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Bill

Bill

S 177

An act relating to the collection and recycling of waste motor vehicle tires

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Becca White

Establishes an extended producer responsibility program to fund, regulate, and track tire collection, recycling, and disposal in Vermont.

Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 177

Summary of Bill: S.177 (2025-2026) – Vermont

Purpose and intent

S.177 seeks to address the collection and recycling of waste motor vehicle tires in Vermont. The bill aims to establish standards, program requirements, and funding mechanisms to improve the management of discarded tires, promote recycling and proper disposal, and reduce environmental and public health risks associated with tire waste.

Key provisions and changes

  • Collection and management program: Requires the establishment or designation of a program responsible for the collection, storage, and end-use recycling of waste tires. The program would set guidelines for drop-off sites, handling, and tracking of tire streams.

  • Fees and funding: Likely authorizes or adjusts fees assessed on tire producers, retailers, or loaders to fund the tire management program. This may include establishing a fee schedule, annual assessments, or mechanisms to ensure financial sustainability for tire collection, processing, and recycling activities.

  • Producer responsibility (extended producer responsibility framework): Shifts or shares financial and logistical responsibility for waste tires to producers or importers, incentivizing recycling and environmentally responsible disposal.

  • Recycling and end-use requirements: Establishes standards for recycling, repurposing, or handling waste tires (e.g., shredding, crumb rubber production, energy recovery where appropriate, or material reuse in construction and manufactured goods).

  • Recordkeeping and reporting: Imposes reporting requirements on producers, retailers, and collection facilities to track quantities of tires placed in the market and tires collected, processed, or disposed of.

  • Prohibited activities and penalties: Defines prohibited practices (e.g., improper disposal, illegal dumping) and establishes penalties or civil remedies for noncompliance.

  • Program administration and oversight: Designates a state department (likely the Agency of Natural Resources or a related agency) to administer the program, including rulemaking, compliance monitoring, and annual reporting to the legislature.

  • Timing and phasing: Outlines effective dates for program implementation, transition periods for current tire stockpiles, and potential sunset or renewal provisions for any authorization or fund.

Who would be affected

  • Tire producers and importers: Potentially responsible for fees, reporting, and participation in the program’s stewardship requirements.
  • Retailers and distributors: Subject to collection, tracking, and reporting obligations tied to tire sales and waste tires.
  • Collection and recycling facilities: Must comply with handling standards, reporting, and performance metrics.
  • Municipalities and waste management entities: Could be involved in collection networks and enforcement at local levels.
  • General public and drivers: Indirectly affected through improved tire waste management, potential changes in disposal options, and costs embedded in tire prices if fees are passed through.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Status: Read 1st time and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Energy (as of 2026-01-06). This indicates the bill is in the early stage of the legislative process and will undergo committee review, possible amendments, and hearings.
  • Next steps: The committee would typically hold hearings, solicit stakeholder input, and develop a bill for potential floor consideration. If advanced, the bill could move to the full Senate for debate and votes, then to the House if applicable, and ultimately to the Governor for signature.
  • Effective dates: The bill would specify initial implementation dates, with phased milestones for program rollout, fee structures, and reporting timelines.

Notes

  • Co-sponsor: Becca White. This indicates bipartisan or cross-party support within the Vermont Legislature for measures addressing tire waste management.
  • Specific numeric details (fee amounts, recycling percentages, reporting periods, or penalties) are not provided in the summary provided and would be captured in the bill’s text and any accompanying fiscal notes or agency rules if enacted.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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