Declaring support by the House of Representatives for Design for Recycling (DFR) initiatives that limit all types of waste by encouraging manufacturers to design their products to have the maximum number of recyclable components.

Declaring support by the House of Representatives for Design for Recycling (DFR) initiatives that limit all types of waste by encouraging manufacturers to design their products to have the maximum number of recyclable components.

Whereas Design for Recycling (DFR) is a method of designing products to ensure they are made from recycled material, are free of hazardous materials that may impede the recycling process, and can be easily recycled through current or newly designed recycling processes and procedures after the end of their life in a cost-effective manner;

Whereas DFR would reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, reducing greenhouse gases and the consumption of raw materials;

Whereas the recycled materials industry annually contributes nearly $170,000,000,000 to the United States economy and provides nearly $20,200,000,000 in net exports, helping to reduce the United States trade deficit;

Whereas, according to the Recycled Materials Association, the recycled materials industry annually generates $7,160,000,000 in State and local tax revenues and provides another $11,550,000,000 in Federal tax revenue from the industry and its employees;

Whereas, according to the Recycled Materials Association, the recycled materials industry provides nearly 600,000 jobs in the United States both directly and indirectly;

Whereas, in 2022, the recycled materials industry recycled over 137,000,000 metric tons of materials;

Whereas, according to calculations from the Waste Reduction Model, Version 16, of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), using recycled materials in manufacturing reduces energy consumption by up to 90 percent;

Whereas the EPA estimates that about 75 percent of waste is recyclable, but only 35 percent of that is actually recycled, leaving the rest to go to landfills and incinerators;

Whereas Americans generated more than 267,000,000 tons of solid waste in 2020 or 4.9 pounds per person per day;

Whereas the container and fiberglass industries collectively purchase 3,350,000 tons of recycled glass annually, which is remelted and repurposed for use in the production of new containers and fiberglass products;

Whereas, according to the nonprofit rePurpose Global, about 75 percent of global plastics produced are thermoplastics that can be melted and molded over and over to produce new plastics (or plastic products);

Whereas only about 20 percent of the polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, and polypropylene plastics in circulation in the United States are recycled;

Whereas the United States generates about 6,900,000 tons of e-waste but only recycles around 25 percent;

Whereas, according to the EPA, e-waste sometimes has hazardous chemicals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic that can require special disposal methods;

Whereas recycling e-waste is a sustainable way to recover rare earth materials like neodymium, dysprosium, and yttrium;

Whereas, according to the American Forest and Paper Association nearly 60 percent more paper products are recycled today than in 1990 due to innovative packaging and investments focused on improving recycling technology;

Whereas, according to a study by The Recycling Partnership, additional investment in recycling will create 200,000 new jobs;

Whereas, according to the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, material journey mapping, which is a process of understanding the entire lifecycle of a material from extraction to disposal, can help companies succeed at DFR;

Whereas, in 2021, the company Cascade Engineering manufactured the first curbside cart, EcoCart, made from bulky rigid plastics collected from curbside residential recycling, this is an example of DFR;

Whereas the California Redemption Value program incentivizes consumers through the free market to return their cans and bottles to a recycling center;

Whereas, according to the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, “the circular economy is a system where products and materials are kept in circulation through processes like maintenance, reuse, recycling, and composting.”;

Whereas there are companies that assist manufacturers to embrace a circular approach through their eco-design and sustainable sourcing models;

Whereas using local resources in manufacturing and understanding locally available resources can promote circularity (a circular approach);

Whereas product life extension means keeping material and products in the supply chain for as long as possible so products are more durable, and companies can find innovative ways to use the product after its normal life ends;

Whereas dematerialization is a strategy to minimize the use of raw materials and energy in product creation while maintaining the products quality;

Whereas the collection of recycling data by CalRecycle is critical to helping manufacturers design packaging for recyclability and is a model for other programs; and

Whereas DFR would encourage manufacturers of goods to ensure their products are made of recycled material and fully recyclable: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) supports measures by the manufacturing community to adopt “Design for Recycling” initiatives that aim to make it easier for companies to recycle products, reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce the need for raw materials; and

(2) confirms that the recycled materials industry serves an essential role in our economy as they manage end-of-life products, provide vital raw materials to the manufacturing supply chain, contribute to the economy, and employ over half-a-million people throughout the United States.