Whereas, approximately 7,500 tons of waste will be landfilled by the Town of Carrboro during the current fiscal year (1998-99); and,

Whereas, the cost to the taxpayers of the Town of Carrboro for collecting and landfilling those wastes is estimated at $773,000; and,

Whereas, the United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that over 70 percent of these wastes are manufactured products, including ‘durable’ foods (appliances, furniture, and tires), ‘nondurable’ goods (newspapers, magazines, office paper, junk mail, diapers, and household items) and packaging (cans, bottles, cartons, bags and wraps); and,

Whereas, decisions about manufacture of these products are made by producers with little regard for the need for waste prevention and recycling; and,

Whereas, the responsibility for managing these discarded products falls entirely on the citizens of our community; and,

Whereas, the continued wasting of these products through landfilling or incineration results in the depletion of our natural resources and the pollution of our environment, now and for the indefinite future; and,

Whereas, waste prevention, reuse, recycling and composting are materials management options that conserve these resources while reducing the environmental impacts which accrue from extracting these resources form the environment; and,

Whereas, the success of waste prevention, reuse, recycling and composting programs depends upon efforts by producers to take responsibility for minimizing waste and utilizing recovered resources;

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CARRBORO BOARD OF ALDERMEN RESOLVES:

Section 1. The Board of Aldermen considers the responsibility to manage waste from manufactured products and packaging represents an "unfunded mandate" on its citizens.

Section 2. Producers should share the responsibility for eliminating this waste —through eliminating excess packaging, designing products for durability, reusability and recyclability; using recycled materials; and providing financial support for collection, processing, recycling and disposal of used materials.

Section 3. The N.C. General Assembly and U.S. Congress should adopt legislation to shift the burden of managing discarded products and packaging form local governments to the producers of those products and requests our delegations to sponsor such legislation.

Section 4. This change in policy should be undertaken as part of a broad effort to eliminate waste by consumers, government, and business.

Section 5. This resolution shall become effective upon adoption.

The foregoing resolution having been submitted to a vote, received the following vote and was duly adopted this 22^nd day of September, 1998:

Ayes: Alex Zaffron, Michael Nelson, Diana McDuffee, Jacquelyn Gist, Allen Spalt

Noes: None

Absent or Excused: Hank Anderson, Hilliard Caldwell

I, Sarah C. Williamson, Town Clerk of the Town of Carrboro, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of a resolution adopted by the Carrboro Boared of Aldermen on September 22, 1998.

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