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| |  |  | 10300SB1555sam003 | - 2 - | LRB103 24786 LNS 61353 a | 
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| 1 |  | recycling programs. The remainder includes packaging products  | 
| 2 |  | such as polystyrene, #3-#7 plastics, plastic bags, flexible  | 
| 3 |  | pouches, and other plastic films which are not currently  | 
| 4 |  | acceptable in curbside recycling and for which limited  | 
| 5 |  | drop-off recycling options exist.
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| 6 |  |     (3) Consumers have limited sustainable purchasing choices.  | 
| 7 |  | Illinois residents are generating packaging and paper waste  | 
| 8 |  | that is beyond their ability to reuse or recycle. Consumers  | 
| 9 |  | are also given confusing, inconsistent messages through  | 
| 10 |  | various means about which materials can be recycled, and thus  | 
| 11 |  | inadvertently create contamination in recycling streams. There  | 
| 12 |  | is widespread recycling fatigue and public skepticism about  | 
| 13 |  | the efficacy of recycling in Illinois.
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| 14 |  |     (4) Volatility in global recycling markets due to import  | 
| 15 |  | restrictions such as the China National Sword policy, as well  | 
| 16 |  | as impacts on supply chains and material demand due to the  | 
| 17 |  | COVID-19 pandemic, have further challenged markets for  | 
| 18 |  | recycled materials and destabilized the recycling system in  | 
| 19 |  | the State.
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| 20 |  |     (5) Significant and increasing quantities of plastics and  | 
| 21 |  | packaging materials are seen in the environment, including in  | 
| 22 |  | Illinois rivers, lakes, and streams. This pollution impacts  | 
| 23 |  | the drinking water, wildlife, and recreational value of vital  | 
| 24 |  | natural resources.
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| 25 |  |     (6) Consumer brands are solely responsible for choices  | 
| 26 |  | about the types and amounts of packaging used to package  | 
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| 1 |  | products. Units of local government and residents have borne  | 
| 2 |  | the costs of managing increasingly complex materials even  | 
| 3 |  | though they have no input in designing or bringing these  | 
| 4 |  | materials to market.
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| 5 |  |     (7) Units of local government are expected to fund  | 
| 6 |  | collection and processing costs for an increasing volume of  | 
| 7 |  | packaging and paper products, and the cost of recycling  | 
| 8 |  | programs continues to rise with the complexity of the material  | 
| 9 |  | stream that material recycling facilities are required to  | 
| 10 |  | manage. Furthermore, many multifamily residences and rural  | 
| 11 |  | areas of the State do not have access to adequate recycling  | 
| 12 |  | opportunities.
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| 13 |  |     (8) As materials continue to be landfilled and littered,  | 
| 14 |  | lower-income and rural communities across the State bear  | 
| 15 |  | environmental, health, and economic consequences.
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| 16 |  |     (9) By failing to reuse or recycle packaging and paper  | 
| 17 |  | products, Illinois loses economic value and green sector jobs.  | 
| 18 |  | Establishing postconsumer recycled content requirements for  | 
| 19 |  | rigid plastics will increase markets for this increasingly  | 
| 20 |  | common packaging material, reduce demand for natural  | 
| 21 |  | resources, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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| 22 |  |     (10) An assessment of current recycling and materials  | 
| 23 |  | management practices in the State, including evaluation of  | 
| 24 |  | collections, access to service, capacity, costs, gaps, and  | 
| 25 |  | needs associated with diverting packaging and paper products  | 
| 26 |  | from disposal, will provide needed information on current  | 
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| 1 |  | conditions and support identification of future needs to  | 
| 2 |  | manage packaging and paper products in a sustainable,  | 
| 3 |  | environmentally protective, and cost-effective manner.
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| 4 |  |     (11) The Statewide Recycling Needs Assessment will provide  | 
| 5 |  | data to facilitate future consideration of product stewardship  | 
| 6 |  | legislation for packaging and paper products.
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| 7 |  |     Section 10. Definitions. In this Act: | 
| 8 |  |     "Advisory Council" means the Statewide Recycling Needs  | 
| 9 |  | Assessment Advisory Council established under Section 20.
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| 10 |  |     "Agency" means the Environmental Protection Agency.
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| 11 |  |     "Compost" has the meaning given to that term in Section  | 
| 12 |  | 3.150 of the Environmental Protection Act.
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| 13 |  |     "Compostable material" means a material that is designed  | 
| 14 |  | to contact, contain, or carry a product that can be collected  | 
| 15 |  | for composting and that is capable of undergoing aerobic  | 
| 16 |  | biological decomposition in a controlled composting system as  | 
| 17 |  | demonstrated by meeting ASTM D6400, ASTM D6868, or any  | 
| 18 |  | successor standards.
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| 19 |  |     "Composting rate" means the percentage of discarded  | 
| 20 |  | materials that are managed through composting. A composting  | 
| 21 |  | rate is calculated by dividing the total weight of all  | 
| 22 |  | packaging and paper products that are collected for composting  | 
| 23 |  | by the total weight of all packaging and paper products sold,  | 
| 24 |  | distributed, or served to consumers in the State during the  | 
| 25 |  | study period.
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| 1 |  |     "Covered entity" means a person or entity responsible for: | 
| 2 |  |         (1) a single or multifamily residence, either  | 
| 3 |  | individually or jointly through a unit of local  | 
| 4 |  | government;
 | 
| 5 |  |         (2) a public or private school for grades kindergarten  | 
| 6 |  | through 12th grade;
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| 7 |  |         (3) a State or local government facility; or
 | 
| 8 |  |         (4) a public space, including, but not limited to,  | 
| 9 |  | public spaces, such as parks, trails, transit stations,  | 
| 10 |  | and pedestrian areas for which the State or a unit of local  | 
| 11 |  | government is responsible.
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| 12 |  |     "Curbside recycling" means the collection of recyclable  | 
| 13 |  | materials from covered entities at the site where the  | 
| 14 |  | recyclable materials are generated.
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| 15 |  |     "Director" means the Director of the Agency.
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| 16 |  |     "Drop-off recycling" means the collection of recyclable  | 
| 17 |  | material from covered entities at one or more centralized  | 
| 18 |  | sites.
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| 19 |  |     "Environmental justice community" means environmental  | 
| 20 |  | justice community as defined by the Illinois Solar for All  | 
| 21 |  | Program, as that definition is updated from time to time by the  | 
| 22 |  | Illinois Power Agency and the Administrator of the Illinois  | 
| 23 |  | Solar for All Program.
 | 
| 24 |  |     "Hauler" means a person who collects recyclable or  | 
| 25 |  | compostable materials and transports them to an MRF or compost  | 
| 26 |  | facility, or to an intermediate facility from which materials  | 
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| 1 |  | are then transported to an MRF or compost facility.
 | 
| 2 |  |     "Material recovery facility" or "MRF" means a facility  | 
| 3 |  | where recyclable materials collected via curbside recycling or  | 
| 4 |  | drop-off recycling are consolidated and sorted for return to  | 
| 5 |  | the economic mainstream in the form of raw materials.
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| 6 |  |     "Packaging" means a discrete material or category of  | 
| 7 |  | material, regardless of recyclability. "Packaging" includes,  | 
| 8 |  | but is not limited to, a material type, such as paper, plastic,  | 
| 9 |  | glass, metal, or multi-material, that is:
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| 10 |  |         (1) used to protect, contain, transport, or serve a  | 
| 11 |  | product;
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| 12 |  |         (2) sold or supplied to consumers expressly for the  | 
| 13 |  | purpose of protecting, containing, transporting, or  | 
| 14 |  | serving products;
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| 15 |  |         (3) attached to a product or its container for the  | 
| 16 |  | purpose of marketing or communicating information about  | 
| 17 |  | the product;
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| 18 |  |         (4) supplied at the point of sale to facilitate the  | 
| 19 |  | delivery of the product; or
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| 20 |  |         (5) supplied to or purchased by consumers expressly  | 
| 21 |  | for the purpose of facilitating food or beverage  | 
| 22 |  | consumption and ordinarily disposed of after a single use  | 
| 23 |  | or short-term use, whether or not it could be reused.
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| 24 |  |     "Packaging" does not include:
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| 25 |  |         (1) a medical device or packaging that is included  | 
| 26 |  | with products regulated:
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| 1 |  |             (A) as a drug, medical device, or dietary  | 
| 2 |  | supplement by the United States Food and Drug  | 
| 3 |  | Administration under the Federal Food, Drug, and  | 
| 4 |  | Cosmetic Act;
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| 5 |  |             (B) as a combination product as defined under 21  | 
| 6 |  | CFR 3.2(e); or
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| 7 |  |             (C) under the federal Dietary Supplement Health  | 
| 8 |  | and Education Act of 1994;
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| 9 |  |         (2) animal biologics, including, but not limited to,  | 
| 10 |  | vaccines, bacterins, antisera, diagnostic kits, other  | 
| 11 |  | products of biological origin, and other packaging and  | 
| 12 |  | paper products regulated by the United States Department  | 
| 13 |  | of Agriculture under the federal Virus, Serum, Toxin Act;
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| 14 |  |         (3) packaging regulated under the Federal Insecticide,  | 
| 15 |  | Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act or another applicable  | 
| 16 |  | federal law, rule, or regulation; and
 | 
| 17 |  |         (4) beverage containers subject to a returnable  | 
| 18 |  | container deposit, if applicable.
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| 19 |  |     "Paper product" means:
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| 20 |  |         (1) paper that can or has been printed on to create  | 
| 21 |  | flyers, brochures, booklets, catalogs, greeting cards,  | 
| 22 |  | telephone directories, newspapers, magazines; and
 | 
| 23 |  |         (2) paper used for copying, writing, or any other  | 
| 24 |  | general use.
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| 25 |  |     "Paper product" does not include:
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| 26 |  |         (1) paper that, by virtue of its anticipated use,  | 
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| 1 |  | could become unsafe or unsanitary to recycle; or
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| 2 |  |         (2) any form of bound book, including, but not limited  | 
| 3 |  | to, bound books for literary, textual, or reference  | 
| 4 |  | purposes.
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| 5 |  |     "Person" means any individual, partnership, copartnership,  | 
| 6 |  | firm, company, limited liability company, corporation,  | 
| 7 |  | association, joint-stock company, trust, estate, political  | 
| 8 |  | subdivision, State agency, any other legal entity, or their  | 
| 9 |  | legal representative, agent, or assign.
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| 10 |  |     "Postconsumer material" means packaging or paper products  | 
| 11 |  | that have served their intended end use as consumer items.  | 
| 12 |  | "Postconsumer material" does not include a by-product or waste  | 
| 13 |  | material generated during or after the completion of a  | 
| 14 |  | manufacturing or converting process.
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| 15 |  |     "Postconsumer recycled content" means the portion of an  | 
| 16 |  | item of packaging or paper product made from postconsumer  | 
| 17 |  | material that has been recycled.
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| 18 |  |     "Recycling" has the meaning given to "recycling,  | 
| 19 |  | reclamation or reuse" in Section 3.380 of the Environmental  | 
| 20 |  | Protection Act. "Recycling" does not include landfill disposal  | 
| 21 |  | of packaging or paper products or the residue resulting from  | 
| 22 |  | the processing of packaging or paper products at an MRF, use as  | 
| 23 |  | alternative daily cover or any other beneficial use at a  | 
| 24 |  | landfill, incineration, energy recovery, or energy generation  | 
| 25 |  | by means of combustion, or final conversion of packaging and  | 
| 26 |  | paper products or their components and by-products to a fuel.
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| 1 |  |     "Recycling rate" means the percentage of packaging and  | 
| 2 |  | paper products returned to the economic mainstream in the form  | 
| 3 |  | of raw materials or products rather than being disposed of or  | 
| 4 |  | discarded. The recycling rate is calculated by dividing the  | 
| 5 |  | total weight of packaging and paper products that are  | 
| 6 |  | collected for recycling by the total weight of packaging and  | 
| 7 |  | paper products sold, distributed, or served to consumers in  | 
| 8 |  | the State during the study period, not including the residue  | 
| 9 |  | that is landfilled after processing by an MRF.
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| 10 |  |     "Reusable" means:
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| 11 |  |         (1) designed to be refilled or used repeatedly for its  | 
| 12 |  | original intended purpose and is returnable;
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| 13 |  |         (2) safe for washing and sanitizing according to  | 
| 14 |  | applicable State food safety laws; and
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| 15 |  |         (3) with the exception of ceramic products, capable of  | 
| 16 |  | being recycled at the end of use.
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| 17 |  |     "Reuse" means the return of packaging to the economic  | 
| 18 |  | stream for use in the same kind of application intended for the  | 
| 19 |  | original packaging without effectuating a change in the  | 
| 20 |  | original composition of the package, the identity of the  | 
| 21 |  | product, or the components thereof.
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| 22 |  |     "Rigid plastic" means packaging made of plastic that has a  | 
| 23 |  | relatively inflexible finite shape or form and is capable of  | 
| 24 |  | maintaining its shape while empty or while holding other  | 
| 25 |  | products.
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| 26 |  |     "Service provider" means a hauler, an MRF, or a composting  | 
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| 1 |  | facility.
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| 2 |  |     "Single-use packaging or product" means a packaging or  | 
| 3 |  | product that is supplied to or purchased by consumers  | 
| 4 |  | expressly for the purpose of facilitating food or beverage  | 
| 5 |  | consumption and that is ordinarily disposed of after a single  | 
| 6 |  | use or short-term use, whether or not it could be reused.
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| 7 |  |     "Study period" means the period represented by the data  | 
| 8 |  | compiled and analyzed in the completion of the Statewide  | 
| 9 |  | Recycling Needs Assessment. The study period shall be a  | 
| 10 |  | minimum of a one-year calendar period not earlier than 2022  | 
| 11 |  | and shall be clearly defined in the scope of work. If more than  | 
| 12 |  | one year of data is used, data shall be presented on an annual  | 
| 13 |  | basis.
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| 14 |  |     Section 15. Statewide Recycling Needs Assessment Advisory  | 
| 15 |  | Council.   | 
| 16 |  |     (a) The Statewide Recycling Needs Assessment Advisory  | 
| 17 |  | Council shall be appointed by the Agency. On or before January  | 
| 18 |  | 1, 2024, the Director shall appoint members to the Advisory  | 
| 19 |  | Council to provide advice and recommendations to the Agency in  | 
| 20 |  | the drafting, amendment, and finalization of the Statewide  | 
| 21 |  | Recycling Needs Assessment.
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| 22 |  |     (b) In appointing members to the Advisory Council under  | 
| 23 |  | subsection (a), the Director shall consider representatives  | 
| 24 |  | from all geographic regions of the State, all sizes of  | 
| 25 |  | communities in the State, all supply chain participants in the  | 
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| 1 |  | recycling system, and the racial and gender diversity of this  | 
| 2 |  | State. | 
| 3 |  |     (c) Members of the Advisory Council shall include, but  | 
| 4 |  | shall not be limited to, the following voting members:
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| 5 |  |         (1) four individuals representing material recovery  | 
| 6 |  | facilities in the State, no more than 2 of whom shall  | 
| 7 |  | represent an MRF that accepts recyclables from Cook County  | 
| 8 |  | or the collar counties;
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| 9 |  |         (2) four individuals representing haulers, one of whom  | 
| 10 |  | shall represent a statewide organization representing  | 
| 11 |  | haulers, one of whom shall represent a publicly traded  | 
| 12 |  | hauler, one of whom shall represent a privately owned  | 
| 13 |  | hauler, and one of whom shall operate a recycling drop-off  | 
| 14 |  | facility;
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| 15 |  |         (3) one individual representing compost collection and  | 
| 16 |  | processing facilities;
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| 17 |  |         (4) seven individuals representing rural and urban  | 
| 18 |  | units of local government, one of whom shall represent a  | 
| 19 |  | county with a population of less than 50,000, one of whom  | 
| 20 |  | shall represent a county with a population of more than  | 
| 21 |  | 50,000 and less than 1,000,000, one of whom shall  | 
| 22 |  | represent a county with a population of more than  | 
| 23 |  | 1,000,000, one of whom shall represent a municipality, one  | 
| 24 |  | of whom shall represent a municipal joint action agency,  | 
| 25 |  | one of whom shall represent a township, and one of whom  | 
| 26 |  | shall represent a municipality with a population of  | 
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| 1 |  | 1,000,000 or more;
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| 2 |  |         (5) two individuals representing retailers, one of  | 
| 3 |  | whom shall represent a statewide association of retailers;
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| 4 |  |         (6) two individuals representing environmental  | 
| 5 |  | organizations; | 
| 6 |  |         (7) two individuals representing environmental justice  | 
| 7 |  | advocacy organizations or environmental justice  | 
| 8 |  | communities; | 
| 9 |  |         (8) one individual representing a statewide  | 
| 10 |  | manufacturing association;
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| 11 |  |         (9) one individual representing manufacturers of  | 
| 12 |  | products containing postconsumer material, or one or more  | 
| 13 |  | associations of such manufacturers;
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| 14 |  |         (10) one individual representing manufacturers of  | 
| 15 |  | packaging and paper products utilizing virgin materials,  | 
| 16 |  | or one or more associations of suppliers of substrates of  | 
| 17 |  | packaging and paper products; and | 
| 18 |  |         (11) four individuals representing producers of  | 
| 19 |  | consumer products. | 
| 20 |  |     (d) An individual may be appointed to only one position on  | 
| 21 |  | the Council. Appointments shall be for the period required to  | 
| 22 |  | complete the needs assessment components of this Act.
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| 23 |  |     (e) The duties of the Advisory Council are as follows:
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| 24 |  |         (1) to provide guidance on the scope of work for the  | 
| 25 |  | Statewide Recycling Needs Assessment required under  | 
| 26 |  | Section 25;
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| 1 |  |         (2) to assist in the provision of data required to  | 
| 2 |  | complete the needs assessment;
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| 3 |  |         (3) to review and comment on the needs assessment  | 
| 4 |  | prior to completion; | 
| 5 |  |         (4) to evaluate and make recommendations, including  | 
| 6 |  | legislative recommendations, on how to effectively  | 
| 7 |  | establish and implement a producer responsibility program  | 
| 8 |  | in the State for packaging and paper products, including  | 
| 9 |  | recommendations regarding the responsibilities of  | 
| 10 |  | producers under a producer responsibility program; and
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| 11 |  |         (5) on or before December 1, 2026, to prepare and  | 
| 12 |  | submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the  | 
| 13 |  | General Assembly and the Governor, which shall include an  | 
| 14 |  | opportunity for a minority report.
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| 15 |  |     (f) The Advisory Council:
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| 16 |  |         (1) shall meet at the call of the Chair, except for the  | 
| 17 |  | first meeting, which shall be called by the Director;
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| 18 |  |         (2) shall meet at least quarterly or as determined by  | 
| 19 |  | the Advisory Council Chair;
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| 20 |  |         (3) shall elect a Chair from among Advisory Council  | 
| 21 |  | members by a simple majority vote;
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| 22 |  |         (4) may adopt bylaws and a charter for the operation  | 
| 23 |  | of its business for the purposes of this Act;
and | 
| 24 |  |         (5) shall be provided administrative support by the  | 
| 25 |  | Agency and Agency staff.
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| 26 |  |     (g) The Agency may select and hire a third-party  | 
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| 1 |  | facilitator for the Advisory Council.
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| 2 |  |     Section 20. Statewide needs assessment.  | 
| 3 |  |     (a) The Agency shall issue a competitive solicitation in  | 
| 4 |  | accordance with the Illinois Procurement Code to select a  | 
| 5 |  | qualified consultant to conduct a statewide needs assessment  | 
| 6 |  | to assess recycling, composting, and reuse conditions in the  | 
| 7 |  | State for packaging and paper products, including identifying  | 
| 8 |  | current conditions and an evaluation of the capacity, costs,  | 
| 9 |  | gaps, and needs associated with recycling and the diversion of  | 
| 10 |  | packaging and paper products. The Agency shall select the  | 
| 11 |  | consultant on or before July 1, 2024. The needs assessment  | 
| 12 |  | shall be funded by an appropriation from the Agency's Solid  | 
| 13 |  | Waste Management Fund or other appropriated funding.
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| 14 |  |     (b) All packaging and paper products sold, offered for  | 
| 15 |  | sale, distributed, or imported into the State shall be  | 
| 16 |  | included in the needs assessment.  | 
| 17 |  |     (c) The needs assessment shall address, at a minimum, the  | 
| 18 |  | following factors for covered entities:
 | 
| 19 |  |         (1) the quantity, by weight and type, of packaging and  | 
| 20 |  | paper products sold, offered for sale, distributed, or  | 
| 21 |  | served to consumers in the State by material type and  | 
| 22 |  | format;
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| 23 |  |         (2) current collection systems for packaging and paper  | 
| 24 |  | products in the State, including for reuse, recycling,  | 
| 25 |  | composting, and disposal;
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| 1 |  |         (3) the quantity, by weight, of municipal waste  | 
| 2 |  | disposed on a county-by-county basis for all counties in  | 
| 3 |  | the State; | 
| 4 |  |         (4) the processing capacity and infrastructure for  | 
| 5 |  | reusable, recyclable, and compostable packaging and paper  | 
| 6 |  | products collected in the State, including capacity and  | 
| 7 |  | infrastructure outside the State which serves or may serve  | 
| 8 |  | the State;
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| 9 |  |         (5) current reuse, recycling, and composting rates for  | 
| 10 |  | packaging and paper products in the State by material  | 
| 11 |  | type;
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| 12 |  |         (6) current postconsumer recycled content use by  | 
| 13 |  | material type for all packaging and paper products sold in  | 
| 14 |  | the State;
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| 15 |  |         (7) current reusability, recyclability, or  | 
| 16 |  | compostability of packaging and paper products, by  | 
| 17 |  | material type, for all packaging and paper products sold,  | 
| 18 |  | offered for sale, distributed, or served in the State; | 
| 19 |  |         (8) current system-wide costs for the collection,  | 
| 20 |  | reuse, recycling, and composting of packaging and paper  | 
| 21 |  | products;
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| 22 |  |         (9) current operational and capital funding  | 
| 23 |  | limitations impacting reuse, recycling, and composting  | 
| 24 |  | access and availability for packaging and paper products  | 
| 25 |  | throughout the State;
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| 26 |  |         (10) collection and processing system needs to provide  | 
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| 1 |  | access to curbside recycling services for all covered  | 
| 2 |  | entities within municipalities with a population of 1,500  | 
| 3 |  | or more based on the most recent United States Census,  | 
| 4 |  | with collection provided no less frequently than every 2  | 
| 5 |  | weeks, and at least one drop-off location for recyclable  | 
| 6 |  | materials within 15 miles of the municipal boundary for  | 
| 7 |  | municipalities with a population less than 1,500, with  | 
| 8 |  | needs identified on a county-by-county basis for all  | 
| 9 |  | counties in the State, and the estimated costs to meet the  | 
| 10 |  | access requirements;
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| 11 |  |         (11) program costs and capital investments required to  | 
| 12 |  | achieve a collective 50% recycling rate by December 31,  | 
| 13 |  | 2035 across all packaging and paper products, including  | 
| 14 |  | investment into existing and future reuse, recycling, and  | 
| 15 |  | composting infrastructure for packaging and paper  | 
| 16 |  | products;
 | 
| 17 |  |         (12) the market conditions and opportunities for  | 
| 18 |  | reusable, recyclable, and compostable packaging and paper  | 
| 19 |  | products in the State and regionally; | 
| 20 |  |         (13) multilingual public education needs for the  | 
| 21 |  | reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting of packaging  | 
| 22 |  | and paper products, including, but not limited to, a  | 
| 23 |  | scientific survey of current awareness among residents of  | 
| 24 |  | this State of proper end-of-life management for packaging  | 
| 25 |  | and paper products and the needs associated with the  | 
| 26 |  | reduction of contamination rates at MRFs in the State; | 
|     | 
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| 
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| 1 |  |         (14) an assessment of environmental justice and  | 
| 2 |  | recycling equity in the State, including, but not limited  | 
| 3 |  | to:
 | 
| 4 |  |             (A) an evaluation of current access to and the  | 
| 5 |  | performance of curbside and drop-off recycling  | 
| 6 |  | programs in units of local government designated as  | 
| 7 |  | environmental justice areas;
 | 
| 8 |  |             (B) a comparison of the location of MRFs and  | 
| 9 |  | compost facilities in units of local government that  | 
| 10 |  | have been designated as environmental justice areas  | 
| 11 |  | with units of local government that are not so  | 
| 12 |  | designated; and | 
| 13 |  |             (C) recommendations for improving equity and  | 
| 14 |  | equitable outcomes for underserved populations in the  | 
| 15 |  | State's recycling system; and | 
| 16 |  |         
(15) a review of packaging and paper products  | 
| 17 |  | legislation enacted in other states, including  | 
| 18 |  | identification of the main components of the legislation,  | 
| 19 |  | its implementation steps, and its implementation status. | 
| 20 |  |     (d) Persons with data or information required to complete  | 
| 21 |  | the statewide needs assessment shall provide the Agency with  | 
| 22 |  | such data or information in a timely fashion to assist in  | 
| 23 |  | completing the statewide needs assessment. | 
| 24 |  |     (e) On or before December 31, 2025, the Agency shall  | 
| 25 |  | provide the draft needs assessment to the Advisory Council.  | 
| 26 |  | The Advisory Council shall provide written comments to the  | 
|     | 
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| 
 | 
| 1 |  | Agency within 60 days after receipt of the needs assessment.  | 
| 2 |  | The Agency's consultant shall include an assessment of  | 
| 3 |  | comments received in the revised draft needs assessment  | 
| 4 |  | submitted to the Agency and shall provide a summary and an  | 
| 5 |  | analysis of any issues raised by the Advisory Council and  | 
| 6 |  | significant changes suggested by any such comments, a  | 
| 7 |  | statement of the reasons why any significant changes were not  | 
| 8 |  | incorporated into the results of the study, and a description  | 
| 9 |  | of any changes made to the results of the needs assessment as a  | 
| 10 |  | result of such comments. The needs assessment shall be  | 
| 11 |  | finalized by the Agency on or before May 1, 2026.
 | 
| 12 |  |     Section 25. Severability. The provisions of this Act shall  | 
| 13 |  | be severable and if any phrase, clause, sentence, or provision  | 
| 14 |  | of this Act or the applicability thereof to any person or  | 
| 15 |  | circumstance shall be held invalid, the remainder of this Act  | 
| 16 |  | and the application thereof shall not be affected thereby.
 | 
| 17 |  |     Section 30. The Environmental Protection Act is amended by  | 
| 18 |  | changing Section 22.15 as follows:
 
 
 | 
| 19 |  |     (415 ILCS 5/22.15)
  | 
| 20 |  |     Sec. 22.15. Solid Waste Management Fund; fees. 
 | 
| 21 |  |     (a) There is hereby created within the State Treasury a
 | 
| 22 |  | special fund to be known as the Solid Waste Management Fund, to  | 
| 23 |  | be
constituted from the fees collected by the State pursuant  | 
|     | 
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| 
 | 
| 1 |  | to this Section,
 from repayments of loans made from the Fund  | 
| 2 |  | for solid waste projects, from registration fees collected  | 
| 3 |  | pursuant to the Consumer Electronics Recycling Act, and from  | 
| 4 |  | amounts transferred into the Fund pursuant to Public Act  | 
| 5 |  | 100-433.
Moneys received by either the Agency or the  | 
| 6 |  | Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
in repayment  | 
| 7 |  | of loans made pursuant to the Illinois Solid Waste Management
 | 
| 8 |  | Act shall be deposited into the General Revenue Fund.
 | 
| 9 |  |     (b) The Agency shall assess and collect a
fee in the amount  | 
| 10 |  | set forth herein from the owner or operator of each sanitary
 | 
| 11 |  | landfill permitted or required to be permitted by the Agency  | 
| 12 |  | to dispose of
solid waste if the sanitary landfill is located  | 
| 13 |  | off the site where such waste
was produced and if such sanitary  | 
| 14 |  | landfill is owned, controlled, and operated
by a person other  | 
| 15 |  | than the generator of such waste.  The Agency shall deposit
all  | 
| 16 |  | fees collected into the Solid Waste Management Fund.  If a site  | 
| 17 |  | is
contiguous to one or more landfills owned or operated by the  | 
| 18 |  | same person, the
volumes permanently disposed of by each  | 
| 19 |  | landfill shall be combined for purposes
of determining the fee  | 
| 20 |  | under this subsection. Beginning on July 1, 2018, and on the  | 
| 21 |  | first day of each month thereafter during fiscal years 2019  | 
| 22 |  | through 2023, the State Comptroller shall direct and State  | 
| 23 |  | Treasurer shall transfer an amount equal to 1/12 of $5,000,000  | 
| 24 |  | per fiscal year from the Solid Waste Management Fund to the  | 
| 25 |  | General Revenue Fund. 
 | 
| 26 |  |         (1) If more than 150,000 cubic yards of non-hazardous  | 
|     | 
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| 
 | 
| 1 |  | solid waste is
permanently disposed of at a site in a  | 
| 2 |  | calendar year, the owner or operator
shall either pay a  | 
| 3 |  | fee of 95 cents per cubic yard or,
alternatively, the  | 
| 4 |  | owner or operator may weigh the quantity of the solid  | 
| 5 |  | waste
permanently disposed of with a device for which  | 
| 6 |  | certification has been obtained
under the Weights and  | 
| 7 |  | Measures Act and pay a fee of $2.00 per
ton of solid waste  | 
| 8 |  | permanently disposed of.  In no case shall the fee  | 
| 9 |  | collected
or paid by the owner or operator under this  | 
| 10 |  | paragraph exceed $1.55 per cubic yard or $3.27 per ton.
 | 
| 11 |  |         (2) If more than 100,000 cubic yards but not more than  | 
| 12 |  | 150,000 cubic
yards of non-hazardous waste is permanently  | 
| 13 |  | disposed of at a site in a calendar
year, the owner or  | 
| 14 |  | operator shall pay a fee of $52,630.
 | 
| 15 |  |         (3) If more than 50,000 cubic yards but not more than  | 
| 16 |  | 100,000 cubic
yards of non-hazardous solid waste is  | 
| 17 |  | permanently disposed of at a site
in a calendar year, the  | 
| 18 |  | owner or operator shall pay a fee of $23,790.
 | 
| 19 |  |         (4) If more than 10,000 cubic yards but not more than  | 
| 20 |  | 50,000 cubic
yards of non-hazardous solid waste is  | 
| 21 |  | permanently disposed of at a site
in a calendar year, the  | 
| 22 |  | owner or operator shall pay a fee of $7,260.
 | 
| 23 |  |         (5) If not more than 10,000 cubic yards of  | 
| 24 |  | non-hazardous solid waste is
permanently disposed of at a  | 
| 25 |  | site in a calendar year, the owner or operator
shall pay a  | 
| 26 |  | fee of $1050.
 | 
|     | 
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| 
 | 
| 1 |  |     (c) (Blank).
 | 
| 2 |  |     (d) The Agency shall establish rules relating to the  | 
| 3 |  | collection of the
fees authorized by this Section.  Such rules  | 
| 4 |  | shall include, but not be
limited to:
 | 
| 5 |  |         (1) necessary records identifying the quantities of  | 
| 6 |  | solid waste received
or disposed;
 | 
| 7 |  |         (2) the form and submission of reports to accompany  | 
| 8 |  | the payment of fees
to the Agency;
 | 
| 9 |  |         (3) the time and manner of payment of fees to the  | 
| 10 |  | Agency, which payments
shall not be more often than  | 
| 11 |  | quarterly; and
 | 
| 12 |  |         (4) procedures setting forth criteria establishing  | 
| 13 |  | when an owner or
operator may measure by weight or volume  | 
| 14 |  | during any given quarter or other
fee payment period.
 | 
| 15 |  |     (e) Pursuant to appropriation, all monies in the Solid  | 
| 16 |  | Waste Management
Fund shall be used by the Agency for the  | 
| 17 |  | purposes set forth in this Section and in the Illinois
Solid  | 
| 18 |  | Waste Management Act, including for the costs of fee  | 
| 19 |  | collection and
administration, and for the administration of  | 
| 20 |  | the Consumer Electronics Recycling Act, and the Drug Take-Back  | 
| 21 |  | Act, and the Statewide Recycling Needs Assessment.
 | 
| 22 |  |     (f) The Agency is authorized to enter into such agreements  | 
| 23 |  | and to
promulgate such rules as are necessary to carry out its  | 
| 24 |  | duties under this
Section and the Illinois Solid Waste  | 
| 25 |  | Management Act.
 | 
| 26 |  |     (g) On the first day of January, April, July, and October  | 
|     | 
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| 
 | 
| 1 |  | of each year,
beginning on July 1, 1996, the State Comptroller  | 
| 2 |  | and Treasurer shall
transfer $500,000 from the Solid Waste  | 
| 3 |  | Management Fund to the Hazardous Waste
Fund.  Moneys  | 
| 4 |  | transferred under this subsection (g) shall be used only for  | 
| 5 |  | the
purposes set forth in item (1) of subsection (d) of Section  | 
| 6 |  | 22.2.
 | 
| 7 |  |     (h) The Agency is authorized to provide financial  | 
| 8 |  | assistance to units of
local government for the performance of  | 
| 9 |  | inspecting, investigating, and
enforcement activities pursuant  | 
| 10 |  | to subsection (r) of Section 4 Section 4(r) at nonhazardous  | 
| 11 |  | solid
waste disposal sites.
 | 
| 12 |  |     (i) The Agency is authorized to conduct household waste  | 
| 13 |  | collection and
disposal programs.
 | 
| 14 |  |     (j) A unit of local government, as defined in the Local  | 
| 15 |  | Solid Waste Disposal
Act, in which a solid waste disposal  | 
| 16 |  | facility is located may establish a fee,
tax, or surcharge  | 
| 17 |  | with regard to the permanent disposal of solid waste.
All  | 
| 18 |  | fees, taxes, and surcharges collected under this subsection  | 
| 19 |  | shall be
utilized for solid waste management purposes,  | 
| 20 |  | including long-term monitoring
and maintenance of landfills,  | 
| 21 |  | planning, implementation, inspection, enforcement
and other  | 
| 22 |  | activities consistent with the Solid Waste Management Act and  | 
| 23 |  | the
Local Solid Waste Disposal Act, or for any other  | 
| 24 |  | environment-related purpose,
including, but not limited to, an  | 
| 25 |  | environment-related public works project, but
not for the  | 
| 26 |  | construction of a new pollution control facility other than a
 | 
|     | 
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| 
 | 
| 1 |  | household hazardous waste facility.  However, the total fee,  | 
| 2 |  | tax or surcharge
imposed by all units of local government  | 
| 3 |  | under this subsection (j) upon the
solid waste disposal  | 
| 4 |  | facility shall not exceed:
 | 
| 5 |  |         (1) 60¢ per cubic yard if more than 150,000 cubic  | 
| 6 |  | yards of non-hazardous
solid waste is permanently disposed  | 
| 7 |  | of at the site in a calendar year, unless
the owner or  | 
| 8 |  | operator weighs the quantity of the solid waste received  | 
| 9 |  | with a
device for which certification has been obtained  | 
| 10 |  | under the Weights and Measures
Act, in which case the fee  | 
| 11 |  | shall not exceed $1.27 per ton of solid waste
permanently  | 
| 12 |  | disposed of.
 | 
| 13 |  |         (2) $33,350 if more than 100,000
cubic yards, but not  | 
| 14 |  | more than 150,000 cubic yards, of non-hazardous waste
is  | 
| 15 |  | permanently disposed of at the site in a calendar year.
 | 
| 16 |  |         (3) $15,500 if more than 50,000 cubic
yards, but not  | 
| 17 |  | more than 100,000 cubic yards, of non-hazardous solid  | 
| 18 |  | waste is
permanently disposed of at the site in a calendar  | 
| 19 |  | year.
 | 
| 20 |  |         (4) $4,650 if more than 10,000 cubic
yards, but not  | 
| 21 |  | more than 50,000 cubic yards, of non-hazardous solid waste
 | 
| 22 |  | is permanently disposed of at the site in a calendar year.
 | 
| 23 |  |         (5) $650 if not more than 10,000 cubic
yards of  | 
| 24 |  | non-hazardous solid waste is permanently disposed of at  | 
| 25 |  | the site in
a calendar year.
 | 
| 26 |  |     The corporate authorities of the unit of local government
 | 
|     | 
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| 
 | 
| 1 |  | may use proceeds from the fee, tax, or surcharge to reimburse a  | 
| 2 |  | highway
commissioner whose road district lies wholly or  | 
| 3 |  | partially within the
corporate limits of the unit of local  | 
| 4 |  | government for expenses incurred in
the removal of  | 
| 5 |  | nonhazardous, nonfluid municipal waste that has been dumped
on  | 
| 6 |  | public property in violation of a State law or local  | 
| 7 |  | ordinance.
 | 
| 8 |  |     For the disposal of solid waste from general construction
 | 
| 9 |  | or demolition debris recovery facilities as defined in  | 
| 10 |  | subsection (a-1) of Section 3.160, the total fee, tax, or  | 
| 11 |  | surcharge imposed by
all units of local government under this  | 
| 12 |  | subsection (j) upon
the solid waste disposal facility shall  | 
| 13 |  | not exceed 50% of the
applicable amount set forth above. A unit  | 
| 14 |  | of local government,
as defined in the Local Solid Waste  | 
| 15 |  | Disposal Act, in which a
general construction or demolition  | 
| 16 |  | debris recovery facility is
located may establish a fee, tax,  | 
| 17 |  | or surcharge on the general construction or demolition debris  | 
| 18 |  | recovery facility with
regard to the permanent disposal of  | 
| 19 |  | solid waste by the
general construction or demolition debris  | 
| 20 |  | recovery facility at
a solid waste disposal facility, provided  | 
| 21 |  | that such fee, tax,
or surcharge shall not exceed 50% of the  | 
| 22 |  | applicable amount set
forth above, based on the total amount  | 
| 23 |  | of solid waste transported from the general construction or  | 
| 24 |  | demolition debris recovery facility for disposal at solid  | 
| 25 |  | waste disposal facilities, and the unit of local government  | 
| 26 |  | and fee shall be
subject to all other requirements of this  | 
|     | 
| |  |  | 10300SB1555sam003 | - 25 - | LRB103 24786 LNS 61353 a | 
 | 
| 
 | 
| 1 |  | subsection (j). | 
| 2 |  |     A county or Municipal Joint Action Agency that imposes a  | 
| 3 |  | fee, tax, or
surcharge under this subsection may use the  | 
| 4 |  | proceeds thereof to reimburse a
municipality that lies wholly  | 
| 5 |  | or partially within its boundaries for expenses
incurred in  | 
| 6 |  | the removal of nonhazardous, nonfluid municipal waste that has  | 
| 7 |  | been
dumped on public property in violation of a State law or  | 
| 8 |  | local ordinance.
 | 
| 9 |  |     If the fees are to be used to conduct a local sanitary  | 
| 10 |  | landfill
inspection or enforcement program, the unit of local  | 
| 11 |  | government must enter
into a written delegation agreement with  | 
| 12 |  | the Agency pursuant to subsection
(r) of Section 4.  The unit of  | 
| 13 |  | local government and the Agency shall enter
into such a  | 
| 14 |  | written delegation agreement within 60 days after the
 | 
| 15 |  | establishment of such fees.  At least annually,
the Agency  | 
| 16 |  | shall conduct an audit of the expenditures made by units of  | 
| 17 |  | local
government from the funds granted by the Agency to the  | 
| 18 |  | units of local
government for purposes of local sanitary  | 
| 19 |  | landfill inspection and enforcement
programs, to ensure that  | 
| 20 |  | the funds have been expended for the prescribed
purposes under  | 
| 21 |  | the grant.
 | 
| 22 |  |     The fees, taxes or surcharges collected under this  | 
| 23 |  | subsection (j) shall
be placed by the unit of local government  | 
| 24 |  | in a separate fund, and the
interest received on the moneys in  | 
| 25 |  | the fund shall be credited to the fund. The
monies in the fund  | 
| 26 |  | may be accumulated over a period of years to be
expended in  | 
|     | 
| |  |  | 10300SB1555sam003 | - 26 - | LRB103 24786 LNS 61353 a | 
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| 
 | 
| 1 |  | accordance with this subsection.
 | 
| 2 |  |     A unit of local government, as defined in the Local Solid  | 
| 3 |  | Waste Disposal
Act, shall prepare and post on its website, in  | 
| 4 |  | April of each year, a
report that details spending plans for  | 
| 5 |  | monies collected in accordance with
this subsection.  The  | 
| 6 |  | report will at a minimum include the following:
 | 
| 7 |  |         (1) The total monies collected pursuant to this  | 
| 8 |  | subsection.
 | 
| 9 |  |         (2) The most current balance of monies collected  | 
| 10 |  | pursuant to this
subsection.
 | 
| 11 |  |         (3) An itemized accounting of all monies expended for  | 
| 12 |  | the previous year
pursuant to this subsection.
 | 
| 13 |  |         (4) An estimation of monies to be collected for the  | 
| 14 |  | following 3
years pursuant to this subsection.
 | 
| 15 |  |         (5) A narrative detailing the general direction and  | 
| 16 |  | scope of future
expenditures for one, 2 and 3 years.
 | 
| 17 |  |     The exemptions granted under Sections 22.16 and 22.16a,  | 
| 18 |  | and under
subsection (k) of this Section, shall be applicable  | 
| 19 |  | to any fee,
tax or surcharge imposed under this subsection  | 
| 20 |  | (j); except that the fee,
tax or surcharge authorized to be  | 
| 21 |  | imposed under this subsection (j) may be
made applicable by a  | 
| 22 |  | unit of local government to the permanent disposal of
solid  | 
| 23 |  | waste after December 31, 1986, under any contract lawfully  | 
| 24 |  | executed
before June 1, 1986 under which more than 150,000  | 
| 25 |  | cubic yards (or 50,000 tons)
of solid waste is to be  | 
| 26 |  | permanently disposed of, even though the waste is
exempt from  | 
|     | 
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| 
 | 
| 1 |  | the fee imposed by the State under subsection (b) of this  | 
| 2 |  | Section
pursuant to an exemption granted under Section 22.16.
 | 
| 3 |  |     (k) In accordance with the findings and purposes of the  | 
| 4 |  | Illinois Solid
Waste Management Act, beginning January 1, 1989  | 
| 5 |  | the fee under subsection
(b) and the fee, tax or surcharge  | 
| 6 |  | under subsection (j) shall not apply to:
 | 
| 7 |  |         (1) waste which is hazardous waste;
 | 
| 8 |  |         (2) waste which is pollution control waste;
 | 
| 9 |  |         (3) waste from recycling, reclamation or reuse  | 
| 10 |  | processes which have been
approved by the Agency as being  | 
| 11 |  | designed to remove any contaminant from
wastes so as to  | 
| 12 |  | render such wastes reusable, provided that the process
 | 
| 13 |  | renders at least 50% of the waste reusable; the exemption  | 
| 14 |  | set forth in this paragraph (3) of this subsection (k)  | 
| 15 |  | shall not apply to general construction or demolition  | 
| 16 |  | debris recovery
facilities as defined in subsection (a-1)  | 
| 17 |  | of Section 3.160;
 | 
| 18 |  |         (4) non-hazardous solid waste that is received at a  | 
| 19 |  | sanitary landfill
and composted or recycled through a  | 
| 20 |  | process permitted by the Agency; or
 | 
| 21 |  |         (5) any landfill which is permitted by the Agency to  | 
| 22 |  | receive only
demolition or construction debris or  | 
| 23 |  | landscape waste.
 | 
| 24 |  | (Source: P.A. 101-10, eff. 6-5-19; 101-636, eff. 6-10-20;  | 
| 25 |  | 102-16, eff. 6-17-21;  102-310, eff. 8-6-21; 102-444, eff.  | 
| 26 |  | 8-20-21; 102-699, eff. 4-19-22; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22;  |