Beyond Toxics 2023 Legislative Commitments
Learn about the bills we supported in 2023
Passed Bills
Oregon Medical Waste Incineration Act - SB 488
SB 488 is a bill to cap and monitor toxic emissions from waste incineration, passed both the Senate and House. SB 488 requires Covanta Marion, a large municipal waste incinerator located northeast of Salem, to deploy continuous emissions monitoring for the most hazardous chemicals known to harm human health and the environment. In addition, medical waste incineration, which produces the most dioxin, will be capped at 18,000 tons/year.
Beyond Toxics led a coalition of groups concerned about waste incineration for more than four years. With the passage of SB 488, Oregon leads the nation in promoting increased understanding, monitoring and regulating of the highly hazardous pollution created when plastics, petroleum products, industrial waste and other materials are burned.
Bill Title: Relating to municipal solid waste incinerators.
Summary: Requires municipal solid waste incinerators that accepts more than specified amounts of hospital, medical or infectious waste in calendar year to meet federal emissions limits for hospital, medical or infectious waste incinerator.
Chief Sponsors: Senator Patterson, Representative Neron, Senator Manning Jr.
Regular Sponsors: Senators Campos, Gelser Blouin, Golden, Taylor
Status: Signed by Governor Kotek!
Our Position: SB 488 will help reduce waste incineration emissions by establishing lower limits for a large amount of medical waste incineration. The result will be improved air quality for communities around waste incinerators now and into the future.
Natural Climate Solutions - SB 530
Natural Climate Solutions is part of a larger piece of legislation, the Climate Resilience Package. his comprehensive package brings together and provides $90 million in funding for more than a dozen priority bills related to climate action.
The package includes bills supported by our coalition partner, OJTA.
Bill Title: Relating to natural climate solutions; prescribing an effective date.
Summary: Establishes state policy regarding natural climate solutions.
Chief Sponsors: Senator Dembrow, Representative Marsh, Senator Golden, Representative Neron
Regular Sponsors: Senator Frederick, Patterson, Taylor, Representative Gamba, Gomberg, Helm, Hudson, Pham K
Status: Signed by Governor Kotek!
Bills That Did Not Pass
Toxic Free Schools - SB 426
SB 426 is part of a three bill suite of environmental health bills lined up to protect children's health from exposure to toxic chemicals. The goal of SB 426 is to improve transparency around pesticide use in Oregon schools and provide funding to support schools integrated pest management planning. When Oregon's School Integrated Pest Management law was enacted in 2009, it did not allocate funding to the Department of Education or school districts to implement the law. As a result, many hazardous and unlawful pesticide applications have occurred on Oregon’s school campuses in the last thirteen years.
Beyond Toxics is disappointed that SB 426 failed to advance past the Joint Ways and Means Committee. SB 426 met every criteria to be a top priority for passage. We thank all our supporters for their outstanding oral and written testimonies this year and remain committed to passing this bill in the future!
Bill Title: Relating to school integrated pest management; prescribing an effective date.
Summary: Modifies requirements of Healthy and Safe Schools Plan related to integrated pest management. Requires Department of Education to provide technical assistance to districts and schools regarding integrated pest management plans. Requires department to establish recommendations for limiting and reducing exposure to pesticides.
Chief Sponsors: Senator Dembrow, Patterson, Representative Hudson, Senator Manning Jr, Representatives Neron, Nosse, Reynolds
Regular Sponsors: Senators Campos, Taylor
Status: Did not pass.
