A. Creation of the Commission. During the 1973 session of the General Assembly Senate Bill No. 856 was introduced by Senator Walker and passed by both the House of Delegates and Senate to create a Commission to Study and Advise Upon the Disposal of Solid Wastes. Under Senate Bill No. 856 the Commission was directed to study all problems relating to the causes, collection and disposal of solid wastes. The Commission is composed of Dr. Robert F. Testin, Director of Environmental Planning, Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond; William M. Beck, Jr., Professor of Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk; Callis H. Atkins, former chief sanitary engineer, U. S. Public Health Service Ruckersville; Delegate Richard M. Bagley, Hampton; Senator A. Joe Canada, Jr., Virginia Beach; Ernest C. Edwards, Jr., Director, Engineering Services, Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative and Manager, Buggs Island Telephone Cooperative, Chase City; Joseph M. Guiffre, Guiffre Distributing Company, Alexandria; Delegate Joan S. Jones, Lynchburg; J. D. Pennewell, Environmental Research, Wolf Research Corporation, Chincoteague; Delegate James M. Thomson, Alexandria; Senator Stanley C. Walker, Norfolk; and Senator L. Douglas Wilder, Richmond.

B. Senate Bill No. 30 was introduced by Senator Canada in the 1974 General Assembly and amended in the nature of a substitute so that the Commission was directed to study all of the issues contained therein relating to mandatory refund values for beverage containers legislation. The Commission was increased in size by adding two members from the House and two from the Senate to assist in studying this problem and in compiling a report due November 1, 1975.

C. A second bill was introduced as House Bill No. 1017 by Delegate Campbell also relating to beverage container legislation which was reviewed by a subcommittee of House Finance under Delegate Carrington Williams. A formal request to study House Bill No. 1017 was sent by this Subcommittee to the Commission to be included in their report.

D. The Commission in the course of its deliberations has also examined other viable alternatives such as the Washington Model Litter Control Act and the federal legislation sponsored by Senator Hatfield and endorsed in concept by the Environmental Protection Agency. These two alternatives were considered as they relate to the two bills which the Commission was directed to address.