House File 776 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 776 BY ISENHART A BILL FOR An Act relating to the purchase, use, and disposal of plastic 1 products. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2696YH (1) 89 js/ns
H.F. 776 Section 1. Section 8A.311, Code 2021, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 24. a. For purposes of this subsection, 3 “single-use plastic product” includes any of the following: 4 (1) Plastic bags. 5 (2) Cling film plastic food packaging. 6 (3) Nonrecyclable plastic bottles. 7 (4) Plastic straws. 8 (5) Plastic plates, nonreuseable plastic containers, 9 plastic cups, plastic lids, and plastic stirrers. 10 (6) Plastic cutlery. 11 (7) Plastic rings used in packaging. 12 (8) Plastic foam plates, plastic foam takeout containers, 13 and plastic foam trays. 14 (9) Any other single-use plastic products determined to 15 be included by the department of administrative services, in 16 consultation with the department of natural resources. 17 b. A state agency or a political subdivision of the state 18 shall not purchase or obtain for any purpose a single-use 19 plastic product. 20 Sec. 2. PLASTIC POLLUTION STUDY GROUP. 21 1. The department of natural resources shall assemble a 22 study group composed of relevant stakeholders, including but 23 not limited to a person associated with the manufacturing of 24 plastic products, a person associated with the recycling of 25 plastic products, a person associated with the operation of 26 a small landfill, a person associated with the operation of 27 a large landfill, a person whose occupation involves the use 28 of recyclable plastic, a person involved with an environmental 29 protection advocacy group, a person involved with a natural 30 resources conservation organization, an appointee from the 31 department of transportation, and a representative from a local 32 government board, council, department, or agency. 33 2. The study group shall estimate the amount of 34 nonbiodegradable plastics going to landfills, recycling 35 -1- LSB 2696YH (1) 89 js/ns 1/ 2
H.F. 776 centers, and wastewater treatment facilities in the state. The 1 study group shall quantify the presence of plastic pollutants 2 otherwise discarded in or discharged to the state’s land and 3 waters. 4 3. The study group shall prepare a report providing 5 recommendations for laws, policies, and best practices that can 6 be adopted by the general assembly, state agencies, political 7 subdivisions of the state, and other public and private 8 purchasers, users, transporters, and processors of plastics 9 to reduce and eliminate nonbiodegradable plastics and plastic 10 pollutants from waste streams and the natural environment. The 11 study group shall submit its report to the general assembly no 12 later than August 1, 2022. 13 EXPLANATION 14 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 15 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 16 This bill relates to the purchase, use, and disposal of 17 plastic products. The bill defines the term “single-use 18 plastic product” and prohibits a state agency or political 19 subdivision of the state from purchasing or obtaining for any 20 purpose a single-use plastic product. The bill requires the 21 department of natural resources to assemble a study group to 22 estimate the amount of nonbiodegradable plastic moving through 23 waste streams in the state and quantify the amount of plastic 24 pollutants discarded in or discharged to the state’s land and 25 waters. The bill requires the study group to submit a report 26 to the general assembly no later than August 1, 2022, providing 27 recommendations for laws, policies, and best practices to 28 reduce and eliminate plastics from waste streams and the 29 natural environment. 30 -2- LSB 2696YH (1) 89 js/ns 2/ 2