February 6, 2009 - Volume 14, Number 1

Help Needed to Urge Congress to Create Green Jobs through Recycling

Californians Against Waste is working with a coalition of environmental groups and recyclers to help ensure that Congress includes support for recycling in the economic stimulus package, and we need your help.

California has led the nation in building green jobs and a sustainable economy through innovative recycling programs and the use of recovered resources. However, the recent collapse of global markets for recycled materials threatens to undermine efforts to maintain and expand recycling programs.

For every ton of waste diverted from landfills to recycling, an additional $101 is generated in salaries and wages, $275 in goods and services, and $135 in sales. California’s recycling programs also generate over $200 million per year in sales tax revenue, a crucial revenue stream for cash-strapped local governments.

Please take a moment to send a message to your Representative, urging them to expand funding  for recycling in the economic stimulus plan.

California Cities Pushing Forward with Bans on Single Use Bags

Numerous municipalities are moving forward on ordinances aimed at reducing plastic and other non-recyclable single use grocery bags. The specific proposals include both bans and advance disposal fees.  Plastic bag bans or fee proposals are being considered in Santa Monica, Berkeley, Encinitas and Santa Clara County and its 15 cities, including San Jose and Palo Alto, among other municipalities.  Cities also continue to pursue polystyrene bans.


If you would like CAW’s assistance in pursuing a ban on single use bags in your community, contact Bryan Early at (916) 443-5422 bryanearly@cawrecycles.org.

CCAR Workgroup Considers, Rejects Incentives for Land filling Wood Products

The California Climate Action Registry has backed off from a proposal to provide offset credits for carbon “sequestered” in landfills, a policy that CAW has consistently opposed in the past because this material has a greater greenhouse gas benefit when diverted from the landfill (to reuse, recycling, mulching, or biomass).

As a result of strong advocacy from CAW and other environmental organizations, as well as industry leaders and local governments, the workgroup has moved away from their landfill sequestration proposal. Despite some ongoing concerns about this protocol, the removal of landfill sequestration credits is a significant victory. 
Read more on CAW’s Climate Change Blog.

Air Board Announces Schedule for Implementing Recycling Measures

CAW successfully advocated for the inclusion of robust recycling measures in the state’s climate efforts and the Air Resources Board has released a schedule for implementing these strategies. The measures include requiring commercial recycling, regulating methane emissions from landfills, and promoting composting.

See the implementation schedule or learn more about the recycling measures adopted by the Air Resources Board.

Legislation

AB 147 (Saldana) would help the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to effectively enforce the existing hazardous materials ban, by giving DTSC the authority to request documentation from electronics manufacturers about the amount of hazardous materials contained in the consumer electronics they offer for sale in the State. This reporting is already under effect in the European Union under its RoHS (Rules on Hazardous Substances). Without this authority, DTSC is only able to resort to expensive product by product testing to determine the hazardous materials content of a consumer item sold in the state.

CAW Legislative Proposals

-      Establishing a free and convenient recycling system for fluorescent lighting for consumers while reducing mercury levels in lamps, and increasing lamp life. Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs are recognized as an environmentally friendly product as compared to incandescent lamps. However, CFLs contain trace amounts of mercury and it is illegal to dispose CFLs in the trash. Currently, there is no convenient and cost effective infrastructure in place for California residents to recycle their lamps

-      Expand California’s existing successful computer monitor and TV recycling law to include all electronic devices. Take a moment to send a message to Governor Schwarzenegger expressing your support.

-      Require paint manufacturers to develop and implement a program to collect, transport, and process postconsumer paint to reduce the costs and environmental impacts of the disposal of postconsumer paint in this state to reduce the burden of managing leftover paint on local government.

Vote in our Poll! Question: What is your 2009 waste reduction priority?

Recyling News
Feb 5 - Monterey Bans Polystyrene
Feb 4 - Palo Alto City Council to Vote on Plastic Bag Ban
Feb 4 - Battery Recycling Program Collections Increase in 2008
Feb 3 - Feinstein to introduce Federal Eco-labeling Bill
Jan 30 - Massachusetts Governor Proposes Bottle Bill Expansion

Please Help Support Californians Against Waste - DONATE NOW!

The Recycling Advocate is published at least twice monthly during the legislative session by the environmental group Californians Against Waste.

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