[greenyes] Illinois Lt. Governor Proposes Recycling Bill

["Pat Franklin" <pfranklin@no.address>]

SORRY FOR CROSS POSTINGS


Check out this story from CBS 2 Chicago WBBM-TV.
http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_114201949.html


Lt. Governor Proposes Recycling Bill

VIDEO: Joanie Lum reports.

Apr 24, 2005 7:09 pm US/Central

(CBS 2) Do you ever think twice before throwing that aluminum can into the
garbage when you know you should be recycling it? As CBS 2's Joanie Lum
reports, Illinois' lieutenant governor is proposing a new law that could
turn that can into cash.

Illinois Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn waved a soft drink can and said they
are piling up. ?Eight billion cans and bottles: 540,000 tons,? he says. ?As
taxpayers and consumers, we can't continue to throw these cans and bottles
into landfills."

Quinn wants the legislature to approve a five-cent deposit on all beverage
containers. The consumer would pay more at first, but would get the five
cents back when bottles and cans are returned.

He says children will have to get their parents to change their habits.

Eighth-graders from Highland Park have been studying the environmental
benefits of a bottle bill.

Student Lyndon Hill says, ?In states with bottle bills, litter has been
reduced a total 35 to 40 percent."

Eighth-grader Anna Silverstein says, "Bottle bills create jobs, states that
have them have added 10,000 jobs."

Quinn says recycling water bottles would help reduce the country's
dependence on foreign oil. ?These kind of containers,? he says, ?ninety-five
percent comes from petroleum, comes from foreign oil."

Lieutenant Governor Quinn calls the bill I-Can. He hopes the bill will be
passed this year and go into effect in 2006. Bottles and cans would be
returned at grocery stores and independent reverse vending machines.


Joanie Lum

(© MMV, CBS Broadcasting Inc., All Rights Reserved.)


****************************************
Patricia Franklin
Executive Director
PLEASE NOTE NEW MAILING ADDRESS FOR CRI
Container Recycling Institute
1601 North Kent Street, Suite 803
Arlington, VA 22209-2105
TEL: 703.276.9800
FAX: 703.276.9587
EMAIL: pfranklin@no.address
http://www.container-recycling.org
http://www.bottlebill.info