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House mandates retailers join tire‑stewardship program by mid‑2027 after extended debate
Summary
Lawmakers approved a bill requiring tire retailers to participate in a statewide Tire Stewardship Organization by July 1, 2027, expanding municipal pickup for dumped tires and changing how disposal fees are handled; members debated impacts on small retailers and interstate shipments.
After extended floor debate the House passed a substituted tire stewardship bill that will require retailers doing business in Connecticut to participate in a state‑wide Tire Stewardship Organization (TSO) by July 1, 2027, proponents said, and expands municipal options for free pickup of dumped tires.
Representative Gresco, chair of the Environment Committee, told the chamber this bill builds on the state’s earlier extended producer responsibility framework for tires and "requires their participation come 07/01/2027." He said the municipal portion of the stewardship plan began two weeks earlier and that registered municipalities can call the TSO to pick up illegally dumped tires or municipal collections at no cost.
Members pressed sponsors about why the requirement is mandatory rather than voluntary. Representative Master Francesco objected to converting a voluntary arrangement into a statutory mandate and asked why mom‑and‑pop retailers could not continue to join voluntarily; the sponsor said the retail industry asked for time to negotiate and that mandatory, statewide participation avoids patchwork adoption.
Minority Leader Ken Deloria voiced broader concerns about potential economic impacts on existing local recycling businesses and the authority DEEP will exercise in administering stewardship programs. He urged caution about regulatory burden on local businesses and questioned whether the program could unintentionally shift costs or jobs.
The debate covered technical implementation topics including crediting retailers that ship tires into the state but resell across New England, possible credit systems (e.g., eTrax), and whether disposal fees will be collected at retail or remitted at the end of the process. Sponsors said some implementation details will be worked out between the TSO, retailers and DEEP, and that the law sets a timeline to give industry and municipalities time to align.
The clerk announced the roll‑call results recorded on the chamber floor and the bill passed. Sponsors said the bill seeks to remove the perverse incentive to illegally dump tires by ensuring funds for proper disposal are paid when tires reach end‑of‑life processors, not up front at retail.
