California Green Law News - July 08

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California Green Law News - July 08

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{ As reported by Californians Against Waste }

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PVC packaging phase out - "The California Ocean Protection Council, an organization created by Governor Schwarzenegger, called for the banning of vinyl chloride packaging" which is toxic in all stages of its lifecycle." "PVC production involves large amounts of dangerous chlorine gas, as well as vinyl chloride, a dangerous carcinogen. Its production is responsible for at least one superfund site in California and studies have linked it with high cancer rates. In the home, PVC packaging can leach its many toxins through contact with the mouth, and may also shed these particles into the air to be inhaled. These include phthalates, which mimic human hormones and cause abnormal growth and heavy metals such as Lead and Cadmium, which cause brain damage in very small amounts. Once disposed, PVC packaging is not recycled. In fact, PVC packaging is a potent and expensive contaminant in the recycling streams of other, nontoxic plastic packaging, preventing municipalities from recycling more. When landfilled or littered PVC packaging leaches its toxins into the surrounding toxins." "AB 2505 will prevent human and environmental exposure to toxins, as well as encourage the recycling of consumer packaging. The bill would phase out the use of PVC consumer packaging beginning 2013 and concluding 2015." [Currently,] "AB 2505 is in the Senate Appropriations committee's suspense file, which will be opened in early August."

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Expanding California's Bottle and Can Recycling Law - "SB 1625 aims to significantly reduce the amount of plastic litter pollution entering our marine environment by expanding the scope of California's successful Bottle and Can Recycling Law to include all plastic bottles. Plastic marine debris pollution is a serious and growing problem, the source of which is right here on land. Up to 80% of marine debris pollution consists of plastic from urban litter. Containers under California's Bottle and Can Recycling Law are littered less than other plastic items because they have a redemption value. However, because plastics are the fastest growing component of the waste stream, only about 50% of plastic bottles are currently covered by California's Bottle and Can Recycling Law. Expanding the program to include all plastic bottles will significantly reduce plastic litter pollution, and will result in the recycling of more than 3 billion additional plastic bottles, reducing littered and landfilled plastic waste by 130,000 tons annually and providing local governments with an additional $100 million dollars annually." [Currently the bill is also in the Senate Appropriations committee's suspense file. Let's hope this gets passed because any means to reduce packaging including incentives for recycling, is a great idea. I like the economic minded potential, but a big issue is if & where plastic classifications can be recycled. Facilities vary in their abilities.]

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Phased Plastic Bag Diversion and Reduction Benchmarks for Grocers & Pharmacies - "AB 2058 aims to build upon the success of California's In-Store Plastic Bag Recycling Law (AB 2449 Levine 2006) by requiring retailers to meet a specified plastic bag diversion requirement. Plastic bag litter is a serious problem that kills thousands of sea birds every year. Cleanup of plastic bags costs local governments millions, especially in areas affected by US EPA zero maximum daily water load limits for trash. Under AB 2058, retailers would be required to demonstrate 70% diversion by July, 2011. If either goals are not met, retailers will be required to charge a 25 cent per bag fee, the proceeds of which are to be used for local litter clean-up. This approach has reduced plastic bag consumption in Ireland by over 90%. In order to assure the bill does not substitute one disposable bag for another, grocers will be required to distribute paper bags at an equal fee after 2011. AB 2058 also allows local governments to require additional fees."