[GRRN] CA BOTTLE BILL PASSED SENATE TODAY ON 23-9 VOTE

patfrankin (cri@container-recycling.org)
Fri, 4 Jun 1999 10:22:36 -0400 (EDT)


MY APOLOGIES IF YOU HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THIS OR YOU ARE ON MORE THAN ONE LIST
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June 3, 1999

N E W S T I P F R O M THE CONTAINER RECYCLING INSTITUTE
Pat Franklin, Executive Director

The California State Senate took a bold step yesterday that will benefit
both the economy and the environment. By a vote of 23 - 9 by adopting
legislation that would expand the State's 12 year old Bottle and Can
Recycling Law.

By passing the bottle bill expansion proposal, the California senate sends a
powerful message to citizens, lawmakers and the beverage industry that
wasting billions of containers annually is not longer acceptable.

The measure has two more hurdles -- State Assembly approval and the
governors's signature -- before becoming the second state to expand it's
original bottle bill to include beverages such as teas, fruit and sports
drinks and bottled water.

The measure was supported by a coalition that included local governments,
recyclers, glass bottle makers, retailers, beer producers and distributors
and environmental groups.

In addition to adding new containers to the recycling program, the
legislation would direct more than $75.4 million annually in unredeemed
funds to recycling and litter clean up and prevention programs.

The California Bottle Bill is unique in that it requires beverage producers
to cover the net cost of recycling their containers through payment of a
"processing fee" which varies from container type to container type.

Additionally, the California Bottle Bill is compatible with curbside and
other pre-existing recycling programs. Specifically, it allows curbside
programs to retain the refund value for containers recycled through
curbside. It's projected that the program, as amended by SB 332, will
provide $55-65 million annually to curbside recycling programs. An
estimated 10 million households in California are served by curbside recycling.

According to the State Department of Conservation, 75% of beverage
containers covered by the California Bottle Bill are returned for recycling
annually. Less than 29% of glass and less than 14% of plastic containers
excluded by the program are currently being recycled.

SB 332 will now move to the State Assembly where it needs 41 votes to pass.

A copy of the bill and analysis can be viewed at the Californians Against
Waste (CAW) website at: www.cawrecycles.org
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

HERE IS A MESSAGE FROM CALIFORNIANS AGAINST WASTE (CAW)

>Wednesday, the California State Senate adopted legislation to expand and
update the State's Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction program
to include a broad range of new beverage categories.
>
>Senate Bill 332, by State Senator Byron Sher (D-Palo Alto), which passed
the State Senate on a 23-9 vote, would add containers for non-carbonated
waters, juices, teas and sports drinks to the 12 year-old recycling program.
Current law is limited to beer, carbonated waters, soft drinks and wine coolers.
>
>"This legislation will add more than 2 billion new beverage containers to
the state's Bottle and Can Recycling Program," Sher said. "Through the
efforts of individual Californians, this measure will result in the
recycling of an additional 150-200 thousand tons of additional glass,
plastic and metal."
>
>In addition to adding new containers, SB 332 makes numerous changes to both
the processing fee provisions and the funding priorities of existing law. We
believe these changes are substantial and positive for recycling and
recyclers. For example, SB 332 provides an additional:
>* $24 million annually for curbside recyclers (70% increase)
>* >$16 million for oldline recyclers and processors (44% increase)
>* >$13 million for convenience zone recyclers (42% increase)
>* >$7 million for local conservation corp recycling and litter cleanup; and
>* >$9 million for local government recycling efforts.
>
>SB 332 will now move to the State Assembly, where it could be heard in the
Assembly Natural Resources Committee as early as June 14.
>
>CAW's primary objective with SB 332 has been to expand recycling in
California by adding new containers to the program, and this has
appropriately been the focus of our policy and political efforts. With SB
332's passage by the State Senate, there is one final brief window of
opportunity to evaluate the provisions of both the program and the bill. CAW
invites your input and support in these final critical few weeks.
>

>To view the latest version of SB 332 or an analysis, check out the CAW
website at: www.cawrecycles.org.
>
Container Recycling Institute
1911 Ft Myer Drive, Suite 900
Arlington, Virginia 22209
703/276-9800 fax 276-9587
www.container-recycling.org
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cri@container-recycling.org