.CONGRESS|ONAL ‘ RESEARCH ‘ . . .% SER\/‘CE Umversu of Mlssoun-Columbia L» OF Hllfllllll H II lllllllllllll llllllllillllllllllll llllllll CONGRESS O10-103860430 WASTE HATERIALS: RECYCLING AND REUSE ISSUE BRIEF NUHBER IB7fl112 AUTHOR: Bullis, Harold Science Policy Research Division THE LIBRARY or cousnsss CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE MAJOR ISSUES SYSTEM DATE OBIGINATED DATE UPDATED FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CALL 287-5700 1211 CRS~ 1 IB74112 UPDATE-12/09/80 L.-.9 §’J.'3...12‘—§§’.l3fl.3.l.'-l-‘J’-.991 The traditional approach to the management of materials, with primary emphasis upon production, use, and disposal, has led to the dual problems of (a) lack of adequate high—guality materials resources to meet increasing demand, and (b) inability to cope with the huge guantities of waste materials currently requiring disposal. A different approach is now being suggested in which both problems might be alleviated by the use of waste materials to supplement virgin raw materials feedstocks, thereby continually recycling such materials back into the economy. Or, alternatively, much waste material can be converted into fuel for the production of energy. §A§§§B9§!2-éE2_£QLL§l-A£éLX§l§ The traditional approach to materials management has been that of aggressive promotion and satisfaction of markets through the production, use, and disposal of the Nation's virgin materials resources. This approach was encouraged by the vast, seemingly inexhaustible materials resources available . domestically, as well as by the need to make these resources available for a rapidly growing population and expanding economy. Recovery of materials for reuse was unattractive because such materials were typically more expensive and less desirable than virgin materials. As a result, the Nation developed an economy based largely upon consumption and disposal--the so-called throw—away" life style--rather than upon materials conservation, recycling, and reuse. This situation has now begun to change. The Nation's richest, primary deposits of some industrial raw materials have now been exhausted, thus creating greater dependence upon materials imported from abroad, or, alternatively, creating the need to mine lower-grade domestic deposits at potentially greater costs. Furthermore, the Nation has experienced periodic shortages of many materials at the same time that municipalities from coast to coast were struggling to dispose of vast quantities of solid waste containing a substantial proportion of many of these same soughteafter materials. Increasingly it has become clear that an urgent need exists to (couple the "disposal output" to the "feedstock input" of the materials pipeline, thereby establishing a closed materials cycle that would help meet raw materials needs, while simultaneously helping to solve critical problems resulting from the increased generation of mineral, agricultural, municipal, and industrial wastes that may amount to as much as 3-4 billion tons/year. Of major concern is municipal post-consumer solid waste, generated at a rate of about 154 million tons per year (in 1978; Council on Environmental Quality 10th annual report, December 1979), at a disposal cost of approximately $4 billion per year. The future generation of such wastes may approach 175 million t/yr by 1980, 201 million t/yr by 1935, and 225 million t/yr by 1990 (as estimated by the U.S. EPA). Waste management costs to both the public and private sectors during the decade ending in 1986 may exceed $94 billion (CEQ, 9th annual report, December 1978). At present, nearly all major materials are recycled and reused, at least to some extent. Percentage recovery rates for some materials (not including home scrap) were as follows: for 1977 and, in parentheses, as estimated for 1985: ferrous metals, 2.4 (5.5); aluminum, 10.0 (16.4); paper, 20.6 (24.6); glass, 3.4 (5.9); and rubber, 4.1 (4.4). It has been estimated, however, CRS- 2 1374112 UPDATE-12/O9/80 that recycling could provide about 40% of the metals, glass, plastics, fibers, and rubber needed each year by the Nation's manufacturing industries In 1977 only about 8% of these materials, and others that could be recovered from municipal waste, actually were recovered and reused. The overall recovery rate is not expected to exceed about 13% by 1985. (Above data from 10th annual CEQ report.) (For information on energy recovery from municipal solid waste, see CR5 Issue Brief 7uo6u, Energy from Solid Wastes and Biomass.) The need to rescue materials from municipal waste disposal has been described by the National Commission on Materials Policy as a problem ranking "among the highest national priorities," and the Commission urged establishment of increased recycling as "an explicit national goal." The term "recycling" is popularly used in several different ways. In the most limited sense, the term denotes the reclamation of a material for use in the subsequent manufacture of the same product, as in the recycling of old newspapers into fresh newsprint. "In a slightly broader sense, the term denotes the use of reclaimed materials in the manufacture of products of the same genre, as in the recycling of mixed wastepaper into new paper of any kind. More broadly, recycling simply denotes "reuse," whether it be (a) additional extended use for the same purposes, as when empty soft-drink bottles are returned for refilling; (b) use for purposes other than originally intended, as when empty glass jars are used for flower pots; or (c) use of reclaimed materials in new form, as when old bottles are crushed and compacted into building blocks. Finally, in the broadest sense, recycling denotes usage in which the original material is transformed into another material, as when wastepaper is converted into protein or compost, o- in which the original material is transformed into another state, as when wastepaper or used crankcase oil are incinerated for their energy content as heat. 9 Many municipalities, as well as some State governments, are now moving toward at least some of these various forms of recycling, but progress has been slow. Adequate technology for the separation of mixed municipal solid waste into such various components as metal, glass, plastic, and paper now exists, but assured and stable markets for the materials thus reclaimed do not. Lacking such markets, as well as the assurance of adequate future supplies of reclaimed materials at reasonably stable prices, industry has been loath to commit sizeable investment capital to facilities that would use such materials as primary feedstocks. A widely held view is that the above-mentioned difficulties can be overcome only through Federal aid and activity. In accordance with this view, numerous bills were introduced during the 96th Congress to (a) promote markets for recycled materials; (b) encourage further research and development to help solve remaining problems concerning the recovery of such materials from solid waste; (c) encourage use by the Federal Government of products made from recycled materials; (d) make use of the Federal Government's purchasing power to stimulate markets for recycled materials; (e) provide Federal funds for the development and construction of facilities to recover waste materials for further recycling and reuse or to convert them‘ to energy; and (f) stimulate the creative reuse of waste materials. of thi legislation, the following was enacted into public law by the 96th Congress: P.L. 96-242, amends the Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939 to replace the terms "reprocessed wool" and "reused wool" by the single term “recycled wool“ (H.R. 4179, approved May 5, 1980). CES- 3 IB7Q112 UPDATE‘12/09/80 P.L. 96-863, Used Oil Recycling Act off 1980--Amends the Solid Haste disposal Act to provide for the use of recycled and refined oil. Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to encourage the use of recycled oil; to regulate performance standards to protect the public health and environment from hazards associated with recycled oil; and to study the marketability and energy savings of recycled oil. L§§l§Lél 0! H.R. 1583 (Edwards) To amend the International Revenue Code of 195a to provide income tax incentives to improve the economics of recycling waste paper. Introduced Jan. 29, 1979; referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. H.R. 6755 (Weaver) Wood Residue Utilization Act of 1980. Authorizes a pilot program to encourage the efficient utilization of wood and wood residues, and for other purposes. Introduced bar. 10, 1980; referred to Committee on Agriculture. (Essentially similar hill: 5. 1996) ‘ S. 50 (Hatfield) Beverage Container Reuse and Recycling Act of 1979.1 Prohibits the sale of arbonated beverages in beverage containers by retailersi and distributors unless such containers carry a refund value of not .less than 5 cents. Introduced Jan. 15, 1979; referred to Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, (similar bills: H.R. 1¢16, H.R. 2812). S. 1934 (Bradley) Municipal Solid Waste to Energy Act of 1979. Establishes a price support loan program authorizing the Secretary of Energy to enter into agreements with resource recovery project owners or operators to make payments to such persons for recovered energy produced at such projects. Introduced Oct. 2a, 1979; referred to Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and Subcommittee on Energy Conservation and Supply, (similar bill: H.R. 6638). S. 2412 (Domenici et al) Amends the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act to further encourage the use of recycled oil. Introduced Mar. 12, 1980; referred to Committee on Environment and Public Works. U.S. (Congress. House. Committee on Government Operations. Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Natural Resources. Solid waste management and resource recovery. Hearings, 93th Congress, 2d session. Mar. 23, 24, 26, and 31, 1976. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1976. 475 p. U.S.i Congress. House. Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. CBS- 4 IB74112 UPDATE-12/O9/80 Oversight -- resource conservation and recovery act. Hearing, 95th Congress, 2d session. Oct. 30, 1978. Washington, U.S. Govt. Printing Office, 1978. 484 p. U.S. Congress. House. Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. Subcommittee on Public Health and Environment. Comprehensive Waste uanagement and Resource Recovery act. Hearings, 93d Congress, 2d session, on H.R. 13176 and related bills. Mar. 27, 28; Apr. 4 and 8, 1974. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1974. 323 p. ----- Subcommittee on Transportation and Commerce. Oversight-Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976. Hearings, 95th Congress, 1st session. April 26, May 18 and 19, 1977. Washington, 0.5. Govt. Print. Off., 1977. 236 p. U.S. Congress. House. Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. Subcommittee on Transportation and Connerce. Hearing on the reauthorization for the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976. mar. 27, 1979. [To be published] ----- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act -- Oversight. Hearings, 95th Congress, 2d session. mar. 7, 8, and 9, 1978. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1978. 276 p. --*- Subcommittee on Transportation and Aeronautics. Freight rates for recyclable materials. Hearings, 93d Congress, 2d session, on H.R. 6637 and H.R. 12536 and all identical bills. Mar. 12, 13, and 14, 1974. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1974. 235 p. Waste Control Act of 1975. Hearings, 94th Congress, 1st session, on H.R. 5487, H.R. 406, and all identical or similar bills. Apr. 8-11, and 17, 1975. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1975. 842 p. ---—- Resource conservation and recovery act of 1976. Hearings, 94th Congress, 2d session, on H.R. 14496. June 29 and 30, 1976. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1976. 199 p. U.S. Congress. House. Committee on Science and Technology. Subcommittee on Environment and Atmosphere. Solid waste management and resource recovery. Hearings, 94th Congress, 2d session, pursuant to H.R. 12380. Apr. 7, 8, 12, and 13, 1976. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1976. 538 p. ----- Subcommittee on Advanced Energy Technologies and Energy Conservation Research, Development, and Demonstration. Used oil re-refining. Hearing, 95th Congress, 1st session. Dec. 12, 1977. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1978. 616 p. 0.5. Congress. House. Committee on Ways and Means. Tax treatment of recycling of solid waste. Hearings, 93d Congress, 2d session. Bar. 20, 21, 1974. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1974. 381 p. ' U.S. UCSC Esponrs U.S. CBS- 5 IB7U112 UPDATE-12/O9/80 Joint Economic Committee. Subcommittee on The economics of recycling waste materials. Nov. 8 and 9, 1971. 1972. 198 p. Congress. Fiscal Policy. Hearings, 92d Congress, 1st session. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., Subcommittee on National priorities Congress. Joint Economic Committee. Priorities and Economy in Government. and Federal research and development programs. Hearings, 93d Congress, 2d session, May 20, 21, and 22, 197a. Washington, 0.5. Govt. Print. Off., 1974. 238 p. Senate. Committee on Aeronautical and Space Use of recycled materials by NASA. Hearing, 2d session. June 27, 1972. Washington, U.S. 1972. 30 p. Congress. Sciences. 92d Congress, Govt. Print. 0ff., Senate. Committee on Commerce. Subcommittee on Environment. Resource conservation and recycling. Hearings, 93d Congress, 1st and 2d session, on S. 1122 [and related bills]. Washington, 0.5. Govt. Print. Off., 197a. Part 1. June 11, 22; July 18, 19, 20, and 26, p. 1-59%. Dec. 12, 13, and 14, 1973. p. 595-860. 5 Jan. 17, and 18, 197h. [Special Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Commerce.) p. 861-1401. Congress. 1973. Part 2. Part 3. Senate. Committee on Commerce, Science and Subcommittee on the Consumer. Beverage h Hearings on S. 276. 1978. Bashington, Congress. Transportation. Container Reuse and Recycling Act of 1977. 95th Congress, 2d session. Jan. 25, 26, 27, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1978. 436 p. Congress. Senate. Committee on Environment and Public Works. Subcommittee on Resource Protection. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act oversight. 95th Congress, 2d session. may. 20, 1978. Washington, 0.5. Govt. Print. Off., 1978. 95 p. Congress. Senate. Committee on Environment and Public works. Hearing on S. 2412, to establish a program to recycle used lubricating oil. May 5, 1980. [To be published] Committee on Finance. Energy Conservation and Conversion Act of 1975. Part I. Hearings, 94th Congress, 1st session, on H.R. 6860. July 10, 11, 1u018, 1975. Washington, D.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1975.‘ 459 p. Congress. Senate. Committee on Rules and Administration. Use of recycled paper by Congress. Hearing, 92d Congress, 1st session, on S. 2266 and S. 2267. Aug. 3, 1971. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1971. 94 p. Congress. Senate. 3.19 C0E§§;§§§lQEél-....2.Q§E!.1§§$.§ Congress. House. Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. Subcommittee on Transportation and Commerce. uaterials relating to the Resource Conservation and Recovery CRS- 6 IB74112 UPDATE—12/O9/80 Act of 1976. 94th Congress, 2d session. April 1976. Washington, 0.5. Govt. Print. Off., 1976. 86 p. ----— Symposium on resource conservation and recovery. 94th Congress, 2d session. Apr. 6 and 7, 1976. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1976. 126 p. ----— Resource recovery implementation: engineering and economics. 95th Congress, 1st session. Washington, 0.5. Govt. Print. Off., December 1977. 223 p. U.S. Congress. Senate. Committee on Public Works. Resource conservation, resource recovery, and solid waste disposal. Washington, 8.5. Govt. Print. Off., November 1973. 311 p. At head of title: 93d Congress, 1st session. Committee print. U.S. Congress. Senate. Committee on Public Works. Subcommittee on Environmental Pollution. Panel on Haterials Policy. Effects of product disposal charges on municipal waste recovery and reuse. Hearing, 94th Congress, 2d session. may 20, 1976. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1976. 70 pages. ----- Solid Waste Utilization Act of 1976; report to accompany S. 2150. [Hashington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off.) may 13, 1976. 2 p. (94th Congress, 2d session. Senate. Report no. 90-869) U.S. Congress. House. Committee on Science and Technology. Subcommittee on the Environment and the Atmosphere. Readings on solid waste management and resource recovery. 9uth Congress, 2d session. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., April 1976. 196 p. -"- The status of resource recovery (a report of site visits). 95th Congress, 2d session. Washington, 0.5. Govt. Print. Off., 1978. 31 p. U.S. Congress. Office of Technology Assessment. Technical options for conservation of metals. Case studies of selected metals and products. Washington, Office of Technology Assessment, September 1979. 125 p. [Report No. OTA-M-97] CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS 07/00/79 -- Publication of the final report of the Resource Conservation Committee. 07/26/78 -- Publication of the third report of the Resource Conservation Committee. 01/23/78 -- Publication of the second report of the Resource Conservation Committee. 08/01/77 The fourth report to the Congress on resource recovery and waste reduction.was published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. O6/O9/77 03/2a/77 10/21/76 07/25/76 09/03/75 02/27/75 T08/12/74 05/21/7n 05/16/74 01/22/7a 01/15/Vfl 00/00/74 10/25/73 03/00/73 CRS- 7 IB74112 UPDATE-12/O9/80 Publication of the first report of the Resource Conservation Committee. Initial meeting of the Resource Conservation Committee established by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 [P.L. 9B-580, Sec. 8002(j)]. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976. P.L. 9u—580, was approved. - 01/30/76 -- An engineering Foundation Conference on Recycling implementation, engineering, and economics was held at Franklin Pierce College, Rindge, N.H. The third report to the Congress on resource recovery and source reduction was published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Interagency Committee for Resource Recovery was created, under the auspices of the General Services Administration with participation from 12 other Federal agencies, to promote increased naterials recycling within the Federal.Government.. -O8/16/74 -- Third Engineering Foundation research conference on national materials policy was held at New England College, Henniker, N.H. Task Force Four: Mobilizing Economics and Technology for Materials Recycling. Acceptance of a bid was announced by the town of Hempstead, Long Island, to build the world's largest resource-recovery facility ¢$ua.6 million, to process 2,500 tons of municipal waste per day). The District of Columbia announced two major programs for the recovery and reuse of municipal waste. The Montgomery County Council, Montgomery County, Hd., adopted a county-wide plan to recycle county waste. Governor Francis W. Sargent, Mass., announced a statewide plan for the recycling and reuse of municipal solid waste. The second report to the Congress on resource recovery was published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Senate Public Works Committee submitted the report, "Resource Conservation, Resource Recovery, and Solid Waste Disposal," by Senator Edmund S. Muskie, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Air and Water Pollution. “Paper Recycling-The Art of the Possible, 1970-1985," was published by the American Paper Institute. CR5“ 8 IB74112 UPDATE-12/O9/80 O2/22/73 -- The first report to the Congress on resource recovery was published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. O2/O0/73 ~- "Resource Recovery——The State of Technology" was published by the Council on Environmental Quality. O2/13/72 —-O2/17/72 —— Engineering Foundation Conference on "Recycle Implementation" was held at the Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, California. 00/00/72 ‘‘ "Salvage Markets of materials in Solid Waste was published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. O0/O0/72 -- "A Study to Identify Opportunities for Increased Solid Waste Utilization" was published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. O0/00/71 - “Recovery and Utilization of Hunicipal Solid Waste" was published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 00/O0/71 - Public Act 845 was passed by the Connecticut General" Assembly to provide for municipal waste recycling on a statewide basis. 10/26/70 - The Resource Recovery Act of 1970 was enacted (P.L. 91-512, Title I, 84 Stat 1227). 10/20/65 -- The Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1965 was enacted 1 (P.L. 89-272, Title II, 79 Stat 997). 22lIl9.1lAl».-B.§.1".'§B§3..!!Q§-§.9QB§.E5 Other issue briefs related to this subject are: IB7uO6u, Energy from Solid Wastes and Biomass IB7nO9n, National uaterials Policy IB75036, Haste Oil Re-Refining (Archived Distributable) IB77067, Sludge: Disposal and Use IB79113, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 Battelle Memorial Institute. A study to identify opportunities for increased solid waste utilization. Report in three books and 11 volumes. Washington, D.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1972. 1088 p. Recovery and utilization of municipal solid waste. Report SW’10c prepared for the Solid Waste Management Office. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by N.L. Drobny et al. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1971. 118 p. Midwest Research Institute. Paper recycling. The art of the possible, 1970-1985. Report prepared for the Solid Waste Council of the Paper Industry by William E. Franklin. New York, American Paper Institute, March 1973. 181 p. CRS- 9 IB7Q112 UPDATE-12/09/80 Resource recovery. The state of technology. Report prepared for the Council on Environmental Qualitv. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., February 1973. 67 p. —~-—- Salvage markets for materials in solid waste. Report SW-29c prepared for the 6.3. Environmental Protection Agency by Arsen Darnay and William E. Franklin. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1972. 187 p. National Academy of Sciences. mineral resources and the environment. Supplementary report: resource recovery from municipal solid wastes. Washington, National Academy of Sciences, 1975. 416 p. U.S. Comptroller General. Industrial wastes: an unexplored source of valuable minerals. Washington, U.S. General Accounting Office, may 15, 1980. 68 p. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Solid Waste 1 Management Programs. First report to Congress on resource recovery and source reduction. ‘Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 197a. 61 p. ----- Second report to Congress on resource recovery and source reduction. Washington, 0.5. Govt. Print. 0ff., 197a. 112 p. -—-—- Third report to Congress on resource recovery and source reduction. Washington, 0.5. Govt. Print. 0ff., Sept. 3, 1975. 96 p. ---4- Fourth report to the Congress on resource recovery and waste reduction. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1977. 1&2 p. U.S. Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service. Energy from solid wastes and bioconversion [by] Paul Rothberg. [Washington] 197u. (Continuously updated) Issue Brief 74064 -—-—- National materials policy [by] Harold Bullis. [Washington] 1977. (Continuously updated) Issue Brief 7uo9u -—-—- Nonreturnables: the bottle bills [by] Mark Reisch. [Washington] 1977. (Continuously updated) Issue Brief 74076 ----- Rail freight discrimination against recyclable materials [by] Mark Reisch. [Washington] 1977. Archived (distributable) Issue Brief 7fl051 ---—— Resource conservation and recovery act of 1979 [by] Sally Valdes-Cogliano. [Washington] 1979 Archived (distributable) Issue Brief 79113 Sludge: disposal and use [by] Mark B. Anthony Reisch. [Washington] 1975 Archived (distributable) Issue Brief 77067 CBS-10 IB7fl112 UPDATE-12/O9/80 --—-- Haste oil refining {by} Mark Reisch. [Washington] 1975. (continuously updated) Issue Brief 75036 Resource Conservation Committee. Implenentation plan for the Resource Conservation Committee. First report to the President and the Congress. Washington, April 1977. 89 p. Committee findings and staff papers on national beverage Second report to the President and January 1978. 105 p. container deposits. the Congress. fiashington, ----- Status report on solid waste disposal charge analysis. Third report to the President and the Congress. Washington, July 1978. 160 p. Final report to the President ----- Choices for conservation. 129 p. and Congress. Washington, July 1979. n §4A<::.L'.:.1.‘.vIw.a:.,L.,.,_,‘_., "4 v ‘I "e 7-‘ I u £7“;-4‘ - w ,1 _3 t —. “I K11’: A_ I ‘H j '. - '.‘ '4' i-' ; ~ A _, H‘ __ - 4.‘ 1. ’