Recycling Information Clearinghouse Act of 1993

Summary: Recycling Information Clearinghouse Act of 1993 - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to require the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a clearinghouse for information about the recycling of municipal solid waste to include:  (1) a data base on the volume and rate of recycling of materials from the municipal solid waste stream; (2) an annual estimate of the balance of trade in recycled materials and products; (3) economic data comparing the costs and benefits of recycling various materials from the municipal solid waste stream; (4) a catalog of State and local laws that encourage or require the recycling of materials from the municipal solid waste stream; (5) a list of all purchases of recycled materials or products by the Federal Government; (6) a register announcing all solicitations by Federal agencies for the purchase of recycled materials or products; (7) information about state-of-the-art recycling methods, programs, and technologies; and (8) a register of all potential purchasers of recycled materials. 
Requires that a toll-free telephone hotline be made available to those seeking information from the clearinghouse. 
Makes a State ineligible for solid waste disposal assistance after December 31, 1994, unless the State maintains and publicizes a register of potential purchasers of recycled materials known to the State solid waste planning authorities. 
Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Recycling Information Clearinghouse 
Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND OBJECTIVES.

    (a) Findings.--Section 1002(c) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 
U.S.C. 6901(c)) is amended by striking out ``and'' in paragraph (2), by 
striking out the period in paragraph (3) and inserting ``; and'', and 
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) Recycling should be promoted through a national 
        clearinghouse to provide information about the economic 
        feasibility of recycling various materials, State and local 
        initiatives that have succeeded in increasing the recycling 
        rate for municipal waste, and Federal, State, and local 
        procurement opportunities for recyclable materials.''.
    (b) Objectives and Policy.--Section 1003(a) of the Solid Waste 
Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6902(a)) is amended by striking out the period 
in paragraph (11) and inserting ``; and'', by striking out ``and'' in 
paragraph (1), and by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(12) establishing an information clearinghouse to promote 
        the recycling of municipal solid waste.''.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 1004 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6903) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(40) The term `municipal solid waste' means residential, 
        institutional, and commercial solid waste generated within a 
        community. The term does not include any garbage, refuse, 
        sludge, or other residue that is a byproduct of an industrial 
        process or any solid waste which is regulated under subtitle C.
            ``(41) The term `recycled material' means a material which 
        has been previously used which can be reused with or without 
        reprocessing in place of a virgin material.
            ``(42) The term `recycled product' means a product that is 
        derived substantially from recycled materials.
            ``(43) The term `recycling' means remanufacturing or 
        reprocessing used or discarded materials into a useful 
        product.''.

SEC. 4. INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE.

    (a) Establishment.--Subtitle D of the Solid Waste Disposal Act is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 4011. INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Administrator shall establish a 
clearinghouse for information about the recycling of municipal solid 
waste, to be administered by the Office of Solid Waste in accordance 
with the provisions of this section.
    ``(b) Information Collection and Analysis.--The clearinghouse shall 
collect and provide the following types of information:
            ``(1) A data base containing information on the annual 
        volume and rate of recycling of materials from the municipal 
        solid waste stream. Such data base should include information 
        that may be available from trade associations, nonprofit 
        organizations, Federal agencies, and State governments. At a 
        minimum, the data base should estimate the aggregate annual 
        tonnage and recycling rate for glass, metal, paper, plastic, 
        and corrugated containers. To the extent feasible, the data 
        base should include an analysis of the impact of geographic and 
        demographic factors on the recycling rate.
            ``(2) An annual estimate of the balance of trade in 
        recycled materials and products.
            ``(3) Economic data comparing the costs and benefits of 
        recycling various materials from the municipal solid waste 
        stream. The analysis should take into account the avoided 
        disposal costs resulting from recycling.
            ``(4) A catalog of State and local laws that encourage or 
        require the recycling of materials from the municipal solid 
        waste stream. The catalog should include information about any 
        recycling targets or objectives established by such legislation 
        and, where feasible, evaluate whether those objectives are 
        being met.
            ``(5) A list of all purchases of recycled materials or 
        products by the Federal Government, organized by agency and the 
        type of recycled materials or products purchased.
            ``(6) A register announcing all solicitations by Federal 
        agencies for the purchase of recycled materials or products. 
        Such information shall be organized to provide timely and 
        relevant information to persons seeking to sell recycled 
        materials or products to the Federal Government. To the extent 
        feasible, the register should include information about 
        procurement opportunities available from State or local 
        governments.
            ``(7) Information about state-of-the-art recycling methods, 
        programs, and technologies, including the results of any 
        recycling research or demonstration programs funded by the 
        Federal Government.
            ``(8) A register of all potential purchasers (both 
        government and private) of recycled materials.
    ``(c) Information Coordination.--The Administrator may, at his or 
her discretion, make available through the information clearinghouse 
any other information that would promote national, State, and local 
recycling efforts including, but not limited to, information that may 
be obtained under subtitle D and subtitle E.
    ``(d) Information Dissemination.--The information compiled and 
analyzed under this section shall be made available to the public. A 
toll-free, telephone hotline shall be established and made available to 
members of the public seeking information from the clearinghouse. To 
the extent feasible, the information compiled should be computerized to 
facilitate analysis and provide for prompt retrieval of information.
    ``(e) Independent Organization.--In carrying out this section the 
Administrator shall cooperate with any independent organization which 
is comprised of persons engaged in recycling and persons representing 
environmental organizations and which provides matching funds to cover 
the costs of any cooperative program undertaken by the organization and 
the Environmental Protection Agency.
    ``(f) Authorization.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Administrator $500,000 for each fiscal year occurring after enactment 
of the Recycling Information Clearinghouse Act of 1993 for functions 
carried out by the information clearinghouse.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 4003(c) of such subtitle D is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(3) A State shall not be eligible for assistance under section 
4008(a)(3) after December 31, 1994, unless the State maintains and 
publicizes a State register of potential purchasers (both governmental 
and private) of recycled materials known to the State solid waste 
planning authorities. Such register shall be periodically updated and 
submitted to the information clearinghouse established under section 
4011.''.
    (c) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for such subtitle D 
is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``Sec. 4011. Information clearinghouse.''.