On Saturday morning I passed my local Von’s—in the parking lot they have a recycling center—with a couple dozen people and families waiting—up to two hours (not a typo) to recycle their bottles and cans. Thanks to government regulations we pay extra—a tax—on every can and bottle we buy. This forces us to spend hours separating our trash, driving to recycling centers and waiting in the cold or the heat for a little return on our taxes.
“Under Mr. Wieckowski’s SB 168, distributors must form a “Beverage Container Stewardship Organization” by October 2018 to develop, implement, and administer a beverage container stewardship program. CalRecyle would review the organization’s redemption and recycling plan for approval. Distributors and dealers would be prohibited from distributing or selling their beverages in California unless they are in compliance.
“It is time to can the old program, and usher in a new program based on extended producer responsibility, accountability, and efficiency,” Mr. Wieckowski says.
Is Wieckowski serious? This is like changing the location of chairs on the Titanic. Does it matter who is responsible for the system? You are stealing from taxpayers and forcing them to lose valuable time to a government feel good scam. This is a tax on our money and out time—and the Democrats want to change administrators. How can we trust or respect Sacramento?
Lawmaker calls for scrapping current recycling program
Central Valley Business Times, 4/7/17
- Proposes comprehensive reform of bottle recycling system
- “It is time to can the old program”
A top-to-bottom makeover of California’s bottle recycling program is being called for by state Sen. Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont, chairman of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee.
His Senate Bill 168 establishes what he calls a new streamlined stewardship program that reduces the Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery’s administrative role.
“After more than 30 years, it is time to move beyond tinkering with the status quo. The system is convoluted and mired in periodic structural deficits,” Mr. Wieckowski says.
He says his changes place redemption and recycling responsibilities on those who are distributing beverages inside California.
“CalRecycle’s focus will be where it is most efficient – on oversight and enforcement of the recycling program – not administering a bureaucracy,” he says.
Created in 1986, the current system has prevented billions of single-use beverage containers from becoming litter on our streets and going into our landfills. But, says the lawmaker, after three decades, the system is slow to adapt to changes, often has significant structural deficits and relies too heavily on consumers for financing.
Under Mr. Wieckowski’s SB 168, distributors must form a “Beverage Container Stewardship Organization” by October 2018 to develop, implement, and administer a beverage container stewardship program. CalRecyle would review the organization’s redemption and recycling plan for approval. Distributors and dealers would be prohibited from distributing or selling their beverages in California unless they are in compliance.
“It is time to can the old program, and usher in a new program based on extended producer responsibility, accountability, and efficiency,” Mr. Wieckowski says.
About Stephen Frank
Speak Your Mind