Recycling Now Part of Climate Change Bill
Washington, D.C.—A secret no more, recycling has been acknowledged for its contribution to fighting climate change by the United States Senate committee drafting the historic climate change bill, S. 2191, according to the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) President Robin Wiener.
“Recycling is a climate friendly industry and ISRI applauds Sen. Carper for recognizing recycling as an essential activity to combat global climate change,” said Wiener. “This amendment enhances the role recycling will play in reducing and avoiding emissions of greenhouse gases.”
The amendment introduced by Sen. Carper, co-chair of the Senate Recycling Caucus, strengthens recycling as a tool against climate change in two ways:
- It provides for a lifecycle study of the benefits of recycling regarding the reduction or avoidance of GHGs with a view toward the use of recyclables in the manufacturing process; the impact that design for recycling will have on increasing recyclables output; and the establishment of a standardized GHG emission reduction measurement and certification protocol for manufactured products and scrap recycling; and
- It provides funding to improve or increase various recycling activities in states for statewide programs.
Recycling’s ability to fight climate change stems from its affect on sustainability by reducing the need to exploit many of the earth’s natural resources and by the significant decrease in energy usage derived from processing recyclable materials as manufacturing feedstock compared to processing virgin materials.
“By all accounts and by every possible metric, the activity of recycling is among the most climate friendly activities imaginable,” Wiener added. “Recycling is prevalent in the United States, with both a private and a public infrastructure in place to immediately increase the recycling of materials as diverse as bridges, automobiles, pipes, office paper, tires, and computers, in addition to common household recyclables like cans, bottles and newspaper.”
According to a 2007 study by the American Institute of Architects, 31 percent of respondents believe recycling is the most important thing they can do to affect climate change. Recycling was the highest response, topping driving less and reducing energy consumption.
