Making manufacturers responsible for recycling: Passing the garbage buck

Conference · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995

OSTI ID:96117

Chilton, K ^[1]; Boerner, C; Ansehl-Fellow, J ^[2]

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1. Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO (United States)
2. and others

During a meeting with the Conference of Mayor and the National Association of Counties in April of 1993, Senator Max Baucus, then-Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, unveiled his solution to America`s {open_quotes}garbage crisis{close_quotes}. Modeled after Germany`s draconian {open_quotes}green dot{close_quotes} recycling program, the Senator`s solution rested on a principle which he called {open_quotes}manufacturers` responsibility for the life-cycle of a product.{close_quotes} {open_quotes}Anyone who sells a product,{close_quotes} Senator Baucus noted, {open_quotes}should also be responsible for the product when it becomes waste{close_quotes}. Other variations on this life-cycle stewardship concept were a central element of Congress`s failed attempts in 1992-1993 to reauthorize the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Likewise, on July 11, 1994 the United States Conference of Mayors` Energy and Environment Committee passed a resolution calling on Congress to study the concept of {open_quotes}shared responsibility for waste reduction{close_quotes}. The committee cited the virtues of Western Europe`s systems of manufacturers` responsibility and claimed that a U.S. version would create jobs, promote new environmental technology and {open_quotes}result in the emergence of entire new industries{close_quotes}. This report describes a recycling program in Germany in which the manaufacturers are responsible for waste collection. The overall waste reduction benefits are described.

• OSTI ID: 96117
• Report Number(s): CONF-950166--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
COST
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
MANUFACTURERS
MUNICIPAL WASTES
PUBLIC OPINION
RECYCLING
SOLID WASTES
WASTE MANAGEMENT