HR4109-119

What This Bill Does

The Recycling and Composting Accountability Act builds a federal data and reporting framework for recycling and composting. It defines compost, compostable material, recyclable material, recycling, composting facilities, and materials recovery facilities. EPA must request data from and collaborate or contract with states, local governments, and Tribes to publish or expand National Recycling Strategy reporting on compostable materials, contamination reduction, laws that may block composting, infrastructure, land and cost needs, and manufacturer practices around compostable packaging and food-service ware. GAO must report every two years until 2033 on federal agency recycling and composting rates, procurement of recyclable, compostable, or recovered-material products, agency recycling activities, and improvements. EPA must develop a metric within one year for recyclable material diverted from circular markets, then study 10 years of diversion data for aluminum, plastics, paper and paperboard, textiles, and glass. The bill authorizes $4 million annually for FY2025-FY2029, bars unfunded mandates on states, local governments, or Tribes, and protects FOIA-exempt information.

Who Benefits and How

State recycling programs benefit from national data on composting infrastructure, contamination, and circular-market gaps. Local composting programs benefit because EPA reporting must identify infrastructure, cost, land, and legal barriers. Tribal waste-management offices benefit from inclusion in data collaboration and protection against unfunded mandates. Recycling manufacturers benefit from material-specific data on aluminum, plastics, paper, textiles, and glass lost from circular markets.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The Environmental Protection Agency must define metrics, request data, publish reports, and study recyclable material diversion. The Government Accountability Office must report biennially on federal agency recycling, composting, and procurement through 2033. Federal agencies must provide recycling, composting, and procurement information for GAO reporting. Federal taxpayers bear the $4 million annual authorization for fiscal years 2025 through 2029.

Key Provisions

• Requires EPA reporting on composting and recycling infrastructure capabilities and contamination reduction.
• Requires GAO biennial reports on federal agency recycling, composting, and recovered-material procurement through 2033.
• Requires EPA metric development and a 10-year study of recyclable materials diverted from circular markets.
• Authorizes $4 million annually for fiscal years 2025 through 2029 and bars unfunded state, local, or Tribal mandates.