2026 Legislation to Watch
Maryland Recycling Refund and Litter Reduction Program ("Bottle Bill") (HB331/SB342)
We're several weeks into the 2026 General Assembly Session and leading a growing coalition of supporters for one of our anti-litter legislative priorities -- a "bottle bill" for Maryland (HB331/SB342: Beverage Container Recycling Refund and Litter Reduction Program, introduced by Delegate Terrasa (HB331) and Senator Brooks (SB342)). Bottle bills are proven policies to reduce litter and boost recycling rates beyond what curbside recycling programs can achieve. Bottle bills add a financial incentive for people to return their empty beverage containers for recycling. A 10 to 15 cent refundable deposit on beverage containers adds value to empty containers that prevents them from being trashed or littered even when they are consumed on-the-go or away from home. Ten U.S. states and many jurisdictions around the world have implemented bottle bills in the last 50 years and as recently as 2025.
Other Legislation We're Supporting in 2026
We are helping our Coalition partners and supporters understand and advocate for these and other bills that will reduce microplastic pollution and prevent trash and litter:
On-Farm Organics & Wasted Food Reduction and Diversion Grants (HB429/SB599) creates grant programs to expand on-farm composting, food waste prevention, edible food recovery, and transitions from single-use to reusable food service-ware.
State Yard Waste Composting & Prohibition on Disposal in Plastic (HB164)
Prohibition on Beverage Container Flexible Plastic Ring Connectors (HB92) would prohibit sales of beverage containers connected by plastic ring connectors that can entrap wildlife and break apart into microplastics. Similar to plastic shopping bags, flexible plastic "six pack" rings are difficult to recycle, quickly become litter, and are easily replaceable with better options.
Food Product Labeling Requirements HB410 standardizes food date labels to clarify food safety and quality dates and help Marylanders prevent food waste and save money.
Maryland's first draft packaging regulations are open for comment until March 9th. We represent environmental stakeholders and serve on Maryland's Packaging Advisory Committee helping to implement the landmark extended producer responsibility ("EPR") for packaging legislation that passed last year (SB901). That legislation was crafted to improve recycling programs and incentivize more sustainable product packaging while explicitly leaving open an option for a future bottle bill. We think it best and most efficient to pass the bottle bill this year. Building these two complementary programs together will dramatically reduce litter, boost recycling rates, support transitions from single-use to reuse and refill, and leverage all available tools for the broadest environmental benefits.
Maryland's legislative session ends in April. We are doing everything we can to empower our communities to engage with policies that affect them and to educate our legislators to enable action on effective, systemic policies to reduce plastic pollution and eliminate litter.
