S. 351 — STEWARD Act of 2025

This section establishes a pilot grant program, known as the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Program, to be administered by the EPA Administrator not later than 18 months after enactment. The program awards competitive grants to eligible entities—states, units of local government, Indian tribes (as defined in 25 U.S.C. 5304), and public-private partnerships—to improve recycling accessibility in underserved communities (i.e., those without full services due to distance, transportation costs, or insufficient processing capacity) using a hub-and-spoke model of infrastructure such as transfer stations and materials recovery facilities. In selecting grantees ($500,000 minimum to $15 million maximum per grant), the Administrator must consider existing curbside recycling, improvements for underserved communities, and private partners' financial health; give priority to communities with no more than one materials recovery facility within a 75-mile radius; and reserve at least 70% of funds for underserved community projects (federal share not more than 95%). Grant funds may be used to increase transfer stations, expand curbside collection, or leverage public-private partnerships but not for recycling education programs. The Administrator must submit a report to Congress not later than two years after the first grant award.

This section defines terms related to composting and recycling, including "compost," "compostable material," "recyclable material," "recycling," and "processing," and amends Subtitle D of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6941 et seq.) by adding section 4011. Section 4011 directs the EPA Administrator to (1) submit to Congress, not later than two years after enactment, a report evaluating federal, state, and local barriers to composting; describing composting infrastructure and programs in states, localities, and Indian tribes (as defined in 25 U.S.C. 5304); estimating costs and land needed to expand composting programs; and reviewing manufacturer practices for compostable packaging and food service ware; and (2) prepare, not later than three years after enactment and every four years thereafter in consultation with states, localities, and Indian tribes, an inventory or estimate of materials recovery facilities (i.e., dedicated facilities that sort residential recyclables diverted from disposal), including the number per state and materials processed.