To require the Secretary of Education to provide funds to an elementary or secondary school to establish a pilot program for the composting of yard waste and cafeteria waste.

Directs the Secretary of Education to provide funds to an elementary or secondary school to establish a pilot program for the composting of yard waste and cafeteria waste in order to reduce the amount of solid waste generated at such school.

Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress on such pilot program, with findings and recommendations as to whether similar programs should be carried out at other schools and how the Federal Government should provide funds for such programs.

Authorizes appropriations.

 
HR 3658 IH
102d CONGRESS
1st Session
 H. R. 3658
To require the Secretary of Education to provide funds to an elementary or
secondary school to establish a pilot program for the composting of yard
waste and cafeteria waste.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 29, 1991
Mr. HOCHBRUECKNER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Education to provide funds to an elementary or
secondary school to establish a pilot program for the composting of yard
waste and cafeteria waste.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
  States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
  (a) FINDINGS- The Congress finds the following:
  (1) The United States faces a severe and worsening crisis in solid waste
  management.
  (2) Waste disposal is becoming increasingly impractical because of concerns
  about environmental contamination, escalating fees, the closing of disposal
  facilities, and difficulties in siting new facilities.
  (3) It would be in the best interests of the United States to treat waste
  according to the following hierarchy:
  (A) Waste reduction.
  (B) Reuse.
  (C) Recycling.
  (D) Composting.
  (E) Landfilling or incineration.
  (4) Composting is one method of safely managing waste materials, and
  compost is useful as a soil amendment.
  (b) PURPOSES- The purposes of this Act are as follows:
  (1) To require the Secretary of Education to provide funds to an elementary
  or secondary school to establish a pilot program for the composting of
  yard and cafeteria waste.
  (2) To require the finished compost material to be used at the elementary
  or secondary school in a useful and beneficial manner.
SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM FOR COMPOSTING YARD AND CAFETERIA WASTE AT ELEMENTARY
OR SECONDARY SCHOOL.
  (a) PILOT PROGRAM REQUIREMENT- Not later than one year after the date of
  the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall provide funds
  to an elementary or secondary school for purposes of establishing a pilot
  program at such school to reduce the amount of solid waste generated at the
  school. As a condition of receiving the funds, the elementary or secondary
  school shall agree--
  (1) to compost yard waste and cafeteria waste generated at the school,
  rather than disposing of such waste in a landfill or other conventional
  means of disposal; and
  (2) to use the compost that is produced under the pilot program as a soil
  amendment or in such other manner as the Secretary of Education considers
  appropriate.
  (b) REPORT- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of
  this Act, the Secretary of Education shall submit to Congress a report
  on the implementation of the pilot program. The report shall include
  the Secretary's findings and recommendations, including a recommendation
  with respect to whether similar programs should be carried out at other
  elementary or secondary schools, and whether and in what manner the Federal
  Government should provide funds for such programs.
  (c) DEFINITIONS- For purposes of this Act:
  (1) The term `cafeteria waste' includes food waste.
  (2) The term `yard waste' means leaves and grass trimmings.
  (3) The term `elementary school' has the meaning given that term by
  section 1471(8) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
  (20 U.S.C. 2891(8)).
  (4) The term `secondary school' has the meaning given that term by
  section 1471(21) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
  (20 U.S.C. 2891(21)).
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION.
  There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Education the
  sum of $500,000 for purposes of carrying out this Act.