The tricky politics of overhauling state recycling systems

After scoring wins in four states to pass costs of recycling plastic onto manufacturers over the past two years, recycling advocates had hoped to build on the momentum in more states across the country. But this year, nearly a dozen state-level bills to fund increased recycling have gone nowhere in state legislative sessions or have been watered down into feasibility studies. POLITICO’s Jordan Wolman breaks down the politics of passing recycling bills and what this trend means for the nation’s ability to curb its growing waste problem. Plus, the Bureau of Land Management proposed updating its regulations governing wind and solar development on public lands, potentially reducing project fees by as much as 80 percent. 

Jordan Wolman is a sustainability reporter for POLITICO. 

Josh Siegel is a congressional energy reporter for POLITICO. 

Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.

Annie Rees is a senior audio producer-host at POLITICO. 

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