The legislature finds and declares that:

1. The management of solid waste can pose a wide range of hazards to public health and safety and to the environment; and

2. Packaging comprises a significant percentage of the overall solid waste stream; and

3. The presence of heavy metals in packaging is a part of the total concern in light of their likely presence in emissions or ash when packaging is incinerated, or in leachate when packaging is landfilled; and

4. Lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium, on the basis of available scientific and medical evidence, are of particular concern; and

5. It is desirable as a first step in reducing the toxicity of packaging waste to eliminate the addition of these heavy metals to packaging; and

6. The intent of this title is to achieve this reduction in toxicity without impeding or discouraging the expanded use of post-consumer materials in the production of packaging and its components.