Burchett, Neguse, Foster introduce bipartisan Recycling and Composting Accountability Act

Press Release

Rep. Tim Burchett joined Reps. Joe Neguse (CO-02) and Bill Foster (IL-11) to introduce the bipartisan Recycling and Composting Accountability Act (RCAA) of 2022.

The RCAA would require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to collect data on recycling and composting in the United States, such as the prevalence of recycling and composting programs, the number of materials recovery facilities across the country, and the rate of recyclable materials successfully diverted from waste streams to these facilities.

"There is very little reliable, widely available data on recycling and composting programs in the United States," Rep. Burchett said. "This bill would provide information that can be used by private businesses to spur innovation and by state and local governments to improve their communities' recycling programs without imposing one-size-fits-all rules at the federal level."

"To support American sustainability and ensure that we are doing all we can as a nation to help protect our environment, we must promote recycling and waste reduction in our communities, empowering individuals to make conscious decisions that have a real, cumulative impact on our environment." Rep. Neguse said. "This bill will ensure that Americans have the resources and information needed to support recycling efforts. It also increases government support for these processes, moving our nation towards sustainability."

"Recycling is instrumental in improving the environment, making our economy more efficient, and fueling innovation," Rep. Foster said. "Despite this, our nation consistently lags behind in recycling and composting rates. This bill works to increase and refine data collection for our recycling and composting practices, ensuring we can preserve these systems and their ability to act as a sustainable economic driver in our society."

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