Comment Log Display

The Recyclers Global Warming Council (RGWC) of the California
Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) represents interests within
the CRRA and overall resource recovery industry to address the
issue of climate protection through Zero Waste strategies: reduce,
reuse, recycling, composting and product stewardship.  The CRRA is
the oldest and one of the largest non-profit organizations in the
United States dedicated to reducing waste, pollution, and
greenhouse gas (GHG) production through Zero Waste strategies.

RGWC appreciates the opportunity to provide input on the
Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Strategy.

Banning organics statewide is viable as an incremental policy and
program strategy; there are cities and counties already doing so in
CA and elsewhere with an incremental, iterative approach to
implementation; and California should move forward with doing so.

Alameda County banned plant debris disposal, is implementing
mandatory recycling of organics, is serious about it, and is
willing to share its policy approach and program results as the
state considers eliminating disposal of organic materials in CA
landfills. Similarly, San Francisco has adopted and is implementing
mandatory organics recycling.

A Commercial Organics Disposal Ban was recently adopted by New York
City. Fort Collins, CO banned corrugated cardboard boxes/packaging
from landfill disposal for all commercial, industrial, and
residential generators and also banned landfill disposal of
electronics.

Many other states have banned yard trimmings from landfills for
many years.  Massachusetts has recently adopted a ban on all
organics from landfills.  Massachusetts has used bans very
successfully to stimulate waste reduction, recycling and composting
as well as climate protection benefits. North Carolina has had a
Cardboard Ban for many years that has been particularly successful
(
http://nrcrecycles.org/mobius/nrcwp-content/uploads/2015/01/Blair-Pollock-White-Paper.pdf
).

Banning organics from landfill disposal is a viable strategy and a
key to achieving ARB’s goals.


Mark Gagliardi, Chair
CRRA, Recyclers Global Warming Council