Senate passes STEWARD Act

By a Nov. 20 voice vote, the United States Senate passed the Strategies to Eliminate Waste and Accelerate Recycling Development (STEWARD) Act. The bill is a combination of the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act of 2023 and the Recycling and Composting Accountability Act, which both unanimously passed the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee in April 2023 and passed the Senate by unanimous consent in March 2024.

The STEWARD Act was first introduced by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), who also serves as the EPW Committee chairman, and Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island) and John Boozman (R-Arkansas). The bill is designed to provide critical improvements to the country’s recycling and composting systems through investments in community-level programs and enhancements to data collection and reporting.

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In a news release applauding the Senate’s passage of the bill, Capito says she is “thrilled” it is moving forward in the legislative process.

“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,” she says. “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 of 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.”

The STEWARD Act, if enacted, would establish the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Program at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to expand recycling access in underserved communities by authorizing strategic infrastructure investments and public-private partnerships.

Per the bill, the pilot grant program:

• authorizes competitive grant awards from $500,000 to $15 million to support projects that enhance recycling infrastructure using a hub-and-spoke development model;
• prioritizes communities with limited access to material recovery facilities (MRFs); and
• supports projects that increase transfer stations, expand curbside recycling programs and reduce collection and transportation costs

The bill also would modernize recycling and composting data collection by establishing standardized metrics to assess and improve waste management systems nationwide.

According to the bill’s text, the EPA would be authorized to collect and analyze data on market trends, material processing rates and the effectiveness of curbside recycling programs, along with associated accessibility challenges. The STEWARD Act also establishes new metrics to track material diversion from landfills, supports voluntary data sharing partnerships with states and provides technical assistance to state and local governments to improve recycling and composting rates.

Additionally, the bill directs the EPA to assess national composting potential, evaluating infrastructure, regulatory barriers, costs and industry trends.

In a recent statement, the Washington-based Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) applauded the STEWARD Act’s passage by the Senate, calling the action an “important bipartisan milestone” that will strengthen America’s recycling infrastructure and advance a more circular, resilient manufacturing economy.

“Senator Capito has once again shown what it looks like to lead on solutions that deliver real results,” PLASTICS President and CEO Matt Seaholm says. “The STEWARD Act moves recycling forward in a meaningful way—improving infrastructure, expanding access and keeping valuable materials out of the environment and in the economy. Strengthening America’s recycling capabilities goes hand in hand with strengthening American manufacturing, and the Senator has been instrumental in that work.”

The STEWARD Act has received a wide range of support since its January introduction, including companies such as PepsiCo Inc., Unilever and General Mills and trade associations like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers.