Environment (Recycling)

Creates the Single-Use Foodware Reduction Act. Imposes a single-use foodware fee of $0.10 on each item of single-use foodware used by a customer at a retail establishment in the State. Requires liability for payment of the fee to be borne by the customer. Specifies how the fee is to be collected and allocated. Contains provisions regulating the use of the single-use foodware fee by counties and municipal joint action agencies. Provides that, except in specified circumstances, single-use foodware is only to be provided upon request. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Single-Use Foodware Fee Fund as a special fund in the State treasury.

Creates the Extended Producer Responsibility and Recycling Refund Act. Defines terms. Provides for the registration of producer responsibility organizations and service providers. Provides for the duties of a packaging producer responsibility organization and a recycling refund producer responsibility organization. Establishes advisory boards. Provides for responsibilities of packaging producers. Provides for restrictions on introduction and sales of covered materials and covered beverage containers. Provides for requirements for service providers. Provides for responsibilities for the Environmental Protection Agency. Provides for requirements for packaging program needs assessments; a packaging producer program plan; and a recycling refund program plan. Provides for procedures for plan and amendment review and approval. Provides for requirements for a coordination plan; performance targets; producer fees; a website; an applicable refund value for covered beverage containers; a convenience standard for redemption of containers; and a redemption system. Provides that any deposits that are not returned to the consumer must only be used by the recycling refund producer organization for specified purposes. Provides for requirements for a refund value to drop-off facilities and material recovery facilities. Requires reporting, including by a packaging producer responsibility organization, a recycling refund producer responsibility organization, the Environmental Protection Agency, and materials recovery facilities and drop-off facilities. Provides for immunity from liability for antitrust, restraint of trade, and unfair trade practices. Requires rulemaking by the Agency. Provides for enforcement by the Agency and penalties. Creates the Packaging Producer Responsibility Program Fund with a continuing appropriation to the Agency and the Recycling Refund Program Fund with a continuing appropriation to the Agency. Makes conforming changes to the State Finance Act.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2028, no person may knowingly cause or allow the mixing of a photovoltaic module with municipal waste that is intended for disposal at a landfill. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2028, no person may knowingly cause or allow the disposal of a photovoltaic module in a sanitary landfill. Defines "consumer electronic device" and "photovoltaic module". Effective January 1, 2027.

Creates the Paper Waste Reduction Act. Sets forth limits on the amount of junk mail a for-profit corporation, association, limited liability company, partnership, not-for-profit organization, or other legal entity shall send or cause to be sent to a person residing in the State. Provides that a violation of any of the provisions of the Act is an unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act making to make a conforming change.

Urges President Trump, the members of the United States Congress, and the current federal administration to continue to support electric vehicle programs at the federal level and to continue to prioritize policies that foster innovation and address climate change in order to continue helping the move towards a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future

Declares April 1, 2025 as Skip the Plastic Day in the State of Illinois. Urges all residents, businesses, and visitors to reduce plastic waste and protect our environment. Commends all businesses that willingly participate in Skip the Plastic Day by only offering single-use plastic items, including straws and cutlery, by request and that take proactive steps toward reducing plastic waste. Commends all residents who refuse the use of single-use plastic items.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, after January 1, 2027, a school district may not procure disposable food service containers that are composed in whole or in part from polystyrene foam for use at any school and instead shall offer only compostable foodware or recyclable foodware for use at the school. Provides that, after January 1, 2028 or at the renewal of its next contract, whichever occurs later, no vendor contracted through a school district may provide a school with disposable food service containers that are composed in whole or in part from polystyrene foam at any site owned or leased by the school district and instead shall offer only compostable foodware or recyclable foodware for use at sites owned or leased by the school district.

Creates the Plastic Bottle Cap Reduction Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2029, a manufacturer may not sell, offer for sale, or distribute for sale in the State a single-use plastic beverage container with a plastic beverage cap unless the plastic beverage cap is composed of a plastic resin with the same resin identification code as the single-use plastic beverage container and the cap either (1) is tethered to the container in a manner that prevents the separation of the cap from the container when the cap is removed or (2) includes an opening from which the beverage can be consumed while the cap remains screwed onto or otherwise affixed to the container. Provides that a manufacturer that produces single-use plastic beverage containers shall provide to the Environmental Protection Agency upon request all information necessary for the Agency to determine the manufacturer's compliance with the Act. Provides for an entity with a legally recognized corporate relationship to a manufacturer to assume the manufacturer's responsibilities under the Act. Provides that the requirements of the Act do not apply to a manufacturer of beer, wine, or spirits that annually produces 50,000 gallons or less of any one or more of those products or to a manufacturer of beverages other than beer, wine, or spirits that annually produces 250,000 or fewer single-use plastic beverage containers containing its product. Provides that any person who violates any provision of the Act shall be liable for a civil penalty of $1,000 per violation per day. Authorizes the Attorney General or State's Attorney to prosecute violations of the Act. Defines terms.

Declares April 1, 2025 as Skip the Plastic Day in the State of Illinois. urges all residents, businesses, and visitors to reduce plastic waste and protect our environment. Commends all businesses that willingly participate in Skip the Plastic Day by only offering single-use plastic items, including straws and cutlery, by request and that take proactive steps toward reducing plastic waste. Commends all residents who refuse the use of single-use plastic items.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a commercial wind energy facility owner or solar energy facility owner must file a land reclamation plan and a recycling plan with the Department of Agriculture prior to the required public hearing on the siting of a facility. Provides that the land reclamation plan must outline how the property on which a facility has been constructed will be returned to the state the property existed prior to the construction of the facility upon removal of the facility. Provides that the recycling plan must outline how the material used to construct the facility will be recycled. Provides that a commercial solar energy facility may not be sited on property where the property's soil's crop productivity index is greater than 110. Effective immediately.