Jane, How about sending us a list of names and addresses of the key grocer association and grocery chain officials so that we can write them in opposition to their actions on the bottle bill? Dennis ----- Original Message ----- From: Jane Clark To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Friday, November 30, 2001 5:09 PM Subject: Response to Grocery Association Posted by Jane Clark Contact: Dewayne Johnson (515) 265-1596 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Recycling Association Opposes Proposed Change to Bottle Bill DES MOINES - November 30, 2001 - Today's proposal by the Iowa Grocery Industry Association to replace Iowa's Bottle & Can Deposit Law (the Bottle Bill) with curbside-only collection would be a step backwards for recycling and for litter control in Iowa. "The grocers appear to have forgotten that the current law already allows grocery and convenience stores to designate redemption centers to handle bottles and cans for them," said Dewayne Johnson, Executive Director of the Iowa Recycling Association. "They are claming that the bottle bill causes food safety problems. People are already skittish about anthrax, now is not the time to add to this country's problems. It looks like a smokescreen to try to remove them from their environmental responsibility. There has never been a health violation in an Iowa grocery store due to the bottle bill." Redemption centers have a similar opinion: "My employees handle bottles and cans all day, every day and have never been infected with e-coli or listeria." Troy Willard, The Can Shed in Cedar Rapids. "It they were right, we would be at far greater risk than a clerk who only handles bottles occasionally. It's simply not a problem." The Bottle Bill works to keep Iowa recycling and keep Iowa clean. Iowa recovers approximately 93% of the containers covered by the Bottle Bill. Comparatively, Nebraska (a non-bottle bill state) recycles only 26% of their bottles and cans through their curbside-only programs. Additionally, the bottle bill means economic development and better markets for recycled materials in Iowa. Iowa recycling industries receive twice as much in payment for plastic bottles collected through the bottle bill as compared to Nebraska's curbside collection program because their bottles are contaminated with other plastics and then need to be separated. "The grocers said they plan to petition Iowans about their feelings on the issue, but I think we can save them the trouble. I've got 56,000 names and three governor's endorsements from last year's drive to expand the bottle bill and University of Northern Iowa conducted a poll that showed 86% support the bottle bill in it's current form. I think we know how Iowans feel," said Johnson The Iowa Recycling Association is a non-profit organization with more than 450 members statewide. It provides a forum to learn about recycling and waste reduction issues. Members include recycling organizations, businesses, government officials, non-profit organizations, and individual citizens. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]