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Each year, the Forest Society and volunteers clean up many bags of trash from Mount Major on Earth Day. Two bills in the legislature are currently addressing how the state disposes of trash generated both in-state and from out-of-state.
The Forest Society is supporting two bills that seek to address how New Hampshire disposes of the trash that is generated both in-state and from out–of-state. The Committee on Environment and Agriculture held hearings on HB 1049 and HB 1454 on January 18.
HB 1049 establishes a committee to study the siting criteria for new solid waste landfills; HB 1454 would prohibit the siting of landfills within a proscribed distance of groundwater sources.
The full House approved on February 16 an amended version of HB 1049. The House-passed bill expands the study committee’s duties to include: a review of the definition of the required setback of landfills from water bodies; an examination of laws and legislation in any other states or countries that establish extended producer responsibility (EPR) for electronic waste, batteries, automotive waste, and hazardous waste; whether to require surety bonding of landfills to ensure the capacity to pay for potential damages.
The Committee on Environment and Agriculture will consider HB1454 when it holds a work session on March 1.