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Committee approves bill to raise landfill recycling fee from $2 to $5 per ton
Summary
The House Local Government Committee advanced House Bill 620, increasing the recycling fee in Act 101 from $2 per ton to $5 per ton to bolster the state recycling fund; the measure passed the committee on a recorded vote, 14–12.
House Bill 620, sponsored by Representative Isaacson, would amend the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling, and Waste Reduction Act (Act 101 of 1988) to raise the recycling fee paid by municipal waste landfill and incinerator operators from $2 per ton to $5 per ton.
Committee staff explained the fee increase would direct additional revenue into the recycling fund, a special state treasury account administered by the Department of Environmental Protection that pays grants to municipalities for local recycling efforts.
"This fee has not changed in 38 years," Representative Isaacson said in committee. "Today, the $2 fee is worth about 73 cents in real terms; bringing it up to $5 is a very accurate portrayal of what it should be." He told the panel he has worked on the bill for multiple terms and said the extra revenue would help communities with underfunded recycling programs.
Chairman Freeman and other members noted the policy intent of supporting recycling but raised concerns about fees passed to consumers. Representative Miller suggested municipalities have options to supplement recycling locally and worried an increase could be borne by residents. Representative Isaacson responded the fee applies to all waste disposed at facilities, with no statutory distinction between in-state and out-of-state waste, and said higher fees might modestly deter out‑of‑state trash imports.
The committee took a roll-call vote; the chairman recorded the result as 14 yes, 12 no, and said the bill will be sent to the House floor for consideration.
