AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY ON THE NEED FOR EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOLAR PANELS AND WIND TURBINE BLADES.

SB 1281 requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to study whether extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs are needed for discarded solar panels and wind turbine blades. The study will assess current disposal methods, compare costs to municipalities and residents under existing systems versus potential EPR programs, and evaluate required infrastructure like collection facilities and financial structures. It will specifically examine the volume of panels and blades expected to reach end-of-life in the next five years and explore collaboration with neighboring states. The commissioner must submit a report with recommendations by February 1, 2026. This is a preparatory study, not a new law, with no anticipated fiscal impact on state or municipal budgets.