This bill adds a new chapter to Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging." The purpose of this chapter is to address the burden of recycling and disposing of packaging waste on towns and cities in Rhode Island. It aims to reduce non-reusable, non-recyclable, and toxic packaging and achieve a more equitable relationship between packaging producers and local governments and communities. The bill defines various terms related to packaging and establishes a packaging reduction and recycling program overseen by the Department of Environmental Management.

The bill also highlights the environmental impacts of single-use packaging, including its contribution to waste in landfills and ocean debris. It emphasizes the need to protect the environment and natural resources by reducing packaging waste. The bill includes provisions for the collection of producer fees, assistance to producers with compliance, and the development of packaging reduction programs. It also defines post-consumer recycled material and excludes certain types of packaging from the definition of packaging.