AN ACT CONCERNING A REDUCTION OF CONSUMER-BASED PACKAGING MATERIALS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 22a-241a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2016):

(a) On or before July 1, 2016, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall revise the state-wide solid waste management plan adopted pursuant to section 22a-228 to include a strategy for diverting, through source reduction, reuse and recycling, not less than sixty per cent of the solid waste generated in the state after January 1, 2024. Such strategy shall include, but not be limited to, modernization of solid waste management infrastructure throughout the state through the efforts of private, public and quasi-public entities, promotion of organic materials management, the recycling of construction and demolition debris, the development of intermediate processing centers, recommendations for the development of municipal or regional recycling programs, options for local compliance of municipalities with recycling requirements and the composting of solid waste. The commissioner shall consult with municipalities in developing any revision to the state-wide solid waste management plan and with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station on issues related to composting.

(b) On or before February 1, 2016, the commissioner shall submit such revised state-wide solid waste management plan to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the environment. Not later than thirty days after receipt of such revised state-wide solid waste management plan, said committee may hold a public hearing on such plan. The commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, shall testify at any such public hearing and receive comments from the members of said committees concerning such proposals.

(c) On or before July 1, 2017, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall amend the revised state-wide solid waste management plan, described in subsection (a) of this section, to include a strategy for diverting, through source reduction, reuse and recycling, not less than fifty per cent of the consumer packaging generated as solid waste in the state on and after January 1, 2024. Such strategy shall include, but not be limited to, the establishment of performance targets to assure, at a minimum, achievement of such diversion on and after such date and the establishment of parameters to verify the achievement of such diversion, including, but not limited to, weight reduction. In developing such strategy, the commissioner shall consult with representatives of the consumer packaging industry to: (1) Identify opportunities for source reduction and increased recyclability and recycled content for such consumer packaging, and (2) assess the viability of establishing an industry-financed stewardship program for the collection, management and recycling of consumer packaging similar to the stewardship programs established pursuant to sections 22a-904a and 22a-905a. For purposes of this section, "consumer packaging" means any material, regardless of content or composition, that is used for the commercial, wholesale or retail: (A) Shipping of any consumer goods, (B) immediate covering of any consumer goods, or (C) bundling of one or more consumer goods while displaying graphics, designs, labels or information to attract or inform the consumer; and "consumer goods" means goods that are used or bought for use primarily for personal, family or household purposes.

(d) On or before February 1, 2018, the commissioner shall submit the amendment to the revised state-wide solid waste management plan, described in subsection (c) of this section, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the environment. Not later than thirty days after receipt of such amendment to the revised state-wide solid waste management plan, said committee may hold a public hearing on such plan. The commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, shall testify at any such public hearing and receive comments from the members of such committee concerning such proposals.

Statement of Purpose:

To reduce the amount of consumer packaging in Connecticut's solid waste stream.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]