[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 122 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 122
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 14, 2007
Received and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Supporting the goal and mission of America Recycles Day.
Whereas America Recycles Day is on November 15th of each year;
Whereas America Recycles Day is an annual national awareness event, the mission
of which is promoting the social, environmental, and economic benefits
of recycling and buying recycled-content products;
Whereas the goal of America Recycles Day is to increase the purchase of
recycled-content products and recycling throughout America;
Whereas Americans have a long tradition of recycling;
Whereas in 1896, the first recycling center was established in New York City,
and, by 1989, the Environmental Protection Agency had set a national
waste reduction and recycling goal, and 26 States had enacted laws
making recycling an integral part of their solid waste management plans;
Whereas in 2003, homes, businesses, and institutions in the United States
produced more than 236,000,000 tons of municipal solid waste;
Whereas this amounts to approximately 4.5 pounds of waste per person in the
United States per day, and is almost triple the amount of municipal
solid waste generated in 1960;
Whereas the Environmental Protection Agency reports that 30 percent of municipal
solid waste is recovered for recycling or composting, 14 percent is
incinerated, and the remaining 56 percent is discarded in landfills;
Whereas a significant amount of this disposed solid waste can be recovered for
recycling or composting through source separation, mechanical
separation, and community-based recycling programs;
Whereas recycling saves energy, which in turn can reduce American dependence on
foreign oil and prevent pollution; reduces the need for certain natural
resources; can create more jobs; can cost communities less than other
waste disposal options; supplies valuable raw materials to industry;
stimulates green technology development; and reduces the need for new
landfills and combustors;
Whereas over the past 10 years, many new markets for recycled products have been
created, including remanufacturing plastic containers into other plastic
containers, fleece, carpet, car parts, strapping, stuffing, bottles,
pipe, lawn and garden products, injection molded products, and plastic
lumber;
Whereas while there are many new markets for recycled products, community
curbside pickup programs have decreased and recycling rates for certain
recyclable household products, like plastic and aluminum containers,
have decreased or stayed the same;
Whereas Federal, State, and local governments should encourage increased
recycling of recyclable household products; and
Whereas there remains significant opportunity to increase recycling in the
United States, and Americans should be encouraged to participate in
endeavors that promote waste separation methods, community-based
recycling programs, and expanded utilization of recovered materials:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress--
(1) supports the goal and mission of America Recycles Day;
and
(2) encourages all Americans to participate in promoting
the social, environmental, and economic benefits of recycling
and buying recycled-content products.
Passed the House of Representatives November 13, 2007.
Attest:
LORRAINE C. MILLER,
Clerk.