Santa Cruz County Board Calls for Recycling Commission

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously joined a call to create a statewide Recycling Commission to investigate and make recommendations to address the declining market for recyclable materials.

Introduced by Supervisors Zach Friend and Bruce McPherson, the resolution is a response to upheaval in the global recycling market caused by China’s withdrawal from the marketplace, triggering the first drop in California’s recycling rate in decades. While much of Santa Cruz County’s recyclables are still making it to market, many recyclables across California are being sent to landfills.

The County’s resolution calls on the proposed commission to examine multiple potential solutions, including development of recycling markets, better compliance standards and additional measures to reduce waste at the source, an area where Santa Cruz County has long been a leader.

China’s import bans, as well as retaliatory tariffs, on certain recycled materials has led to oversupply in global recycling markets, which is driving increases in the cost of domestic recycling programs. Tuesday’s Board vote is an acknowledgement that more work is needed to stabilize recycling markets and assure their long-term sustainability.

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For more information: www.santacruzcounty.us