Sponsors (9)
The bill standardizes definitions, funds assessments, and supports recycling/compost markets to improve diversion and planning, but does so with modest taxpayer cost and added administrative burdens, some regulatory uncertainty, and trade-offs on data transparency and oversight.
States, local governments, Tribes, compost producers, recyclers, and manufacturers get clear, uniform statutory definitions for compost, compostable material, recycling, processing, and 'specification‑grade' feedstock so programs, contracts, and markets can be implemented consistently.
States, local governments, and Tribes receive a federal assessment, inventories, and technical assistance on composting and recycling capacity and barriers so they can better plan investments and expand service coverage.
Consumers, local programs, and businesses benefit from improved market transparency and increased federal procurement of products with recycled/compostable content—through price reporting and procurement tracking—which can strengthen demand for recycled goods and support recycling markets.
Federal agencies, GAO, and state/local governments will face additional administrative and reporting burdens (inventories, biennial reports, metrics, updates) that increase costs and staff time and may require new appropriations or reallocation of resources.
Taxpayers will fund up to $20,000,000 over five years to implement the Act (about $4,000,000/year), a modest but real fiscal cost.
Processors and recyclers may face higher compliance costs to meet tighter 'specification‑grade' feedstock definitions, requiring additional sorting or processing investments.
Based on analysis of 7 sections of legislative text.
Requires EPA and GAO studies and inventories on recycling and composting capacity, performance, and federal procurement, and authorizes $4M/year for FY2025–FY2029 to carry this out.
Introduced June 24, 2025 by Joseph Neguse · Last progress June 24, 2025
Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to collect better data and publish studies on U.S. recycling and composting capacity, performance, and federal procurement of recycled/compostable products; directs the Government Accountability Office to publish recurring federal performance reports; and provides limited funding for those activities. It also sets definitions for composting and recycling, requires inventories and material-specific analysis, and forbids imposing unfunded duties on States, local governments, or Indian Tribes.