1Urging State agencies and communities, businesses and residents
2of this Commonwealth to adopt zero-waste initiatives.

3WHEREAS, The Commonwealth is committed to protecting and
4enhancing environmental quality now and for future generations;
5and

6WHEREAS, Every year Pennsylvania's residents, businesses and
7institutions disposed of an estimated 20 million tons of solid
8waste in landfill disposal; and

9WHEREAS, The placement of materials in landfills can cause
10damage to human health, wastes natural resources and wrongly
11transfers liabilities to future generations; and

12WHEREAS, Waste prevention, reuse, recycling and composting
13are material management options that conserve resources while
14reducing environmental impacts; and

15WHEREAS, Increased recycling and composting will increase the
16cost-efficiency of local, publicly supported recycling

1facilities and programs; and

2WHEREAS, Increased recycling saves energy, water and natural
3resources, reduces air and water pollution, reduces the damage
4caused by extracting resources from the environment and reduces
5the need for landfill facilities; and

6WHEREAS, Consumers are currently forced to assume the high
7financial cost of collecting, recycling and disposing of
8materials; and

9WHEREAS, Increasingly, the Federal Government, as well as
10international governments and national and international
11organizations, are adopting the policy that the financial
12responsibility of collecting, recycling and disposing of
13materials belongs with producers; and

14WHEREAS, Producers should design products to ensure that they
15can be safely recycled into the marketplace or nature; and

16WHEREAS, Most types of waste streams can be eliminated
17through across-the-board minimum recycling content laws, the use
18of nontoxic alternatives in product design and local composting
19facilities; and

20WHEREAS, Some presently nonrecyclable materials are necessary
21for public health and national security; and

22WHEREAS, Voluntary recycling goals have not achieved, and in
23all probability, cannot achieve waste elimination; and

24WHEREAS, Government is ultimately responsible for leading by
25example and establishing criteria needed to eliminate waste so
26that manufacturers produce and businesses sell materials that
27can be safely recycled or composted; and

28WHEREAS, The zero waste philosophy accepts that the earth's
29ability to support life is finite and that natural resources
30must be used in the most efficient and sustainable way possible;

1and

2WHEREAS, The guiding principles of zero waste are:

3(1) managing resources instead of waste;

4(2) conserving natural resources through waste
5prevention and recycling;

6(3) turning discarded resources into jobs and new
7products instead of trash;

8(4) promoting products and materials that are durable
9and recyclable; and

10(5) discouraging products and materials that can become
11trash after their use;

12therefore be it

13RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge all State
14agencies and communities, businesses and residents of this
15Commonwealth to adopt zero-waste initiatives in an effort to
16enrich the lives of future generations.