Key Recycling Victories in Committee
This past Tuesday's Consumer Protection Committee hearing provided ample
evidence of the pro-recycling agenda coming out of the new State
Legislature. Two CAW-priority bills passed out the Committee with
bi-partisan support:
AB 362 (Bowen) reintroduces the Truth in Environmental Advertising Law
which was repealed in 1995. The original law by Byron Sher established
labeling standards, including a 10% postconsumer standard for any product
labeled as "recycled." The bill passed by a vote of 7-4 with Republican
Brooks Firestone voting for the bill. The bill now moves on to the
Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 705 (Strom-Martin) requires state facilities to comply with the 25% and
50% diversion requirements of AB 939 and expands the state's Buy Recycled
program. The bill passed by a vote of 10-1 with Republicans Brooks
Firestone and Jim Morrissey voting for the bill. The bill moves on to the
Assembly Natural Resources Committee.
"Neither of these bills would have made it out of their first Assembly
policy committee last year," said Rick Best, CAW's Policy Director, after
the vote. "We are very pleased that members are now recognizing that
recycling isn't a partisan issue and enjoys broad support from the public."
Passage of AB 362 was particularly impressive considering the long list of
industry groups lined up in opposition to the bill. Assemblywoman Debra
Bowen made a skillful presentation of the bill, striking down all of the
industry arguments. In CAW's testimony, Rick Best presented a variety of
marketing claims currently in use, including a greeting card stating: "We
think the earth's pretty darn neat and use earth-friendly materials
whenever we possibly can." How comforting!
SUGGESTED ACTION: For those that haven't written a letter yet, address
your letters to the authors of the bills and fax them to CAW at (916)
443-3912. Call us for more information.
Letters Needed in Support of Bottle Bill Expansion
AB 1512 (Shelley) has been scheduled for its first hearing in the Assembly
Natural Resources Committee on Monday, April 14th. The bill would expand
the Bottle Bill program to include various "new age" beverages which have
become popular since the passage of the original program in 1986.
For the past six years, beverage containers included in the program have
been recycled at rates exceeding 75%. At the same time, nearly identical
glass, plastic and metal containers for beverages not included in the
program are being recycled at rates less than 25%. AB 1512 would implement
recommendations from a 1989 DOC report by adding sports drinks, waters,
iced teas and juices to the program.
SUGGESTED ACTION: Write a letter to the members of the Assembly Natural
Resources Committee telling them you strongly support AB 1512. For a
sample letter or for more information call Mark Murray at (916) 443-5422.
British Columbia Expands Bottle Bill
The campaign to expand the Bottle Bill program was given a boost on Monday
with the announcement by the Environment Ministry in British Columbia of
the expansion of their 27-year old Bottle Bill program to include all
ready-to-drink beverages with the exception of milk and milk-substitutes.
Approximately 360 million containers sold in B.C. are not subject to
deposits and 80 percent of those are landfilled. After two years,
producers and retailers will be responsible for recovering at least 85
percent of all containers sold.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call Liz Bicknell of the B.C. Environment Ministry at
(604) 356-7045.
Grassroots Recycling Network Takes Action!
The Grassroots Recycling Network (GRN) held its first conference in the
Atlanta (GA) this past weekend, April 5-7. The meeting was attending by
more than 50 activists in 17 states from various environmental and
recycling organizations.
The conference focused on developing an action plan for addressing the Zero
Waste goal at the local, state and federal levels. The conference
culminated with a Monday rally at the steps of the World of Coke Pavilion
in downtown Atlanta where the GRN joined Georgians for a Bottle Bill
calling for Coca-Cola's fulfillment of a 1990 commitment to use
post-consumer recycled plastic in their PET bottles.
The Grassroots Recycling Network is a coalition of community-based reuse,
recycling, and composting activists and organizations from throughout the
country. The GRN Steering Committee includes two California
representatives: Rick Best of CAW and Rick Anthony of CRRA.