Bill Text: PA SB624 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: In recycling and waste reduction, further providing for recycling at educational institutions.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-23 - Referred to ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY [SB624 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-SB624-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 632
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 624 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY YUDICHAK, M. WHITE, SCARNATI, COSTA, ARGALL, RAFFERTY, FONTANA, D. WHITE, BAKER, VOGEL, TARTAGLIONE, YAW, BREWSTER, STACK, BOSCOLA, BROWNE AND ERICKSON, FEBRUARY 23, 2011
REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, FEBRUARY 23, 2011
AN ACT
Amending the act of July 28, 1988 (P.L.556, No.101), entitled
"An act providing for planning for the processing and
disposal of municipal waste; requiring counties to submit
plans for municipal waste management systems within their
boundaries; authorizing grants to counties and municipalities
for planning, resource recovery and recycling; imposing and
collecting fees; establishing certain rights for host
municipalities; requiring municipalities to implement
recycling programs; requiring Commonwealth agencies to
procure recycled materials; imposing duties; granting powers
to counties and municipalities; authorizing the Environmental
Quality Board to adopt regulations; authorizing the
Department of Environmental Resources to implement this act;
providing remedies; prescribing penalties; establishing a
fund; and making repeals," in recycling and waste reduction,
further providing for recycling at educational institutions.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1509 of the act of July 28, 1988
(P.L.556, No.101), known as the Municipal Waste Planning,
Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, is amended to read:
Section 1509. Recycling at educational institutions.
(a) General rule.--The department, in consultation with the
Department of Education, shall develop guidelines for source
separation and collection of recyclable materials and for waste
reduction in primary and secondary schools, colleges and
universities, whether the schools, colleges and universities are
public or nonpublic. At a minimum, the guidelines shall address
materials generated in administrative offices, classrooms,
dormitories and cafeterias. The Department of Education shall
distribute these guidelines and encourage their implementation.
The guidelines shall be developed and distributed within two
years of the effective date of this act, except that the
guidelines are not required to be distributed to educational
institutions that are Commonwealth agencies implementing
recycling programs under section 1505.
(b) Textbooks and other books.--
(1) Public and nonpublic primary and secondary schools
and institutions of the State System of Higher Education
shall use certified textbook recycling facilities for the
collection and recycling of textbooks and other books that
are to be discarded.
(2) The Department of General Services shall promulgate
regulations for the certification of textbook recycling
facilities under this subsection. The regulations shall
require compliance no earlier than the end of the school year
which occurs after the effective date of the regulations.
(3) The Department of General Services shall certify and
may contract with a facility or facilities to recycle
textbooks and other books for a minimum three-year period.
The Department of General Services may suspend the contract
if at any point during the period the facility fails to meet
the qualifications for certification.
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(4) In order to be certified by the Department of
General Services and prior to entering into a contract with
the Department of General Services under this subsection, a
textbook recycling facility must satisfy the following
conditions:
(i) The facility may not dispose of textbooks and
other books at landfills or resource recovery facilities.
(ii) The facility must monetarily compensate the
schools and institutions required to comply with this
subsection for the textbooks and other books it accepts
for recycling and for any costs that the schools or
institutions incur to transport, store or ship the
textbooks and other books to be recycled.
(iii) The facility must have adequate facilities in
this Commonwealth to store and ship the textbooks and
other books for recycling.
(iv) The facility must employ not less than 50% of
its personnel in this Commonwealth and may apply to the
Department of General Services for a waiver of this
requirement.
(v) The facility must ensure that all discarded
textbooks and other books are used in the development of
renewable energy resources or redistributed for
educational purposes.
(vi) Other provisions determined to be necessary by
the Department of General Services.
(5) A school or institution subject to the requirements
of this subsection shall be deemed to be in compliance with
the provisions of this subsection or the regulations
promulgated under this subsection for textbooks and other
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books if the school or institution:
(i) offers the textbooks and other books for
recycling to one or more certified textbook recycling
facilities and each facility that received the offer
cannot comply with paragraph (4)(ii); or
(ii) provides the textbooks and other books to other
schools or institutions or charitable organizations for
educational purposes.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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