   |
|||||||||||||||
|
Sierra Club hails new findings on beverage container recycling Nationwide report reveals deposit legislation most cost-efficient, produces highest recycling rateNews ReleaseFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 23, 2001 CONTACT: Jeff Mikulina 226-4987 HONOLULU – Hawaii’s recycling proponents have new ammunition for convincing lawmakers that the best solution for increasing recycling and decreasing litter—without making taxpayers pay—is by passing beverage container deposit legislation, better known as a “bottle bill.” The new report on beverage container recycling suggests that Hawai`i can triple the recycling of beverage containers—and save money at the same time. These were the unexpected findings of Understanding Beverage Container Recycling: A Value Chain Assessment, a national study carried out under the watchful eyes of both beverage industry and environmental group representatives. “These findings have the potential to break the impasse between environmentalists and the beverage industry on the Hawai`i bottle bill.” said Jeff Mikulina, Director of the Sierra Club, Hawai`i Chapter. The report by the Multi-Stakeholder Recovery Project (MSRP) finds that when deposit systems are designed to use revenues from the sale of recycled materials and unredeemed deposits (from consumers who do not return their containers), deposit programs are less costly than curbside programs—and at no cost to local taxpayers. The data were gathered by leading researchers who often work for the beverage industry, under the lead of R.W. Beck and Franklin & Associates. Beverage industry leader Coca-Cola sponsored and participated in the study along with Waste Management Inc. and other industry stakeholders. “We are encouraged that some major corporations now agree we have a problem –114 billion beverage containers wasted annually — and are willing to work toward a solution,” said Pat Franklin, executive director of the Washington DC-based Container Recycling Institute and an active participant in the in the MSRP. “The report shows we can recover those containers with financial incentives—deposits—and keep the costs down.” A bill now before the Hawai`i State Legislature would place a five-cent deposit and two-cent handling fee on all glass, plastic, and aluminum beverage containers. The deposit would be returned to the consumer when the container was returned for recycling at a redemption center, retail store, or a “reverse vending machine.” The legislation has received strong support from the state Department of Health, the City and County of Honolulu, the County of Maui, Tomra recycling, and many community organizations. The bill stalled in conference committee last session after heavy lobbying in opposition by the beverage industry. “We are looking for solutions to our waste and litter problems,”
said Representative Hermina Morita (D-12, North Kaua`i, East Maui).
“The bottle bill addresses both issues without burdening
taxpayers. The ‘Multi-stakeholder’ report provides the
facts we need to turn this smart idea into public policy.” “On average, 75,000 beverage containers are thrown in the
trash every hour in Hawai`i,” said Mikulina. “A bottle
bill would reduce the amount of trash that is crowding our landfill
and litter that is spoiling our The ground-breaking MSRP study was the first accomplishment of a project called Businesses and Environmentalists Allied for Recycling (BEAR), which is working under Global Green USA to pursue a ‘fact-based approach to public policy making.’ The report’s major findings are outlined on the following page. The complete report is available at www.globalgreen.org/bear/ Other Contacts: Pat Franklin, 703-304-3546 (Container Recycling Institute, Wash DC), Bill Sheehan, 706-613-7121 (GrassRoots Recycling Network, Athens, GA) WHAT DID THE MULTI-STAKEHOLDER RECOVERY PROJECT REPORT SAY? Beverage container recycling rates in the U.S. are down, wasting is up. • 78 billion beverage containers (277 per capita) recycled
in 1999 Beverage container recycling has environmental benefits. • Avoided greenhouse gas emissions Deposit systems get the best results. • Deposits: 422 containers per capita recycled in the 10
deposit states, 373 containers per capita recycled in California Beverage container recovery funding mechanism. • Deposit programs (including California): funded by producers
and consumers Net costs per container recovered in 1999 (including revenue
from sale • Traditional Deposit Programs: 2.21 cents When unredeemed deposits are used to cover costs in deposit programs, net costs are as follows: • Traditional Deposit Programs: 0.80 cents # # # -- tel: 808.538.6616 |
||||||||||||||
| © 2005 City & County of Honolulu's Department of Environmental Services. | |||||||||||||||
