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For Immediate Release
October 4, 2013

Contact:
Mark Carpenter
MarkCarpenter@isri.org

(Washington, DC) – The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) commended California Governor Jerry Brown for recognizing the need for more enforcement of the state’s current metals theft laws before additional laws that could harm the industry are added to the books.

While vetoing California Assembly Bill 841, Governor Brown issued the following statement, “The theft of nonferrous metals has reached epidemic proportions not only in California, but across the United States. In an effort to combat this problem, I signed four bills last year to prevent more theft. Existing law requires that a seller wait three days before receiving payment for metal materials, a written record of the transaction, the name, driver's license number, license plate number, thumbprint of the seller, and a photograph or video of the seller and the material being sold. How much more do you need?

“What's really missing today is robust enforcement of our laws.”

The legislation would have required scrap dealers to only make payments for metals via check through the mail, severely hampering the ability to conduct legitimate business. Governor Brown’s refusal to sign the bill followed a similar response by Governor Chris Christie to metals theft legislation in New Jersey.

“Governor Brown correctly pointed out that the problem is not a lack of metals theft laws, but a lack of enforcement,” said Robin Wiener, president of ISRI. “Scrap recyclers across the country are working on a daily basis with law enforcement, prosecutors, and legislators on ways to reduce thefts. We will continue our efforts to curb these thefts that are harming communities.”

ISRI believes the most effective way to address the problem is through a comprehensive strategy focusing first on efforts to prevent metals theft and second on assisting law enforcement and prosecutors in their efforts to catch, prosecute, and penalize those who perpetrate these crimes.

Among the many ways the recycling industry and law enforcement are working together is through the use of ScrapTheftAlert.com, a free tool that provides law enforcement with an outlet to alert the scrap industry of significant thefts of materials in the United States and Canada. Upon validation and review, alerts are broadcast by email to all subscribed users within a 100-mile radius of where the incident occurred.

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The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI) is the Voice of the Recycling Industry™. ReMA represents more than 1,700 companies in 21 chapters nationwide that process, broker and industrially consume scrap commodities, including metals, paper, plastics, glass, rubber, electronics and textiles. With headquarters in Washington, DC, the Institute provides safety, education, advocacy, 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. For more information about ISRI, visit www.ISRI.org.