The bill establishes a new chapter, CHAPTER 19.19, titled "The Statewide Implementation Analysis for a Beverage Container Redemption, Packaging, and Recycling Plan," within Title 23 of the General Laws concerning health and safety. It mandates the Department of Environmental Management (DEM), in collaboration with the Department of Administration (DOA) and the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC), to conduct a comprehensive statewide needs assessment. This assessment will evaluate the necessary infrastructure, policies, and programmatic requirements to support a statewide beverage container redemption and recycling plan, focusing on various materials including aluminum, glass, plastic containers, and other priority materials as designated by the department.

The assessment must be completed by October 29, 2025, and will include analyses of solid waste streams, recycling capabilities, environmental geographic considerations, and economic impacts. Specific components of the assessment include a baseline solid waste and recycling analysis, an infrastructure and capacity evaluation, an assessment of environmental geographic considerations, an evaluation of economic and market impacts, a review of redemption and recycling plan designs, and suggested performance targets and phasing recommendations.

Additionally, the bill establishes a Rhode Island Redemption and Recycling Advisory Council to provide guidance, review preliminary findings, and make recommendations throughout the assessment process. This council will consist of representatives from public works departments, packaging or consumer goods producers, materials recovery facilities, composting or organics processing facilities, reuse or refill systems operators, and academic or scientific experts on waste systems and environmental health.

The DEM is required to hold at least one public hearing to solicit input on the draft implementation analysis before its finalization. An interim status report must be submitted to key government officials by April 1, 2026, and the final report, including findings and recommendations, must be submitted by December 1, 2026. The act is set to take effect upon passage.