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New England Currents | Winter 2011
making manufacturers take out the trash!
Americans generate a lot of trash — some would say, much more than their “fair share.” Many people feel that each individual should be responsible for reducing their own waste, perhaps along with the local community recycling program. The reality is that cities and towns have ended up bearing most of the responsibility — and the costs — for figuring out ways to reduce waste and make recycling programs work. Over the past ten years, however, new policies challenging this conventional approach have started gaining traction.
Over half of Rhode Islanders represented by Councils in support of Producer Responsibility
NEWPORT-On Wednesday, October 12th, the Newport City Council passed a resolution in support of Framework Producer Responsibility, making it the 13th municipality in Rhode Island to do so. Justin McLaughlin, Naomi Neville, Jeanne-Marie Napolitano, and Charles Duncan were co-sponsors on the resolution.
Newport Energy and Environment Commission members with CWA Organizer, Ellie Leonardsmith
Producer Responsibility is a new waste management system in which producers are involved in the end-of-life management of their products. Ellie Leonardsmith, Community Organizer from the non-profit Clean Water Action, said, "This model gives the producers an incentive to make products that are less toxic, more durable, and more recyclable in the first place."
ALL our Water
EPA's Lisa Jackson on protecting ALL our waters!
The Senate is pulling out the dictionaries for a debate over our water. The question they have to answer is whether "ALL" means "everything" or whether it means "only things that aren't inconvenient". Seriously, we're not kidding. Polluting interests continue to oppose the Administration’s efforts to clarify that ALL bodies of water are protected by the Clean Water Act. Now they’re forcing a vote in the U.S. Senate.
Find out what the amendment to H.R. 2354 means. Tell your Senators: Don't let December become a polluter free-for-all. Keep anti-environmental amendments and riders off of year-end bills.
Don’t Let Rhode Island Go Backwards - Say No to Trash Incineration
Rhode Island has banned trash incineration since the early 1990s because it’s dirty, dangerous, and it burns resources that we can recycle.
Rep. Brien (Woonsocket) has introduced legislation to allow a trash incinerator to be built in Woonsocket and to give it the same financial incentives as renewable energy sources.
This bad bill was voted out of committee on June 16. Now we need to tell all members to oppose this bill when it comes to a vote on the House floor.
Rhode Island Programs
Electronics Take Back Campaign
Discarded computers and other electronics (e-waste) are the fastest growing portion of our waste stream. The National Safety Council estimates that there are 300 to 500 million obsolete computers in the U.S. ready for disposal.
Clean Water Action led the successful Rhode Island campaign to pass the Electronic Waste Prevention, Reuse, and Recycling Act. Our new law will not only keep computers and televisions out of the landfill, but it will require manufacturers to pay for collecting and recycling their old products.
Rhode Island Diesel Pollution Initiative: Protecting Clean Air in the Ocean State
In Rhode Island, toxic Diesel soot is responsible for 51 premature deaths 80 heart attacks, 900 asthma attacks, 1,400 respiratory symptoms in children, and 5,500 missed work days. At a minimum, the health effects of diesel pollution cost Rhode Island $300 million annually.
The Rhode Island Diesel Pollution Initiative advocates for the use of diesel particulate filters (DPF's) as a means to reduce toxic diesel pollution. DPF's are effective exhaust filters that can capture up to 90% of toxic particulate matter emitted by a diesel engine. The DPI was instrumental in passing legislation to clean up Rhode Island school buses with these exhaust filters, by passing a statewide Anti-Idling law which limits idling in Rhode Island to five minutes, and by passing a Clean Construction law requiring construction vehilces used on publicly funded construction projects to run clean. This year the DPI wants to see our national government lead by example and include a clean construction provision in the 2011 transportation bill. Public money shouldn't create a public health risk!
Rhode Island Zero Mercury Campaign
Mercury containing thermostats release mercury into the environment when they are handled or disposed hadhazardly. Exposure to mercury, even at a low level, causes damage to the functioning and development of the nervous system both in utero and in growing children.
Most Rhode Islanders have a mercury thermostat in their home. Of the 665,000 thermostats in Rhode Island homes, there are 552,500 mercury thermostats. Since approximately 3% of those get replaced annually, over 120 pounds of mercury could be released into the environment each year.
Rhode Island Campaign for Producer Responsibility
When local governments took on responsibility for solid waste more than a century ago, household waste was primarily coal ash leftover from heating and cooking. The rest was mainly food and a small amount of simple manufactured products like paper and glass. Today manufactured products and their packaging make up 75% of what we throw away.
Most manufacturers don't pay anything to cover the costs of waste disposal. In fact, they're designing products to be thrown away - and taxpayers are picking up the tab.Local governments today are stuck with ever increasing costs for the recycling and disposal of computers, cameras, pharmaceuticals, batteries, and countless other consumer products.