[greenyes] APR issues historic statement on deposit laws

[Jenny Gitlitz <jenny.gitlitz@no.address>]

(With apologies for cross-postings)

On Friday, this press release appeared on the APR website:

http://www.plasticsrecycling.org/)

POSITION REGARDING DEPOSIT LEGISLATION
(12/17/2004) 
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The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR) represents over 90%
of the post-consumer plastics recycling capacity in North America. APR
members, as purchasers, recyclers and reclaimers of collected plastic
bottles, are radically affected by every promulgation, repeal or amendment
of a state¹s "container deposit legislation" or "bottle deposit system".
APR neither supports nor condemns the judgment of any state to have or not
have bottle redemption or deposit legislation. The conditions that motivate
a state to adopt or repeal a bottle redemption program are exclusively the
domain of that state. It is logical, however, for legislative decision-
makers to listen to the segment of industry that will ultimately receive and
process the plastic recyclables generated by the consequences of
legislation.

Our motivation is simple; for our industry to grow we need to dramatically
increase the volume of plastic that can reasonably be recycled back into a
marketable product. To be successful, we must strongly support increased
supply of bottles while simultaneously protecting the quality of the stream
of collected bottles. This is not a simple task. If containers collected for
recycling are manufactured from less recyclable plastics or contain hostile
residue contaminants, not only are the containers not recycled, but they may
render otherwise good bottles as un-recyclable. If the recycling
infrastructure for landfill-diverted materials cannot deal with the quality
of collected materials economically, the material ultimately will be hauled
back to a landfill at added citizen expense.

As recycling is a business, both material supply and demand must constantly
be nurtured. Currently the recycling capacity for PET and HDPE greatly
exceeds the volumes being collected. Whatever methodology provides the
greatest volume of recyclable plastic with the minimal contamination should
be comprehensively developed. This advancement requires a cooperative effort
from all parties with standing, including the food and packaging industry,
the environmental community, the recycling industry, and government. A
cooperative program that divides responsibilities and respects needs is
essential to the long-term satisfaction of all parties.

As the domestic plastics reclamation community, we volunteer to actively
participate in legitimate forums to exchange ideas, experience and knowledge
to determine which recycling alternatives are reasonable and which are
counterproductive. Our challenge is finding sustainable answers that meet
diverse needs. Getting essential participants into the same conversation is
the first step.


--Jenny

Jennifer Gitlitz
Research Director, Container Recycling Institute

Home Office:
2 Pomeroy Ave.
Dalton, MA 01226
Tel. (413) 684-4746
Mobile: (413) 822-0115
Fax: (413) 403-0233
Email: jgitlitz@no.address

Please note the new address for CRI¹s main office:
Container Recycling Institute
1601 North Kent St., Suite 803
Arlington, VA 22209-2105
Tel. (703) 276-9800
Fax: (703) 276-9587
www.container-recycling.org
www.bottlebill.org