FRANKFORT, Ky. — The House of Representatives approved a measure that would set Kentucky up as a potential site location for the rapidly growing advanced recycling industry.
Advanced recyclers break down plastics into raw materials for use in new products as manufacturers, allowing them to avoid unnecessary regulatory red tape. HB 45, sponsored by Representative Adam Bowling of Middlesboro, redefines the practice as manufacturing, providing a more appropriate regulatory approach to oversight of the industry.
“This is about spurring economic development and positioning our state on the forefront of an industry that not only provides a necessary service, but also has the potential to create good-paying jobs in communities across the state,” Bowling said. “HB 45 makes Kentucky more attractive to advanced recyclers, which in turn provides Kentucky manufacturers with a viable and affordable way to handle the byproducts of their production.”
HB 45 would eliminate unnecessary regulatory burdens and prevent inappropriate federal intrusion.
Similar legislation in other states led to major growth throughout the state. The ultimate passage of HB 45 could bring as many as eight new facilities to Kentucky with an estimated $78 million in annual economic impact.
Bowling added that the processes used in advanced recycling are similar and at times identical to those utilized in manufacturing.
“The bill simply provides transparent guidelines for a new type of technology that actually breaks plastic waste back into the molecules that the plastic is composed of, a process called advanced recycling,” Bowling said.
HB 45 will move to the Senate for consideration. For more information on the measure, please visit legislature.ky.gov or follow the link here.
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