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In a message dated 2/9/99 10:56:34 AM Pacific Standard Time,
rgbest@cawrecycles.org writes:
<< City of LA Targets Miller Plastic Bottle
Last week the City of Los Angeles passed a resolution urging Miller Brewi=
ng
Company to address plastics recycling issues before launching its new
plastic beer bottle which is currently being testmarketed in Los Angeles.
The resolution authored by City Councilmember Ruth Galanter calls on Mill=
er
to ensure that the bottle is fully compatible with the City's recycling
program and to develop markets for recycling plastic by using recycled
content in its plastic bottle.
The resolution was passed during last Tuesday's council meeting by a
unanimous vote (11-0). As part of the resolution, the City Council
directed staff to determine any additional costs for handling the Miller
beer bottles and to present Miller with a bill to recoup those costs.
The resolution identified a number of aspects of the bottle's design whic=
h
will impact the City's recycling program including use of an amber tint,
new interior barrier material, metal cap and metalized label. The
resolution also raised concerns that the bottle will significantly increa=
se
the supply of PET plastic resin without making any public commitment by
Miller to increase market demand for recycled plastics by using recycled
content in the new bottle.
Miller is the first major brewery to testmarket beer in plastic and could
lead the way for widespread marketing of beer in plastic similar to the
move by soft drink makers. Even a partial transition to plastic would
have a major impact since the number of beer containers sold are 2=BD tim=
es
the number of plastic soft drink bottles currently in use.
The concerns about bottle are heightened by the fact that Miller and othe=
r
breweries are looking to switch to plastics at a time when the plastics
industry is pulling out of its commitments to plastics recycling and that
plastics recycling rates are declining.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
With the adoption of the resolution by the Los Angeles City Council, othe=
r
communities are urged to join in calling on Miller to address these issue=
s.
For copies of materials on the Miller bottle and the Los Angeles City
Council resolution, contact the websites for CAW (www.cawrecycles.org) an=
d
GRRN (www.grrn.org).
>>
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Date: Tue, 09 Feb 1999 10:50:04 -0800
To: (Recipient list suppressed)
From: Rick Best <rgbest@cawrecycles.org>
Subject: CAW Recycling Advocate - Volume 4, Number 1
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CAW Recycling Advocate
February 8, 1999
Volume 4. Number 1.
In this issue...Bottle Bill Expansion Introduced...SB 1 Signed by Governor
Davis...City of LA Targets Miller Beer Bottle...Waste Board Changes...Stat=
e
of Recycling Legislative Forum...Legislative Round-up
For more information or to be removed from this distribution list please
contact Rick Best at (916) 443-5422 or rgbest@cawrecycles.org.
Bottle Bill Expansion Introduced
Senator Byron Sher introduced SB 332 yesterday. This bill addresses the
future of the Bottle Bill program, including its long-awaited expansion.
The bill would add all glass, PET plastic and metal containers for
non-carbonated, non- alcoholic drinks effective January 1, 2000.
Sher's expansion proposal is identical that proposed in AB 1512 (Shelley)
in 1997 and AB 2309 (Bowen) in 1998. Both of these bills passed Assembly
Natural Resources Committee, but were stalled in Appropriations Committee.
Prospects for passage are much greater this year due the substantial
Democratic majority in the Assembly and Senate and the change in the
Governor's office.
In addition to expansion, SB 332 addresses several other long-term issues
of the Bottle Bill program. Specifically, SB 332 would do the following:
=09Expansion. The bill would expand the program to include all glass, PE=
T
plastic and metal containers for non-carbonted, non-alcoholic drinks.
=09Redemption Value. The bill would lower the "two container" threshold
from 24 to 20 ounces, making 20 ounce soft drink bottles subject to a 5
cent deposit. This is intended to address declining recycling rates for
plastic containers.
=09Processing Fees. The bill maintains the current recycling costs in SB=
1,
with a COLA adjustment. The bill would also continue use of unredeemed
funds to offset manufacturer processing fee costs; however, the bill would
use a variable offset based on recycling rates:
=09=0975% or higher recycling rate=09=3D 35% offset
=09=0965% - 74% recycling rate=09=09=3D 30% offset
=09=0950% - 64% recycling rate=09=09=3D 25% offset
=09Although the per container processing fee would be reduced from current
levels, total payments to recyclers would be increased due to expansion of
the program.
=09Handling Fees. The bill would increase handling fees for convenience
zone recyclers from $18.5 million to $23.5 million annually. The bill
would also lift the container cap to $0.018 and the monthly cap to $2300.
=09Local Conservation Corps. The bill would increase funding from $8
million to $10 million annually.
=09Curbside Payments. The bill would increase curbside payments from $5
million to $10 million annually.
=09San Diego Pilot Program. The bill would allocate $3 million for a pil=
ot
program to expand curbside recycling in the City of San Diego as was
proposed in AB 468.
=09Administrative Costs. The bill would increase the amount retained by
distributors and recyclers for administrative costs from 0.5% to 0.75% of
redemption payments and by processors from 1.25% to 1.5%.
The increases in funding proposed under SB 332 would be funded through use
of unredeemed funds. Under the current program, the unredeemed fund is
approximately $97 million annually. With the expansion proposal, the tota=
l
amount of unredeemed funds is expected to increase to as much as $130
million annually, which would be sufficient to cover all of the proposed
payments. The single largest draw on the fund would be processing fee
offsets, consuming approximately 38% of unredeemed funds.
Since SB 332 was just introduced, it won't be heard in Senate Natural
Resources Committee until mid-March.
For a detailed summary of SB 332, please contact us at (916) 443-5422 or
murray@cawrecycles.org.
SB 1 Signed by Governor Davis
The first bill signed by Governor Gray Davis was SB 1 (Sher). The bill
which extends the Bottle Bill provisions which were allowed to sunset last
year by Governor Wilson's veto of AB 468. Passage of SB 1 provides the
Legislature with the opportunity to address a long-term solution in SB 332=
.
Specifically, SB 1 will several Bottle Bill provisions until 1/1/2000:
=09Extend funding to convenience zone recyclers of $18.5 million per year=
.
=09Extend provisions for the calculation of processing fees (establishing
the cost of recycling at $99.41 for glass and $799.68 for plastic)
=09Extend use of undredeemed funds to subsidize manufacturer's payment of
processing fees.
=09Extend funding to curbside recyclers of $5 million annually.
The bill passed the Legislature with near unanimous votes in both the
Assembly and Senate.
City of LA Targets Miller Plastic Bottle
Last week the City of Los Angeles passed a resolution urging Miller Brewin=
g
Company to address plastics recycling issues before launching its new
plastic beer bottle which is currently being testmarketed in Los Angeles.
The resolution authored by City Councilmember Ruth Galanter calls on Mille=
r
to ensure that the bottle is fully compatible with the City's recycling
program and to develop markets for recycling plastic by using recycled
content in its plastic bottle.
The resolution was passed during last Tuesday's council meeting by a
unanimous vote (11-0). As part of the resolution, the City Council
directed staff to determine any additional costs for handling the Miller
beer bottles and to present Miller with a bill to recoup those costs.
The resolution identified a number of aspects of the bottle's design which
will impact the City's recycling program including use of an amber tint,
new interior barrier material, metal cap and metalized label. The
resolution also raised concerns that the bottle will significantly increas=
e
the supply of PET plastic resin without making any public commitment by
Miller to increase market demand for recycled plastics by using recycled
content in the new bottle.
Miller is the first major brewery to testmarket beer in plastic and could
lead the way for widespread marketing of beer in plastic similar to the
move by soft drink makers. Even a partial transition to plastic would
have a major impact since the number of beer containers sold are 2=BD time=
s
the number of plastic soft drink bottles currently in use.
The concerns about bottle are heightened by the fact that Miller and other
breweries are looking to switch to plastics at a time when the plastics
industry is pulling out of its commitments to plastics recycling and that
plastics recycling rates are declining.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
With the adoption of the resolution by the Los Angeles City Council, other
communities are urged to join in calling on Miller to address these issues=
.
For copies of materials on the Miller bottle and the Los Angeles City
Council resolution, contact the websites for CAW (www.cawrecycles.org) and
GRRN (www.grrn.org).
Waste Board Changes
With the new Davis Administration has led to significant changes -- and ne=
w
opportunities -- at the Board:
=09New Chair. Dan Eaton has taken over as chair of the California
Integrated Waste Management Board. Eaton joined the Board last year and
played a key role in last year's vote to enforce the Board's plastics law.
=09Board Vacancies. The environmental slot on the Board is currently vac=
ant
and is being pursued by CAW Executive Director Mark Murray and Sierra Club
lobbyist Mike Paparian. Board member Bob Frazee has announced his
retirement at the end of the month which will provide another vacancy for
Governor Davis to fill.
=0921st Century Project. The project had an exciting start in the City o=
f
Industry last month with over 150 in attendance and inspiring keynote
address by Ray Anderson, CEO of Interface Corporation. A follow-up forum
to address future policy directions will be held in Sacramento on March 9t=
h.
State of Recycling Legislative Forum
CAW and CRRA will be cosponsoring a "State of Recycling" legislative forum
in March. A date for the event has not been finalized, but it will be hel=
d
in the State Capitol and will be free to public.
The forum will feature opening comments from Assembly Member Wayne and
Senator Sher. The forum will feature two panels: one covering key policy
issues and one covering organizing and lobbying strategies for the Bottle
Bill expansion legislation. This will be valuable opportunity to get
involved in this year's legislative agenda and meet with key legislator's
and legislative staff.
Legislative Round-up
The following is a list of legislation introduced this session (hearings o=
n
most of these bills won't start until March):
=09SB 1 (Sher) extends processing fee, handling fee and curbside funding
provisions of the Bottle Bill until 1/1/2000. Signed by Governor Davis.
=09SB 46 (Sher) would redefine one of the current "public" gubernatorial
appointments to the Waste Board as a "local government" representative.
=09SB 280 (Bowen) would promote the use of green building practices by th=
e
State, including use of recycled building products and C&D recycling.
=09SB 332 (Sher) would expand the Bottle Bill program and address other
Bottle Bill issues.
=09AB 75 (Strom-Martin) is a CAW-sponsored measure which would address st=
ate
agency recycling and procurement issues.
=09AB 219 (Gallegos) would exclude disposal of inert materials as part of=
a
mine reclamation plan from the Waste Board's definition of "disposal."
CAW will be introducing several other bills over the next few weeks to
address plastics recycling, state agency procurement, and sales tax on
reusable shipping containers.
****************************************************************
Rick Best=09=09=09=09(916) 443-5422
Policy Director=09=09=09(916) 443-3912 fax
Californians Against Waste=09=09rgbest@cawrecycles.org
926 J Street, Suite 606=09=09www.cawrecycles.org
Sacramento, CA 95814
****************************************************************
Rick Best=09=09=09=09(916) 443-5422
Policy Director=09=09=09(916) 443-3912 fax
Californians Against Waste=09=09rgbest@cawrecycles.org
926 J Street, Suite 606=09=09www.cawrecycles.org
Sacramento, CA 95814
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