Substitute Bill No. 6917 aims to improve solid waste management and environmental protection in the state by introducing new regulations and appropriations. The bill allocates $500,000 to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and $250,000 to the Recycle CT Foundation for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, to support enforcement of solid waste management provisions. It amends section 22a-226e of the general statutes by adding subsections (f) and (g), which require certain commercial entities generating significant organic waste to implement written food donation policies by January 1, 2026. These policies must detail efforts to donate excess edible food, reduce food waste, and educate staff on food distribution processes. Additionally, the bill modifies section 22a-232 by increasing the assessment fee for solid waste processed at recovery and waste conversion facilities to $1.50 per ton and introduces a new fee for transfer stations and volume reduction plants, with collected assessments deposited into a sustainable materials management account.

Furthermore, the bill allows for the installation of storm drain filters to block solid waste and debris and the purchase of street cleaning equipment to maintain public areas. It mandates that by January 15, 2027, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection must submit a report to the General Assembly on the feasibility of establishing an extended producer responsibility program for consumer packaging. This report will analyze costs, recycling rates, and market demand related to consumer packaging, as well as assess potential impacts on residents and municipalities. The bill includes various insertions and amendments to existing law, with specific effective dates for each section, including new provisions effective from July 1, 2025, and others effective upon passage.

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