Advanced Recycling Research and Development Act of 2020
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish and support advanced recycling research and development programs, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Definitions
In this Act:
Department— The term Department means the Department of Energy.
National Laboratory— The term National Laboratory has the meaning given that term in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of Energy.
Recyclable plastic— The term recyclable plastic means plastic that is designed to be readily, economically, and efficiently recyclable or otherwise recoverable for beneficial use.
Critical material— The term critical material means material that serves an essential function in the manufacturing of a product and has a high risk of a supply disruption, such that a shortage of such material would have significant consequences for the economic or national security of the United States.
Composite— The term composite means plastic reinforced with fiber or particulate secondary material like bio-derived fibers, carbon fibers, glass or any other solid material.
Sec. 3 Optimized plastics recycling research and development program
In general— The Secretary shall carry out a research, development, and demonstration program to accelerate innovation in energy-efficient recyclable plastics, next-generation plastics, and composites recycling and upcycling strategies and technologies, in order to increase the economic value of plastics supply streams and to reduce the environmental impact of global plastics consumption.
Execution— In carrying out the program under this section, the Secretary shall—
develop novel collection and sorting technologies to prevent plastics and composites, including waterborne plastics, from entering landfills and the marine environment;
develop biological, chemical, and hybrid bio-chemical technologies and methods for deconstructing plastic and composite waste, including environmental waste, into useful chemical and material streams;
develop technologies to upcycle waste, including chemical, material, and gaseous streams, into higher-value products;
develop new economically recyclable-by-design plastics and composites that can be scaled for domestic manufacturability and recovery;
develop new energy-efficient advanced manufacturing techniques for reclaimed plastics and composites; and
develop new data collection methods and practices in collaboration with relevant Federal agencies.
Leveraging— In carrying out the program under this section, the Secretary shall leverage resources and expertise from—
the Basic Energy Sciences Program and the Biological and Environmental Research Program of the Office of Science; and
the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Standard of review— The Secretary shall periodically review activities carried out under the program under this section to determine the achievement of technical milestones as determined by the Secretary.
Funding—
In general— From within funds authorized to be appropriated—
to the Department’s Office of Science, there shall be made available to the Secretary to carry out the program under this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025; and
to the Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, there shall be made available to the Secretary to carry out the program under this section $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.
Prohibition— In carrying out the program under this section, the Secretary shall not use funds made available under paragraph (1) for commercial application of energy technology.
Sec. 4 Lithium-ion battery recycling research and development program
In general— The Secretary shall carry out a research, development, and demonstration program to support the development of—
advanced materials for batteries with considerations given to resource availability and environmentally benign disposal and recycling; and
innovative technologies to reclaim and recycle critical materials from advanced and lithium-ion based battery technologies used in consumer electronics, defense, stationary storage, and transportation applications.
Execution— In carrying out the program under this section, the Secretary shall—
promote the discovery of new domestically sourced raw materials for batteries that can degrade without causing damage to the environment;
develop innovative and cost-effective technologies and processes for the collection, storage, and transportation of discarded lithium-ion batteries that use domestic mining resources and increase availability of domestically sourced raw materials for batteries; and
develop cost-effective recycling processes to recover critical materials from discarded lithium-ion batteries and enable their reintroduction in new lithium-ion cell technologies and for use in other relevant industries.
Leveraging— In carrying out the program under this section, the Secretary shall leverage resources and expertise from—
the Basic Energy Sciences Program of the Office of Science;
the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, including current lithium-ion battery recycling activities supported by the Vehicle Technologies Office within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; and
the Office of Technology Transitions.
Standard of review— The Secretary shall periodically review activities carried out under the program under this section to determine the achievement of technical milestones as determined by the Secretary.
Funding—
In general— From within funds authorized to be appropriated—
to the Department’s Office of Science, there shall be made available to the Secretary to carry out the activities under this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025; and
to the Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, there shall be made available to the Secretary to carry out the activities under this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.
Prohibition— In carrying out the program under this section, the Secretary shall not use funds made available under paragraph (1) for commercial application of energy technology.