August 25, 2006

TO:      Members, California State Senate
FM:      Mark Murray, Executive Director

Assembly Bill 3056 is the single most important and beneficial recycling measure that you will have the opportunity to consider this year.

The California Bottle Bill is the most successful recycling policy in this state, and (according to the US EPA and others), the most cost effective program of its type in the country.  Despite recycling a record 12.4 billion beverage containers in 2005, the overall rate of beverage container recycling over the last three years has remained stagnant at about 60%.

AB 3056 addresses this problem with a package of thoughtful and proven consumer and recycler incentives designed to: increase collection; improve material quality; and stimulate California market demand. We believe that these market-based incentives have the potential to substantially improve recycling rates—especially for problematic plastic containers.  Among the measure’s key features:

• Provides your Department of Conservation with the authority to utilize surplus redemption funds to provide both consumers and curbside recycling programs with a boost in refund value during the first 6 months of 2007. This provision represents the single largest ‘bonus payment’ to consumers in the 20 year history of the program, and—if properly promoted by the department—serve to stimulate consumer recycling and curbside recovery.
• Expands the successful Quality Glass Incentive Program to all materials, which will provide a market-based incentive for the 15 to 20% of containers currently collected at curbside that are not currently being recycled. This provision will also increase California manufacturer’s ability to use collected recyclables.
• Establishes a much needed market development payment program for plastic containers in order to support and expand the development of California-based enterprises for the processing and use of recycled plastic. Today, upwards of 90% of plastic beverage containers collected in California are exported overseas for recycling.
• Provides $5 million in one-time grants to local governments and non-profits to establish and expand beverage container recycling opportunities at multi-family dwellings.
• Increases the department’s market development grant authority to $20 million annually (up from the current $10 million).
• Provides $20 million in one-time grants to community conservation corps for beverage container recycling and litter reduction projects at schools, government buildings, bars & restaurants, parks and multi-family dwellings.
• All told, AB 3056 provides consumers, recyclers and manufacturers with more than $100 million in additional recycling stimulus in 2007.

AB 3056 is a thoughtful and balanced package that is universally supported by private and non-profit recyclers, local governments, container manufacturers, retailers, beverage producers and environmental groups.  We urge your ‘aye’ vote on this much needed waste reduction and recycling measure.