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LOS ALAMITOS : City Backs Business Breaks for Recycling

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City Council members have declared their support for a proposal to join a state program that rewards businesses that use recycled materials.

The council passed a resolution this week supporting the county’s application with the California Integrated Waste Management Board to designate the county as a recycling market development zone, or RMDZ.

A RMDZ designation would encourage more local businesses to recycle, county officials said. Businesses that use recycled materials could apply for low-interest loans or receive technical and marketing assistance.

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“This program would encourage recycled materials to be remanufactured into new products within the zone, thus closing the recycling loop,” said Tanya Crail of the county’s integrated waste management department in a letter to the council.

She said that the request for a RMDZ designation also will demonstrate the county and local cities’ efforts to comply with a 1989 state law that requires cities and counties to reduce 25% of their landfill use by 1995 and 50% by 2000.

Violators could be fined as much as $10,000 a day, officials said.

Council members said that supporting the county proposal would help the city avoid the hefty penalties, while boosting its own recycling program.

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