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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to promotion of the use of recyclable materials as |
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feedstock for manufacturing. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 361.0151, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (c), (d), |
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(e), (f), (g), (h), (i), and (j) to read as follows: |
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(b) The commission shall work in conjunction with the Texas |
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Economic Development and Tourism Office [Department of Commerce] to |
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pursue the development of markets for recycled materials, including |
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composting products. |
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(c) In cooperation with the Texas Economic Development and |
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Tourism Office, the commission shall produce a plan to stimulate |
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the use of recyclable materials as feedstock in manufacturing. |
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(d) The plan must: |
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(1) identify the quantity and type of recyclable |
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materials that are being recycled, including paper, plastic, metal, |
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glass, vegetative waste, compost, mulch, tires, electronic waste, |
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construction and demolition debris, batteries, and paint; |
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(2) identify and estimate the quantity and type of |
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recyclable materials that are generated but not being recycled; |
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(3) identify and estimate the current economic |
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benefits of recycling materials and the potential economic benefits |
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to be gained by recycling materials identified under Subdivision |
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(2); |
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(4) identify the location and processing capacity of |
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existing manufacturers that use recyclable materials as feedstock; |
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(5) identify the barriers to increasing the use of |
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recyclable materials as feedstock for manufacturers; |
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(6) identify and estimate the need and type of |
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manufacturing facilities necessary to consume the existing and |
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potential volumes of recyclable materials; and |
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(7) recommend institutional, financial, |
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administrative, and physical methods, means, and processes that |
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could be applied to increase the use of recyclable materials and to |
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stimulate the use of those materials by manufacturers. |
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(e) The plan may not require any generator, collector, or |
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processor of recyclable materials to ship to or use any particular |
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manufacturing facility. |
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(f) To the extent practicable in preparing the plan, the |
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commission shall use methodologies, data, and information derived |
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from other recycling economic studies already performed. |
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(g) The commission shall update the plan every five years, |
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and in a year in which the plan is updated, the plan shall be |
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included in the annual summary of municipal solid waste management |
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produced by the municipal solid waste permits section of the |
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commission and delivered to the governor and legislature. |
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(h) In cooperation with other state agencies, the |
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commission shall develop an education program that must include: |
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(1) the economic benefits of recycling, including job |
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creation, economic impact, percent of total solid waste recycled, |
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weight and volume of solid waste recycled, and taxes and fees paid |
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by the recycling industry; |
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(2) a spotlight of collectors and processors of |
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recyclable materials and manufacturers that are using recyclable |
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materials as feedstock; and |
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(3) the detrimental effects of contamination in the |
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recyclable materials stream and the need to reduce those effects. |
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(i) The commission shall update the education program |
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required by Subsection (h) at least every five years. |
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(j) The commission may enter into contracts with public, |
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private, and nonprofit organizations to produce the plan required |
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by Subsection (c) and the education program required by Subsection |
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(h). |
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SECTION 2. Not later than October 1, 2020, the Texas |
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Commission on Environmental Quality shall complete the initial plan |
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and education program required under Sections 361.0151(c) and (h), |
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Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |