*Integrated Resources & Solid Waste Management Plan Update (with Appendices) - Dec 2009

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3.0 SOURCE REDUCTION logo - the green dot - for a fee. Packages bearing the symbol are collected, sorted, and directed to recyclers by DSD. Fees are based on the material and weight of the package and are paid by the "filler' - usually the owner of the product brand name. Germany has shifted full responsibility for managing packaging waste to industry. Because take back and recycling of packaging by each individual producer is not always practical, EPR policies usually permit producers to form "producer responsibility organizations" (PROs) which enable them to fulfill their responsibilities collectively. There are presently more than 250 PROs established to meet EPR obligations in Europe. These organizations license their logos for a fee and use the revenues to finance collection and recycling. It is important that the fee structures imposed by PROs reward companies that choose to design less wasteful and more economically recyclable products. PROs include the DSD in Germany, Eco- Emballages in France, Alstoff Recycling in Austria, Fost Plus in Belgium, VALPAK in the United Kingdom and the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) in the United States. Canada has widely embraced the EPR principle, referred to there as'Product Stewardship' or 'Industry Product Stewardship' by governments and producers. All ten provinces have developed mandatory EPR programs for a wide array of product groups. Products that are covered by mandatory programs in some or all provinces include packaging materials, newsprint and fine paper, household hazardous wastes (HHW) such as paint, motor oil, tires, lead -acid batteries and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). There are also a number of nationwide voluntary programs, namely for rechargeable consumer batteries, agricultural pesticide containers and beer containers. British Columbia sets itself apart from other provinces by its approach to Product Stewardship, where there are currently nine industry groups in B.C. operating recycling programs for electronics, paint, oil, beverage containers, tires, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, gasoline, solvents and flammable liquids. In April, 2008, British Columbia announced plans to add mercury - containing products such as light bulbs and thermostats to its product stewardship program, and expanding its list of covered electronics to include products such as stereos, cell phones, and other hand -held devices. There are also a wide variety of EPR programs in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and other countries that span the full range of voluntary and mandatory programs. Although there are no nationwide mandatory EPR programs in the US, there are several US- wide voluntary programs, namely for batteries, cars and carpets. The RBRC was established to manage a program for the recovery and recycling of Ni -Cd batteries. RBRC launched the first industry -wide voluntary take -back program in the US (and Canada) and set a goal of 70 percent Ni -Cd battery collection by 2001. Attempts to create national programs for drink containers and electronics (the "NEPSI process" from 2001 to 2004) did not come to fruition. At the state level, especially for electronics, there are a number of proposed and operational regulations in place that employ various elements of EPR. The State of Hawaii s pending e- waste take back program is a good example. Other examples include California, Maine, Maryland, and Washington that have either implemented or proposed regulations requiring the collection and recycling of certain categories of WEEE. Although the Californian and Maryland programs incorporate few or no elements of EPR, the Maine and Washington 3 -14 December 2009