rates for recycling and scarp processing facilities, imposing a disposal tax on certain products, and giving tax incentives, in the form of tax deductions, for the use of recycled materials. Oil recycling Two bills introduced aimed at encouraging the recycling of oil by removal of the tax on recycled oil. Packaging * * * * Another major group of bills before the 92d Congress dealt with the problem of packaging. Several different approaches were suggested: Ban on nonreturnable containers Several bills would ban nonreturnable containers in order to reduce litter and the volume of solid waste which must be disposed of. Economic incentives Several other bills would have required that a deposit be placed on all glass containers and a tax of 25 cents be placed on all containers which are 2 percent or more plastic by weight. The bills provide that machine-dispensed containers will not be taxed. Two other bills would provide economic incentives and regulatory mechanisms to encourage changes in packaging design to reduce the quantity of packaging to be disposed of and increase the disposability of packaging. These bills also proposed that a schedule of packaging charges be established. Two more bills would place an excise tax on nonreturnable bottles and cans according to their capacity. One bill proposed that all products including packaging carry disposal charges based on the weight of the product. Research One bill proposed to study the decomposability and destructability of packaging. Product design One bill proposed that all bottles be either clear or returnable so they are either recyclable or reusable. Hearings by the Senate Committee on Commerce were held in March 1972 dealing with packaging proposals as presented in S. 1377 and its amendment 861 and S. 3058. S. 1377 proposes that all beverage containers carry a deposit. Amendment 861 to S. 1377 would establish a "schedule of national environmental packaging incentive charges. S. 3058 proposes a national system of waste charges based on product weight excluding the proportion composed of recycled materials. All three of the bills are aimed at attacking the problem of solid waste disposal by reducing the amount of waste to be disposed of and by influencing the composition of the waste. Many bills were introduced with the intent of helping to stabilize and strengthen the market for secondary materials by increasing Gov ernment procurement of products containing a percentage of recycled Material Many of the bills would require the Department of DeComo and the General Services Administration to purchase recycled storials, while others require only one particular Government agency or branch to purchase or use products containing recycled materials. Two sors of hearings have been held to study Government procuremont and the potential for Government use of recycled materials. Pho Sonato Committee on Rules and Administration held hearings on the new of weled paper by Congress on August 3, 1971. The bills strS966 which would amend the United States Code "to HP Pablo Printer to furnish recycled material for the offivape or ho Sorate and the House of Representatives." and S. 2267 wwest amend the United States Code "to require the use of reved paper in the printing of the Congressional Record Small Business Administration One bill proposed that all equipment purchased with SBA loans must minimize environmental pollution. MAJOR REPORTS AND THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS The Potential for Energy Conservation "The Potential for Energy Conservation," a staff study, was issued in October 1972 by the Office of Emergency Preparedness. This study deals with energy conservation by various groups of energy consumers. Of particular importance to the area of solid waste and recycling is the discussion of industrial energy use. In industry, the trend is toward more efficient use of energy and a continually increasing amount of energy used. The study suggests several ways in which industry might conserve, including developing complete life cycle plans for materials, including reuse and recycling. This plan for conservation should begin with the design of products so they could be recycled, and the design of equipment which could recover the components of these products. Recycling is far less energy consuming than extracting primary materials and thus could bring about major energy savings. In fact, by 1990 recycling could be saving 1.1 quadrillion B.t.u. annually. The study suggests that economic incentives in the form of an energy price increase or energy tax may encourage energy conservation. This incentive should be coupled with an attempt to inform professionals about the need to conserve energy. Elements of a National Materials Policy This is a report of the National Materials Advisory Board published in August 1972. The report tabulates "issues, problems, needs, and opportunities" dealing with recycling, substitution, synthesis, and design. Recycling, substitution, synthesis, and proper design help conserve materials and with proper planning can reduce pollution and conserve energy as well. The study suggests that where adequate market forces do not exist to encourage recycling and related activities, public opinion, "appropriate measures of public policy, such as subsidies or favorable taxation," and Government procurement policies can encourage recycling. In conclusion, it is apparent from the issues, needs, problems, and opportunities listed in the report that people at all levels of industry and government will have to be involved in order to make materials conservation a reality. Citizens' Advisory Committee on Environmental Quality, 1972 Annual Report The Citizens' Advisory Committee on Environmental Quality Annual Report to the President and to the Council on Environmental Quality for the year ending May 1972 contains a section dealing with resource recovery, recycling, and reuse. The report states that it should be a national goal to "implement now a policy of maximum resource recovery, recycling, and reuse" in order to deal with solid waste and conserve resources. To achieve this goal it is stated that Federal financial aid to the States should be increased and should include funds to launch major demonstration programs as well as to help the States carry out their solid waste programs. The study also suggests that the Federal Government encourage increased participation by the private sector in solid waste management. One suggested method of encouraging proper handling of solid waste and resource conservation is by changing existing tax laws in several areas including depletion allowances, investment tax credit, amortization, tax-exempt industrial development bonds, and taxes on environmental detrimental products. Other ways the Federal Government can encourage recycling, suggested in this report, are to increase Government purchasing of products containing recycled materials and to change existing freight rates and taxes on recycled oil. Finally, the Advisory Committee discusses the citizen role in allevi ating the solid waste problem by encouraging recycling, attacking public apathy and ignorance, and encouraging antiwaste campaigns. Toward a National Materials Policy. Basic Data and Issues: An Interim Report This interim report of the National Commission on Materials Policy was published in April 1972. The final report to be published in the spring of 1973 will be issued in response to title II of the Resource Recovery Act of 1970. The Commission states in the introduction to the report "over the past decade, it has become increasingly evident that we must find ways to establish an acceptable balance between materials needs and environmental quality." Recycling is seen as having a definite role in establishing this balance. The report organizes a list of materials which deserve further study concerning how to improve and increase their recycling. The materials discussed include ferrous metals, nonferrous metals, forest products, glass containers, plastics, rubber, and mineral fuels. The current recycling status of these materials is discussed as well as potential supply and demand. Finally, the report summarizes issues and problems associated with materials including the impediments and incentives to increased recycling. The final report of the Commission will discuss the solutions to the problems posed in this interim report and the potential for recycling. U.S. National Report on the Human Environment "The U.S. National Report on the Human Environment," was prepared in the spring of 1972 for use at the U.N. Conference on Human Environment. This report contains a brief study of the solid waste. problem in the United States. It summarizes both existing and projected problems of solid waste management as well as existing laws aimed at correcting these problems. The report also states some international implications of solid waste management, including applica tion of technology developed in foreign countries, pollution associated with poor solid-waste management practices which may cross national boundaries, pollution of the ocean from dumping solid wastes at sea, and depletion of the world supply of nonrenewable resources. Recycle "Recycle; In Search of New Policies for Resource Recovery" was published by the League of Women Voters in the fall of 1972. This Sal F E a summarizes the present magnitude of the solid war fr problems, the amount of recycling being done now, and dry reling. It discusses the present market for day trials the need to improve the economics of recycling the need for com a research and development of recycling to hundhout the mot manufacturing changes to oceny, and the mood for mfamat the problems connected with solid wat management veling to be distributed, Methode of em om aplin A to this study include levying now diego al afabana acing tax benefits to virgin materiale extration ljudu teh Cing secondary materials to equalis pricamped to Vroom mi sis, equalizing transportation rates, encouraging sportarbon materials, and building demand through thutemment patro The report concludes with several pole toward which Last move in order to necesfully manap milid Waste melado returning organic wasten to the will things metal and natural fibers for reuse by industry plaimothy substances for further me perhaps in com frition combating and using fibers, textiles, and synthetica into new probot and the ally covering energy from mixed, combin rible work that the choice of how, to manage milid waste to up to the commÿÿÿÿÿ Salvage Markets for Materal en Noled W This 1979 report was prepared by from Darnay and Wally you Franklin of the Midwest Research Institute and publish of la rh ЕРА. The report summarizes the present marhota for web hot minyak. and potential for growth of salvagy marhore A manfal- HTCY MÌN the solid waste system. The report concludes that may hot for a caupun a divaya min use of recycled materials The relatively low roof of Viboon Manuale and the relatively high cord of reclaimed by rothad manyak hinde to a small proportion of available materiala boma wetched. Araplara that the relative cords of virgin voigma oled materials to my able to recycling primarily because the "mathoor mochaniem done thot reflect the true socioeconomie costs of virgin matoriale nec not done p credit recycled materials with creating oral bonefits." The report states, therefore, that legislation to include moefoed nomic costs of materials in the market price is required in order m increase the amount of waste materials being reveled. Loguzlarıya decisionmaking is hampered, according to the study, by the over that there is an "absence of information on the total or systems' impact of our materials use practices." This information can be developed. however, to aid the formation of materials use practices that comørte our natural resources in a constructive manner. Need for Federal Agencies To Improve Solid Waste Management Practices This report to the Congress was issued by the Comptroller General of the United States on October 26, 1972. This report reviews existing solid waste management programs and actual disposal practices of the Bureau of Land Management, Forest |