An Act To Increase the Recycling Rate in Maine
Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §2133, sub-§2-B, as amended by PL 2003, c. 567, §1, is further amended to read:
Preference in allocating resources under this subsection must be given to municipalities that participate in a household hazardous waste collection region as defined in subsection 2-D.
At a minimum, the office shall award grants to public schools and municipalities for reasonable costs incurred as a result of managing waste mercury-added products generated by those public schools and municipalities, in compliance with the requirements in sections 1663 and 1664, that would not otherwise be incurred by complying with existing laws, rules or regulations as of July 15, 2002.
Sec. 2. 38 MRSA §2133, sub-§6-A is enacted to read:
Sec. 3. 38 MRSA §2133, sub-§6-B is enacted to read:
Sec. 4. 38 MRSA §2201, 3rd ¶, as amended by PL 2005, c. 618, §21, is further amended to read:
Funds related to administration may be expended only in accordance with allocations approved by the Legislature for administrative expenses directly related to the office's and the department's programs, including actions by the department necessary to abate threats to public health, safety and welfare posed by the disposal of solid waste. Funds related to operations may be expended only for expenses in implementing a municipal hazardous waste disposal program under section 2133, subsection 2-B, corrugated cardboard recycling program under section 2133, subsection 6-A and household yard waste composting program under section 2133, subsection 6-B or in accordance with allocations approved by the Legislature and solely for the development and operation of publicly owned facilities owned or approved by the office and for the repayment of any obligations of the office incurred under article 3. These allocations must be based on estimates of the actual costs necessary for the office and the department to administer their programs, to provide financial assistance to regional associations and to provide other financial assistance necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter. Beginning in the fiscal year ending on June 30, 1991 and thereafter, the fund must annually transfer to the General Fund an amount necessary to reimburse the costs of the Bureau of Revenue Services incurred in the administration of Title 36, chapter 719. Allowable expenditures include "Personal Services," "All Other" and "Capital Expenditures" associated with all office activities other than those included in the operations account.
summary
This bill:
1. Requires municipalities, from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2017, to semiannually receive household hazardous waste;
2. Requires a municipality with a population greater than 2,000 to receive, recycle and, if possible, sell all cardboard disposed of in the municipality;
3. Requires a municipality with a population greater than 2,000 to receive and compost household yard waste; and
4. Allows municipal expenses incurred in implementing the requirements of this bill to be paid by the Executive Department, State Planning Office from the Maine Solid Waste Management Fund.