The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) has updated its compendium of state disposal bans and mandatory recycling laws from around the country. This unique resource provides state-specific information, including contact information, about which materials are banned for disposal and to whom the ban applies, as well as what has to be recycled and by whom. The document is available for free download: Disposal Bans and Mandatory Recycling in the United States.
Interestingly, every state but one, Montana, has at least “something” banned from disposal in its solid waste facilities—at minimum lead-acid batteries, as is the case in Arizona and Wyoming. And, 27 states have at least one mandatory recycling requirement.
Among the 27 jurisdictions that have mandatory recycling requirements, the following materials are those most frequently impacted.
Presented in the following chart are the materials most commonly banned for disposal by both businesses and Individuals.
In addition, there are bottle bill laws in 10 states and Guam: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon, and Vermont.
Thank you to the state representatives that contributed to this report.