Several news stories this morning described the unintended effects of climate change regulations on Australian paper recycler Visy.

“The company, renowned as one of the nation's greenest, says the government's proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) would force it to immediately close two recycling and paper manufacturing plants, News Limited newspapers report.

'The CPRS does not recognise the carbon benefits from recycling, leading to severe collateral impacts on Australia's domestic recycling/remanufacturing industries,' Visy said in its submission to the government.” (The Australian)

These types of stories underscore the urgent need for standardized protocols and methodologies for quantifying the GHG benefits of recycling.

Sep 23 - Western States, Canadian Provinces Outline Climate Change Plan (Bloomberg)

Sep 18 - Congress eyes restrictions on exporting e-waste (C-NET)

The Maui County Board of Supervisors will vote this Friday on whether to ban plastic bags. Maui, the second most populous county of Hawaii, would become the first non-Californian municipality in the country to ban plastic bags if they succeed. Hawaii is particularly affected by plastic marine debris pollution as it lies in the North Pacific garbage patch. Beaches there are routinely affected by huge deposits of "drift plastic".

CAW and Plastic Bags:

• AB 2058 would reduce plastic bag usage and encourage the use of reusable bags by putting a fee on single-use carryout bags.