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Recycling legislation has become an important component of successful recycling programs. Research any and all possible legislative action concerning recycling on all levels of government. Continue to follow legislation that affects recycling and solid waste. There are laws that govern recycling/composting and waste management that affect how a campus program is operated. Additionally, the law can be helpful in supporting a campus recycling effort. National laws have an opportunity to affect recycling through market development in a much broader manner than state laws. The best-known national solid waste legislation is the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). According to the EPA the Acts goals are to: 1. Protect from the hazards of waste disposal 2. Conserve energy and natural resources by recycling and recovery 3. Reduce or eliminate waste, and 4. Clean-up waste, which may have spilled, leaked, or was disposed of improperly. RCRA
has been followed up by a list of rules, regulations and policies. The act specifies how materials need to be managed for disposal. State
recycling laws typically include language that require counties and state
agencies to reduce and recycle a certain percentage of their waste stream.
These laws can also include recycled product purchasing goals,
bottle bills, market development, up front environmental fees for items purchased that are harmful if disposed of improperly (usually called advanced disposal fees),
reporting and grant programs.
Most National and State laws will be unfunded mandates. It's up to the local governments to follow the new rules. Money often drives decision making on this level. Local ordinances usually describe how solid waste and recycling programs will be implemented and funded. An example of an ordinance that encourages recycling is called the pay-as-you-throw system. Pay-as-you-throw
systems require residents to pay for solid waste by the bag or
size of the container. Recycling
usually does not require a fee.
Other funding options often applied include general taxes where
the amount of money paid is rolled up into a larger amount and not broken
out for the consumer to see and solid waste fees that show up as a separate
line item on the property tax bill.
Neither of these options encourages waste reduction or recycling.
Some communities pay private haulers directly for collection services.
The private haulers usually bid on the government contract. Many
state systems of higher education and individual schools have implemented
policies that require recycling and buying recycled.
These policies are often called recycling, sustainability or environmental
policies. The student policy
arm, Student Government, can also have a big effect on the administration
by passing bills that support starting or improving recycling programs,
buying recycled products or increasing student fees for recycling. Though
legislation is an important tool in supporting the institutionalization
of recycling programs, its implementation is dependent upon the support
and desire of folks willing to work towards a law's success.
Having a law, doesn't guarantee the success of recycling. Laws
of this genre must be accompanied by incentives and consequences to support
the action the law is mandating.
Find out if state or local government has a recycling law.
Utilize laws and policies to support campus efforts in establishing, implementing and
augmenting recycling programs. These laws have been very successful tools for establishing
recycling programs at universities and colleges. Laws that require reporting are also helpful in supporting
materials tracking. Tracking
materials, performing cost benefit analyses and legislative compliance
are very powerful tools in establishing and maintaining recycling efforts. Resources Bottle Bill Resource Guide European Recycling and the Environment US EPA Laws and Regulations RCRA US EPA Laws and Regulations Municipal Solid Waste by State Raymond Communications Recycling Laws Update Sustainable Campus Policy Bank The Talloires Declaration University of Oregon Policy Page |
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