Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Public Act 10-87
An Act Concerning Private and Municipal Recycling,
Zoning Ordinances and Solid Waste Collection Contracts

Gavel

An important step was taken toward changing the way we manage our municipal solid waste (MSW) when the Connecticut State legislature passed the mandatory recycling laws which required recycling of 25% of the state’s solid waste stream by January 1, 1991.  Over the past twenty years several updates to those laws, or new laws, have been passed to help increase recycling and address topics such as e-waste, deposit containers, rechargeable NiCd batteries, and grass clippings. 

The following information summarizes Public Act 10-87, (PA 10-87) which encompasses comprehensive recycling law revisions, including clarifying and expanding Connecticut's recycling requirements.  This Public Act, which was approved by the Connecticut General Assembly on June 2, 2010, has been codified and integrated into the appropriate sections of Title 22a and Title 8 of the CT General Statutes.

How Does PA 10-87 Impact You?

PA 10-87 impacts and calls on everyone, from municipalities and their residents, to haulers, businesses and solid waste facilities to affect change.  An overview of this law was presented to the Solid Waste Management Advisory Committee and a follow-up presentation  was given at the Connecticut Recyclers Coalition 2010 Annual Meeting.  Both are good introductions to what the law covers and who it affects. Below is a summary of its requirements organized by the sector to which they pertain, followed by a list of additional resources.  For more information, please visit our Recycling FAQ webpage and refer to the appropriate CT General Statute for complete text of the law.

Key

M = Municipality 

C =  Collector/Hauler 

B/I/G = Business/Institution/Government

SWF = Solid Waste Facility 

R/GP = Residents/General Public

 

 

Revision / Clarification

Sector Affected
 M   C  B/I/G SWF R/GP
Annual municipal recycling reporting has become less duplicative and the annual recycling form has been amended to reflect these changes.  CGS Sec. 22a-220 (h)

M

Requires DEEP (by October 1, 2011) to amend the list of designated recyclables in the Recycling Regulation to include 1)containers of three gallons or less made of PET and HDPE and 2) additional types of paper, including but not limited to, boxboard, magazines, residential high-grade white paper and colored ledger.

CGS Sec. 22a-241b

  M  C R/GP

Clarifies the requirement for non-residential entities to make provision and cause separation of designated recyclables using separate collection containers for recyclables.

CGS Sec. 22a-241b

M

C

B/I/G

SWF

Prohibits anyone from knowingly combining previously segregated designated recyclable items with other solid wastes. 

CGS Sec. 22a-241b

M

C

B/I/G

 

SWF

R/GP

Does not allow municipal zoning regulations to  prohibit the use of receptacles for storing designated recyclables nor unreasonably restrict the access to or size of such receptacles for businesses.  However, local regulations can require screening or buffering.  CGS Sec. 8-2 (a)

M

C

B/I/G

 

R/GP

Requires municipalities (by July 1, 2011) which offer residential trash collection to also offer residential recycling collection.  Towns that, over a three consecutive year average, attain a recycling rate that exceeds the state average recycling rate are exempt from this requirement.  GCS Sec. 22a-241j

M

Requires collectors which offer curbside or backyard collection of residential trash to also offer curbside or backyard collection of designated recyclables and be included in the collector’s solid waste collection charge.

GCS Sec. 22a-241j

M

C

R/GP

Requires provision for recycling at public gathering venues.  At public common gathering venues where designated recyclables are generated and where the venue provides trash collection, such venue shall also provide recycling receptacles for the collection of recyclables.  CGS Sec. 22a-241k

M

B/I/G

 

R/GP

Requires each contract between a collector and a customer for the collection of solid waste to make provision for the collection of designated recyclable items.  CGS Sec. 22a-241l

M

C

B/I/G

 

R/GP

Clarifies that any collector hauling solid waste, including recyclables, register annually and requires such collectors to disclose specific information to the municipality.

CGS Sec. 22a-220a (d)

M

C

Requires collectors to report to the municipality on or before July 31, 2011 and annually thereafter on a form provided by the DEEP Commissioner.  CGS Sec. 22a-220a (d)

M

C

Modifies the definition of “collector” as used in CGS Section 22a-220a -"Collector" means any person who holds himself out for hire to collect solid waste on a regular basis from residential, business, commercial or other establishments.

CGS Sec. 22a-220a (g)

  M

C

SWF

Requires collectors delivering CT MSW, including recyclables, to a CT permitted solid waste facility to identify to the receiving facility the origin (regional solid waste facility or municipality as applicable) of each load delivered.

CGS Sec. 22a-220a (k)

M

C

SWF

Requires collectors to report to DEEP on or before July 31st, 2011 and annually thereafter on a form prescribed by the DEEP commissioner.

CGS Sec. 22a-220a (j)

  C

Codification

The provisions of Public Act 10-87 have been codified and integrated into the CT General Statutes as follows:

PA 10-87

Has Been Codified in 

CT General Statute Section:
Section 1  22a-207
Section 2 22a-220 (h)
Section 3  22a-241b
Section 4 8-2 (a)
Section 5 22a-241j
Section 6

22a-241k

Section 7 22a-241l
Section 8

 S. (special requirement - not codified)

Section 9

 S. (special requirement - not codified)

Section 10 22a-220a (d)
Section 11 22a-220a (g)
Section 12 22a-220a (j), (k)

Additional Resources

Content last updated May 29, 2020