III 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 251 

Expressing support for improvement in the collection, processing, and 

consumption of recyclable materials throughout the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 2, 2011 

Mr. CARPER (for himself, Ms. SNOWE, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mr. 

BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BAUCUS, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. CASEY, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. TESTER, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. COONS, 

and Mr. MERKLEY) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for improvement in the collection, processing, and consumption of recyclable materials throughout the United States. 

Whereas maximizing the recycling economy in the United 

States will create and sustain additional well-paying jobs 

in the United States, further stimulate the economy of 

the United States, save energy, and conserve valuable 

natural resources; 

Whereas recycling is an important action that people in the 

United States can take to be environmental stewards; 

Whereas municipal recycling rates in the United States steadily increased from 6.6 percent in 1970 to 28.6 percent in 


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•SRES 251 IS 

2000, but since 2000, the rate of increase has slowed 

considerably; 

Whereas a decline in manufacturing in the United States has 

reduced both the supply of and demand for recycled materials; 

Whereas recycling allows the United States to recover the 

critical materials necessary to sustain the recycling economy and protect national security interests in the United 

States; 

Whereas recycling plays an integral role in the sustainable 

management of materials throughout the life-cycle of a 

product; 

Whereas 46 States have laws promoting the recycling of materials that would otherwise be incinerated or sent to a 

landfill; 

Whereas more than 10,000 communities in the United States 

have residential recycling and drop-off programs that collect a wide variety of recyclable materials, including 

paper, steel, aluminum, plastic, glass, and electronics; 

Whereas, in addition to residential recycling, the scrap recycling industry in the United States manufactures recyclable materials collected from businesses into commoditygrade materials; 

Whereas those commodity-grade materials are used as feedstock to produce new basic materials and finished products in the United States and throughout the world; 

Whereas recycling stimulates the economy and plays an integral role in sustaining manufacturing in the United 

States; 


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•SRES 251 IS 

Whereas, in 2010, the United States recycling industry collected, processed, and consumed over 130,000,000 metric 

tons of recyclable material, valued at $77,000,000,000; 

Whereas many manufacturers use recycled commodities to 

make products, saving energy and reducing the need for 

raw materials, which are generally higher-priced; 

Whereas the recycling industry in the United States helps 

balance the trade deficit and provides emerging economies with the raw materials needed to build countries 

and participate in the global economy; 

Whereas, in 2010, the scrap recycling industry in the United 

States sold over 44,000,000 metric tons of commoditygrade materials, valued at almost $30,000,000,000, to 

over 154 countries; 

Whereas recycling saves energy by decreasing the amount of 

energy needed to manufacture the products that people 

build, buy, and use; 

Whereas using recycled materials in place of raw materials 

can result in energy savings of 92 percent for aluminum 

cans, 87 percent for mixed plastics, 63 percent for steel 

cans, 45 percent for recycled newspaper, and 34 percent 

for recycled glass; and 

Whereas a bipartisan Senate Recycling Caucus and a bipartisan House Recycling Caucus were established in 2006 

to provide a permanent and long-term way for members 

of Congress to obtain in-depth knowledge about the recycling industry and to help promote the many benefits of 

recycling: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 


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•SRES 251 IS 

1 (1) expresses support for improvement in the 

2 collection, processing, and consumption of recyclable 

3 material throughout the United States in order to 

4 create well-paying jobs, foster innovation and invest5 ment in the United States recycling infrastructure, 

6 and stimulate the economy of the United States; 

7 (2) expresses support for strengthening the 

8 manufacturing base in the United States in order to 

9 rebuild the domestic economy, which will increase 

10 the supply, demand, and consumption of recyclable 

11 and recycled materials in the United States; 

12 (3) expresses support for a competitive market13 place for recyclable materials; 

14 (4) expresses support for the trade of recyclable 

15 commodities, which is an integral part of the domes16 tic and global economy; 

17 (5) expresses support for policies in the United 

18 States that promote recycling of materials, including 

19 paper, which is commonly recycled rather than ther20 mally combusted or sent to a landfill; 

21 (6) expresses support for policies in the United 

22 States that recognize and promote recyclable mate23 rials as essential economic commodities, rather than 

24 wastes; 


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•SRES 251 IS 

1 (7) expresses support for policies in the United 

2 States that promote using recyclable materials as 

3 feedstock to produce new basic materials and fin4 ished products throughout the world; 

5 (8) expresses support for research and develop6 ment of new technologies to more efficiently and ef7 fectively recycle materials such as automobile shred8 der residue and cathode ray tubes; 

9 (9) expresses support for research and develop10 ment of new technologies to remove materials that 

11 are impediments to recycling, such as radioactive 

12 material, polychlorinated biphenyls, mercury-con13 taining devices, and chlorofluorocarbons; 

14 (10) expresses support for Design for Recy15 cling, to improve the design and manufacture of 

16 goods to ensure that, at the end of a useful life, a 

17 good can, to the maximum extent practicable, be re18 cycled safely and economically; 

19 (11) recognizes that the scrap recycling indus20 try in the United States is a manufacturing industry 

21 that is critical to the future of the United States; 

22 (12) expresses support for policies in the 

23 United States that establish the equitable treatment 

24 of recycled materials; and 


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•SRES 251 IS 

1 (13) expresses support for the participation of 

2 households, businesses, and governmental entities in 

3 the United States in recycling programs, where 

4 available. 

Æ 


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