Republican Revolution Trashes Recycling Programfrom the Sierra Club We learned from the 104th Congress that the Republican leadership sought to throw away some of America's environmental protection laws. What we didn't know was that while they were trying to trash to Clean Water Act, they also were scrapping the Congressional recycling program. In 1992, the House initiated a recycling program for all Member offices. But under the new Majority, the recycling program has not been staffed for nearly two years. Apparently, without the staff and subsequent shortfall of recycling equipment, recycling on the Hill has been left in chaos. It is reported that even offices that try to recycle indicated that their separated paper, cans and bottles often get tossed back into a common trash bin and contaminated by other waste. Under Republican leadership: aluminum can recycling has fallen 74% (from 21,520 pounds in 94 to 5,650 pounds in 96); glass bottle recycling has fallen 83% (from 219,520 pounds in 94 to 36,300 pounds in 96); and paper separation efforts are in disarray (a paper vendor recently complained that congressional paper bales sent in for recycling are contaminated with "plastic bottles, tin cans and glass along with plastic bags, luncheon meats and other garbage that is completely unacceptable"). Due to contamination of congressional waste paper, the House received only 39cents/ton for its paper waste in 1996, according to the General Services Administration. In contrast, the Energy Department receives $42/ton and Housing and Urban Development receives $60/ton.
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