipublic entities, promotion of organic materials management, the recycling of construction and demolition debris, the development of intermediate processing centers, recommendations for the development of municipal or regional recycling programs, options for local compliance of municipalities with recycling requirements and the composting of solid waste. The commissioner shall consult with municipalities in developing any revision to the state-wide solid waste management plan and with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station on issues related to composting.
Sec. 22a-241. Revisions to state-wide solid waste management plan concerning recycling. (a) On or before July 1, 2016, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall revise the state-wide solid waste management plan adopted pursuant to section 22a-228 to include a strategy for diverting, through source reduction, reuse and recycling, not less than sixty per cent of the solid waste generated in the state after January 1, 2024. Such strategy shall include, but not be limited to, modernization of solid waste management infrastructure throughout the state through the efforts of private, public and quasipublic entities, promotion of organic materials management, the recycling of construction and demolition debris, the development of intermediate processing centers, recommendations for the development of municipal or regional recycling programs, options for local compliance of municipalities with recycling requirements and the composting of solid waste. The commissioner shall consult with municipalities in developing any revision to the state-wide solid waste management plan and with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station on issues related to composting.
Comprehensive Materials Management Strategy: Three Pillars Improve the performance of municipal recycling programs and reduce waste, including increasing participating and compliance with mandatory recycling provisions. Develop and improve recycling and waste conversation technologies. Encourage corporations that design, produce and market products to share responsibility for stewarding those materials in an environmentally sustainable manner.
CMMS: Diversion DEEP has a 60% diversion goal by 2024 Reduction in annual generation of MSW from FY 2005 baseline MSW recovered annually for reuse, recycling and composting MSW managed annually be newly developed waste conversion processes
CMMS: To achieve 60% Diversion CT must divert at least 2.3 million tons from annual disposal (using FYI 2005 3.8 million tons in MSW generation as baseline). Since 2005, Connecticut has reduced annual generation of MSW by approximately 200,000 tons total of 3.6 million tons. This leaves 2.1 million tons to be diverted (through waste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, anaerobic digestion and other new technologies).
CMMS: This can be achieved under the following conditions: A reduction in annual MSW generation by 360,000 tons (10 percent of 3.6 million tons) The reuse, recycling, and composting of 1.46 million tons of materials (45 percent of remaining 3.24 million tons) The use of newly developed waste conversion processes, including anaerobic digestion, to manage at least 300,000 tons that would otherwise be disposed via traditional waste- to-energy or landfill.
Implementing CMMS Compliance Assurance Municipal enforcement & technical assistance SMART, unit-based pricing grants DEEP Grant programs for municipalities Enforcement Apartment complexes Large organic waste generators Product Stewardship, including EPR RecycleCT Grant programs for schools, nonprofits Harmonization, What s In, What s Out
What Am I Required to Recycle in CT? Items Designated (i.e. Mandated) for Recycling Items Banned from Disposal Items Covered Under a Product Stewardship Program (not all mandatory) Items Recycled Through a Deposit Program Additional Recyclable Items
Items Designated (Mandated) for Recycling Glass & Metal Food & Beverage Containers Plastic Containers (PET or PETE #1) Plastic Containers (HDPE #2) Scrap Metal, including appliances Ni-Cd Rechargeable Batteries (from consumer products) Waste Oil (crankcase oil from internal combustion engines) Leaves (must be composted) Lead Acid Battery or Motor Vehicle Batteries Corrugated Cardboard Boxboard Newspaper Magazines White & Colored Office Paper (residences and businesses) Commercially Generated Source Separated Organic Materials (Only applies to those businesses compelled to do so per CGS Section 22a-226e) NEW!
Items Banned from Disposal Grass Clippings (leave on lawn) Household Covered Electronic Devices (televisions, monitors, printers and computers) Lead acid battery or a motor vehicle battery Mercury thermostats
What is Product Stewardship? Product stewardship is where environmental, health, and safety protection centers on the product itself, and everyone involved in the lifespan of the product is called upon to take up responsibility to reduce its environmental, health, and safety impacts.
EPR Laws Extended Producer Responsibility is a mandated form of product stewardship, often as a result of passing a law, requiring manufacturers to take some, or full responsibility for collecting and recycling of their products.
Items Covered Under an EPR Program in CT Household Covered Electronic Devices (televisions, monitors, printers and computers) municipalities required to coordinate, free Paint Mattresses (as of early 2015) Mercury Thermostats
Items Recycled Through a Deposit System Bottle Bill - Certain Beverage Containers Carbonated beverages (soda, mineral water, beer, soda water) Water (including flavored water) Lead Acid or Motor Vehicle Batteries $5; returnable with battery and receipt of purchase Additional Recyclable Items CT Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) accept additional materials including drink boxes, milk and juice cartons, plastic food containers (ie yogurt cups), telephone books, and nursery pots in curbside mixed-recycling programs. Learn more about What s In, What s Out at www.recyclect.com
Solid Waste and Recycling Data How Much Waste Do We Dispose and Recycle? Where Does It All Go? In an effort to make details of the reported municipal solid waste (MSW) and recycling data more accessible to the public, the Department will post data reports (audited and analyzed data) and raw data (unaudited data and preliminary analysis of unaudited data) on this web page as it becomes available. http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=2714&q=453366
www.recyclect.com RecycleCT Foundation created in 2014 through Public Act 14-94 target and promote the coordination and support of research and education activities and public information programs aimed at increasing the rate of recycling and reuse in the state; Receive, disberse and administer gifts, grants, endowments or other funds that supports research and education activities School Grant Program (look for 2018 RFPs in Nov 2017) 2016 over $16,000 to 10 schools 2017 over $10,000 to 11 schools Innovation Grant Program 2017 over $70,000 to 11 nonprofit organizations FE3: Facilitator Training (CFPA) What s In, What s Out
Harmonization Partners Winters Brothers City Carting CT MIRA Automated Material Handling (USA Waste) Willimantic Waste Survey The Recycling Partnership In-person meetings, phone calls, emails
Detrimental Item, material or product that: could be harmful to employees or safety concern can shut down or harm equipment reduces the value of commodities *Glass, while being detrimental to many facilities, is a category that was put in the parking lot to be discussed more deeply in the future.
IN the Bin Glass, metal, paper and plastic bottles, cans, cartons and containers (no loose bottle caps) Cardboard boxes, including pizza boxes (no food, no liners) Aluminum foil, aerosol cans (food grade only)
OUT of the Bin Loose bottle caps, plastic bags, Rx bottles, Styrofoam Shredded paper, paper cups Pots and pans, spiral wound containers Ceramic mugs & plates, drinking glasses
Plastic Shopping Bags & Plastic Film: Can be Recycled But not with mixed recyclables, curbside or in schools
CT WRAP: Bring Bags & Other Plastic Film Back to Retailer Recycling Tips Make sure bags are clean and dry. Do not include compostable or degradable bags, prewash salad bags, frozen food bags or material that has been painted or glued. Recycle newspaper sleeves/bags, grocery and retail bags, plastic packaging from non-food items, bread bags, dry cleaning bags, water bottle case wrapping, fresh produce bags
Trex: Plastic Film Recycling Challenge Schools completion to recycle the most plastic film. Trex donates a highperformance composite bench to the winning school. The challenge begins each year on America Recycles Day, November 15, and lasts until April 15; winners announced Earth Day Trex will provide your school with promotional materials and three recycling bins A volunteer must weigh and report the collected materials every month before delivering them to one of our participating drop-off retailer locations http://www.trex.com/recycling/recycling-programs/
Questions? Sherill Baldwin CT DEEP Sustainable Materials Management 860.424.3440 Sherill.Baldwin@ct.gov