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Panel moves producer‑funded battery stewardship bill after broad stakeholder backing
Summary
House Bill 12‑31, amended to create a producer‑funded Battery Stewardship Organization overseen by IDEM, passed the committee after wide support from waste haulers, manufacturers, solid waste districts and environmental groups as a step to reduce battery‑caused fires and expand recycling access.
Representative Miller described House Bill 12‑31 (as amended) as a producer‑funded stewardship program to improve collection and recycling of portable consumer batteries and reduce fires at transfer stations, trucks and landfills. The bill would exclude embedded batteries (phones, vaping devices), vehicle batteries, and implanted medical devices; it would require producers to join a Battery Stewardship Organization (BSO) and file a plan with IDEM that outlines collection sites, performance goals, education, safety protocols and a financial plan.
Patrick Bennett of the National Waste & Recycling Association and Mark Bulish of the Portable Rechargeable Battery Association both urged passage, citing worker and community safety risks from batteries entering the waste stream and the benefits of a producer‑funded model. “This bill represents a unique opportunity for Indiana to get ahead on battery recycling and safety,” Bennett said.
Solid waste district and recycler representatives explained the operational costs they face when damaged or high‑risk batteries arrive at household hazardous waste facilities and transfer stations; the Association of Indiana Solid Waste Management Districts estimated disposal costs around $4 per pound for typical batteries and flagged concerns about damaged, defective, and recalled batteries that the bill currently exempts from coverage.
Stakeholders broadly praised the amendment’s approach and encouraged further detail on collection convenience and education to raise participation rates. IDEM staff said they would continue to provide technical assistance as the bill proceeds. The committee moved and passed HB 12‑31 as amended by recorded vote (11 yeas; several excused), advancing the producer stewardship structure to further review.
