"The more we recycle, the more natural resources we preserve and the better our environment's health. And, it's important to recognize that these investments by the commonwealth come back to us in more jobs and a stronger economy"
Pennsylvania’s Governor Edward G. Rendell
HARRISBURG, Pa., US: Governor Edward G. Rendell underscored the importance of municipal recycling efforts to the economy and the environment, last Friday, as he announced state investments that will support new and expanded recycling programs benefiting 10 million people in 134 Pennsylvania communities.
The grants announced amount to a commonwealth investment of $20m, under the Recycling Development and Implementation Grant Program.
The Pennsylvanian Recycling Development and Implementation Grant Program reimburses local governments, councils of government, consortia and solid waste authorities for the cost of municipal recycling and composting programs. Pennsylvania's recycling program, created under Act 101 of 1988, mandates recycling in the state's larger municipalities and requires counties to develop municipal waste management plans.
Announcing the grants, Governor Rendell said:
"Recycling is a dynamic and growing enterprise in Pennsylvania. The services this investment supports will continue that trend - making participation easier through greater convenience, while also improving existing operations and efficiencies to save valuable local financial resources.
"The more we recycle, the more natural resources we preserve and the better our environment's health," the Governor said. "And, it's important to recognize that these investments by the commonwealth come back to us in more jobs and a stronger economy."
Pennsylvanians recycled a record 4.86 million tons of municipal waste in 2005. This saved almost $263 million in disposal costs, provided businesses with materials valued at $577 million, as well as saving methane emissions – a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide – on any biodegradable materials diverted from landfill.
The commonwealth's recycling and reuse industry has over 3,200 establishments with annual sales of $18.4 billion, employs more than 81,000 people and has an annual payroll of $2.9 billion. An additional benefit is that the wealth created by these businesses, adds more than $305 million in taxes to the state treasury.
Energy savings
Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty, echoed the economic importance of recycling and energy savings (when compared to production from virgin materials). In addition, she emphasized that reusing materials is also an important factor in Pennsylvania's drive to energy independence.
Kathleen McGinty said:
"Recycling is an important tool in growing Pennsylvania's economy and for protecting our environment, but it also plays a role in reducing our dependence on foreign oil and other fossil fuels. Greater levels of recycling mean fewer natural resources have to be extracted from the earth and manufactured into finished products. The supply chain and production processes associated with that conversion consumes an incredible amount of energy, scars the planet, and creates a tremendous amount of air pollution.
"To put it in perspective, the materials Pennsylvanians recycled in 2005 saved almost 98 trillion British thermal units of energy and cut more than 2.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from the air. Respectively, that's the equivalent of eliminating the output from three large coal-fired power plants and taking 1.7 million cars and light trucks off the road."
Further information
Web sites
For more information, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us, and use the keyword: Recycling.
To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit his Web site at: www.governor.state.pa.us.
Source: This article is adapted from a press release by PRNewswire-USNewswire with an original source of the Pennsylvania Office of the Governor.