MD HB 510--Organic Waste – Organics Recycling – Collection and Acceptance for Final Disposal
This bill would prohibit an owner or operator of a landfill or refuse disposal system from accepting truckloads of separately collected yard waste or loads of separately collected food waste for final disposal unless the owner or operator provides organics recycling.
After testifying and submitting a letter of support with amendment, we successfully got the bill amended to to state "organics recycling facility" instead of "compost facility" so that anaerobic digesters are included equally with compost systems as an acceptable destination for food waste to be recycled.
Maryland has been trying to get an organics recycling law in place for a couple years now and we're hopeful that enough of the concerns expressed in previous legislatures have been addressed to allow this one to pass.
TO SUPPORT:
- Use ABC's letter above to create your own letter to Chairman Paul Pinsky
- Make sure your letter includes the statement: "We support the position of the American Biogas Council and support HB 510 which supports organics recycling of organic waste."
- Email your letter to [email protected] and copy [email protected] (author of the bill) and [email protected] this week.
MD HB 511--Including Digestate in the Definition of Soil Conditioner
As a reminder, this is an amendment to the Maryland Commercial Fertilizer Law that redefines the definition of "soil conditioner" to include digestate from anaerobic digestion. With this bill, digestate could be used in storm water management solutions, in road way work via the State Highway Administration and specialty products such as roof gardens.
TO SUPPORT:
- Use ABC's letter above to create your own letter to Paul Pinsky
- Make sure your letter includes the statement: "We support the position of the American Biogas Council and support HB 511 which adds anaerobic digestate to the definition of soil conditioner."
- Email your letter to [email protected] and copy [email protected] (author of the bill) and [email protected] this week.
Thank you for your quick action and help to get these bills passed!
Patrick Serfass, Executive Director