SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3802

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 12, 2024

      The Senate Environment and Energy Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 3802.

      This bill would require that any plastic construction materials used by a State-funded construction project carried out by the State, a county, or a municipality contain at least 10 percent postconsumer recycled content until two years after the bill's enactment, and at least 15 percent thereafter.

     The bill would apply to construction materials that contain greater than 50 percent plastic, calculated by cost.  The bill defines "construction material" as an article, material, or supply that is brought to the site of a construction project for incorporation into the building or work, which meets applicable standards related to performance and is of a satisfactory quality.

     The bill would provide exemptions to the bill's postconsumer recycled content requirements if: (1) the use of plastic construction material that contains the necessary recycled content would increase the overall cost of the project by 25 percent, or (2) plastic construction materials that contain the necessary recycled content do not exist for the intended application, or are not available in sufficient quantities.