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| GoGreen50 |
After reviewing the six environmental health themes on the HealthyPeople website, I have decided that I would like to focus on toxic substances and hazardous wastes. The objective that I have chosen is EH-12 : Increase recycling of municipal solid waste. The current baseline is 33.2 percent of municipal solid wast was recycled in 2008. The target for this objective is 36.5 percent, which is a ten percent improvement. According to a fact sheet by the EPA, "municipal solid waste (MSW) includes those materials that historically have been handled in the municipal solid waste stream–those materials from municipal sources, sent to municipal landfills. MSW includes wastes such as product packaging, newspapers, office and classroom papers, bottles and cans, boxes, wood pallets, food scraps, grass clippings, clothing, furniture, appliances, automobile tires, consumer electronics, and batteries." I don't think we completely realize what is considered to be waste. We carelessly throw everything away without giving a second thought to how that particular item may affect our environment.
The bill that I found using THOMAS is:
Trash Reduction Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require retailers to pay a $0.05 excise tax on each disposable carryout bag provided to a consumer. Defines "disposable carryout bag" to mean a bag of any material, commonly plastic or kraft paper, which is provided to a consumer at the point of sale to carry or cover purchases, merchandise, or items. Exempts reusable bags and certain other bags used for specified purposes from such tax. Allows a refund of such tax for retailers who establish a disposable carryout bag recycling program.
This bill also establishes
in the Treasury the Disposable carryout bag Trust Fund to hold tax
revenues generated by this Act. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to
make payments from such Trust Fund for the disposable carryout bag
recycling program and for the land and water conservation fund
established by the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965.
Sponsor: Representative James P. Moran [VA-8] (introduced 4/15/2011)
Co-sponsor: Representative Eleanor Norton
Latest Major Action: 4/22/2011
Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
Recommendation: Vote Yes for H.R. 1628 :: Trash Reduction Act of 2011 (I feel that the only way people will stop using plastic bags to haul their groceries and other supplies home from the stores is by making them pay a fee. This fee is so nominal when you think of how much it really affects our environment.
My Political Representative(s): Chip Cravaack
I must admit to being slightly peeved that this bill has been sitting out there for since April and LITTLE has been done with it. This is how slow our government works???????
2 comments:
Wow, what an awesome idea for a bill! This would definitely inspire lots of stores to drive consumers to waste less bags and bring their own, or bring back ones they have already used in past visits. We all definitely have plenty laying around from our past trips that just pile up.
This IS a great bill. A lot of stores give small discounts for bringing your own bag(s), but they are never very publicized. No better a way to motivate stores to encourage re-using bags than to charge them!
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