Recycling

November 17, 2009 -- AUBURN - After touring a recycling center in Auburn, Alabama Governor Bob Riley announced that eight local governments have received more than $1 million under a new grant program designed to encourage recycling.

Governor Riley signed the Solid Wastes and Recyclable Materials Management Act into law in 2008. The law created the Alabama Recycling Fund, which provides grants to cities, counties and non-profit organizations to start new recycling programs or expand existing programs at the local level. During its first year, eight local governments have received $1,161,552 from the fund.    » read more »

November 13, 2009 -- BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Every day, Americans who recycle conserve valuable resources while reducing our Nation's carbon footprint. The reprocessing of materials is fundamental to our future prosperity, as recycling helps preserve our natural environment and sustain our economy. Recycling in the United States is a $236 billion industry, employing 1.1 million workers nationwide in 56,000 businesses. On America Recycles Day, we celebrate the individuals, communities, local governments, and businesses that recycle their waste and continually think of innovative ways to use materials that might otherwise be discarded.    » read more »

House Passes Miller’s Bay Area Water Recycling Bill; Legislation will bring new water sources to drought-stricken California

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. George Miller (D-Martinez) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed his legislation to expand water recycling in six San Francisco Bay Area communities:

“Today’s bill responds to the request for assistance from the state of California and local water managers to expand the supply of water in our drought-stricken state. This bill is good for our economy - it will create thousands of jobs and it will help reduce stress on our oversubscribed fresh water systems.    » read more »

October 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui (CA-05) spoke on the House floor on behalf of the House Committee on Rules to advocate for passage of Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Extension Act introduced by Chairman George Miller. Congresswoman Matsui’s opening statement, as prepared for delivery, is below:

“I first want to thank Chairman Miller and Chairman Stark as well as Representatives Eshoo, Honda, Woolsey, McNerney, Lofgren, Napolitano, and Speier for their work on this bill, and efforts to address the Bay Area’s water needs. I also commend Senators Feinstein and Boxer for introducing identical legislation in the Senate, and their leadership on this issue.    » read more »

October 15, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives voted today to supplement California's drought-stricken water supply with an additional 2.6 billion gallons of water per year. H.R. 2442, the Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Expansion Act of 2009, authorizes new projects which will improve supply for the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta system, the largest estuary on the west coast of North America and the source of water for two-thirds of California.    » read more »

10.15.09 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Jim Costa (D-Fresno) voted against the Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Expansion Act of 2009 today because it offered no assistance to the water crisis in the San Joaquin Valley. However, bill passed the House by a vote of 241 to 173. Costa spoke on the House Floor today opposing the process which brought the bill to the floor. The speech can be viewed by clicking here.    » read more »

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Encourages Congress to Support Development of Recycling Technology to Turn Used Nuclear Fuel into an Asset

WILMINGTON, N.C.--18 June 2009-- As the White House and U.S. Congress create a new national strategy for managing used nuclear fuel, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) is encouraging lawmakers to support the research and development necessary for recycling nuclear fuel.

Testifying before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Science & Technology Committee on Wednesday, Lisa Price, a GEH senior vice president, briefed lawmakers on GEH’s proposed Advanced Recycling Center (ARC). The concept offers a timely solution to the industry’s most significant public policy and environmental challenges by turning used nuclear fuel into an asset.    » read more »

Columbus-Based Company Will Refurbish Equipment, Reduce Toxic Electronic Waste

May 28, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today joined Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) to launch the inaugural Employee Electronic Recycling Day in Washington, D.C. Redemtech, a Columbus-based company specializing in electronic waste recovery, was on site to collect and recycle materials that pose a significant threat to the environment.

“This remarkable event demonstrates how innovation in business can create green jobs in Ohio and address environmental threats that endanger public health,” Brown said.    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer (both D-Calif.) have reintroduced a bill to increase the supply of non-drinking water for California’s Bay Area. Similar legislation was introduced by Senators Feinstein and Boxer in the 110th Congress.

Specifically, the bill would help six Bay Area communities increase their municipal water supplies through innovative and much-needed water recycling projects. It would make six additional Bay Area recycled water projects eligible for a 25 percent federal cost-share, and increase the authorization levels for two more, totaling $38,075,000.    » read more »

Lawmakers Honored by Environmental Groups for Bottle Bill on 40th Anniversary of Earth Day; Governor Also Announces Pesticide Reduction Plan to Safeguard Parks and Protect Environment

April 22, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today was honored by New York’s environmental advocates for signing into law the Bigger Better Bottle Bill and maintaining his commitment to the environment through this economic crisis.

The legislation broke a 9-year struggle to update the 1982 law governing bottle deposits by expanding it to include bottled water. By retaining 80 percent of unclaimed bottle deposits, the State is expected to receive an additional $115 million in annual revenue to help address New York’s fiscal crisis.    » read more »

Council Approves Eco-Friendly Way to Toss Old TVs, Computers, iPods

NEW YORK (February 13, 2008) – The New York City Council passed groundbreaking legislation (Intro. 104-A) today that would institute a city-wide electronics recycling program for the 25,000 tons of discarded electronics the City collects annually, making it the first major municipality in the nation to tackle the rising tide of discarded electronics in the waste stream.    » read more »

National Partnership Kicks-Off Ambitious Campaign to Promote Magazine and Catalog Recycling in New York City

January 30, 2008 -- New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced the New York City launch of ReMix - Recycling Magazines is Excellent! - a national public education campaign aimed at increasing residential recycling of magazines and catalogs.    » read more »

Part Of City's Historic Solid Waste Management Plan; Four New Recycling Sites Added in Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island Brings Total Number to 13

January 28, 2008 -- New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Sanitation Commissioner John J. Doherty today announced that four new heavily-trafficked sites have been added to the Department of Sanitation's (DSNY) successful Public Space Recycling Program.    » read more »

Remarks by Mayor Bloomberg at a Public Hearing on Local Laws

January 23, 2008 -- "The first of two bills before me today is Introductory Number 640-A, sponsored by Speaker Quinn and Council Members Vallone, Gennaro, McMahon, Yassky, Liu, Mark-Viverito, Gioia, de Blasio, Avella, Brewer, Felder, Fidler, Gentile, Gonzalez, James, Koppell, Lappin, Nelson, Recchia, Sanders, Weprin, Jackson, Arroyo, Garodnick, Sears, and the Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum. Introductory number 640-A establishes a recycling program for plastic bags.    » read more »

NEW YORK (January 9, 2008) – The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) today welcomed New York City Council passage of new legislation that would encourage recycling of single-use plastic bags at large supermarkets and other retail outlets throughout the city.

The legislation, sponsored by Speaker Christine Quinn, council members Peter Vallone, Michael McMahon and others, would require large retail outlets in New York City to establish in-store plastic bag recycling programs, inform consumers of the availability of such programs and to offer for sale reusable bags.    » read more »