On January 27, 2023, CalRecycle, the California agency that oversees the state’s waste management, recycling, and waste reduction programs, published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding amendments to the Recycling and Disposal Reporting System (RDRS).
The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) released interim guidance on January 9, 2023, regarding how agencies should consider greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change effects of their proposed actions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Single-use plastic plates, trays, bowls, and cutlery; plastic balloon sticks; and certain types of polystyrene cups and food and drink containers will be banned in England, effective October 2023, subject to Parliamentary approval. The bans will also cover items made from plastic that are bio-based, biodegradable, or compostable. The announcement was made by UK Environment Secretary Therese Coffey. (The Draft regulations, the Environmental Protection (Plastic Plates etc.
Update: The formal Federal Register notice was published on December 20, 2022, and comments are due on February 21, 2023.
On November 30, 2022, the European Union Commission proposed a Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste, which would replace 94/62/EC, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. The proposed regulation would, among other things:
Pre-checkout bags, to include plastic bags for produce, will be banned in California effective January 1, 2025, unless they are compostable or are recycled paper bags. The legislation, SB-1046, amended Section 42357 and added Section 24481.2 to the California Public Resources Code. These sections relate to solid waste.
The U.S. House of Representatives will consider legislation to increase recycling accessibility in communities and improve recycling data collection when summer recess ends this month. The Recycling and Composting Accountability Act (RCAA), S.3743, would identify challenges, improve data collection, and determine best practices with respect to recycling and composting in America.
On June 20, 2022, the Canadian government enacted the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations, SOR/2022-138. This law, reflecting Canada’s commitment to ban single-use plastics, will come into effect on December 20, 2022, with implementation occurring over the course of three years.