[GreenYes] What is ârecyclingâ?

[RicAnthony@no.address]

What is  ?recycling?? 
<_http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/16470458.htm_ (http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/16470458.htm) >  
Fort  Wayne Journal Gazette - Fort  Wayne,IN,USA


Posted on Tue, Jan. 16, 2007

What is  ?recycling??
Giving an issue facing many communities some careful  consideration is rarely 
bad. But proposed legislation to review and potentially  revise state 
environmental rulemaking policies has raised some concerns among  environmental 
advocates ? and for good reason.

They?re worried that the  study will lead to a new definition of recycling in 
Indiana that could include  incineration as an approved recycling method. 
Adding incineration to the  definition of recycling could encourage companies to 
incinerate waste rather  than recycle. The change could hurt recycling 
programs by shifting grant money  to incineration programs and away from traditional 
recycling.

?Eons ago  they set some recycling goals. But nobody has gone back to see if 
those goals  are reasonable, are right and are being met. That?s the purpose 
behind the  legislation,? said Sandra Flum, the director of intergovernmental 
affairs for  the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. She said 
Senate Bill 154 is  about studying recycling issues in Indiana.

Melissa Kriegerfox, the  recycling and reuse director of the Monroe County 
Solid Waste Management  District and president of the Indiana Recycling 
Coalition, said the recycling  coalition supports the legislation. But the coalition 
has serious concerns about  one sentence near the end of the proposed bill that 
includes investigating the  addition of ?waste to energy? in the definition 
of recycling. She thinks that  sentence could redefine Indiana?s recycling 
policy, harm traditional curbside  recycling programs and allow polluting 
companies to garner recycling credits for  choosing to incinerate their refuse rather 
than recycling. She says this could  encourage companies from other states to 
bring their waste to Indiana for cheap  disposal.

?For Indiana to even consider including waste incineration in  the definition 
upsets the recycling hierarchy and could really hurt the  perception of 
recycling,? Kriegerfox said. She said recycling is very clearly  defined by the 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and there is not a need for  the state to 
redefine it.

The legislation is supposed to go to Energy and  Environmental Affairs 
committee today. Kriegerfox said she spoke with Sen.  Beverly Gard, the sponsor of 
the legislation, and asked her to change the  language in the bill.

Gard, who has a reputation for being an  environmental steward, appears 
willing to listen to the recycling coalition?s  concerns.

IDEM should study recycling in Indiana and determine whether  the state?s 
recycling programs are working. But there is not a need to redefine  recycling, 
especially if it opens the door for incineration under the guise of a  waste to 
energy program.


Alan Watson C.Eng
Public  Interest Consultants      
Oakleigh  
Wernffrwd  
Gower  
Swansea  SA4 3TY    
Wales  
UK  

Tel:  + 44 (0)1792 851599  
Fax:  +44 (0)1792 850056  
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Please consider the environment before printing this  e-mail


Ricanthony@no.address
RichardAnthonyAssociates.com
San Diego,  California



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