The bill proposes the establishment of a new chapter in Title 23 of the General Laws, titled "The Statewide Implementation Analysis for a Beverage Container Redemption, Packaging, and Recycling Plan." This chapter mandates the Department of Environmental Management (DEM), in collaboration with the Department of Administration and the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC), to conduct a comprehensive statewide needs assessment. The 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, and plastic containers.

The bill outlines specific components of the assessment, which include:

1. A baseline solid waste and recycling analysis, characterizing the statewide solid waste stream, recyclable and compostable materials, and current costs and revenues associated with waste management.
2. An infrastructure and capacity evaluation, assessing existing collection, sorting, and processing infrastructure, processing capacity gaps, and contamination rates.
3. An assessment of environmental geographic considerations, including waste service access and public outreach.
4. Economic and market impacts, identifying lost economic value from landfilling recyclables and job opportunities related to increased material recovery.
5. A redemption and recycling plan design review, evaluating successful program designs in peer states and analyzing environmental benefits.
6. Suggested performance targets and phasing recommendations, including diversion goals and recommendations for addressing specific items in the waste stream.

The implementation analysis will be conducted with input from municipalities, quasi-public agencies, regional planning entities, industry stakeholders, and impacted communities.

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 include representatives from public works departments, packaging producers, materials recovery facilities, composting facilities, reuse or refill systems operators, and academic experts.

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