Georgia lawmaker introduces sweeping waste reduction bill

While many Georgia lawmakers are looking at affordability issues, one has proposed legislation that will address environmental issues.

State Rep. Eric Bell, D-Jonesboro, has introduced House Bill 1237, the Pollution Prevention and Producer Responsibility Act of 2026.

“If you want cleaner communities, if you want access to more jobs, higher paying jobs, if you want to preserve the environment whether it’s the air quality, the water quality… this bill helps solve those issues,” Bell said. “This bill is a quality of life issue. This bill is a healthcare issue. This bill is an economic development issue. This bill is a national security issue. It hits not only at the front door of the kitchen table, but also in the commerce market, in the industry, at the occupational site.”

House Bill 1237 would establish Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) across the state to support waste reduction. It would also require the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to create a Producer Responsibility Advisory Board of community stakeholders to guide the PROs.

Bell said several states and countries have implemented similar models to reduce waste, including Germany, Canada, California, Montana and Massachusetts.

“It’s not recreating the wheel. It’s more so putting some new rotors and keeping it going,” he said.

Bell said this legislation will contribute to long-term cost savings and sustainability for Georgia companies.

“While like a lot of new things, whether it’s rock and roll, hip hop, funk, jazz, it was new, and it was scary at first, but once it’s implemented, we all see exponential growth, revenue, and opportunity,” he said.

Bell was raised on Captain Planet, and he said he was instilled at a young age with a desire to protect the environment.

“I wanted to be a planeteer, and I know that you can be one too because we all know that saving our planet is the thing to do,” he said.