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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study on waste reduction and a statewide waste |
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reduction plan. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Texas Commission on |
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Environmental Quality. |
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(2) "Recycling" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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361.421, Health and Safety Code. |
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(3) "Waste reduction" means reducing the amount and |
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toxicity of waste, including: |
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(A) source reduction, as that term is defined by |
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Section 361.421, Health and Safety Code; |
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(B) reusing materials or diverting materials |
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from a waste stream before disposal; and |
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(C) recycling. |
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SECTION 2. WASTE REDUCTION STAKEHOLDERS COMMITTEE; STUDY. |
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(a) The commission shall appoint a waste reduction stakeholders |
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committee composed of members interested in waste reduction, |
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including: |
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(1) two representatives from each of the following: |
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(A) the business community; |
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(B) the public sector; |
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(C) the municipal solid waste industry; |
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(D) the private sector solid waste industry; |
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(E) the private sector recycling industry; |
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(F) the academic community; and |
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(G) the general public; and |
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(2) one representative from a nonprofit organization |
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that promotes recycling statewide. |
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(b) The waste reduction stakeholders committee shall |
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conduct a study regarding waste reduction in this state. The study |
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must: |
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(1) assess current waste reduction efforts and |
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identify ways in which the private and public sectors can improve |
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and increase those efforts; |
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(2) assess the effectiveness of waste reduction |
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statutes, regulations, and programs in this state; |
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(3) assess the extent to which waste reduction |
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programs in this state are duplicative; |
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(4) investigate available funding for waste reduction |
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programs in this state; |
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(5) review waste reduction education programs in this |
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state; |
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(6) review standards in use in this state for: |
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(A) training and certification of waste |
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reduction professionals; and |
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(B) reporting amounts of waste recycled; |
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(7) review waste reduction best practices; and |
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(8) assess job creation opportunities associated with |
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waste reduction. |
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(c) The waste reduction stakeholders committee shall |
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prepare a written report on the results of the study and submit the |
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report to the commission. |
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SECTION 3. HEARING. The commission shall provide notice of |
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and hold at least one public hearing and receive public comments on |
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the results of the study conducted under Section 2 of this Act and |
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on the creation of a statewide waste reduction plan. |
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SECTION 4. STATEWIDE WASTE REDUCTION PLAN. The committee |
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shall prepare a statewide waste reduction plan based on the study |
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and comments from the public hearing or hearings. The plan must |
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include: |
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(1) goals determined by the committee for reducing |
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waste by a certain percentage and date; |
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(2) recommended best practices to help achieve those |
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goals; |
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(3) recommended standards for training and certifying |
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waste reduction professionals; |
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(4) recommended standards for recording and reporting |
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the amount of waste recycled by entities required to report |
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recycled amounts; |
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(5) recommended incentives to promote development of |
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end markets, where materials are diverted from the waste stream and |
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used for economic benefit; |
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(6) suggested sources of funding for implementing the |
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plan; |
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(7) a waste reduction education plan; and |
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(8) recommended state actions that would benefit the |
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economy of this state while: |
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(A) improving and increasing waste reduction |
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efforts; and |
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(B) minimizing the adverse environmental impacts |
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of waste. |
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SECTION 5. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2012, the |
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commission shall submit to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of |
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the house of representatives, and the presiding officer of the |
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standing committee of each house of the legislature with primary |
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jurisdiction over environmental matters a report that includes: |
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(1) the results of the study; |
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(2) a summary of the comments from the public hearing |
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or hearings; and |
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(3) the statewide waste reduction plan prepared by the |
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committee. |
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SECTION 6. EXPIRATION. This Act expires August 31, 2013. |
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SECTION 7. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |