Re: [greenyes] RE: Zero waste and subsidies

[<richard@no.address>]

John,
When I worked on a project like this for the State of California, the
recycling industry folks were strong supporters of extending the tax breaks
to them rather than eliminating breaks for others.  While this does make the
tax structure more complex, rather than more simple, their argument was that
since their markets and pricing were established, this would be the
equivalent of giving them extra money, which they said they would reinvest
in upgrading their facilities; and that this was better than making life
more difficult for their primary material using competitors.
Richard Gertman
Environmental Planning Consultants - A Green Business
1885 The Alameda, Suite 120
San Jose, CA 95126-1732
408-249-0691
richard@no.address

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Reindl, John" <Reindl@no.address>
To: "'Gary Liss'" <gary@no.address>; "greenyes" <greenyes@no.address>
Sent: Friday, September 10, 2004 6:13 AM
Subject: [greenyes] RE: Zero waste and subsidies


Gary ~

Thanks for sharing this. But, I note that NRC seems to have abandoned the
call for elimination of virgin material subsidies and is instead calling for
subsidies for recycling. Why do you think that this is happening? To me, it
distorts the marketplace even more.

Also, I have not seen NRC, GRRN or Zero Waste call for the use of an
environmental valuation system to internalize the costs to the environment
of either material extraction/harvesting or for the handling of residues.
Why do you think that these groups aren't picking up on these concepts,
which are in use in other countries?

John

>
>
> Amy,
>
> I totally agree with you about getting rid of subsidies for
> wasting.  As
> you probably know, there are excellent reports on that issue at:
> http://www.grrn.org/subsidies/index.html
>
> and
>
> http://www.nrc-recycle.org/member/advocacy/policypositions/sub
> sidiesrpt.pdf
>
> Gary
>
> At 06:49 PM 9/8/2004, Amy Perlmutter wrote:
> >Gary:
> >
> >I agree with your concept. But I do have one thing to add:
> getting rid of
> >subsidies for virgin resources, and working to internalize
> other external
> >costs of mining as well as disposal.  I personally am not
> fully supportive
> >of advance disposal fees< having folks pay for the cost of
> disposal in the
> >product.  ³Consumers² are already pay for disposal when they
> dispose of it,
> >so they¹re paying for it twice.  If the true cost of getting
> the virgin
> >materials and turning them into product were included in the
> cost of the
> >product, and the true cost of disposing of the product were
> included in
> >peoples¹ garbage fees (like monitoring the landfill for how
> ever many years
> >it¹s needed), then I think we¹d see clearer incentives in
> the right places.
> >
> >Amy
> >
> >
> > >
> > > Date: Fri, 03 Sep 2004 18:26:05 -0700
> > > To: "Peter Anderson" <anderson@no.address>,
> > >  "GreenYes" <greenyes@no.address>
> > > From: Gary Liss <gary@no.address>
> > > Subject: Re: [greenyes] Recycling's Own Sustainability
> > > Message-Id: <6.1.2.0.2.20040903181210.02e43998@no.address>
> > >
> > > Peter,
> > >
> > > I agree with your concerns and believe that the correct
> way to address the=
> > > =20
> > > reported "malaise" of recycling is to re-invigorate our
> movement to push=20
> > > for the next generation of policies and programs.  That means
> > encouraging=20
> > > state and local governments, universities and businesses,
> to adopt Zero=20
> > > Waste as a goal, and for them to develop plans to
> implement those goals.
> > >
> > > That means stopping leaking landfills and polluting
> burners. That means=20
> > > holding producers fiscally or physically accountable for
> their products
> > and=
> > > =20
> > > packaging.  That means working for the triple-bottom line
> of economy,=20
> > > environment and social equity, and working towards an
> economy that fully=20
> > > values people, resources and the environment.
> > >
> > > I urge all who are interested in working towards Zero
> Waste in your=20
> > > community to contact me, or GRRN, to begin to network the
> leaders of=
> > >  tomorrow.
> > >
> > > Gary
>
> Gary Liss
> 916-652-7850
> Fax: 916-652-0485
> www.garyliss.com
>
>
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