Producer Responsibility in MA: Making Polluters Pay

You can help pass this bill! Please call or e-mail your elected state representatives and ask them to co-sponsor Bills H.878/S.610 (Formerly Docket Numbers HD.1553/SD.1123) ‘An Act to Save Recycling Costs in the Commonwealth’ (Fact Sheet). More details below!

Who Pays for Excess Plastic Packaging?

Plastic packaging items are often littered and easily lost into the environment, both land and sea. Once there, they will persist, concentrate toxins, entangle and displace food for wildlife throughout the food chain, and risk disrupting the ecosystems on which our own health and economy depend.

Emissions from mass production and disposal of single-use packaging products are driving the climate crisis and perpetuating environmental injustice, sickening the disproportionately low-income communities and people of color who live near manufacturing, landfill, and incineration facilities.

MA taxpayers and municipalities are now bearing the brunt of skyrocketing recycling costs to manage these problems and handle the ever-increasing volume of packaging and printed paper, which now makes up about 50% of residential waste.

There is a better way.

Making Producers Responsible

'An Act to Save Recycling Costs in the Commonwealth' is a producer responsibility bill that has been filed in the 2021-2022 MA legislative session as H.878 and S.610 (formerly under docket numbers HD.1553 and SD.1123). The lead sponsors are Rep. Michael Day and Sen. Michael Rush.

Please click the preview below to download a summary of this bill, key provisions, and more details on how it will achieve its goals!

How you can take action!

The bill is being championed by Rep. Michael Day and Sen. Michael Rush, but needs as much support as possible to have the best chance of succeeding in the 2021-2022 legislative session.

Please contact your state legislators and ask them to co-sponsor 'An Act to Save Recycling Costs in the Commonwealth' (H.878 and S.610).

Once you’re done, please share this information and ask friends and neighbors (especially in your district) to reach out also!

Here are a few tips for when you call or e-mail:

1. If you call, you are likely to speak with an aide or get voicemail. Don’t be afraid to keep calling or e-mailing until you get a response that satisfies you!
2. Remember to give your name and let them know you are a constituent. Especially when e-mailing, It helps to include the address where you are registered to vote. For example, if speaking to an aide:
   • “Hi! My name is [YOUR NAME] and I live at [YOUR ADDRESS] in Rep./Sen._______’s district.”
3. Clearly state your specific request. 
   • “Please ask Rep./Sen._______ to co-sponsor ‘An Act to Save Recycling Costs in the Commonwealth’, which is Bill Numbers H.878 and S.610”
4. Share a few personal reasons why you support this bill! For example:
   • “I believe producers should be responsible for the cost of recycling the plastic waste they are producing, not Massachusetts taxpayers!”
   • “It feels impossible to find products with plastic free packaging. I want to lower my waste output to help protect the environment and this can help create more green packaging” 
   • …or anything else that speaks to you personally.
5. Remember to listen to their response!
6. If it isn’t clear whether or not the elected will co-sponsor the bill, please be sure to ask that they follow up later with their position:
   • “I look forward to knowing whether Rep./Sen._______ will help champion this important legislation or not. When could you get back to me with a clear indication of their willingness to co-sponsor H.878 and S.610?”
7. No matter how it goes, please remember to thank the person you are speaking to!

For more information or to learn how else you can help support this campaign, please contact us!