Sep 24 - Action Needed on Critical Recycling Bills
Please take 5 minutes to click on the Take Action items below and our system will quickly guide you through sending your support letters directly to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Just 5 minutes.
1. Bottle Bill Expansion
SB 402 (Wolk-Corbett-Skinner) would strengthen the Bottle Bill and increase recycling by expanding the program to include more beverage container types; increasing the CRV on 'single serve' plastic bottles consumed outside the home.
Over the last two decades, the California Bottle Bill has facilitated the recycling of more than 200 billion containers. That's more than 9 million tons of aluminum, glass and plastic. No policy in the state has resulted in higher recycling levels, and no program of its kind in the country has been found to be more cost effective.
But higher recycling rates and recycling fund transfers have depleted funds needed to support this successful recycling infrastructure. The Department of Conservation has announced an 85 percent cut in funding for recycling collection, processing and market development programs will be put in place unless SB 402 is signed. Without SB 402, consumer recycling opportunities will be eliminated and thousands of good green jobs will be lost.
SB 402 expands recycling and balances the funding shortfall by: 1) Expanding the program to include all beverage container types and sizes for covered beverages; 2) Extending the 10-cent CRV to containers 20 ounces and larger-capturing those single serve containers most often consumed outside the home; 3) Re-prioritizing program funding to the most effective and proven collection, processing and market development efforts. SB 402 will ensure full funding for curbside recycling, local government, and Local Conservation Corps.
2. Fluorescent Light Recycling
AB 1173 (Huffman) would create free Fluorescent light recycling opportunities for consumers while increasing the quality of a majority of bulbs distributed to the market.
The environmental choice of fluorescent over incandescent light bulbs is easy. CFLs use roughly 75% less energy and can last up to 15 times longer than incandescent bulbs. California's efforts to increase the sales and use of fluorescent lamps have been enormously successful.
CFLs contain mercury, which is dangerous to human health when not managed properly. AB 1173 would incentivize longer lasting, low-mercury bulbs while establishing free and convenient recycling options for residential consumers.
Take Action: Click Here to Send your Letter in support of CFL Recycling to Governor Schwarzenegger.
3. Apartment Recycling
AB 473 (Blumenfield) would provide recycling opportunities for over 7 million residents currently living in multi-family dwellings across the state.
California as a whole diverts over 50% of its solid waste from landfills through conservation and recycling. But only 40% of those living in apartment complexes and other multi-family units have the same access to curbside recycling that residential waste customers do. AB 473 will substantially increase our solid waste diversion levels by bringing in the over 7 million California residents in multi-family that currently don't have access to convenient recycling options.
4. Used Oil Recycling
SB 546 (Lowenthal) would increase the recycling incentive and also set a rerefining incentive for used motor oil. This bill will also streamline the process for recycling grants, and generally, bring program revenues and expenditures back into balance.
California generates more than 100 million gallons of used motor oil annually. Currently, only 10% of that used oil is recycled to produce rerefined lubricants in California-its highest and best use. Most is burned as polluting 'bunker fuel' out of state or used as a low value additive in asphalt flux and marine diesel fuel. SB 546 would update incentives in the state's Used Oil program to redirect used motor oil from burning by establishing front-end and back-end financial incentives for re-refined oil. The additional incentive would encourage the development of expanded capacity for re-refining used oil.
If enough of us let the Governor know that we support increased recycling -- loud and clear -- we will be able to win passage of these important new recycling laws.
SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN: Send a generous contribution to CAW, which is leading the fight to promote recycling in California. In the next 30 days, we'll be embarking on an all out media and organizing campaign to pass these bills, and we must do all we can in the coming few weeks to convince the Governor to sign them. You can help us cover the costs of these expenditures with a generous contribution online today.
We urgently need your help today to persuade the Governor to sign these recycling bills into law.
Please take action and make a contribution to CAW today. Your support has gotten us this far -- please help us finish the job!
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