1. A. The Legislature hereby recognizes and declares that it is necessary for the public interest, health and economic welfare to encourage and promote the recycling and reuse of recoverable materials. The recycling and reuse of recoverable materials substantially reduces disposal costs and the tremendous flow of solid waste toOklahoma's dwindling solid waste sites. It is equally necessary that Oklahoma preserve, expand and encourage economic growth. The recycling and reuse of recoverable materials will create new employment, provide and allow for expansion of existing manufacturing, thereby increasing employment and payrolls as well as upgrading the state's natural resources.

2. B. The Legislature declares that the goal of this state, hereinafter called the Oklahoma Recycling Initiative, is that each incorporated municipality with a population greater than five thousand (5,000), as determined by the most recent decennial census by the Bureau of the Census of the United States Department of Commerce, should develop and operate a recycling program which will generate raw materials for the manufacturing industries located in this state. Due to the importance of the paper industry to Oklahoma 's economy, each recycling and reuse program should at a minimum include the collection of waste paper.

   1. 1. Consider the overall status of the solid waste collection system and management within the municipality, including generation, recycling and disposal;
   2. 2. Review five- , ten- , and twenty-year municipality-wide goals for reducing the amount of solid waste through the recycling of recoverable materials;
   3. 3. Evaluate alternative methods for achieving the Oklahoma Recycling Initiative through municipality-wide collection systems or through integrated recoverable materials management on a regional basis;
   4. 4. Establish a comprehensive and sustained public information and education program concerning the recoverable materials program's features and requirements; and
   5. 5. Include in the program such other information recommended by the Department of Environmental Quality.

   In implementing any recycling program the Oklahoma Recycling Initiative the municipality may:

3. C. The Legislature in an effort to increase statewide recycling efforts hereby encourages a goal of recycling ten percent (10%) of the entire solid waste stream produced in this state by December 31, 2011. The Department of Environmental Quality shall coordinate this effort with the Oklahoma Recycling Association (OKRA) and any other interested parties and issue a report to the Legislature by December 31, 2011.

Laws 1995, HB 2046, c. 311, § 1, eff. November 1, 1995; Amended by Laws 1998, HB 2802, c. 364, § 11, emerg. eff. June 8, 1998 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 1998, SB 1025, c. 401, § 1, emerg. eff. June 10, 1998 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2008, SB 498, c. 125, § 1, emerg. eff. May 6, 2008 (superseded document available).