RESOURCE CONSERVATION
CHALLENGE
The Resource Conservation Challenge
What Can You Save
Today?
...An Update
In September 2002, EPA announced the Resource Conservation Challenge
{RCC), a major national effort to find flexible yet more protective ways to
conserve our valuable resources through waste reduction and energy
recovery activities that will improve public health and the environment.
Today, the RCC is expanding across EPA's programs—waste, water, air, toxics,
pollution prevention, pesticides, and compliance—and also includes on-going
projects in the regions, states and tribes. The RCC identifies areas of program
focus, or "challenges" that are ready for voluntary partnerships. Each of these
challenges works to resolve national environmental problems by finding
environmentally acceptable solutions.
A Challenge to All Americans
The RCC challenges all Americans—makers of goods, sellers of goods, and
buyers of goods—to:
• Prevent pollution and promote recycling and reuse;
• Reduce priority chemicals at all life cycle stages; and
• Conserve energy and materials.
The RCC is about adopting a resource conservation ethic; operating more
efficiently; purchasing more wisely; and making and using products that are easy
to recycle and consist of recycled materials.
Business Takes the Challenge
Since December, 2002, a number of business and industry sectors have accepted
the challenge and joined one of EPA's national partnership programs, The commit-
ments made under these voluntary programs support our drive to achieve the
RCC's three goals.
• The National Waste Minimization Partnership Program encourages companies
to make innovative changes in their manufacturing and production processes
to reduce the use of priority chemicals. The Charter Members—American
Video Glass Company; Dow Chemical Company, Texas Operations;
International Truck and Engine Corporation; and Toyota Motor Manufacturing,
Indiana—have identified priority chemicals they want to reduce and have
signed on to the program.
• The Plug-In To eCycling Program aims to increase the safe recycling of old
consumer electronics, including TVs and computer monitors, by providing
Printed on paper that contains at least 30 percent postconsumer fiber.
SAVE TODAYy
S M T W T F S
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incentives for manufacturers and retailers to provide more support for
eCycling. Private sector partners Sony, Sharp, Panasonic, JVC, Dell, Best Buy,
AT&T Wireless, Recycle America Alliance, Envirocycle, and Nxtcycle have
committed to make more recycling opportunities available to the public. A
number of collection events have already been held and more are planned. At
one recent event, 200 tons of old electronics were collected for reuse or
recycling!
• Carpet America is an industry-led, multi-stakeholder organization that seeks to
divert 40 percent of carpet from landfills by 2012 through recycling, reuse and
other waste recovery and waste minimization activities. Carpet America's
recovery effort had its genesis in a 2002 Memorandum of Understanding for
Carpet Stewardship signed by EPA, the States, the carpet industry and other
non-governmental organizations.
These programs are also significant because they embrace another RCC
concept—the transfer of innovative ideas from the state or region to the national
level and from one business to an entire industry sector.
Engaging Consumers
The RCC's retail component encourages and educates consumers about their role
in resource conservation and environmental protection activities. Several recycling
and waste minimization projects are currently underway to expand EPA's outreach
efforts, build partnerships, and develop various communication tools.
• "You Dump It, You Drink It" outreach materials are designed for owners,
operators and employees of automotive repair and service stations and for the
general public. These materials are available in both Spanish and English and
engage the Hispanic community in environmental protection by promoting the
proper management of used motor oil.
• EPA is currently reaching out to the urban African American community to
build neighborhood support for recycling and sound waste management. This
RCC program enlists the help of nationally known African American personali-
ties to produce public service announcements (PSAs). EPA's first PSA has
been released in ten of the largest African American radio markets and fea-
tures Shauntay Hinton, Miss USA 2002, with the message "Recycle - It's Our
Neighborhood." EPA plans to record additional PSAs featuring musicians such
as the Mighty Clouds of Joy.
Forming Partnerships to Meet the Challenge
EPA will rely on the development of voluntary partnerships to meet the Resource
Conservation Challenge. We are initially focusing on nine areas for these partner-
ships. Each area will develop specific, measurable targets tied to RCC goals. The
current RCC areas of focus are:
• Construction and demolition debris • Green buildings
• Electronics • Hospitals
• Paper • Industrial wastes
• Priority chemicals • Schools
• Tires
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Additionally, EPA has identified hundreds of projects across the Agency and the
states that support the RCC goals. The hallmarks of these projects are flexibility,
partnership and innovation. Many projects utilize revamped technologies to reduce
or eliminate the use of virgin materials and toxic chemicals and recover energy to
produce power.
During the next year, the RCC will continue developing partnerships in these initial
areas and will announce agreements and successes as they are achieved.
Additionally, the RCC is working to identify additional areas that are ready to
accept the challenge.
EPA's Commitment
EPA cannot achieve resource conservation goals on its own or regulate them into
place. For those willing to accept the RCC, EPA commits at the highest level to
mobilize its institutional resources to bring sustained and focused attention and
responsive decision-making to achieving RCC goals. We will work with partners to
create incentives that reward businesses and communities that meet program
goals.
The transformation to a new way of thinking about wastes and materials is a joint
effort between EPA, businesses and communities. Through a voluntary commit-
ment to achieve RCC goals, we can improve public health and the environment.
For More Information
More information on the Resource Conservation Challenge is available at
. Your suggestions about how EPA can
meet the challenge are welcome. E-mail us at rcc-challenge@epa.gov or write to:
U.S.EPA
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (5305W)
Washington, D.C. 20460
Attn: RCC
Information can also be obtained by calling the RCRA Call Center at 703-412-9810
or TDD 703-412-3323 (hearing impaired) if you are within the Washington, D.C.
metropolitan area. If you are outside the metro area, call 800-424-9346 or TDD
800-553-7672.
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United States
Environmental Protection Agency
Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5305W)
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
EPA530-F-03-015
www.epa.gov/osw
June 2003
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