The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) advanced a recycling proposal on February 5, 2025, that would support initiatives nationwide to increase recycling access, particularly in underserved areas.
The Strategies to Eliminate Waste and Accelerate Recycling Development (STEWARD) Act would establish the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Program at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to a statement from EPW. The program would expand recycling access by authorizing strategic infrastructure investments and public-private partnerships.
The pilot grant program would authorize competitive grant awards from $500,000 to $15 million to support projects that enhance recycling infrastructure using a hub-and-spoke development model, according to a statement from EPW. The program also would prioritize communities with limited access to materials recovery facilities and support projects that increase transfer stations, expand curbside recycling programs, and reduce collection and transportation costs.
“The United States faces significant waste management challenges, with limited access to recycling infrastructure, particularly in underserved communities,” according to an EPW statement. “Strengthening recycling systems and improving data collection on recyclable materials will enhance domestic manufacturing supply chains and reduce landfill needs.”
Broad Support
EPW maintains that the STEWARD Act has strong support among stakeholders, including prominent brands such as PepsiCo and trade associations such as the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
“This coalition underscores the dual benefit of advancing the nation’s recycling infrastructure—driving both economic growth and environmental sustainability through improved waste management practices,” according to EPW, which is chaired by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.).
The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) also supports the bill, says Dan Felton, president and CEO of the trade association based in Annapolis, Maryland.
“FPA and its members are committed to helping solve plastic waste issues and increasing the recycling of packaging, and this bipartisan legislation is part of that solution,” Felton said in a statement. “We urge the House to follow the Senate’s lead and advance this legislation.”
The STEWARD Act is a combination of the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act and the Recycling and Composting Accountability Act that FPA actively supported in the previous Congress.
“For too many Americans, recycling remains out of reach—either because facilities don’t exist in their communities or because the infrastructure to make recycling economically viable is not in place,” Capito said in a statement. “The STEWARD Act aims to close these gaps by ensuring that recycling services are accessible to all communities.”
The bill also focuses on collecting data.
“The data provisions in the STEWARD Act will empower decision-makers to track progress, identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions that will drive real change in our nation’s recycling systems,” she added.
A fact sheet about the proposal can be found on the EPW’s website, and the news release about the proposal can also be found here.
The news release also discusses the Brownfields Reauthorization Act of 2025 that EPW also introduced on February 5, 2025. That measure would reauthorize EPA’s brownfields program, which helps to redevelop old industrial sites for new uses.
Thomas A. Barstow is senior editor at FlexPack VOICE®.