Senate Resolution 110 - Introduced PAG LIN S.R. ________ H.R. ________ 1 1 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1 2 BY BOLKCOM 1 3 A Resolution requesting that the 1 4 legislative council create a study committee 1 5 relating to beverage container laws. 1 6 WHEREAS, there is significant support for making 1 7 recycling and environmental concerns a top priority 1 8 for the state of Iowa; and 1 9 WHEREAS, beverage container deposits decrease 1 10 littering; and 1 11 WHEREAS, using recycled beverage containers rather 1 12 than new materials in the production of beverage 1 13 containers reduces greenhouse gas emissions; and 1 14 WHEREAS, although under Iowa's current beverage 1 15 container deposit law approximately 1,900,000,000 1 16 containers are eligible for redemption, nearly 1 17 335,000,000 additional containers for beverages such 1 18 as water, tea, sport, and fruit drinks could be 1 19 covered by the law; and 1 20 WHEREAS, while Iowa's current beverage container 1 21 deposit law has a redemption rate of 86 percent, a 1 22 recent Des Moines Register survey found that 62 1 23 percent of Iowans support an expansion of the law to 1 24 include other types of containers; and 1 25 WHEREAS, the reimbursement amount to redemption 1 26 centers of 1 cent per empty beverage container has not 1 27 changed since the law's inception; NOW THEREFORE, 1 28 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the legislative 1 29 council is requested to establish an interim study 1 30 committee to identify feasible proposals for the 2 1 expansion of Iowa's beverage container deposit law, 2 2 recognizing the need to increase recycling rates, 2 3 raise reimbursements to redemption centers, expand the 2 4 number of containers covered, and provide funding for 2 5 natural resources. The interim study committee shall 2 6 work cooperatively with interested persons to develop 2 7 a consensus approach to the law's expansion. 2 8 LSB 6560SS 82 2 9 tw/rj/8