An Act To Update The Solid Waste Management Hierarchy

LD 231 updates Maine's solid waste management policy by reordering the state's priority system for handling waste. It moves waste processing methods that reduce landfill volume (including incineration) from the 5th to the 3rd priority, placing them ahead of recycling and composting. This change directly affects how Maine municipalities, waste processors, and state agencies make decisions about waste management infrastructure and funding. The bill modifies the statutory hierarchy in 38 MRSA §2101, requiring state actions to prioritize volume-reducing processing over recycling for waste disposal decisions.