Call to Action: EPR Bills are Still Alive and Need Your Support!
The urgency of reducing our waste gets greater every day. Two more in-state facilities are in the process of closing right now, which will likely lead to big jumps in disposal costs and even stranded trash within the decade. Three Extended Producer Responsibility Bills have made it through the ENRA committee and were sent to the House Committee on Ways and Means. Please write your representative and ask him to continue to fight for these bills.
Please contact your State Representative, Edward Philips, by email and then phone requesting that he convey his support for three extended producer responsibility bills that have been favorably reported by the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture committee, and referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.
Phone: (617) 722-2060
Subject: Please advocate for passage of H4851, H938 and H4852
Dear Representative Ted Philips,
Congratulations on the favorable report by ENRA on your recycling bill for mattresses (H4852). We cannot thank you enough for sponsoring this bill.
Thank you for also for cosponsoring H878. This bill shifts much responsibility for the cost of disposed packaging and most printed paper from municipalities and businesses to the producers that chose to put them on the retail market and in our mailboxes. These materials account for more than a quarter of our trash, and all our recycling, for a total of 46% of our discards.
The ENRA Committee made some thoughtful amendments to this bill, and reported it out to House Ways & Means as H4851, An Act to save recycling costs in the commonwealth. The bill incentivizes the use of less and better packaging and printed paper, and should reduce and recover most of the massive waste and litter they generate. This will help forestall the impending disposal dilemma that is already besetting Massachusetts. Maine, Oregon and Colorado recently enacted similar laws.
ENRA also reported out another important product stewardship bill. Please support a recycling bill for latex and oil-based paint products (H938). Together with your mattress bill, these create convenient recycling options funded by an advance recovery fee, and are successfully running in many other states.
Would you please convey your strong support for quick action on these bills to the House Committee on Ways and Means as soon as possible, and let me know if you do?
Signed, Name
Address
Phone
Board Member or Lead if applicable
Sustainable Sharon Coalition
