RESOLUTION #99 -
AT THE SPECIAL MEETING HELD MARCH 23,
1999
IN SUPPORT OF THE CONSUMER ACTION
CALLING ON COCA-COLA TO USE RECYCLED
POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE (PET) IN
THEIR BOTTLES
WHEREAS, the Alameda County Source
Reduction and Recycling Board is charged
with helping Alameda County to achieve
its goals of reducing, reusing and
recycling 50% of all discarded materials
generated in the County by 2000 and 75%
by 2010; and,
WHEREAS, the Source Reduction and
Recycling Board helped to fund the
1995/96 Waste Characterization Study
that showed tonnages of plastics
landfilled in Alameda County increased
41.5% between 1990 and 1995, whereas all
other major materials categories
decreased between 0.4% and 64.8%; and,
WHEREAS, fifteen of the sixteen
contracting municipalities in Alameda
County contract for the residential
curbside collection and recycling of PET
plastic soda bottles; and,
WHEREAS, while the market value of
recycled PET has varied widely over the
years, the market conditions prevailing
now and in recent years have contributed
to declining recycling rates for PET
bottles each year since 1994; and
WHEREAS, Alameda County has long
promoted the use of reusable and
recycled products through its purchasing
practices, educational efforts and the
extensive support of market development
initiatives; and
WHEREAS; FDA-approved technology exists
today to incorporate recycled PET into
new beverage containers, and proven
technology for refillable plastic
bottles also exists, and in fact both of
these processes are being done by Coca-
Cola itself in many nations throughout
the world; and
WHEREAS; it is widely acknowledged that
the use of recycled PET in the
production of beverage containers would
have an enormous positive impact on the
value of recycled PET; and
WHEREAS; the Coca-Cola Company has made
the marketing decision to increase its
use of PET plastic, and move away from
the use of easily recyclable glass and
aluminum for their containers; and
WHEREAS; we were thankful when the Coca-
Cola Company voluntarily committed to
using recycled PET in their containers
in 1990, at a time when many states were
considering bottle bill and mandatory
recycled-content initiatives to bring
about increased recycling;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the
Alameda County Source Reduction and
Recycling Board supports the consumer
action calling on Coca-Cola to use
recycled PET in their bottles, thereby
closing the recycling loop, and
returning a measure of rationality and
profitability to the operations of our
nation's public and private recycling
programs; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Source
Reduction and Recycling Board calls upon
Coca-Cola to commit to the introduction
of refillable plastic soda bottles into
the U.S. market, similar to those in use
by Coca-Cola in other countries, and to
commit to the sales of 5% of its
packaged soft drinks in such refillable
containers in the U. S. by 2003; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Source
Reduction and Recycling Board commits to
working with Coca-Cola and with other
beverage manufacturers to successfully
achieve these goals.
[This resolution and accompanying press release
can be viewed on the Web at www.grrn.org]