On Friday, Leslie Knapp testified in front of the Environment and Transportation Committee in opposition to HB 1142 Environment – Hazardous Materials – Disposal of Synthetic Turf and Turf Infill.

HB 1142 would require synthetic turf and turf infill to be disposed in a controlled hazardous substance facility or a closed loop recycling facility. This would impose inconsistent, costly, and unnecessary requirements on the disposal and recycling of these materials.

From the MACo Testimony:

The bill makes no sense from a recycling or cost perspective. Currently, there are no controlled hazardous substance facilities in Maryland, and it is questionable whether there are any closed loop recycling facilities in the state capable of meeting the bill’s requirements. This will significantly increase disposal/recycling costs for those local governments that use synthetic turf.

Additionally, the materials in synthetic turf—including plastic and rubber—are found in numerous other materials that are not subject to such restrictive treatment. The bill would create a major inconsistency in Maryland’s current recycling and solid waste disposal programs.

Finally, the bill limits other potential uses for synthetic turf and turf infill to be reused directly or recycled into other useful products using cheaper or more efficient recycling methods.

For more on 2019 MACo legislation, visit the Legislative Database.