2715_Emergency ICR Background_01

Emergency Information Collection Request (E-ICR)

Background Document – 1/26/22

EPA has been directed by Congress (H.R. 116-448) to request an Emergency Information Collection Request (E-ICR) to collect curbside data. RCSD has prepared an E-ICR package to send to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval to start the data collection process. The specific language in the bill report directs the Agency to “begin a comprehensive data collection effort to strengthen residential recycling and accelerate the move towards a circular economy” (p.95).

Data Requested in the Bill:

• Number of community curbside programs

• Number of community drop-off programs

• Total amount of residential packaging materials collected through deposit programs

• Total amount of residential materials collected

• Types of materials accepted by each program

• Number of citizens with access to recycling services on par with access to disposal

• Inbound contamination and capture rates of community recycling programs

• Data on single use plastics

• Types of single-use plastics currently in commerce

• Recyclability of these plastic types

• Rates at which these plastics are currently recycled by plastic type and by region

• Data on aluminum

• Rates at which aluminum cans are recycled

• Rates of the infrastructure investment required to modernize infrastructure

• Amounts of investment needed to provide all citizens with access to disposal

The updated strategy with recommendations should have been reported to the Committee within 270 days of enactment of the Act. We have been providing updates and will do so again when these documents go out.

Information Collection Activities to Respond to this Emergency Request

EPA proposes conducting a screening survey at the state level to collect best available estimates of measures and data elements requested in the bill report. In addition to the data listed above, the survey will also ask request information on the recycling rates of states and how they are calculated. Given the scope and complexity of the request, the survey is intended to develop initial information that may be used to efficiently characterize the residential recycling landscape nationally and inform more specific and targeted data collection that may be conducted under a subsequent full information collection request. Once started, the survey will take six months to complete.

The proposed collection approach is to:

• Utilize existing EPA and partner/stakeholder information to identify points of contact in each state.

• Initial email, and follow-up phone contacts to convey survey purpose, encourage participation, and identify most appropriate respondent.

• Administer the questionnaire on-line; estimated 30-minute completion time.

• Include an option to complete questionnaire over the phone using parallel script.