The U.S. Senate has approved the Strategies to Eliminate Waste and Accelerate Recycling Development (STEWARD) Act, legislation aimed at strengthening recycling and composting systems across the country. The bill passed by voice vote on November 20.
The STEWARD Act was introduced by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, along with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the committee, and John Boozman (R-Ark.). The legislation seeks to invest in community-level programs and improve data collection and reporting related to recycling.
"For too many Americans, recycling remains out of reach – either because facilities don’t exist in their communities or because the infrastructure to make recycling economically viable is not in place. The STEWARD Act aims to close these gaps by ensuring that recycling services are accessible to all communities. The bill also recognizes that, to solve a problem, you need to measure and understand it first. The data provisions in the STEWARD Act will empower decision-makers to track progress, identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions that will drive real change in our nation’s recycling systems. I am thrilled that this bill is moving forward in the legislative process," said Senator Capito.
The act combines two previous pieces of legislation: the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act of 2023 and the Recycling and Composting Accountability Act. Both measures had previously passed unanimously through the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in April 2023, as well as through the full Senate by unanimous consent in March 2024.
A summary document about the legislation can be found on a one-pager linked here.
