Diverse coalition urges swift passage of bipartisan recycling bills

The Aluminum Association, Arlington, Virginia, and more than 60 trade associations, corporations and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have sent a letter to congressional leaders calling for passage of two recycling bills before the end of the year.

The association notes that the Recycling Infrastructure Accessibility Act (RIAA) and the Recycling Composting Accountability Act (RCAA) both have garnered bipartisan support, having progressed through the U.S. Senate unanimously in both the 117th and 118th Congress.

The RIAA, or S. 1189, was introduced by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito in 2023 and would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a pilot grant program to improve recycling accessibility in communities and allows the EPA to award grants to states, local governments, Indian tribes or public-private partnerships. The bill states that the EPA should give priority to eligible entities planning projects in communities with no more than one material recovery facility (MRF) within a 75-mile radius of that community.

Under the legislation, grants would range from $500,000 to $15 million and would be made available to projects aimed at improving recycling accessibility in communities, including underserved communities, by increasing the number of transfer stations, expanding curbside collection programs and leveraging public-private partnerships to reduce costs associated with collecting and transporting recyclables in underserved communities.

The RCAA, or S. 1194, was introduced by Sen. Thomas R. Carper in 2023 and would establish data collection and reporting requirements related to composting and recycling programs, requiring the EPA to issue several reports related to composting and recycling, including a report on the capability of the U.S. to implement a national composting strategy to reduce contamination rates for recycling.

The bill also would allow the EPA to inventory certain facilities that recycle residential materials and describe the materials the facilities can process; collect data related to curbside and drop-off recycling and composting programs to establish a baseline for the U.S. recycling system; and develop and disseminate best practices that states, local governments and Indian tribes could use to enhance recycling and composting.

The RCAA also would require the Government Accountability Office to report on the recycling practices of federal agencies, among other rules.

“Increasing and improving recycling of all materials in the United States is good for the economy, the environment and our domestic supply chains,” Aluminum Association President and CEO Charles Johnson says. “As major aluminum industry investments start to come online, it’s critical that our companies have the necessary material to support demand. From consumer packaging and automotive to infrastructure and defense applications, infinitely recyclable aluminum is strengthening our economy. We urge Congress to pass both recycling bills to ensure our industry is set up for long-term success.”

The letter states that every year, millions of pounds and billions of dollars-worth of valuable recyclable materials are landfilled, including materials designated as critical by the Department of Defense. “Beyond recycling’s inherent environmental advantages, manufacturers rely on recycled material to meet demand across sectors,” it says, adding “More recycling is good both for the planet and for the broader manufacturing economy.”

The Aluminum Association notes the bills address deficiencies in U.S. recycling policies and infrastructure. It cites the Washington-based Recycling Partnership’s (TRP’s) 2024 State of Recycling report, which claims that only 21 percent of recyclables are collected from households, placing the U.S. far behind other advanced economies in terms of recycling efficiency.

The coalition, comprised of organizations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Beverage Association, TRP and the World Wildlife Fund, stresses that these initiatives will bolster domestic supply chains and foster a more sustainable economy.

“Together, these bipartisan bills would advance the nation’s recycling capabilities, support a robust and circular economy and help secure critical domestic supply chains,” the letter says.