Skip to main content
HR 1810 101th Congress House Environmental Protection Automobile tires Building construction Congressional reporting requirements Electric appliances Electric batteries Federal aid to cities Fluorocarbons Foreign trade promotion Gas appliances Government Operations and Politics Government lending Government procurement Grants-in-aid Hazardous waste disposal Labeling Paper and paper products Plastics Recycling of waste products Refuse and refuse disposal

Recycling Act

Introduced: April 12, 1989 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 101st Congress ended
It never became law before the 101st Congress (1989–1990) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 24, 1989
Referred to the Subcommittee on Transportation and Hazardous Materials.
Apr 12, 1989
Introduced in House
Apr 12, 1989
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Recycling Act - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to require all paper and paper products procured by Federal and State agencies and certain businesses under contract with Federal agencies to be composed of the highest percentage practicable of recovered materials. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prepare guidelines for the implementation of such requirement.

Requires each procuring agency that enters into a construction contract to give preference to the contractor that proposes to use the highest percentage of recovered materials in carrying out such contract, provided that such materials are of a reasonable price. Directs the Administrator to prepare guidelines to include minimum content standards for at least five items used in construction contracts that can be produced with recovered materials. Requires the Administrator to issue annual guidelines that specify standards for five additional items that may or may not be used in such contracts.

Requires each Federal agency with office facilities of more than 35 office workers to carry out a recovery program of newsprint and corrugated and high-grade paper. Requires such materials to be separated at the source of generation, separately collected, sold for the purpose of recycling or used by the Government. Authorizes funds received from such sales to be retained by the agency that generated the sold item.

Prohibits any State or municipality from receiving any form of Federal assistance in connection with facilities for the processing, separation, resource recovery, or reduction of solid waste unless the Administrator certifies that such State or municipality has implemented and met the targets for a program: (1) for the collection, separation, and processing of recyclable materials which provides for graduated increases in the amount of waste stream to be made available to markets for recovered materials; and (2) that requires preferences for the procurement of goods containing recovered materials.

Sets forth additional requirements for State solid waste disposal plans, including: (1) the separation, collection, and recycling of tires, lead-acid batteries, and major household appliances; and (2) the separation, collection, and safe disposal of household hazardous wastes.

Authorizes the Administrator to provide low-interest loans or loan guarantees for constructing and operating facilities and equipment for the collection, separation, or processing of recyclable materials. Permits the Administrator to provide technical assistance and grants to State and local governments for recycling and waste reduction programs. Authorizes appropriations.

Requires all paper and paper products, effective five years after this Act's enactment, to contain the minimum percentage of recovered materials specified by the Administrator under the Solid Waste Disposal Act.

Extends the date by which the Secretary of Commerce is required to take actions regarding the development of markets for recovered materials. Requires the Secretary, no later than six months after this Act's enactment, to develop a program to promote the selling of recyclable solid waste from the United States in international markets.

Requires manufacturers of plastic items or packaging to label such items to indicate the type of plastic used in such materials. Prohibits any plastic, effective one year after the promulgation of regulations regarding this section, from containing, or being manufactured in a process that uses, chlorofluorocarbons.

Directs the EPA Inspector General to report annually to the Congress on compliance with this Act.

What's happening now April 24, 1989

Referred to the Subcommittee on Transportation and Hazardous Materials.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1810: Recycling Act. 101st Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-1810/
MLA
"H.R. 1810: Recycling Act." 101st Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-1810/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1810, 101st Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-1810/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1810: Recycling Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-1810/)
Report a problem