Rhode Island HB 7542: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY - REFUSE DISPOSAL - FOOD WASTE BAN (Amends § 23-18.9-17 to increase the miles of distance to thirty (30) a covered entity can be to an authorized composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility beginning January 1, 2023.)

Bill Text

2022 -- H 7542 
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LC004840 
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S T A T E     O F     R H O D E     I S L A N D 
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY 
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022 
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A N   A C T 
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY - REFUSE DISPOSAL - FOOD WASTE BAN 
Introduced   By: Representatives   Ruggiero,   Vella-Wilkinson,   Edwards,   Speakman, 
Cortvriend, Batista, McEntee, Alzate, Henries, and Amore 
Date Introduced: February 18, 2022 
Referred To: House Environment and Natural Resources 
 
 
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 
SECTION 1. Section 23-18.9-17 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-18.9 entitled "Refuse 1 
Disposal" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2 
23-18.9-17. Food waste ban. 3 
(a)  On  and  after  January  1,  2016,  each  covered  entity  and  each  covered  educational 4 
institution shall ensure that the organic-waste materials that are generated by the covered entity or 5 
at the covered educational facility are recycled at an authorized composting facility or anaerobic 6 
digestion facility or by another authorized recycling method if: 7 
(1) The covered entity or covered educational facility generates not less than one hundred 8 
four (104) tons per year of organic-waste material; and 9 
(2) The covered entity or covered educational facility is located not more than fifteen (15) 10 
miles from an authorized composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility with available capacity 11 
to accept such material. 12 
(b) On and after January 1, 2018, each covered educational institution shall ensure that the 13 
organic-waste  materials  that  are  generated  at  the  covered  educational  facility  are  recycled  at  an 14 
authorized composting facility or anaerobic  digestion facility or by another authorized recycling 15 
method if: 16 
(1) The covered educational facility generates not less than fifty-two (52) tons per year of 17 
organic-waste material; and 18 
(2) The covered entity or covered educational facility is located not more than fifteen (15) 19 

 
 
 
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miles from an authorized composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility with available capacity 1 
to accept such material. 2 
(c) The director shall grant a waiver of the requirements of subsections (a) and (b) upon a 3 
showing that the tipping fee charged by the Rhode Island resource recovery corporation for non-4 
contract commercial sector waste is less than the fee charged for organic-waste material by each 5 
composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility located within fifteen (15) miles of the covered 6 
entity's location. 7 
(d) On and after January 1, 2023, each educational entity (as  defined in § 16-110-1) shall 8 
ensure that the organic-waste materials that are generated by the educational entity are recycled at 9 
an authorized composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility or by another authorized recycling 10 
method if: 11 
(1) The educational entity generates not less than thirty (30) tons per year of organic-waste 12 
material; and 13 
(2) The educational entity is located not more than fifteen (15) miles from an authorized 14 
composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility with available capacity to accept such material. 15 
(e) On and after January 1, 2023, each covered entity shall ensure that the organic-waste 16 
materials that are generated by the covered entity are recycled at an authorized composting facility 17 
or anaerobic digestion facility or by another authorized recycling method if: 18 
(1) The covered entity generates not less than fifty-two (52) tons per year of organic-waste 19 
material; and 20 
(2) The  covered  entity  is  located  not  more  than  thirty  (30)  miles  from  an  authorized 21 
composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility with available capacity to accept such material. 22 
(f) On and after January 1, 2024, each covered entity shall ensure that the organic-waste 23 
materials that are generated by the covered entity are recycled at an authorized composting facility 24 
or anaerobic digestion facility or by another authorized recycling method if: 25 
(1) The  covered  entity  generates  not  less  than  twenty-six  (26)  tons  per  year  of  organic-26 
waste material; and 27 
(2) The  covered  entity  is  located  not  more  than  thirty  (30)  miles  from  an  authorized 28 
composting facility or anaerobic digestion facility with available capacity to accept such material. 29 
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 30 
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LC004840 
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EXPLANATION 
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 
OF 
A N   A C T 
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY - REFUSE DISPOSAL - FOOD WASTE BAN 
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This act would require a covered entity generating organic waste materials of more than 1 
fifty-two (52) tons per year and located less than thirty (30) miles from an authorized composting 2 
facility or anaerobic digestion facility to recycle the waste at that facility beginning January 1, 2023. 3 
Eff