RESOLUTION NO. 99-_____
[Passed unanimously March 15, 1999]
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD ENDORSING THE
NATIONAL COCA-COLA COMPANY CONSUMER
ACTION CAMPAIGN
WHEREAS, the commitment of the City of West
Hollywood to the recovery of plastics
through its recycling program has extended
over five years; and
WHEREAS, the City of West Hollywood recently
began collecting plastic beverage containers
at its special events; and
WHEREAS, while the market value of recycled
PET (polyethylene terephthalate - the soda
bottle) has varied widely over these years,
never before has it been so difficult to
market PET plastics; and
WHEREAS, this marketing crisis could
potentially result in the decision to stop
the recycling of PET plastics altogether in
the City of West Hollywood, which would
adversely affect its diversion rate as
mandated by AB939, and
WHEREAS, the City of West Hollywood has long
promoted the use of recycled products
through its purchasing practices and
educational efforts; and
WHEREAS, FDA-approved technology exists
today to incorporate recycled PET into new
beverage containers, and in fact is being
done by Coca-Cola itself in many nations
throughout the world; and
WHEREAS, it is widely acknowledged that the
use of recycled PET in the production of
beverage containers would have an enormous
positive impact on the value of recycled
PET; and
WHEREAS, the Coca-Cola Company has made the
marketing decision to increase its use of
PET plastic, and move away from the use of
easily recyclable glass and aluminum, for
their containers; and
WHEREAS, we were thankful when the Coca-Cola
Company voluntarily committed to using
recycled PET in their containers in 1990, at
a time when many states were considering
bottle bill initiatives to bring about
increased recycling;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City
Council of the City of West Hollywood goes
on record in support of the consumer action
calling on the Coca-Cola Company to use
recycled PET in their bottles, thereby
closing the recycling loop, and returning a
measure of rationality and profitability to
the operations of our nation's public and
private recycling programs.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 15 day of
MARCH, 1999.
________________________________
MAYOR
ATTEST:
___________________________
CITY CLERK
[NOTE: This resolution and a staff analysis will be on the GrassRoots
Recycling Network's website -- www.grrn.org -- on 3-18-99.]