HB 833 reestablishes Maryland's Commission to Advance Lithium-Ion Battery Safety with updated membership and a focused mandate. The commission, composed of 27+ members including state agencies, fire departments, battery manufacturers, recyclers, and industry representatives, will study key safety issues like preventing fires in consumer/transportation applications, recycling standards, port/rail risks, and insurance impacts. It must submit an interim report by December 1, 2026, with recommendations on best practices, training, and regulatory approaches. This bill directly affects state agencies, first responders, and industries handling lithium-ion batteries, but does not enact new laws - only directs the commission to study and advise.
HB 796 redefines "recycling" in Maryland law to exclude specific chemical processes that convert plastic waste into fuel or feedstock. It directly affects companies or entities planning to build new facilities using these methods. The bill prohibits constructing such facilities through processes like pyrolysis, gasification, methanolysis, hydropyrolysis, or enzymatic breakdown, as defined by the state Department. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 1572 amends Maryland's renewable energy law to include "waste-to-energy" as an eligible Tier 1 renewable energy source under the portfolio standard. The bill defines "waste-to-energy" as energy generated from facilities meeting six specific technical requirements: no combustion, continuous base-load capability, carbon recovery, no landfill byproducts, minimum 80% waste conversion efficiency, and compliance with EPA PFAS guidelines. This change directly affects waste-to-energy facilities that meet these criteria, allowing them to count toward utilities' renewable energy compliance requirements. The law takes effect for compliance years starting January 1, 2026.
SB 655 establishes Maryland's first statewide program requiring electronic device manufacturers to fund and manage recycling. It directly affects companies that produce covered devices like computers, TVs, printers, tablets, headphones, and routers (as defined in Section 9-1701(g)). Key provisions include mandatory registration fees paid into a dedicated recycling fund, requirements for manufacturers to include recycling information on products, and new rules for producer responsibility organizations to submit and get approval for recycling plans. The program aims to streamline collection, recycling, refurbishment, or reuse of these devices through the Department of the Environment, replacing older takeback programs.
SB 875 establishes a 5-year pilot program for rotating oyster harvesting in four designated areas of the Chesapeake Bay, managed by Maryland's Department of Natural Resources. The program requires the Department to open different oyster bars each season, collect baseline data before opening and monitor after closing, and mandate that harvested oyster shells be replaced in the same area to support habitat restoration. This directly affects oyster harvesters in those four areas by changing seasonal harvesting access and requiring shell recycling. The policy aims to promote sustainable oyster populations through data-driven management and habitat conservation.
HB 1065 establishes a grant program for Maryland manufacturers of cement, concrete, or construction materials that use coal ash waste (like fly ash or bottom ash) as feedstock. It requires the Department of the Environment to award grants to eligible manufacturers meeting specific criteria, including using Maryland-sourced coal by-products, creating jobs in communities affected by coal waste, and demonstrating measurable greenhouse gas reductions compared to conventional materials. The bill also mandates that all state government agencies give procurement preference to bids that incorporate these coal by-products. This directly affects cement/concrete manufacturers, state purchasing decisions, and communities near coal waste generation sites. The policy change focuses on repurposing existing coal waste for construction materials through financial incentives and procurement rules.
SB 603 establishes a mandatory mattress recycling program in Maryland, requiring mattress producers and their representatives to submit stewardship plans to the Department of the Environment. The bill prohibits landfill disposal and incineration of mattresses after specific dates (with limited exceptions) and mandates an assessment on all mattresses sold in the state to fund recycling. Retailers must provide consumers with information about the program, while the Department must approve plans and oversee the Mattress Stewardship Advisory Board. This aims to divert mattresses from waste streams, aligning with Maryland’s sustainable materials management goals and modeled after successful programs in other states.
SB 926 amends Maryland's definition of "exempt material" under extended producer responsibility rules for packaging and paper products. It specifically adds packaging for FDA-regulated products (drugs, dietary supplements, and medical devices) to the list of materials manufacturers don't need to cover under these rules. This change directly affects manufacturers of those FDA-regulated products, removing their packaging from requirements like disposal cost responsibility. The bill updates existing law without creating new obligations, effective June 1, 2026.
HB 984 establishes a mattress stewardship program requiring mattress producers to submit recycling plans to the Maryland Department of the Environment for approval. The bill prohibits landfill disposal and incineration of mattresses (with limited exceptions) starting on a future date, and mandates that producers add a fee to new mattresses to fund recycling. Retailers must provide consumers with information about the program after it launches. This affects mattress producers, retailers, and consumers through new fees and disposal rules, aiming to increase recycling and reduce landfill use.
HB 1315 requires Maryland's Department of the Environment, with input from the Department of Natural Resources, to study vessel-based technologies that capture or remove microplastic particles in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The study will identify specific technologies (like filters using boat engine cooling systems, vessel-mounted filtration, and floating systems), assess their effectiveness, environmental impacts, costs, and practicality for use on recreational, commercial, and state vessels. It will also evaluate how these technologies could integrate with existing water quality programs and explore potential incentives for adoption. This study aims to inform future decisions about addressing microplastic pollution but does not mandate any new regulations or technology implementation.
