Industry leaders push for a seismic change in state's recycling rules: 'Something needs to change drastically'

A coalition of industry leaders is advocating for the passing of a Rhode Island bill that would make recycling more streamlined in the state. 

The Coalition for High Performance Recycling is comprised of several high-profile organizations throughout the United States. The coalition includes the Association of Plastic Recyclers, Can Manufacturers Institute, and Clean Water Action. 

Together, CHPR has voiced its overwhelming support for House Bill 6207 in Rhode Island, which was introduced by Representative Carol Hagan McEntee on April 9, 2025.  

The bill would move to hold producers of packaging and paper responsible for the costs of recycling and the overall management of materials by offering consumers a refund to return empty beverage containers. It would also look to provide more oversight on single-use container producers.    

In a press release announcing the introduction of the bill, Representative McEntee stressed the motivation behind it. 

"The simple truth is that our recycling system is broken and plastic waste is filling up our landfill to capacity and dirtying our streets and neighborhoods," McEntee said.

McEntee noted that Rhode Island has "a measly 26%" recycling rate and that "something needs to change drastically" to clean up the state and protect the environment. According to a Ball report, Rhode Island recycles just 16% of all its plastic waste.  

"This waste hurts the well-being of our neighborhoods, our waterways and our open spaces," explained McEntee. "It also endangers individuals and wildlife with continuous exposure to microplastics and other contaminants."

In an op-ed published in The Boston Globe, several members of CHPR offered up their insight regarding the bill, pointing to the current state of recycling in Rhode Island. 

"As representatives of the business and environmental sectors, we have come together to urge the Legislature to take bold action to greatly improve the state's recycling results," the group wrote. 

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As of early May, the legislation was a partisan effort in the state, with nine other Democrats co-sponsoring the bill alongside Representative McEntee. 

According to members of the coalition, bottle bills not only hold producers more accountable, but they also encourage more innovation. 

"Rhode Island and New Hampshire are the only states in New England without a bottle bill," they wrote. "The rest of the region produces higher quality material that is more capable of being recycled and used for new packaging."

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