EPA ordered to map America's recycling gaps—and make it public
H.R. 9987 — Recycling Infrastructure and Data Accountability Act · Filed by Michael Lawler (R-NY) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Jul 30, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill directs the EPA to study whether a national database tracking recycling infrastructure, capacity, and outcomes is feasible, and if so, to build and maintain it publicly online within one year of submitting its report. The database would catalog recycling facilities, identify geographic gaps in access, and track extended producer responsibility program performance—giving the public and policymakers visibility into where recycling infrastructure exists, where it's missing, and how well it's working.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is a mandated EPA study and subsequent public database to track recycling infrastructure and performance. It is fundamentally an information and accountability measure, not a regulatory mandate or subsidy.
What the text implies
- The database may expose underperformance by private waste and recycling companies, potentially creating political pressure for stricter regulation or enforcement.
- Extended producer responsibility (EPR) program tracking could shift financial burden toward manufacturers and packaging producers if the data reveals systemic failures in their programs.
- Geographic gap identification may trigger future legislation or funding demands to build recycling infrastructure in underserved areas, creating long-term fiscal implications.
- Public visibility into facility capacity and throughput may enable competitors to identify market opportunities or consolidation targets in the recycling sector.
Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.
Who it affects
The bill creates transparency and accountability in recycling infrastructure by mandating a public database of facility locations, capacity, and performance. Citizens gain visibility into whether their region has adequate recycling access and how well programs are functioning, enabling informed advocacy and policy decisions. No direct costs to citizens are imposed; the mechanism is informational and empowering.
Named in the bill
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), Congress, Waste management facilities, Recycling facilities, Material recovery facilities, Extended producer responsibility programs, State and local governments, Tribal governments
Where it stands
1 cosponsor: 1 Democrats.
- Jul 30, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- Jul 30, 2026 — Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the bill text published by Congress.gov (3,391 characters) on Jul 31, 2026. Section numbers in the findings refer to that text, linked below; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,222 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-10-20.
“EPA ordered to map America's recycling gaps—and make it public” QuorumCivic. https://share.quorumcivic.app/bill/119/hr9987 Report an error
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