Senate Bill No. 191, introduced by the Committee on Environment, seeks to amend current laws to enhance food waste recycling and combat bottle bill fraud. The bill repeals a voluntary pilot program for organic material recycling and instead requires certain entities like supermarkets and institutions to report annually on food donations and organic material recycling, and to establish a written policy by January 1, 2025, to minimize food waste. Municipalities are mandated to recycle residential food scraps as a recyclable item by January 1, 2028, following the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection's designation of food scraps as recyclable by July 1, 2025. The bill also defines "food relief organization" and "boxboard," and includes fiscal notes regarding potential costs and minimal revenue gains.

The bill also addresses bottle bill fraud by making it illegal to redeem out-of-state or previously redeemed beverage containers, with violations considered an unfair trade practice. It requires educational and correctional facilities to develop written food donation policies to ensure safe and effective food donation practices. The bill includes a "Redemption Warning" sign requirement at redemption locations to deter fraudulent redemptions. The bill has received a Joint Favorable vote from the Environment Committee and most provisions are set to take effect on October 1, 2024, with the bottle bill fraud provision effective immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill:
ENV Joint Favorable:
File No. 154: