Guam senators pass Zero Waste Act

By Pacific Island Times News Staff

The 36th Guam Legislature today unanimously passed The Guam Zero Waste Act, kickstarting localized and innovative recycling and waste management programs for Guam.

Bill 284-36, introduced by Sen, Sabina Flores Perez, modernizes and improves recycling programs across the island which are costly and inefficient, especially given the significant changes to the global recycling industry since the Guam Recycling Revolving Fund was established 16 years ago.

The Guam Zero Waste Act was drafted in close collaboration with the Guam Environmental Protection Agency, and prioritizes overall waste reduction, circular use of materials, and the promotion of groundbreaking research to address the rapidly decreasing lifespan of our landfill.

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“Localized solutions and investment are needed now to address global changes in recycling in order to transform our wastes into resources, reduce our ecological footprint, protect communities, and preserve resources and ecosystems, both locally and globally,” Perez said.

Bill 284 enables GEPA to fund studies to research best practices for reducing and diverting different waste streams to reach 50 percent and 75 percent waste reduction by 2035 and 2045, respectively.

Additionally, the legislation increases Guam EPA’s capacity to promote and implement recycling and zero waste initiatives through an adaptable and long-term approach.

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