For the last several months, CAW staff and board members have been meeting with stakeholders and policy makers to craft our 2007 Policy and legislative agenda. Below is a brief summary of that agenda. For a more detailed description click here. I'm sharing this preliminary draft in order to solicit another round of feedback from supporters and stakeholders. I'm anxious to know what you think. Please e-mail me your thoughts and ideas at: murray@cawrecycles.org
CAW's (Draft) 2007 Policy and Legislative Priorities:
• Reducing Human & Environmental Exposure to Toxics by Reducing and Recycling Hazardous Products & Materials
Legislative Agenda:
1. California RoHS: Phase out the use of Toxic Materials in Consumer Electronics.
2. Expand California E-Recycling Law: Expand existing successful computer monitor and TV recycling law to include all computers and printers.
3. Battery Take-back: Require California retailers to take-back and recycle all household batteries.
4. Used Motor Oil: Establish minimum recycled content standard for all automotive and industrial lubricants sold in California.
5. EPR for Hazardous Materials: Provide State Environmental agencies with the authority to require Producer Responsibility for reducing and recycling products and materials whose disposal in the solid waste stream has been restricted.
• Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions thru Source Reduction and Recycling
Legislative Agenda:
1. Recycling Opportunity for Everyone: Expand residential recycling to every California household (single and multi-family).
2. Commercial Recycling: Make recycling available to every interested business in the state of California.
3. Expansion of foodwaste composting: Hundreds of California communities now have greenwaste collection programs in place, these programs could be expanded to include food waste, which accounts for nearly 15% of the state’s waste stream.
4. Material Specific Recycling Requirements: Identify materials for recycling requirements or landfill bans such as aluminum, cardboard, or greenwaste.
• Reducing Water Pollution and Marine Debris by Reducing and Recycling Plastic Litter and Waste
Legislative Agenda:
1. Promote Bag Reuse and implement Takeback requirement for all carry out bags.
2. Expand California Bottle Bill to include all plastic bottles.
3. Restrict the sale/distribution of take-out food packaging in coastal areas when that packaging is not compatible with existing successful recycling or composting programs.