HB 796

Did not advance

Recycling - Prohibition on the Chemical Conversion of Plastic

Sponsor: Jen Terrasa (District 13)Committee: Environment and TransportationSubject: EnvironmentStatus: Hearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Altering the definition of recycling to exclude certain chemical conversion processes, pyrolysis, hydropyrolysis, methanolysis, gasification, enzymatic breakdown, or similar processes as determined by the Department of the Environment; and prohibiting a person from building in the State a facility that converts plastic to fuel or feedstock through a chemical conversion process.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (44)

MGA witness list

FAV 33FavorableUNF 8UnfavorableINFO 3Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	DeMinco, Lynne	BCRW	Position only
FAV	Demiray, Sonia	Climate Communications Coalition	Position only
FAV	McGilvray, Laurie	Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Wilkinson, nanci	Climate Mobilization Montgomery County	Position only
FAV	Preston, Shamieka	Columbia for clean air	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Terrasa, Jen	Delegate, MD General Assembly	Written (PDF)
FAV	Stewart, Frances	Elders Climate Action Maryland	Position only
FAV	Roff, Jessica	GAIA	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Ghosh, Shantanu	Indivisible Howard County	Written (PDF)
FAV	Saverin, Samantha	Just Zero	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Schwarz, Kurt	Maryland Ornithological Society	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Scarr, Emilylobbyist	Maryland PIRG	Position only
FAV	Ainsworth, Martha	Maryland Sierra Club	Written (PDF)
FAV	Ostdahl, Maggielobbyist	National Aquarium	Written (PDF)
FAV	Davis, Claudia	Oceana	Written (PDF)
FAV	Nicholas, Betsy	Potomac Riverkeeper Network	Position only
FAV	Boies, Sharon	Protect Our Streams	Written (PDF)
FAV	Krausz, Lisa	The Stop Grace Plastic Project	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Doordan, Kellylobbyist	Trash Free Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	McNair, Lee	Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice Ministry	Position only
FAV	Webster, Phil	Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Maryland	Position only
FAV	Broder, Robin	Waterkeepers Chesapeake	Position only
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Arndt, Dave	Individual	Position only
FAV	Campasino, Kayla	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Cohn, Debbie	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Terrasa, Delegate Terrasalegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Deutschmann, Richard	Individual	Position only
FAV	Meyerovich, Mark	Individual	Position only
FAV	Ranson, Emilylobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Taylor, Tom	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Wilson, Maryrose	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Albersheim, Andrea	American Chemistry Council	Oral
UNF	Carroll, Quinlan	American Chemistry Council	Written (PDF)
UNF	Costa, Gregory	Consumer Brands Association	Oral
UNF	Singh, Mattheaus	Flexible Packaging Association	Written (PDF)
UNF	Allen, Hannahlobbyist	Maryland Chamber of Commerce	Written (PDF)
UNF	Price, Sarahlobbyist	Maryland Retailers Alliance	Oral
UNF	Rego, Manu	WR Grace	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Turnock, Kierstin	Individual	Written (PDF)
INFO	Kappalman, Samantha	Carton Council	Written (PDF)
INFO	Baker, Jeremy D	Maryland Department of the Environment	Written (PDF)
INFO	Goff, Stephen	SpG Consulting, LLC	Oral + Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

American Chemistry CouncilUNF 2

BCRWFAV 1

Carton CouncilINFO 1

Climate Communications CoalitionFAV 1

Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Climate Mobilization Montgomery CountyFAV 1

Columbia for clean airFAV 1

Consumer Brands AssociationUNF 1

Delegate, MD General AssemblyFAV 1

Elders Climate Action MarylandFAV 1

Flexible Packaging AssociationUNF 1

GAIAFAV 1

Indivisible Howard CountyFAV 1

Just ZeroFAV 1

Maryland Chamber of CommerceUNF 1

Maryland Department of the EnvironmentINFO 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Maryland Ornithological SocietyFAV 1

Maryland PIRGFAV 1

Maryland Retailers AllianceUNF 1

Maryland Sierra ClubFAV 1

National AquariumFAV 1

OceanaFAV 1

Potomac Riverkeeper NetworkFAV 1

Protect Our StreamsFAV 1

SpG Consulting, LLCINFO 1

The Stop Grace Plastic ProjectFAV 1

Trash Free MarylandFAV 1

Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice MinistryFAV 1

Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of MarylandFAV 1

Waterkeepers ChesapeakeFAV 1

WR GraceUNF 1

YearFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVScarr, EmilyMaryland PIRGRegistered for: Maryland PIRG Citizen Lobby

FAVOstdahl, MaggieNational AquariumRegistered for: National Aquarium

FAVDoordan, KellyTrash Free MarylandRegistered for: Trash Free Maryland

FAVRanson, EmilyRegistered for: Clean Water Action

UNFAllen, HannahMaryland Chamber of CommerceRegistered for: Maryland Chamber of Commerce

UNFPrice, SarahMaryland Retailers AllianceRegistered for: Maryland Retailers Alliance; Maryland Retailers Association