The bill amends Chapter 23-18.9 of the General Laws by introducing a new section titled "Siting restrictions for pyrolysis facilities." It defines a "pyrolysis facility" as any facility or operation that thermally decomposes solid waste, including plastics or other organic materials, in an oxygen-limited or oxygen-free environment for the purpose of producing fuel, gas, oil, char, or other byproducts. The term includes any preprocessing, storage, or handling of feedstock or byproducts conducted as part of such operation.

The bill prohibits the siting, construction, installation, expansion, or operation of a pyrolysis facility within one mile of the property line of any public or private elementary or secondary school, including charter schools, approved by the Rhode Island Department of Education and serving students in grades K-12, effective July 1, 2026. The distance is to be measured in a straight line from the nearest property boundary of the proposed pyrolysis facility to the nearest property boundary of the school.

Additionally, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management is mandated not to issue any permit, license, or approval for a pyrolysis facility that does not comply with these siting restrictions. The requirements outlined in this section are mandatory and cannot be waived by the department or any other state or municipal authority. The provisions of this section are intended to be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other applicable requirements under this chapter or any other provision of the general laws or regulations. The act will take effect upon passage.