Recyclers Applaud Governor Brown for Calling for More Enforcement of Metals Theft Laws
October 4, 2013
Contact:
Mark Carpenter
[email protected]
(Washington, DC) – The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries
(ISRI) commended California Governor Jerry Brown for recognizing the
need for more enforcement of the state’s current metals theft laws
before additional laws that could harm the industry are added to the
books.
While vetoing California Assembly Bill 841, Governor Brown issued the
following statement, “The theft of nonferrous metals has reached
epidemic proportions not only in California, but across the United
States. In an effort to combat this problem, I signed four bills last
year to prevent more theft. Existing law requires that a seller wait
three days before receiving payment for metal materials, a written
record of the transaction, the name, driver’s license number, license
plate number, thumbprint of the seller, and a photograph or video of the
seller and the material being sold. How much more do you need?
“What’s really missing today is robust enforcement of our laws.”
The legislation would have required scrap dealers to only make payments
for metals via check through the mail, severely hampering the ability to
conduct legitimate business. Governor Brown’s refusal to sign the bill
followed a similar response by Governor Chris Christie to metals theft
legislation in New Jersey.
“Governor Brown correctly pointed out that the problem is not a lack of
metals theft laws, but a lack of enforcement,” said Robin Wiener,
president of ISRI. “Scrap recyclers across the country are working on a
daily basis with law enforcement, prosecutors, and legislators on ways
to reduce thefts. We will continue our efforts to curb these thefts that
are harming communities.”
ISRI believes the most effective way to address the problem is through a
comprehensive strategy focusing first on efforts to prevent metals
theft and second on assisting law enforcement and prosecutors in their
efforts to catch, prosecute, and penalize those who perpetrate these
crimes.
Among the many ways the recycling industry and law enforcement are working together is through the use of ScrapTheftAlert.com,
a free tool that provides law enforcement with an outlet to alert the
scrap industry of significant thefts of materials in the United States
and Canada. Upon validation and review, alerts are broadcast by email to
all subscribed users within a 100-mile radius of where the incident
occurred.
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The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI) is the
Voice of the Recycling Industry™. ReMA represents more than 1,700
companies in 21 chapters nationwide that process, broker and
industrially consume scrap commodities, including metals, paper,
plastics, glass, rubber, electronics and textiles. With headquarters in
Washington, DC, the Institute provides safety, education, advocacy, and
compliance training, and promotes public awareness of the vital role
recycling plays in the U.S. economy, global trade, the environment and
sustainable development. For more information about ISRI, visit www.ISRI.org.