Has this website been useful?

We depend on your financial contributions to keep it running!
  Please help us out with a donation today.

Contents | Page1 | Page2 | Page3 | Page4 | Page5 | Page6 | Page7 | Page8 | Page9 | Page10 | Page11 | Page12

State Updates

Hawaii: Container returns reach 85% in September

HONOLULU — Hawaii, the most recent state to pass a Bottle Bill, began redeeming recyclable Deposit Beverage Containers (DBCs) on January 1 st, 2005. Despite a bumpy start, nearly a year into the program the results are encouraging. As of September, the redemption rate to date for overall DBCs redeemed by consumers was 54%. This redemption rate is expected to increase by year’s end, as monthly rates show a steady climb from 20% in January to 85% in September.

Redemption rates will also continue to climb as new redemption center sites open. The program began with 46 sites statewide and now has 74 certified locations. A limited number of retailers have allowed recyclers onto store property to set up redemption center services, but most retailers have chosen not to participate in the redemption process, limiting the number of locations where people can redeem their deposit containers.

The public has requested additional sites and longer hours of operation. In response, the State is working to improve the convenience of redemption services through funding incentives and policy changes.

For more information, contact Jennifer Tosaki at JTosaki@eha.health.state.hi.us and visit www.hi5deposit.com (City/County website is http://www.opala.org/)

California: Redemption rates up in 2004 for first time in ten years

SACRAMENTO — California’s beverage container recycling program continues to evolve. Water and other non-carbonated beverages were added to the program in 2000 bringing the total number of containers sold annually to more than 20 billion. Of that 20 billion, 59% were redeemed in 2004, up from 55% the year before. This is the first increase in the annual recycling rate since 1995. The jump in recycling rates coincides with a higher CRV mandated by Assembly Bill 28. As of January 1, 2004, the CRV increased to 4¢ for containers under 24 ounces, and to 8¢ for containers of 24 ounces or more. The previous CRVs were 2.5¢ and 5¢, respectively. AB 28 also earmarks $10 million each year for Market Development and Expansion Grants to support processing and manufacturing with recycled materials– the “demand” side of recycling. Now in its third cycle, the program is funded from unredeemed CRV containers.

As in other areas of the country, PET bottles are capturing an ever-larger share of beverage sales in California. More PET water bottles were purchased in 2004 than any other category of CRV beverage except soda in cans. But the growth in PET returns, measured in billions of units recycled, has finally overtaken PET unit sales growth. The PET recycling rate increased to 39% in 2004, up from 36% in 2003. Year 2004 CRV recycling rates were also up for other materials; aluminum cans came in at 75% (up from 70% in 2003), glass at 56% (up from 51%) and HDPE at 47% (up from 34%).

While these recycling gains are promising, California has not yet achieved its goal of 80% CRV recycling. Under the law, if the overall rate does not reach 75% in calendar year 2006, the CRV will increase again on July 1, 2007 to 5¢ for small containers and 10¢ for large containers. For more information, contact Jim Hill at jhill@consrv.ca.gov.

Oregon: Consensus approach being considered

SALEM — The Association of Oregon Recyclers is exploring the possibility of a voluntary agreement-seeking process with stakeholders, in an effort to modernize the state’s deposit law. Oregon’s bottle bill, the nation’s first, has seen few substantive changes since it was enacted in 1972.

An initial report by the Portland State University’s Oregon Consensus Program (OCP), the group hired by AOR), states that a collaborative process would be more likely to achieve an agreed upon piece of legislation than would an initiative petition, or a legis- lative battle. Information about OCP is available at www.orconsensus.pdx.edu. The next steps could involve stakeholder discussions and consensus building before Oregon’s legislative session begins in January 2007.

In the meantime, AOR is participating in the USEPA’s Beverage Container Recycling Stakeholder proccess. Alex Cuyler, AOR’s president, attended EPA’s first meeting for NGO’s held in Washington, DC in July. (See related article on page 8 for more information on EPA’s efforts to increase beverage container recovery.)

For more information, contact Betty Patton at EPractices@spiretech.com and Visit www.aorr.org for information on the Association of Oregon Recyclers

Contents | Page1 | Page2 | Page3 | Page4 | Page5 | Page6 | Page7 | Page8 | Page9 | Page10 | Page11 | Page12