The Council of the District of Columbia (“Council”) finds that:
(1) The District of Columbia (“District”) disposes of its solid waste by incineration at the Benning Road Solid Waste Reduction Center #1 (“SWRC #1”) or burying it at the Lorton Landfill, located on Interstate 95.
(2) Approximately 2,000 tons of solid waste from the District is buried in the Lorton Landfill each day and approximately 700 tons are burned at SWRC #1 each day.
(3) The increasing volume and variety of solid waste generated in the District create conditions that threaten the public health, safety, and well-being by contributing to land pollution, a waste of resources, the production of flies, rodents, litter, and the general deterioration of the environment.
(4) The traditional methods of solid waste management for the District, which are directed largely at land disposal and incineration, may not meet the future demands of the growing amount of municipal solid waste and the increase in non-biodegradable materials contained in solid waste.
(5) Methods of solid waste management that emphasize source reduction and recycling are essential to the long-range preservation of the health, safety, and well-being of the public, the economic productivity and environmental quality of the District, and the conservation of resources.
(6) Removing certain materials from the District solid waste stream will decrease the flow of solid waste to the Lorton Landfill, aid in the conservation of valuable resources, and reduce substantially the required capacity of proposed solid waste disposal facilities.
(7) There is no office, division, or personnel, within the District government, devoted specifically to the issues attendant to recycling.
(8) The Council can most appropriately demonstrate its long-term commitment to environmental protection and effective solid waste management by establishing a proper solid waste separation and recycling program and increasing the purchase of recycled products by agencies and instrumentalities of the District government.
(9) Many other jurisdictions, including Fairfax County, Virginia; Montgomery County, Maryland; and many states, including New Jersey, California, and Washington, include recycling as part of their solid waste stream management.
(10) Private group recycling efforts within the District should be encouraged and coordinated with the efforts of the District government.
(11) Efforts should be made by the District government to explore the feasibility of establishing joint recycling programs with neighboring jurisdictions.
CREDIT(S)
(Mar. 16, 1989, D.C. Law 7-226, § 2, 36 DCR 595.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 6-3401.
Temporary Addition of Section
For temporary (225 day) additions, see §§ 2 to 11 of Solid Waste Facility Permit Temporary Act of 1994 (D.C. Law 10-251, March 23, 1995, law notification 42 DCR 1650).
Emergency Act Amendments
For temporary addition of chapter, see §§ 2-11 of the Solid Waste Facility Permit Emergency Act of 1994 (D.C. Act 10-384, December 28, 1994, 42 DCR 45).
Legislative History of Laws
Law 7-226, the “District of Columbia Solid Waste Management and Multi-Material Recycling Act of 1988,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 7-378, which was referred to the Committee on Public Works. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on November 29, 1988 and December 13, 1988, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on January 10, 1989, it was assigned Act. No. 7-301 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review.
Delegation of Authority
Delegation of authority pursuant to D.C. Law 10-251, the “Solid Waste Facility Permit Temporary Act of 1994”, see Mayor's Order 95-754, May 19, 1995.
Delegation of Authority under the District of Columbia Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1989 [21 DCMR 700.1 et seq.], see Mayor's Order 2005-123, August 29, 2005 (52 DCR 8666).
Resolutions
Resolution 16-395, the ‘'Solid Waste Disposal Fee Regulation Amendment Approval Resolution of 2005. [21 DCMR 700.1 et seq.]”, was approved effective November 26, 2005.