[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 46 (Thursday, March 14, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2398-S2399]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        Recycling and Composting

  Mr. President, having said that, I came here today to talk about the 
passage in the Senate earlier this week of the Recycling and Composting 
Accountability Act and the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility 
Act of 2023--two pieces of bipartisan legislation that, if enacted, 
will improve our Nation's recycling and our Nation's composting 
systems.
  As a number of our colleagues know, I care a lot about recycling, and 
I care a lot about composting. I have ever since I was a kid. In fact, 
I think in our home in Wilmington, DE, we have recycled everything in 
recent years, from a dehumidifier in our basement to a Ford Explorer 
out in our driveway. We recycle a whole lot more. We do it every week. 
I know a lot of other folks in our neighborhood and a lot of other 
folks in our State do as well. But in our country, we can always do 
everything better. We can always do things better when we need to.
  Through my time in the U.S. Senate, I have looked for and I have 
found many opportunities for bipartisan support of policies that boost 
recycling and that boost composting. As my colleagues on this floor 
have heard me say many, many times, bipartisan solutions are lasting 
solutions. I believe that with every fiber of my being.
  To that end, earlier this Congress, Senator Capito, ranking member of 
the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, along with 
Senator John Boozman from Arkansas and I, worked to advance bipartisan 
legislation through our committee, through the Committee on Environment 
and Public Works, that would strengthen our Nation's recycling, 
composting, and sustainability efforts.
  Moreover, we know that recycling is a win-win. Why do I say that? It 
not only benefits our environment, but it also creates economic 
opportunity. It creates a lot of jobs, a whole lot of jobs, not just in 
Delaware but in every State across the country.
  When enacted, the Recycling and Composting Accountability Act and the 
Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act of 2023 will address 
several of the challenges that America's recycling efforts currently 
face, including the lack of good data, including limited access to 
recycling programs in many parts--too many parts--of our country.
  To increase the amount of high-quality data available on recycling 
efforts across America, Senator Boozman and I developed legislation 
called the Recycling and Composting Accountability Act. Our bill would 
improve the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to gather data on 
this Nation's recycling systems and explore opportunities for 
implementing a national composting strategy.
  Some people might say: What is composting, and why is that important? 
Well, I am excited about the idea of a national composting strategy 
because implementing such a strategy will help us reduce food waste, 
which is responsible for over half--that is right--over half of our 
planet-warming methane emissions that emanate from landfills.
  I will say that again. I am excited about the idea of national 
composting strategy. Why? Because implementing such a strategy will 
help us reduce food waste. Food waste is responsible for over half--
that is right--over half of our planet-warming methane emissions that 
emanate from landfills. To increase access to recycling programs, 
Senator Capito, Senator Boozman, and I introduced the Recycling 
Infrastructure and Accessibility Act of 2023. Why did we do that? To 
create a pilot program at EPA to help expand recycling services in 
underserved areas.

  Many Americans in rural and underserved communities want to recycle 
and they want to compost, but they are unable to do so because they 
live in areas that lack the necessary recycling infrastructure, 
including curbside pickup or community collection centers.
  In comparison to our neighbors, how are we doing? I have a friend, 
and I asked him how he is doing. He said: Compared to what?
  Well, why don't we compare ourselves to Canada and maybe Germany? 
Well, compared to Canada, we have a lot of work to do. For example, 
British Columbia, our neighbors to the north, up there, they are 
currently recycling 86 percent of their residential waste--86 percent. 
Across the pond over in Germany, they are recycling almost half--48 
percent, to be exact--of their waste. Yes, 48 percent. I wish I could 
say we are doing as well, but unfortunately, today in America, our 
national recycling rate is not even a third but just under that--32 
percent. We can do better than that. We have to do better than that.
  These two bills will help us to improve our recycling efforts to meet 
the goal set by the EPA to increase the U.S. recycling efforts--bring 
it up to 50 percent by the year 2030.
  I think people, given a choice, would like to recycle. They would 
like to compost. We have to make it easy for them to do so.
  Both of the bills that I have mentioned are the result of true 
collaboration and reflect a bipartisan commitment to exploring and 
addressing our Nation's recycling and composting challenges and 
opportunities.

[[Page S2399]]

  We have a moral duty to leave behind a cleaner, healthier planet for 
future generations, and that is a belief I know is shared by most 
Americans.
  Now that the Senate has passed both of these bills, I welcome all of 
our House colleagues to join us in this effort.
  I want to say to the Presiding Officer, our colleague from the 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a member of the Senate Committee on 
Environment and Public Works--I want to thank him for being part of the 
effort that has enabled us to bring this legislation to the floor, I 
believe without opposition and with total, bipartisan support of 
Democrat and Republican Members.
  Hopefully, we will be able to convince our friends over in the House 
that we come up with some pretty good ideas over here in the Senate 
from time to time, and these are a couple of them.
  I yield the floor.

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