2022 -- H 7542

========

LC004840

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY - REFUSE DISPOSAL - FOOD WASTE BAN

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Ruggiero, Vella-Wilkinson, Edwards, Speakman,
Cortvriend, Batista, McEntee, Alzate, Henries, and Amore

     Date Introduced: February 18, 2022

     Referred To: House Environment and Natural Resources

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

1

     SECTION 1. Section 23-18.9-17 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-18.9 entitled "Refuse

2

Disposal" is hereby amended to read as follows:

3

     23-18.9-17. Food waste ban.

4

     (a) On and after January 1, 2016, each covered entity and each covered educational

5

institution shall ensure that the organic-waste materials that are generated by the covered entity or

6

at the covered educational facility are recycled at an authorized composting facility or anaerobic

7

digestion facility or by another authorized recycling method if:

8

     (1) The covered entity or covered educational facility generates not less than one hundred

9

four (104) tons per year of organic-waste material; and

10

     (2) The covered entity or covered educational facility is located not more than fifteen (15)

11

miles from an authorized composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility with available capacity

12

to accept such material.

13

     (b) On and after January 1, 2018, each covered educational institution shall ensure that the

14

organic-waste materials that are generated at the covered educational facility are recycled at an

15

authorized composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility or by another authorized recycling

16

method if:

17

     (1) The covered educational facility generates not less than fifty-two (52) tons per year of

18

organic-waste material; and

19

     (2) The covered entity or covered educational facility is located not more than fifteen (15)

 

1

miles from an authorized composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility with available capacity

2

to accept such material.

3

     (c) The director shall grant a waiver of the requirements of subsections (a) and (b) upon a

4

showing that the tipping fee charged by the Rhode Island resource recovery corporation for non-

5

contract commercial sector waste is less than the fee charged for organic-waste material by each

6

composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility located within fifteen (15) miles of the covered

7

entity's location.

8

     (d) On and after January 1, 2023, each educational entity (as defined in ยง 16-110-1) shall

9

ensure that the organic-waste materials that are generated by the educational entity are recycled at

10

an authorized composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility or by another authorized recycling

11

method if:

12

     (1) The educational entity generates not less than thirty (30) tons per year of organic-waste

13

material; and

14

     (2) The educational entity is located not more than fifteen (15) miles from an authorized

15

composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility with available capacity to accept such material.

16

     (e) On and after January 1, 2023, each covered entity shall ensure that the organic-waste

17

materials that are generated by the covered entity are recycled at an authorized composting facility

18

or anaerobic digestion facility or by another authorized recycling method if:

19

     (1) The covered entity generates not less than fifty-two (52) tons per year of organic-waste

20

material; and

21

     (2) The covered entity is located not more than thirty (30) miles from an authorized

22

composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility with available capacity to accept such material.

23

     (f) On and after January 1, 2024, each covered entity shall ensure that the organic-waste

24

materials that are generated by the covered entity are recycled at an authorized composting facility

25

or anaerobic digestion facility or by another authorized recycling method if:

26

     (1) The covered entity generates not less than twenty-six (26) tons per year of organic-

27

waste material; and

28

     (2) The covered entity is located not more than thirty (30) miles from an authorized

29

composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility with available capacity to accept such material.

30

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC004840

========

 

LC004840 - Page 2 of 3

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY - REFUSE DISPOSAL - FOOD WASTE BAN

***

1

     This act would require a covered entity generating organic waste materials of more than

2

fifty-two (52) tons per year and located less than thirty (30) miles from an authorized composting

3

facility or anaerobic digestion facility to recycle the waste at that facility beginning January 1, 2023.

4

Effective January 1, 2024, the annual tonnage drops to more than twenty-six (26) tons per year.

5

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC004840

========

 

LC004840 - Page 3 of 3