WHB/3/9
Sponsored by Ian Johnston, Soham Punjani, Krush Patel of McCallie School
This legislation was filed in the Environment and Conservation category
Presented as part of the YIG Volunteer 2024 conference
| 1 | Whereas, fostering a culture of environmental responsibility is vital for the sustainable future of |
| 2 | Tennessee |
| 3 | |
| 4 | Whereas, raising public awareness and providing comprehensive education about recycling and |
| 5 | recycling symbols are essential steps towards achieving effective waste management and resource |
| 6 | conservation. |
| 7 | |
| 8 | Whereas, allocating sufficient funding for recycling awareness and education programs is crucial |
| 9 | for their successful implementation and long-term impact. |
| 10 | |
| 11 | Section 1: Terms in this act are defined as follows: |
| 12 | a. Recycling- The process of collecting, sorting, processing, and remanufacturing materials to be |
| 13 | used as raw materials for new products. |
| 14 | b. Recycling Symbols- Internationally recognized symbols used to identify materials that are |
| 15 | recyclable and to promote recycling awareness. |
| 16 | c. Resin Identification Code (RIC) symbols - A set of symbols used to classify types of plastic |
| 17 | resins for recycling purposes, indicating the resin content of plastic products. |
| 18 | d. Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC)- The state agency responsible |
| 19 | for protecting and improving the quality of Tennessee's natural resources and promoting |
| 20 | sustainable environmental practices. |
| 21 | e. Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE)- The Tennessee state agency responsible for |
| 22 | overseeing public education, including curriculum development and implementation. |
| 23 | f. Public Awareness Campaigns- are coordinated efforts to inform and educate the public about |
| 24 | specific issues, in this case, recycling practices and the importance of recycling symbols, utilizing |
| 25 | various communication channels and mediums. |
| 26 | g. Educational Institutions- refer to public and private schools, colleges, and universities operating |
| 27 | within the state of Tennessee. |
| 28 | h. Waste Audit- a systematic examination of the types and quantities of waste generated by an |
| 29 | organization or community to identify opportunities for waste reduction and recycling |
| 30 | improvement. |
| 31 | h. Annual Reports- documents prepared by the corresponding state agencies summarizing the |
| 32 | progress, achievements, challenges, and outcomes of recycling awareness and education |
| 33 | programs, to be submitted to the Tennessee State Legislature for review and evaluation. |
| 34 | |
| 35 | Section 2: The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) will develop and |
| 36 | implement comprehensive public awareness campaigns aimed at promoting recycling practices and |
| 37 | increasing awareness of recycling symbols across the state. These campaigns will utilize various |
| 38 | |
| 39 | events, to disseminate information about the importance of recycling, the meaning of recycling |
| 40 | symbols, and the benefits of proper waste management. |
| 41 | |
| 42 | Section 3: The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) will promote the integration of |
| 43 | recycling education into the curriculum of all educational institutions statewide. |
| 44 | The recycling education curriculum will include: |
| 45 | a. Instruction on the significance of recycling and its environmental benefits. |
| 46 | b. Education about common recycling symbols and their meanings, including the Resin |
| 47 | Identification Code (RIC) symbols. |
| 48 | c. Identification and explanation of materials that can be recycled, including paper, plastic, glass, |
| 49 | metal, and organic waste. |
| 50 | |
| 51 | Section 4: The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) will provide training and educational |
| 52 | resources to teachers to ensure effective delivery of recycling education. Training sessions, |
| 53 | workshops, and educational materials including online resources will be developed and made |
| 54 | accessible for teachers to utilize for educational purposes. |
| 55 | |
| 56 | Section 5: The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) shall promote educational institutions |
| 57 | to support student participation in recycling initiatives, such as organizing recycling drives, |
| 58 | conducting waste audits, and implementing recycling programs within school premises. Student- |
| 59 | led environmental clubs and organizations will be supported and encouraged to promote recycling |
| 60 | awareness and engagement among peers. |
| 61 | |
| 62 | Section 6: This act will need $3,000,000.00 and will be funded by the TDEC. The allocated funds |
| 63 | will be utilized for the following: |
| 64 | a. Development and dissemination of educational materials. |
| 65 | b. Training sessions for teachers and educators. |
| 66 | c. Execution of public awareness campaigns. |
| 67 | d. Administration and evaluation of recycling education initiatives. |
| 68 | |
| 69 | Section 7: The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) and The |
| 70 | Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) will collaborate to conduct regular evaluations of |
| 71 | recycling awareness and education programs to assess their effectiveness and impact on public |
| 72 | knowledge and behavior. Annual reports analyzing the progress and outcomes of these programs |
| 73 | will be submitted to the Tennessee State Legislature for review and evaluation. |
| 74 | |
| 75 | Section 8: All laws or parts of laws in conflict with this are hereby repealed. |
| 76 | |
| 77 | Section 9: This act will take effect upon August 2, 2024, the public welfare requiring it. |
| 78 |