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The United
States’ current 49% recycling rate for aluminum cans is the
lowest recycling rate in the past 15 years (the highest rate
was in 1992, when 65% of all aluminum cans were recycled).
Fortunately, there are solutions to this troubling trend,
starting with the effort to pass a national bottle bill. The
states with bottle bills (there are 11 now, as Hawaii joined
the ranks earlier this year) are already recycling close to
80% of all their aluminum and other beverage containers. In
fact, in 1999 these ten states, representing 29% of the
entire U.S. population, recycled more containers than the
other forty states combined.
To reverse
the downward trend in beverage container recycling, Senator
Jim Jeffords of Vermont introduced the National Beverage
Producer Responsibility Act. This would be the first
national bill requiring a minimum 10-cent refundable deposit
on all beverage containers in all states (there was a
container deposit bill—which did not pass—introduced in the
House in the early 90’s). The goal of Senator Jeffords’ Act
is to establish a measurable performance standard of 80%
recycling or reuse for all used, empty beverage containers.
This goal is set with the intention of allowing the industry
the flexibility to design their recovery systems in the most
efficient manner possible. In other words, the beverage
producers can design their system as they see fit, as long
as the job gets done.
Senator
Jeffords has put together a flexible, straightforward
approach which can help reverse the downward trend in
beverage container recycling. To view the Jeffords’ Bill,
visit the GrassRoots Recycling Network’s web site at
www.grrn.org. To read the
executive summary of CRI’s report, “Trashed Cans,” visit
their site at
www.container-recycling.org.
Caption:
To reverse the downward trend in beverage container
recycling, Senator Jim Jeffords of Vermont introduced the
National Beverage Producer Responsibility Act to achieve 80%
recycling or reuse for all used, empty beverage containers.
Why Do We
Need a National Bottle Bill?
With
declining recycling rates for aluminum cans, one of the
easiest, most efficient materials to recycle, a little
incentive wouldn’t hurt. The environmental cost of NOT doing
it is significant. Check out these facts:
•
Recycling one aluminum can saves an amount of energy
equivalent to half that can filled with gasoline.
•
Aluminum cans are made from bauxite ore. Most mining for
bauxite ore occurs in the tropical rainforests, leading to
soil erosion, deforestation, increased Carbon Dioxide
production through forest burning (thus contributing to
global warming), loss of wildlife habitat, plus the
disruption of native populations in those communities. And
don’t forget the additional waste and pollution created by
bringing the virgin aluminum cans to market in the United
States.
•
Recycling aluminum results in the saving of 95% of the
energy requirements, 95% of the pollution created, and 4
pounds of bauxite for every pound of aluminum recycled. |
