This past September, after years of debate, Ecology Center began collecting plastic #1 and #2 bottles in Berkeley's curbside recycling program. The City Council approved curbside collection of plastic and also passed a resolution adopting a "Comprehensive and Unified Plastics Policy." This resolution was passed in recognition that plastic recycling must go hand in hand with efforts to reduce and reuse plastic. We recognize that some confusion remains about why plastic is problematic as a recyclable material and why only certain plastics are collected. We hope this newsletter will provide you with a better understanding of the issues and motivate you to continue to reduce and reuse plastics whenever possible. We also hope you will join us in encouraging manufacturers to take responsibility for the plastic packaging they create, rather than leaving the cost and burden of disposal to consumers.