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 byjoining today. Click here to see membership options.

2018 Legislative Update: MRN stated its position on four bills impacting the Maryland recycling community. Below are details on each bill as well as MRN’s position and current status.

HB0127   Prince George’s County – Authority to Impose Fees for Use of Disposable Bags PG 420-18
Authorizing Prince George’s County to impose, by law, a fee on certain retail establishments for use of disposable bags as part of a retail sale of products; limiting the amount of the fee to no more than 5 cents for each disposable bag used; and defining “disposable bag” as a plastic bag provided by a store to a customer at the point of sale. Status – Stalled in Committee

HB0538   Environment – Expanded Polystyrene Food Service Products – Prohibition
Prohibiting a person from selling in the State a certain expanded polystyrene food service product on or after January 1, 2019; prohibiting certain food service businesses and certain schools from selling or providing food in certain expanded polystyrene food service products on or after January 1, 2019; requiring a county health department to impose certain penalties for violations of the Act; requiring a county health department to notify the Department of the Environment of certain violations; etc.
Status – Stalled in Committee

HB0572   Income Tax – Oyster Shell Recycling Credit – Maximum Allowable Amount and Sunset Repeal
Increasing the maximum allowable amount from $750 to $1,500 of a certain credit against the State income tax for certain bushels of oysters shells recycled during a taxable year; applying certain provisions of the Act to all taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017; and repealing certain termination provisions.
Status – Passed

MRN Position - In Favor

HB0850   Solid Waste Management and Recycling – Mattresses and Box Springs
Requiring a certain county plan to designate, on or before July 1, 2019, an appropriate agency of the county to be responsible for creating a workable plan to address the disposal of mattresses and box springs and the expansion and development of certain businesses for certain purposes; requiring the Office of Recycling within the Department of the Environment to encourage certain programs that divert mattresses and box springs from disposal in landfills and incinerators; etc.
Status – Unfavorable Report by Environment and Transportation

MRN Position – Opposed with Recommendations

HB1242   Solar Photovoltaic Recycling
Establishing a solar photovoltaic recycling fee; requiring a person installing a solar electric generating facility in the State to pay the fee beginning October 1, 2018; establishing the Solar Photovoltaic Recycling Fund; requiring 20% of the first sale price of each renewable energy credit sold to be deposited into the Fund; providing the purpose of the Fund is to provide funding for technologies and processes that assist with the recycling of solar photovoltaic systems; etc.
Status – Unfavorable Report by Economic Matters

SB0153    Income Tax Credit – Oyster Shell Recycling – Sunset Extension
Extending the termination date of a tax credit allowed for recycling oyster shells from June 30, 2018, to June 30, 2023.
Status – Passed

MRN Position – In Favor

SB0844  Environment – Newsprint Recycling Board – Repeal and Transfer of Authority
Repealing the provisions of law that establish the Newsprint Recycling Board; authorizing the Secretary of the Environment, rather than the Board, to exempt a publisher from certain recycled content requirements under certain circumstances; providing that the Secretary’s failure to act on a certain application under certain circumstances, rather than the Board’s failure to act, is an approval of the application; etc.
Status – Passed

MRN Position – In Favor

MD Recycling Laws “On the Books”

•    Maryland Recycling Act
•    Composting 2011


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