Agenda - 05-04-2006-8a - Laserfiche WebLink

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DRAFT ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ~ Resolution Supporting Senate Bill 1030 -Electronics Recycling and Job Creation WHEREAS, Orange County spends considerable funds annually recycling electronics collected from its residents and businesses; and, WHEREAS, these funds are provided from revenue collected as part of'the County's Reduce, Reuse & Recycling Fee and landfill operations revenues with no other state, private or federal funds supporting the County's electronics recycling; and, WHEREAS, local government operated electronic recycling programs are an efficient way to divert electronics from disposal and to provide recycling services to residents across the State; and, WHEREAS, local government operated electronic recycling programs, where they exist, are the only existing programs to adequately serve North Carolinians and to divert large quantities of electronics from disposal (the State of North Carolina, electronics manufacturers, retailers, and others provide no such system); and, WHEREAS, Orange County operates one of the most successful electronics recycling programs in the southeast, collecting approximately 180 tons of electronics last fiscal year, estimated as the highest per capita in the nation; and, WHEREAS, more than 14,000 new televisions, monitors and printers were purchased by Orange County residents and businesses last year; and, WHEREAS, electronics recycling legislation is strongly supported and was originally sponsored in the North Carolina Senate by Senator Ellie Kinnaird of Orange County and in the North Carolina House by Representative doe Haclmey of Orange County; and, WHEREAS, approximately 65 businesses are handling recyclable electronics now in North Carolina and this is an area of job growth and business expansion in our State; and, WI3EREAS, very few counties have funds for implementing electronics recycling programs; and, WHEREAS, each conventional (not flat screen) television and computer monitor contains an average of eight pounds of lead and other heavy metals; and, WHEREAS, recycling and reusing computer monitors, televisions, printers and other electronics represents recovery of valuable resources and conservation of locally scarce landfill space; and, WHEREAS, legislation now being considered by the North Carolina General Assembly could provide sufficient funds from a privilege tax on the sale of televisions, computer monitors and printers to fully support local government operated electronics recycling programs, including Orange County's, enabling the recycling fee revenues collected by counties, including those collected by Orange County, to support other recycling and waste reduction efforts; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners supports Senate Bill 1030 -Electronics Recycling and Job Creation, and urges the members of the Orange County's legislative delegation as well as all members of the General Assembly to support legislation that imposes a privilege tax on electronic devices in order to encourage and fund local government operated electronics recycling programs.. This the 4°i day of May 2006 Barry Jacobs, Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners