TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Executive Office
MEETING DATE: January 22, 2019
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Carmel J. Angelo
PHONE:
463-4441
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Sarah Dukett
PHONE:
463-4441
ITEM TYPE: Consent Agenda
TIME ALLOCATED FOR ITEM: N/A
AGENDA TITLE:
title
Adoption of Resolution to Support the Establishment of a Statewide Commission on Recycling Markets
End
RECOMMENDED ACTION/MOTION:
recommendation
Adopt Resolution to support the establishment of a statewide commission on recycling markets; and authorize Chair to sign same
End
PREVIOUS BOARD/BOARD COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
None.
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
Local governments are partners with the state in meeting our recycling and waste diversion goals. Under the Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989, cities and counties are required to divert 50 percent of all solid waste out of the landfill by January 1, 2000 through source reduction, recycling, and composting activities. AB 341 (Chapter 476, Statutes of 2011) also established a statewide goal that not less than 75 percent of solid waste generated be source reduced, recycled, or composted by the year 2020.
California has been largely successful in achieving and making progress towards these goals and others over recent years. However, recent changes in China's trade import policies have significantly disrupted California's recycling industry by restricting foreign imports of recyclable materials and requiring reduced contamination levels in recycling streams. These changes are collectively referred to as "National Sword" and will ultimately close off Chinese and Asian markets to California's scrap imports completely by 2020. These markets have served as the foundation for California's recycling system as the export of recyclable materials is a key component of California's recycling infrastructure.
Significant market disruptions for recyclable materials have a direct impact on California's local governments and our ability to meet st...
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