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News

MRN Announces 2022 Legislative Priorities

Published on 12/2/2021

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As we prepare for the 2022 Maryland General Assembly session, MRN anticipates supporting legislation that addresses the following issues to improve recycling and sustainable materials management in Maryland:
 
Truth in Labeling: Resin Identification Code. Maryland is one of 34 states that require the use of this code to identify the predominant resin type of a plastic package. Numbers from 1-7 are placed inside a “chasing arrows” sign to help consumers identify plastic packaging by resin type. The chasing arrows are the universal recycling symbol. Its use implies the plastic package is recyclable. This is not always the case and causes consumer confusion and contamination problems at recycling processing facilities.

MRN supports, at a very minimum, the removal of the requirement that the chasing arrows be used as part of this code.


Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): EPR laws cover a variety of products and are in effect in 32 states. They are intended to shift the cost of recycling certain products from taxpayers and fee payers to the producers of those products.  Maryland currently has EPR laws for certain electronic products and batteries.

  • MRN supports passage of an EPR law for paint.
  • MRN supports a significant reform to Maryland’s existing EPR law for electronics products.
  • MRN has not yet taken a position on EPR for packaging but is reviewing and commenting on drafts of proposed legislation.

 

Post-consumer Recycled Content Requirements: MRN supports recycled content requirements for plastic and glass packaging.


We are working with a number of legislators to help draft bills that we believe will help advance our mission to promote the sustainable reduction, reuse and recycling (the 3 “R’s”) of materials otherwise destined for disposal and the purchase of products made with recycled material content. We will follow up with more specific comments on legislative proposals as they emerge during the 2022 session.


If you have any comments or questions in the meanwhile, please don’t hesitate to contact us by reply by email or at (443) 741-8740.


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