Copy into WORD. Fax to Senator Corbett's office (fx: 916-327-2433) and c.c. CAW (fx: 916-443-3912). Feel free to amend.

<Today's Date>

Senator Ellen Corbett
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
Via Fax: (916) 327-2433

RE: SB 1625 (Corbett) Bottle Bill Update: Support

Dear Senator Corbett:

I am writing in support of your Senate Bill 1625, which proposes to update California's successful Bottle and Can Recycling Law to combat the proliferation of plastic bottle litter pollution. SB 1625 tracks recommendations by the California Ocean Protection Council and expands the scope of California's successful container recycling (CRV) program to include a broader range of plastic and other 'problem' containers, along with other changes.

There are now more one-time use bottles heading to our landfills than ever before. Over 80,000 tons of plastic bottles are landfilled every year that could instead have been recycled. Even though California's successful Bottle and Can Recycling Law diverts nearly 100,000 tons of plastic bottles from landfills every year, less than half of all plastic bottles are covered by the program due to the recent and ongoing explosion in disposable plastic container production. Plastic bottle waste contributes to urban litter and marine debris. Plastics from urban runoff are the primary source of marine debris and in some areas of the Pacific plastic outweighs plankton by a factor of six.

SB 1625 will work to reduce and recycle the sources of litter and marine debris by adding all plastic bottles to the California's existing Bottle and Can Recycling Program. In addition, SB 1625 will end the confusing practice of calculating an inflated container "redemption rate" and instead rely on the more accurate "recycling rate."

SB 1625 will help local communities meet landfill diversion mandates and the increased recycling of plastic bottles will also cut greenhouse gases by up to 270,000 metric tons of CO2 annually. This important bill will help decrease litter and marine debris and will strengthen one of our country's landmark extended producer responsibility programs.

I thank you for your leadership on this issue and am in firm support of SB 1625.

Sincerely,

<Signed>
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