On this episode of EcoJustice Radio on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles, Adventures in Waste FounderJessica Aldridge interviews Nick Lapis from Californians Against Waste on recently passed legislation designed to protect environment and human health, while moving the state toward zero waste.
The State of Recycling – How California Legislation is Driving New Waste Standards
Hosted by Jessica Aldridge of Adventures in Waste and Co-founder of SoCal 350
California is known as being a leader in setting environmental standards and passing precedent-setting legislation that the rest of the country looks to for inspiration and emulation. Since the 1990s, California has been setting a high bar for waste diversion and recycling in the United States.
This September Governor Brown picked up his pen and signed off on his last set of bills under his reign as Governor. Governor Brown had the opportunity to approve or veto a significant amount of historic waste and recycling legislation.
Gaining national attention, many of us heard about the “first statewide law to require straws upon request,” but this most recent round of legislation approval also brought with it a slew of other waste policies that protect environment and human health, all the while building the necessary groundwork to move forward in a new recycling paradigm.
Given the recent global shift in the recycling market (China and other global markets placing strict contamination limitations on recycling imports), the needs for recycling solutions can’t focus only on consumer behavior, but more importantly we must focus on design changes, manufacture & product responsibility, and overall reduction.
Our guest today, Nick Lapis Director of Advocacy for Californians Against Waste (CAW) is advocating at the state and local levels to create, promote, and implement the standards and policies necessary for waste reduction and recycling. Since joining CAW in 2007, Nick has led several campaigns to enact nation-leading waste reduction legislation and regulatory action in California. In addition to coordinating CAW’s overall advocacy strategy, Nick leads the organization’s efforts to reduce the impacts of climate change and recover organic wastes. He also engages in policy development and coalition-building, representing CAW on a variety of boards, committees, workgroups, and coalitions.
For further details on the recently passed waste and recycling legislation, click here: https://www.cawrecycles.org/legislation/.