AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- RHODE ISLAND RESOURCE RECOVERY CORPORATION (Prohibits the use of artificial turf as material to cover compacted solid waste at a sanitary landfill.)

S2802

2026 -- S 2802
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LC005358
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- RHODE ISLAND RESOURCE RECOVERY
CORPORATION

Introduced By:
Senators Valverde, Kallman, Urso, Murray, Gu, Britto, and Lauria

Date Introduced:
March 04, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Environment & Agriculture
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Sections 23-19-13.6 and 23-19-24 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-19
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entitled "Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation" are hereby amended to read as follows:
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23-19-13.6. Cover materials not permitted.
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(a) No resource recovery system or facility made available by the corporation shall use the
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following as material to cover compacted solid waste at a sanitary landfill:
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(1) Construction and demolition debris, whole, shredded, or pulverized, including wood
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(including painted, treated, and coated wood and wood products), land-clearing debris, wall
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coverings, plaster, drywall, plumbing fixtures, non-asbestos insulation, roofing shingles, and other
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roof coverings;
or
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(2) Organic materials, including materials that contain carbon-to-carbon bonds and are
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biodegradable, such as paper, wood, food waste, leaves, and yard waste. Organic materials may be
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used only as a final landfill cover with approval of the department of environmental management
;
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or
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(3) Artificial turf. Provided, the provisions of this subsection do not require the removal of
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artificial turf which has been installed as material to cover compacted solid waste at a sanitary
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landfill on or before July 1, 2026
.
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(b) Any facility violating the provisions of this section shall be fined not less than two
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thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000). The fine shall

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be paid to the city or town in which the facility is located.
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23-19-24. Reporting requirements.
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(a) The corporation shall, within ninety (90) days after the close of each fiscal year, submit
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an annual report of its activities for the preceding year to the governor, the speaker of the house of
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representatives, the president of the senate, the state treasurer, and the secretary of state. The report
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shall provide: a summary of the corporation’s meetings including when the commissioners, solid
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waste facilities siting board, and citizen advisory board met, subjects addressed, and decisions or
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recommendations rendered; a summary of the corporation’s actions including a listing of transfer
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stations, waste processing facilities, and resources recovery facilities planned, being constructed or
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renovated, or owned and operated by the corporation as prescribed in § 23-19-9, rules and
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regulations promulgated as prescribed in § 23-19-10, hearings held as prescribed in § 23-19-10,
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fees charged as prescribed in § 23-19-10, property acquired or disposed of as prescribed in § 23-
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19-10, contracts and agreements entered into as prescribed in § 23-19-10, bonds and notes issued
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and secured as prescribed in §§ 23-19-14 and 23-19-16, surveys, studies, and investigations
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conducted as prescribed in § 23-19-10, and administrative penalties imposed as prescribed in § 23-
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19-28.1; a synopsis of the hearings, complaints, suspensions, or other legal matters related to the
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authority of the corporation; a consolidated financial statement of all funds received and expended
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by the corporation including the source of the funds, liabilities incurred or assumed, funds invested,
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and revenues received from the sale of materials, energy, and other by products of solid waste
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processing as prescribed in subsection 23-19-10(30); a summary of actions taken to assist in the
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development of industrial and commercial enterprises within the state based on resource recovery,
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recycling, and reuse as prescribed in subsection 23-19-9(5); a summary of activities related to the
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development, amendment, and implementation of a statewide plan for the separation of solid waste
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as prescribed in subsection 23-19-10(29); a synopsis of the status of source reduction activities
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including efforts taken to reduce the state’s waste stream and develop new uses for materials
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recovered from solid waste as prescribed in subsections 23-19-10(42) and 23-19-11(12); a
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summary of any training courses held pursuant to subsection 23-19-10(44); a listing of the staff
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and/or consultants employed by the corporation as prescribed in § 23-19-10; a summary of
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activities related to the management of the central landfill in Johnston as prescribed in § 23-19-
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11.1; a summary of performance during the previous fiscal year including accomplishments,
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shortcomings and remedies; a listing of findings and recommendations derived from corporation
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activities and the findings of the citizen advisory board as prescribed in § 23-19-23.
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(b) The report shall be posted electronically as prescribed in § 42-20-8.2.
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(c) The corporation shall cause an audit of its books and accounts to be made at least once

LC005358 - Page 2 of 4
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each fiscal year.
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(d) The corporation shall develop a system for tracking and reporting on artificial turf
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disposal volume and weight. A summary of the information gathered by this tracking and reporting
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for the previous fiscal year shall be included in the annual report prepared and submitted pursuant
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to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.
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SECTION 2. Chapter 23-19 of the General Laws entitled "Rhode Island Resource
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Recovery Corporation" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
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23-19-13.7. Pilot program established.
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(a) The resource recovery corporation shall initiate a landfill plant cover pilot program to
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determine feasibility and benefits of using a grass mix with pollinators and/or plant mix as landfill
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cover.
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(b) As used herein the term “plant mix” means and shall include native plants and be
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determined in consultation with subject matter experts such as the university of Rhode Island
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cooperative extension, college of the environment and life sciences, or similar researchers or
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scientists.
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(c) The corporation shall provide a report on the landfill cover pilot program to the speaker
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of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the public, on or before January 1,
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2028.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- RHODE ISLAND RESOURCE RECOVERY
CORPORATION
***
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This act would prohibit the use of artificial turf as material to cover compacted solid waste
2
at a sanitary landfill on or after July 1, 2026. This act would also establish a pilot program to
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determine the benefits of using a plant mix and/or grass mix with pollinators as landfill cover. This
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act would also impose reporting requirements on the resource recover corporation on these matters
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on or before January 1, 2028.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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