[GreenYes] Re: Ban the Bulb -- But don't create a new toxic problem, say local governments

[daklute@no.address]

Looks like the industry is moving up the hierarchy and actually reducing Hg
content rather than focusing on collection systems.

http://blogs.business2.com/greenwombat/2007/05/walmart_to_get_.html

On 5/9/07, Bill Sheehan <bill@no.address> wrote:
>
>
> MEDIA RELEASE - May 8, 2007
>
>
> Local Government Groups Call for Manufacturers to Recycle Toxic Mercury
> Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
>
> Three local government product stewardship organizations from the U.S. and
> Canada today praised retailers and consumers for promoting the switch to
> energy efficient light bulbs, but said manufacturers must take the next
> step
> of creating and financing convenient, environmentally safe recycling
> systems
> for toxic mercury-containing compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs
> <http://caproductstewardship.org/products/fluoro_p.htm> ).
>
> The California Product <http://caproductstewardship.org/media/index.html>
> Stewardship Council, the Northwest <http://www.productstewardship.net/>
> Product Stewardship Council and the British Columbia
> <http://www.bcproductstewardship.org/media/index.php>  Product Stewardship
> Council issued a joint statement
> <
> http://caproductstewardship.org/assets/pdf/CFL_Statement_FINAL_08May2007.pd
> f>  today, coordinated by the Product
> <http://www.productpolicy.org/media.html>  Policy Institute. The statement
> calls for manufacturers to take financial responsibility for and provide
> collection programs for fluorescent lights, since the toxins they contain
> are banned from disposal in many states.
>
> The product stewardship councils are coalitions of primarily local
> governments working together to promote product
> <http://caproductstewardship.org/about/definitions.htm>  stewardship, the
> concept that whoever designs, produces, sells, or uses a product takes
> responsibility for minimizing the product's environmental impact
> throughout
> all stages of the products' life cycle. The Product Policy Institute is a
> North American non-profit organization that researches and promotes
> policies
> that reduce public costs and promote environmental sustainability.
>
> These groups are working together to require that manufacturers take
> responsibility for minimizing the environmental impact of CFLs from design
> to disposal. Local governments and tax payers currently shoulder the
> financial burden of the disposal of these products, as well as the
> potential
> for future environmental liability. The groups today are calling for
> manufacturers to finance "cradle-to-cradle" management of the products
> they
> create in order to promote environmental
> sustainability.  "Cradle-to-cradle"
> refers to designing and managing products for continuous reuse or
> recycling,
> rather than for disposal as waste in "graves."
>
> The groups also applauded pending California legislation that would
> increase
> the development and use of energy efficient lighting, reduce the toxicity
> of
> the bulbs, and require manufacturers to provide take-back recycling
> services. They called the legislation a model for all states, and the next
> step in environmental protections.
>
> The bill, AB 1109 <http://caproductstewardship.org/state/fluoro.htm> ,
> requires manufacturers to have a system in place for collecting and
> recycling end-of-life bulbs that contain hazardous materials, such as lead
> and mercury.  Manufacturers would be required to submit a plan to the
> State
> on how they will provide an environmentally responsible disposal and
> take-back program throughout California by July 1, 2009. The measure is
> sponsored by California Assembly Member Jared Huffman, chair of the
> Assembly
> Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials.
>
> "The companies that make money by selling toxic products need to be part
> of
> the solution. Local governments do not have the resources or capacity to
> manage toxic products, nor should they," said Carol Misseldine, Director
> of
> the California Product Stewardship Council.  "Assembly Member Huffman's
> approach will result in safer, more efficient lighting while providing a
> convenient manufacturer-provided collection system, and should be a
> national
> model."
>
> Representatives of the Product Policy Institute and the three councils
> called for all forthcoming state and national legislation that requires an
> increase in the use of energy efficient lighting to also include the same
> take-back provisions outlined in AB 1109.
>
> "This approach allows us to aggressively move forward with more energy
> efficient lighting technology, reduce toxicity of that lighting, and have
> a
> collection system for spent bulbs without burdening already strapped local
> governments and taxpayers with costs of collection," said Sego Jackson of
> the Northwest Product Stewardship Council.
>
> "In British Columbia, we have take-back programs for beverage containers,
> medicines, used oil, paint, pesticides, solvents, and soon, electronics,
> which are financed by industry and manufacturers. Lighting manufacturers
> are
> equally as capable of establishing a similarly successful take-back
> program," said Raymond Gaudart, Co-chair of the British Columbia Product
> Stewardship Council.
>
> Joint Statement is at http://www.productpolicy.org/media.html
>
> CFL Page: For additional details regarding mercury-containing compact
> fluorescent lights, visit
> http://caproductstewardship.org/products/fluoro_p.htm
>
>
> CONTACT:
> *************************************
> Bill Sheehan
> Executive Director
> Product Policy Institute
> P.O. Box 48433
> Athens, GA 30604  USA
> Tel:  +1-706-613-0710
> Email:  bill@no.address
> Web:  www.productpolicy.org <http://www.productpolicy.org/>
> *************************************
>
>
>
> >
>

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