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Interview with Robin Wiener, President of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc.
 1) Tell us about your industry, and how it fits in the larger
energy picture?
The scrap recycling industry annually transforms more than 150 million
tons of obsolete materials from consumers, businesses and manufacturers
into useful raw materials, in the process saving large amounts of energy
and natural resources. The use of the scrap recycling industry's product
- recyclable paper, glass, plastic, metals, rubber, textiles and
electronics - as raw materials in the manufacturing of new materials
saves considerable energy. Thus, recycling is an eminently
climate-friendly activity saving the release of considerable greenhouse
gas emissions - perhaps as much as three times that generated by all
household electrical use throughout the entire United States (approx.
298 million metric tons). The $86 billion scrap recycling industry is
uniquely positioned to meet the challenges of today's world by offering
real sustainable solutions for balancing economic growth and
environmental stewardship.
2) In your expertise, what are the issues that will frame the
Waxman-Markey legislation's next steps through the halls of power?
Now that the House Energy and Commerce Committee has voted out the bill
and it now awaits full House and Senate action, the cost of the bill to
energy consumers will become a flashpoint, especially in these tough
economic times. Some Energy and Commerce Committee Democrats from "blue
states" voted against the bill and some "blue-state" Democratic Senators
will be pressured to vote against the bill and/or support a filibuster.
Agriculture interests and issues will likely create pressure, along with
interests from various states, putting pressure on their Senators to
negotiate for better deals.
3) What issues will they be willing to negotiate on and what
legislative provisions are considered 'deal breakers?'
The real question here is not what issues may be deal breakers, but
rather, as we saw in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, how many
votes are needed to invoke cloture or pass the bill, and what
concessions will be made to obtain them.
4) Who will the main players be?
Key Senate Committee Chairmen - Sens. Bingaman, Boxer and Baucus - have
to be considered main players. But so are the moderates, also known for
the moment as the "Gang of 16."
5) Any advice you would like to give law makers?
Yes, absolutely. There must be a recycling provision in any bill that
the Congress sends to President Obama. Being one of the most
climate-friendly activities, it is incumbent on the Congress to
recognize that promoting recycling in a climate change bill will pay
significant environmental dividends. In fact, I think that recycling
deserves its own title within the bill to acknowledge its role and to
say to the world, "Include recycling in all of your climate change
thinking, actions, legislation and international treaties." Ideally, I
would like to see the Congress improve on the provision included in the
Lieberman-Warner bill in the last Congress. Promoting recycling is
important to industrial, commercial and municipal programs - all must be
included. I realize that it will be expected that, in return for any
benefits the legislation might provide for recycling, "additionality"
will be demanded ...meaning that recycling yields will have to increase.
6) Are Congressional representatives likely to organize themselves
with the regional colleagues?
Certainly, where they have regional issues in common and they can better
leverage their needs, they'll form regional coalitions. Again, in the
House Energy and Commerce Committee, we saw evidence of that. It should
be no different in the Senate. However, the "Gang of 16" is composed of
moderates of different regions trying to leverage their needs thru the
sheer force of numbers. It will be very interesting to watch how this
all plays out.
7) What else is important within this bill to your industry?
We supported the "Cash for Clunkers" provision. We certainly hope that
it helps generate new car sales for the sake of jobs and provides
environmental benefits for the country. And, the auto trade-ins
generated during this period of economic hardship will wind up at the
scrap recycling industry's shredders, becoming raw materials that can
assist in the rebuilding the American and international economies.
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