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<section article="gen" article_name="Environment" number="9-2502" title_number="9" title_name="Water, Ice, and Sanitary Facilities" subtitle_number="25" subtitle_name="Producer Responsibility for Packaging and Paper Products">
  <level label="a">
    <text>On or before October 1, 2023, the Department shall approve a single producer responsibility organization to represent the interests of producers under this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>It is the intent of the General Assembly that this subtitle provide a framework for:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Minimizing the environmental and human health impacts of packaging, including by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Reducing the amount of packaging, especially plastic packaging, sold in the State;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Reducing packaging waste;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Redesigning packaging to be recyclable, compostable, and reusable; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Reducing the toxicity of packaging;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Conserving resources by increasing the recycling rates and recycled content of covered products;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Modernizing and improving waste and recycling systems in the State, including by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Facilitating the improvement of reuse, composting, and recycling;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Stimulating responsible end markets for covered materials; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Improving access to and the efficiency of recycling, composting, and reuse infrastructure, with special emphasis on underserved communities; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Making producers financially responsible for investing in the needed infrastructure and reimbursing local governments and other service providers for costs associated with transporting, collecting, and processing  covered materials.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
