Sponsors (2)
The bill directs analysis and guidance to expand reuse/refill systems—potentially creating jobs, informing cost savings, and improving equitable access—while creating possible costs for governments and businesses and risking uneven adoption across communities.
State and local governments: receive actionable guidance identifying what local, State, and Federal supports are needed to expand reuse/refill programs, enabling more coordinated policy and funding decisions.
Low-income and rural consumers/communities: may gain improved access to reusable and refill options through evaluation of equitable distribution methods.
Small business owners and workers: identification of job-creation opportunities from reuse/refill systems that can support local employment.
Taxpayers and state/local governments: could face new program costs or subsidies to prepare reports or implement recommended reuse/refill programs.
Low-income and rural communities: risk being left without improved services if the report's nonbinding recommendations are not adopted uniformly.
Small businesses: may incur compliance or transition costs if recommendations prompt regulatory changes favoring reuse/refill systems.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires EPA to publish a public report within two years assessing feasibility, best practices, equity, jobs, costs/benefits, supports, and barriers for reuse and refill systems across selected sectors.
Introduced June 18, 2025 by Jeff Merkley · Last progress November 20, 2025
Requires the EPA Administrator to produce and publish a public report within two years assessing the feasibility and best practices for reuse and refill systems for products and beverage containers across selected sectors (for example: food service, consumer food/beverage, cleaning, personal care, shipping/transportation, and educational institutions). The report must define reuse/refill systems, evaluate different system types and scales, analyze economic costs and benefits, examine equitable distribution and job creation opportunities, identify needed local/state/federal supports, and outline barriers to wider implementation while consulting relevant stakeholders and existing state, local, and foreign programs. Also designates a short title for the Act and defines "Administrator" and "State" consistent with existing federal waste statute definitions.