[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 38 (Tuesday, April 12, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 12, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
          NATIONAL BUY RECYCLED MATE-RIALS AND PRODUCTS MONTH

                                 ______


                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 12, 1994

  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, in commemoration of Earth Day, which we will 
celebrate on April 22, I am introducing legislation designating April 
as ``National Buy Recycled Materials and Products Month.'' I urge my 
colleagues to cosponsor this important legislation and support the 
creation of markets for recycled materials.
  In the last decade the Federal Government, along with State and local 
governments, has made great strides toward increasing recycling levels. 
Today, one-third of all Americans participate in curbside recycling 
programs and many businesses have instituted officewide recycling 
programs, resulting in an overall recycling rate of approximately 17 
percent. However, as collections of recyclable materials have 
increased, market prices for those materials have dropped and are 
expected to remain low until new capacity to use the materials comes on 
line.
  In order to ensure that there is an adequate market for recycled 
materials and a demand for products made from recycled materials, 
businesses must be given incentives to manufacture products made with 
recycled materials and consumers should be encouraged to purchase 
products that are manufactured or packaged with recycled materials. 
Both of these goals should be encouraged in order to maintain the 
economic incentive to recycle at the Federal, State, and local levels.
  These goals are consistent with President Clinton's Executive order 
issued in October of 1993 which stated that the use of recycled and 
environmentally preferable products and services can spur private 
sector development of new technologies and use of such products, 
thereby creating business and employment opportunities and enhancing 
regional and local economies and the national economy.
  As we continue the transition from a large defense industrial base to 
an era of dual-use technologies, we will need to find new environmental 
applications for old technologies. Facilitating markets for 
environmentally preferable and recycled products and services will help 
spur the creation of these new technologies and ensure the success of 
recycling programs we have worked so hard to create. Please join me in 
urging the creation of markets for recycled materials by cosponsoring 
the ``National Buy Recycled Materials and Products Month.''

                          ____________________