A More Sustainable Future By Supporting Effort to Reduce Waste

Resolution Furthers Commitment to Seek Fair & Eco-Wise Solutions For Growing Waste Disposal Issues

The City of Winters is proud to announce their adoption of a "Producer Responsibility" resolution in partnership with the California Product Stewardship Council. "Producer Responsibility" is a concept whereby product manufacturers are primarily responsible for the life cycle of their products.

Beyond recycling, "Producer Responsibility" is an important environmental policy approach in which producers assume responsibility - financial and physical - for the proper management of their products throughout the life span. When producers are accountable for ensuring their products are re-used or recycled responsibly, the marketplace is encouraged to design and purchase goods that are more durable, easier to recycle, and less toxic.

"This resolution of support sends a signal that the taxpayers of Winters cannot afford to finance poorly designed and/or toxic products, and we seek an understanding from producers that they bear primary responsibility for their products," says Carol Scianna, City of Winters Environmental Services Manager. "Now is the time to encourage and reward green design and we're proud to be on the forefront of this necessary and positive change."

The City of Winters joins a growing number of other cities and counties who have already endorsed the "Producer Responsibility" concept resolution, including the cities of Fresno and San Jose, and the counties of Yolo, Butte, San Bernardino, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and many others. For a full list of supporting cities and Counties, go to www.calPSC.org.

"We're dedicated to reversing the trend of California producing more and more waste every year," says Heidi Sanborn, Executive Director of the California Product Stewardship Council. "With the support of local governments such as the City of Winters, we move one step closer to achieving our goals for a vibrant consumer economy with sustainable production and consumption."

By adopting a Producer Responsibility resolution, the City of Winters:

Urges the California Integrated Waste Management Board to continue taking timely action to implement the Framework for an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) System in California to manage Universal and other wastes;

- Urges the California Legislature to pass framework EPR legislation that shifts Universal and other waste management costs from local government to the producers and users of the product, and which will give producers the incentive to redesign products to make them less toxic and easier to reuse and recycle;

- Supports the City Manager to be authorized to send letters to the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, and the California Integrated Waste Management Board, and the State legislature and to use other advocacy methods to urge support for EPR Framework legislation;

- Directs the City to encourage all manufacturers to share in the responsibility for eliminating waste through minimizing excess packaging, designing products for durability, reusability and the ability to be recycled; using recycled materials in the manufacture of new products; and providing financial support for collection, processing, recycling, or disposal of used materials;

- Directs the City to develop producer responsibility policies such as leasing products rather than purchasing them and requiring producers to offer less toxic alternatives and to take responsibility for collecting and recycling their products and the end of their useful life.

- Supports the State and Congressional delegations to introduce and pass legislation which shifts the burden of managing discarded products containing toxic material from local governments to the producers of those products.

For more information, or to schedule an interview, call Bonnie Low, CPSC Outreach and Development Manager (530) 351-3964.

About the California Product Stewardship Council: The California Product Stewardship Council is a not-for-profit, non government agency dedicated to shifting California's product waste management system from one focused on government funded and ratepayer financed waste diversion to one that relies on producer responsibility. CPSC is working toward this goal to reduce public costs and drive improvements in product design that promote environmental sustainability. CPSC strives to: (1) Build capacity and knowledge among local governments, and build relationships with stakeholders, to bring about producer financed and managed systems for product discards, including, but not restricted to, products covered by the Universal Waste Ban; (2) Provide a forum for the exchange of information regarding existing and proposed Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs; (3) Develop and recommend practical local and statewide EPR policy and educational tools such as model ordinances and legislation, newsletters, articles, policy briefings, etc.; (4) Provide effective leadership on EPR initiatives in California and develop a prioritized list, with timelines, of future EPR programs; and, (5) Educate elected and appointed officials and other decision makers on the benefits to local government of EPR. For more information, go to www.calpsc.org