Every year, the Maryland General Assembly considers upwards of 2,500 bills of which as many as 700 or more may become law. And all this happens during a 90-day session*! MRN advocates on behalf of the Maryland recycling community to ensure that legislative initiatives achieve their stated goals in a cost- and time-effective manner without creating unintended consequences that hobble our mission to promote a healthy, sustainable environment. If you’re not a member, please support our efforts by joining today. Click here to see membership options

In 2020, MRN stated its position on eight bills impacting the Maryland recycling community (see below). This fall, MRN Board members also testified in two workgroup sessions on Waste Reduction and Recycling. Click here and here to learn more about their testimonies.

*Note: Due to the pandemic, The Maryland General Assembly adjourned early on March 19, 2020. You can view The 71 Day Report – A Review of the 2020 Legislative Session here.

Below are details on each bill as well as MRN’s position and status. Click on the bill number to view the status at time of adjournment.

HB0209 / SB0313 - Plastics and Packaging Reduction Act: Prohibiting a store from distributing plastic carryout bags to a customer at the point of sale; requiring a store to charge and collect at least 10 cents for each durable carryout bag the store provides to a customer; authorizing a store to retain all money collected under certain circumstances; providing certain penalties for certain violations of the Act under certain circumstances; establishing the Single-Use Products Workgroup; requiring the Workgroup to study and make recommendations regarding single-use products; etc.

• MRN Position – Support with Recommendations

HB0296 - Environment – Single-Use Plastic Straws – Use in a Food Service Business: Prohibiting, beginning January 1, 2021, a food service business from providing a single-use plastic straw to a customer dining in the food service business unless the customer requests a straw; and applying the Act.

• MRN Position - Support with Recommendations

HB0589 - Solid Waste Management – Organics Recycling and Waste Diversion – Food Residuals: Requiring a certain person that generates food residuals to separate the food residuals from other solid waste and ensure that the food residuals are diverted from final disposal in a refuse disposal system in a certain manner; applying the requirements of the Act, beginning in certain years, to certain persons that generate certain amounts of food residuals; requiring the Department of the Environment to report to the General Assembly by December 1, 2021, and annually thereafter on the impact of waste diversion in the State; etc.

• MRN Position - Support

HB0772 / SB0478 - Maryland Green Purchasing Committee – Food Procurement – Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Requiring the Maryland Green Purchasing Committee to develop on or before January 1, 2022, a certain methodology, in consultation with the Department of the Environment and the Department of General Services, for a unit to estimate greenhouse gas emissions that occur through the life cycle of certain food; requiring each unit to report to the Committee on the unit’s progress in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with food procured by the unit on or before August 1, 2024 and each August 1 thereafter; etc.

• MRN Position - Support

HB0824 - Beverage Container Deposit Program – Establishment and Advisory Commission: Requiring the Department of the Environment to establish a beverage container deposit program on or before September 1, 2021; establishing the Advisory Commission to Develop a Beverage Container Deposit Program; requiring the Advisory Commission to develop a framework for a beverage container deposit program; requiring the Advisory Committee to report its framework and recommendations to certain members and committees of the General Assembly by December 31, 2020; etc.

• MRN Position - Do Not Support At This Time

HB0890 - Maryland Paint Stewardship Program: Requiring certain producers or a representative organization to submit a plan for the establishment of a Paint Stewardship Program to the Department of the Environment on or before January 1, 2021, and in accordance with certain requirements; requiring the Department to review and approve certain plans, including a certain assessment, submitted in accordance with the Paint Stewardship Program; prohibiting the sale of certain architectural paint under certain circumstances on a certain date; etc.

• MRN Position - Support with Amendment

HB1452 - Department of the Environment – Office of Recycling – Recycling Market Development: Requiring the Office of Recycling in the Department of the Environment to develop markets for recycled materials and recycled products in the State in a certain manner; requiring the Office to report to the General Assembly each year; requiring the Office to coordinate certain activities with certain entities; prohibiting the Department of the Environment from employing more than a certain number of staff to carry out the requirements of the Act; etc.

• MRN Position – Support

SB0891- Environment – Solar Panel Stewardship Programs: Requiring the Department of the Environment to develop certain guidelines for solar panel stewardship programs to ensure the environmentally sound recycling of out-of-service solar panels and their components; requiring the Department to adopt certain guidelines in regulation on or before July 1, 2021; prohibiting a certain manufacturer from selling or offering for sale in the State a solar panel on or after January 1, 2022, unless the manufacturer has a solar panel stewardship plan approved by the Department; etc.

• MRN Position – Support with Recommendations

Approved Legislation:

SB0840 / HB1442 - Environment – Expanded Polystyrene Food Service Products – Definition: Enacted under Article II, Section 17(c) of the Maryland Constitution - Chapter 472

• MRN did not state a position

Other Legislation considered in 2020

HB0165 - Solar Photovoltaic Recycling - Status: Unfavorable Report by Economic Matters

HB0179 - Maryland Recycling Act – Recyclable Materials and Resource Recovery Facilities – Alterations - Status: Unfavorable Report by Environment and Transportation

HB0354 - Solid Waste Management – Personal Cleansing Products Provided at Lodging Establishments – Prohibition

HB0517 - Constitutional Amendment – Environmental Rights - Status: Unfavorable Report by Environment and Transportation; Withdrawn

HB0896 - Environment – Statewide Green Business Certification Program – Establishment

HB1643 - Environment – Organics Recycling and Composting – Grant Program

SB0926 / HB1425 - Climate Solutions Act of 2020 – Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act

SB0980 - Industrial Partnerships – Sustainable Materials Management Program – Established - Status: Hearing canceled (Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs)

MD Recycling Laws “On the Books”

•    Maryland Recycling Act
•    Composting 2011


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