The 2025 Maryland General Assembly session came to an end on April 7, and of the many recycling bills we tracked, three made it to the finish line.
Read below for a quick update and
here for the full session recap including position statements and actions taken.
What made it...
The
Food System Resiliency Council (
HB0009) bill, which redefines “wasted food” listed in the current legislation, and the
Water Bottle Filling Stations (
HB0277 / SB0096), requiring water bottle filling stations for new construction or renovations, passed easily in both the House and Senate.
EPR for Packaging and Paper (
SB0901) was also passed this year. This follows the 2023 passage of
SB0222 which required a needs assessment to confirm a sustainable and financially viable basis on which to implement EPR in Maryland.
The passage of the EPR legislation was featured in several publications including this
Resource Recycling article which quoted Chaz Miller on the passage.
Note: There will be a full update on the new bill along with the recently completed HDR needs assessment and the implications for recycling and solid waste programs during the 2025 MRN/SWANA Mid-Atlantic Annual Conference - 6/9/2025.
What didn’t make it…
Unfortunately, several of our most pressing bills did not pass including the
Covered Electronic Device Recycling Program (
SB0591 / HB0931), the
Mattress Stewardship Program* (
HB0858), the
Battery Stewardship Act (
SB0686). Additionally, the
Tire Recycling Fee Bill (
HB0083), which updated the current bill, did not receive a hearing.
Note: While the original bill Tire Recycling Fee Bill HB83 did not pass, a 20 cent per tire increase in the recycling fee was included in the 2025 Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act along with a $5.00 per tire fee to help pay for transportation projects across the state. The bill also allows for a CPI increase in the recycling fee every two years.
These are all recycling initiatives that the MRN Legislative Committee has been working on over the past several years, participating in workgroups and crafting legislation needed to get them over the finish line. Rest assured, we will continue working to see their eventual passage.
*The Mattress Bill saw a last-minute spark of interest which led to a
WMAR 2 TV News report, in which Kitty McIlroy was interviewed for the report.
Other bills that didn’t make it include the
Postconsumer Recycled Content Program (
HB0069) and the
Beverage Container Recycling Refund & Litter Reduction Program (
HB0232 /
SB0346).
Read the full session recap for more on these and other bills.
In appreciation for all the hard work...
A heartfelt THANK YOU to Legislative Chair
Chaz Miller and MRN President
Kitty McIlroy for making several trips to Annapolis to testify on our behalf. Additionally, a shout out to MRN members
Kristyn Oldendorf (SWANA),
Richard Keller (Baltimore County), and
Gina Van De Walle (Howard County) who also provided testimony in favor of the Electronics bill while representing their respective organizations
(pictured on bottom left to right).
And deep appreciation to all the members of our
Legislative Committee and
Board of Directors for your insight, support, and tireless dedication.
*Stay up to date via our Legislative / Regulatory page and by connecting with us on LinkedIn.