D.C. Council Member Wants to Overhaul Waste Laws

A D.C. council member says the city isn't recycling enough, partly because the city's laws related to waste management need an overhaul.

Council member Mary Cheh introduced a bill Tuesday that aims to bring the District of Columbia in line with jurisdictions that keep more of their waste out of landfills and incinerators.

Cheh says the district only diverts 23 percent of its waste. The national average is 33 percent. San Francisco diverts 80 percent, and Montgomery County, Md., diverts 60 percent.

Mayor Vincent Gray has set a goal of the city diverting 100 percent of its waste by 2032. But Cheh says the city will need new laws to accomplish that. For starters, the city has no composting program. Her bill would lay the groundwork to start one.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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