Spurred by market challenges, the Hill has seen a historic influx of big bill

By Megan Quinn and Cole Rosengren WasteDive

The proposed legislation could dramatically change the way the U.S. handles recycling in the next few years, whether it’s through infrastructure investments, organics recycling, education, product bans, or bottle bills and extended producer responsibility initiatives.

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Bill to watch	Current status	Sponsors
Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act	Reintroduced March 25; referred to the Senate Committee on Finance	Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.)
CLEAN Future Act	Introduced March 2; multiple committee hearings as recently as June 29	Reps. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) and Bobby Rush (D-Ill.)
COMPOST Act	Introduced July 16; referred to the House Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry Aug. 11	Reps. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH); Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act	Introduced July 9, RECYCLE ACT text added late July. Passed Senate Aug. 10 and sent to House Aug. 16.	Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.)*
Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act	Introduced June 8 and referred to multiple committees; approved by House Committee on Natural Resources July 14	Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.)
PAPER Act	Reintroduced April 27; referred to Senate Committee on Finance	Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.)
Plastic Waste Reduction and Recycling Act	Reintroduced April 22; referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology	Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio), Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) and Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okl.)
RECOVER Act	Reintroduced April 5; referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce	Reps. Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.) and Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.)
RECYCLE Act	Full text added to INVEST in America Act in July, see entry for more information	Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio) and Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.)
REDUCE Act	Introduced Aug. 5 and sent to Senate Committee on Finance	Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)
Secure E-Waste Export and Recycling Act	Reintroduced May 7; referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs	Reps. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) and Steve Stivers (R-Ohio)
Zero Food Waste Act	Introduced July 16 and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce	Reps. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH); Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Zero Waste Act	Reintroduced March 19 and referred to the House Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change March 22	Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.)

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