Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB5541

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Repeals the definition of "food scrap"; adds definitions for "anaerobic digestion", "biogas", "digestate", "food waste", "organic material", and "organic waste"; and updates the definitions of "compost" and "composting". In provisions regarding pollution control facilities, includes a new exemption for portions of sites or facilities used for composting or anaerobic digestion of organic waste that meet specified siting, setback, floodplain, and operational requirements. In provisions regarding prohibited acts, establishes permitting requirements for organic waste composting operations and organic waste anaerobic digesters, and creates exemptions for small-scale and certain farm-based composting operations that meet volume limits, setback distances, and other environmental safeguards. Provides that anaerobic digesters using only non-waste feedstock are exempt from solid waste permitting and clarifies that digested material returned to the economic mainstream is not regulated as waste. Authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to recommend, and the Pollution Control Board to adopt, performance standards for organic waste compost facilities and testing procedures for end-product compost, and requires a Technical Advisory Committee with balanced stakeholder representation. Specifies that standards apply to compost offered for sale or use and exempts on-site residential composting. Makes conforming changes throughout to integrate new definitions and regulatory requirements.

House Committee Amendment No. 1

Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Changes the definitions of "biogas" and "food waste". In provisions regarding facilities that are not pollution control facilities, deletes specified changes from the introduced bill not referential to organic waste or food waste, including specified references to anaerobic digestion. In provisions regarding prohibited acts, replaces all changes from the introduced bill with a provision that no person shall conduct an organic waste composting operation without an Agency permit, provided, however, that no permit shall be required for any person conducting an organic waste composting operation for organic wastes generated by such person's own activities which are stored, treated, or disposed of within the site where such wastes are generated or for any person conducting an organic waste composting operation that (i) has not more than 50 cubic yards of organic waste, composting additives, composting material, or end-product compost on-site at any one time and (ii) is not engaging in commercial activity. Specifies that landscape waste composting operations are subject to different provisions. Makes technical changes.

Actions

Date	Chamber	Action
2/06/2026	House	Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Anna Moeller
2/13/2026	House	First Reading
2/13/2026	House	Referred to Rules Committee
3/18/2026	House	Assigned to Energy & Environment Committee
3/23/2026	House	House Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Anna Moeller
3/23/2026	House	House Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee
3/24/2026	House	House Committee Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Energy & Environment Committee
3/24/2026	House	House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted in Energy & Environment Committee; by Voice Vote
3/24/2026	House	Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Energy & Environment Committee; 026-000-000
3/25/2026	House	Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate