The Ohio House of Representatives has advanced legislation that would overhaul how the state manages solid waste and construction-related debris, particularly targeting the influx of waste materials crossing into Ohio from neighboring states.

Senate Bill 147, which passed with near-unanimous support in a 90-2 vote, is designed to give local governments and health authorities more control over the environmental and public health impacts of construction and demolition debris. Among its key features is the creation of a permissive and variable fee structure for such debris. The revenue collected from these fees would be directed to local health boards that oversee waste facilities, enabling them to monitor and address health, safety, and environmental issues linked to those operations.

Under the bill, solid waste management districts would also be authorized to allocate those funds to cities, counties, boards of health, municipalities, and townships to mitigate the consequences of nearby waste processing and landfill activities. In a notable shift in local governance, the legislation would allow counties to leave a solid waste management district by passing a resolution through their respective boards of commissioners—giving them increased autonomy over waste strategy and oversight.

“This legislation is critical for the health and well-being of our communities,” said Rep. Gary Click, chairman of the House Community Revitalization Committee. “Ohioans are rightly concerned about their quality of life as a result of the waste coming into our state, and this commonsense bill is a direct response to their concerns.”

Ohio has long been a destination for waste transported from other states due to its relatively low disposal costs. Critics have argued that the economic benefits don’t always outweigh the environmental and social costs to communities that host landfills and waste processing facilities. SB 147 aims to close that gap by allowing local governments to recoup some of those costs and reinvest them into public health initiatives.

Environmental advocates and community groups have voiced support for the bill, seeing it as a step toward greater environmental justice for communities disproportionately affected by landfill operations. The bill also reflects growing concern about how aging infrastructure, population density, and weak regulatory mechanisms can combine to place unfair burdens on small towns and rural areas.

The measure has already cleared the Ohio Senate and now awaits a signature from Governor Mike DeWine. If signed into law, the changes would mark one of the most significant updates to Ohio’s solid waste and construction debris regulations in years.

Supporters say it sets the stage for long-term improvements in local oversight and public confidence in how waste is managed in the state.

Originally reported by Haley Rischar in Waste Today Magazine.