(Washington, DC) – The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), serving as the Voice of the Recycling Industry TM, today applauded the efforts of Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) for introducing the RECYCLE Act (S. 2941). The legislation will enhance public educational efforts around proper recycling and update the federal procurement process to strengthen demand for recyclable material.
“There are a number of legislative efforts being put forth in Congress to tackle the current challenges we are seeing in the nation’s residential recycling system,” said Robin Wiener, president of ISRI. “The focus is to improve the quality of the residential recycling stream and provide incentives for greater market demand for recyclables.
“The RECYCLE Act will help accomplish both goals. Through the consumer recycling education and outreach grant program we hope to see improvements in the quality of the material entering the stream. And with a stronger procurement process, the federal government is in a position to help drive demand for recyclable materials. Recycling paves the way for the future of our planet. These efforts are proof that recycling is indeed worth it.”
ISRI was proud to work with Senator Portman and other industry stakeholders on key provisions to further strengthen this legislation. Over the course of the last year, ReMA has also worked closely with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which would administer the educational grant program in this bill, on key solutions including public outreach efforts. The industry is committed to working with Congress, the Administration, and other stakeholders on continuing to provide innovation solutions to strengthen residential recycling systems across the U.S.
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The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI) is the "Voice of the Recycling Industry™." ReMA represents 1,300 companies in 20 chapters in the U.S. and more than 40 countries that process, broker, and consume scrap commodities, including metals, paper, plastics, glass, rubber, electronics, and textiles. With headquarters in Washington, DC, the Institute provides education, advocacy, safety and compliance training, and promotes public awareness of the vital role recycling plays in the U.S. economy, global trade, the environment and sustainable development. Generating nearly $110 billion annually in U.S. economic activity, the scrap recycling industry provides more than 500,000 Americans with good jobs.