On Thursday, March 21, the Senate Finance Committee passed a heavily amended version of SB 799, legislation that would create a long term mandate to move toward “zero waste” policy across Maryland.

As previously reported on Conduit Street, MACo had opposed the original legislation, citing a range of practical and fiscal concerns with reaching the goals, and about the compliance fees suggested in the bill. At the Committee’s voting session Thursday, the bill was heavily amended to make both the implementation schedule and the enforcement mechanism contingent upon future legislative action, following the efforts of a study group directed to evaluate many of the issues raised by the bill and its numerous stakeholder discussions.

The comparable bill in the House has not yet received any action, and House leaders have also been intimating that further study of recycling, beverage containers, and overall solid waste issues may be in their plans.

Read MACo’s testimony on SB 799, the initial “zero waste” proposal.

Follow the continued progress of SB 799 through the General Assembly’s website.