HR6566-119

What This Bill Does

The Recycling Technology Innovation Act amends the Clean Air Act definition of solid waste incineration unit. A unit that converts or transforms plastic or post-use polymers through pyrolysis, gasification, depolymerization, catalytic cracking, solvolysis, or chemolysis is excluded from that definition if at least 50 percent by mass of its outputs, calculated by an EPA method set by rule, are products. Owners or operators of conversion units that do not meet that automatic exclusion can petition EPA to be treated as excluded. EPA must publish the complete petition, seek public comment, and approve or deny it within 180 days. The bill defines product as a usable material output with a consumer, commercial, or industrial application that can be sold or used as an input in another product, and excludes electricity, heat, steam, soot, char, dust, and ash.

Who Benefits and How

Plastic conversion facilities benefit because qualifying processes can avoid incinerator-style Clean Air Act treatment when they produce usable products. Recycling technology developers benefit from a clearer federal pathway for pyrolysis, gasification, depolymerization, catalytic cracking, solvolysis, and chemolysis projects. Manufacturers using recycled polymer outputs benefit if more facilities can supply product inputs. Petitioning facility owners benefit from a defined EPA process and 180-day decision deadline.

Who Bears the Burden and How

EPA must write the output-mass calculation rule, publish petitions, manage public comments, and approve or deny petitions within 180 days. Facility owners must document that outputs qualify as products or prepare petitions. Environmental advocates and local communities must monitor petitions and comment if they believe a unit should remain regulated as incineration. State air regulators may need to adjust permitting treatment for qualifying facilities.

Key Provisions

• Amends the Clean Air Act definition of solid waste incineration unit for plastic and post-use-polymer conversion units.
• Excludes qualifying units using pyrolysis, gasification, depolymerization, catalytic cracking, solvolysis, or chemolysis when at least 50 percent of outputs are products.
• Requires EPA to establish the output-mass calculation method by rule.
• Creates a public petition process with comment opportunity and a 180-day EPA decision deadline.
• Defines product and excludes electricity, heat, steam, soot, char, dust, and ash.