Legislature(2007 - 2008)BELTZ 211
05/01/2007 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB121 | |
| SB118 | |
| HB182 | |
| HB136 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 136 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 182 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | SB 155 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 118 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 121 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 118-PLASTIC BAG FEE; ESTABLISH LITTER FUND
1:50:05 PM
CHAIR ELLIS announced SB 118 to be up for consideration.
PAULA CADIENTE, staff to Senator Elton, sponsor of SB 118, said
they look forward to working with the committee over the interim
on this issue.
1:52:01 PM
HILDEGARD REGELE, Ph.D., Affiliate Assistant Professor of
Literature, University of Alaska Southeast, said she was
representing "Turning the Tides." She said the Juneau Empire
published a couple of letters to the editor regarding the
"idiocy" of SB 118. The arguments put forth circled around the
question of paper or plastic, but they only proved the writers'
thorough internalization of the stock phrase one hears in
checking out of a grocery store - "Paper or plastic?"
Which one is better is not an either or question in terms of
convenience and environmental impact, she said. SB 118 doesn't
even mention paper. People have been conditioned to think in
terms of paper or plastic, but there are other options like
bringing your own canvas bag. The bill seeks to reduce the often
mindless and wasteful use of plastic bags without condoning the
often mindless wasteful use of paper bags, the manufacturing of
which involves cutting down trees and polluting the environment.
MS. REGELE said plastic bags are not truly recyclable. According
to the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, only 3 to 5 percent
of plastic is currently recycled. Recycling plastic is different
from recycling other products like glass or aluminum that can be
made back into the products they were before. In the recycling
process which involves heat, plastics molecular composition
changes; its quality degrades and the range of its usefulness
shrinks. In addition, virgin plastic is cheaper to use than
recycled plastic; so most manufacturers opt for the virgin
materials. Most recycled plastics become clothing or carpet that
goes to the landfill once the second use is finished. Some of
the lower quality plastic that has been recycled is actually
shipped to Asia where it goes into landfills. She emphasized,
"Non-biodegradable plastic bags are a persistent source of
pollution and a danger to the environment in general and to
marine animals in particular and an unjustifiable waste of
resources."
MS. REGELE concluded her testimony saying the solution to this
serious problem is to cut back on the use of the bags before
they become lethal litter. A fee on plastic bags will help
hinder further mindless and wasteful use of these bags and
inspire us all to carry reusable cloth bags or other non-
disposable containers into the store with us in which to carry
home our still over-packaged grocery items.
RAYMOND PADDOCK III, Environmental Specialist, Tlingit Haida
Central Counsel, supported SB 118. He said he manages a website
called Solid Waste Alaska Network (SWAN) that is geared toward
providing environmental information to Alaskans in all regions.
The website has a page that shows tribes and communities how to
create ordinances on banning plastic bags. Thirty communities
have created have already created ordinances because of the
environmental mess plastic bags create and to protect animal
habitat. Like most citizens, he said, he is not in favor of a
tax, but he supported one that would encourage people to reduce
the use of plastic bags.
DR. CHRIS KRENZ said he works for Oceana and is the North
Pacific Project Manager. Oceana is an international organization
that works to protect the world's oceans. He said he was
testifying on behalf of Jim Ayers who could not be here today.
Oceana strongly supports SB 118 and its concept that a fee will
reduce the number of plastic bags that end up going into the
oceans. The money generated from the fee could be used in the
Marine Debris and Recycling Fund that could further reduce the
pollution making our coasts more vibrant by making it a clean
place to live.
Among the reasons to reduce the use of plastic bags is that they
mimic jelly fish, which other animals eat - such as sea turtles
whose numbers are seriously declining worldwide. Plastic bags
also don't break down; instead they break up into smaller and
smaller pieces thus allowing smaller animals to accidentally eat
them. Plastics absorb and concentrate pollutants and they end up
accumulating throughout the food chain down to the smallest
organisms.
1:59:19 PM
DAN STICKEL, Economist, Department of Revenue, said he had
prepared an overview of the fiscal note and would answer
questions. There were no questions.
BOB SYLVESTER, representing himself, said he is from Juneau and
strongly supported SB 118 for all the previously stated reasons
and more.
BILL ZENTER, representing himself, said he has lived in Juneau
since 1980 and is a diver, sailor and kayaker. He has seen many
plastic bags floating on the surface of the ocean, littering the
shore and drifting across the bottom. He agreed with previous
testimony about how plastic breaks down, becomes toxic and gets
consumed by all living creatures. He thought the sea lion
decline could be attributed to plastic bags in the ocean. He
mentioned that whales consume them also and that makes their
population decline, too. This would affect our economic bases
here in Juneau and Alaska. The tax will help educate people as
to alternatives and provide cleanup funds.
CHAIR ELLIS said SB 118 would be held over.
SENATOR BUNDE suggested this should be a local issue since most
of the written backup was from Juneau. If plastic bags are as
bad as people say, putting a tax on them is going to be an
inconvenient nuisance. People still drive SUVs and are willing
to pay the price. "If you really want to get rid of these, then
you have to have a bill that bans them, not just taxes."
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