An Act to ensure plastic bottle recycling

This bill requires beverage manufacturers in Massachusetts to increase the amount of recycled plastic used in their bottles over the next eight years. Specifically, the law mandates that plastic bottles contain at least 15% recycled material two years after passage, rising to 25% five years later and 50% eight years later. To track progress, the legislation establishes a reporting system where manufacturers and recycling facilities must submit annual data to the Department of Environmental Protection detailing the pounds of virgin and recycled plastic used. The bill also clarifies that "recycling" strictly means creating new products without degrading material quality, explicitly excluding processes like incineration or downcycling into inferior goods.