United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Respons
(5306)
EPA/530-K-92-004
November 1993
Business Guide for
Reducing Solid Waste
I                                Printed witfwegetable-based inK
                                on paper containing at least
                                50% recycled fiber

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<>EPA    Business Guide for
         Reducing Solid Waste

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We Want to  Hear  From  You!
 The US. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourages businesses to share their waste
reduction successes so that others can learn from these examples. If you have any success stories
to share, please write to EPA at the address below. Information describing the types and amounts of
waste reduced and the  associated costs and benefits will be particularly useful.

       RCRA Information Center
       Source Reduction Successes
       U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
       Office of Solid Waste (OS-305)
       401 M Street, SW.
       Washington, DC 20460
Acknowledgments
 The following individual contributed their time and expertise in the development of this guide: John
 Winte, INFORM, Inc.; Ken Brown, Minnesota  Office of Waste Management; Kathy Frevert, California
 Integrated Waste Management Board; Elizabeth Feinberg, Montgomery County (MD) Department of
 Environmental Protection; J. Thomas Lokey, Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority; Joseph
 Grvany, J. G. Consulting; Frank Consoli, Scott Paper Company; Thomas Blewett, Iowa Department of
 Natural Resources; Stephen A. Hammer, Hammer Environmental Consulting; Randolph Haviland,
 Johnson & Johnson;  Larry Black, College Park Bicycles; James Andrade,  Brown and Sharp
 Manufacturing Company;  Dana Jeschelnik,  Taylor Equipment Company; Carol Winter-Behn, Kaiser
 Permanente; Keith Rosenstiel, EG & G Pressure Science; Mark Henderson, Quaker Oats Company;
 and Tedd Saunders,  Boston Park Plaza Hotels, Towers.  Their assistance  is greatly appreciated.

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    Contents
Introduction                                                            1
The Benefits of Waste Reduction                                            1
Waste  Prevention                                                           2
Recycling                                                                 4
Composting                                                               4
Purchasing                                                                5
Chapter One: Getting Started                                            7
Management Support                                                       7
The Waste Reduction Team                                                  7
Setting Preliminary Program Goals                                             9
Notifying Personnel                                                         9
Chapter Two: Conducting "a Waste Assessment                          10
The Purpose of the Waste Assessment                                         10
Determining the Approach                                                  10
Records Examination                                                      11
Facility Walk-Through                                                      14
Waste Sort                                                               14
Documenting the Waste Assessment                                           15
Chapter Three: Selecting, Implementing, and Monitoring
Waste Reduction Options                                              16
Compiling and Screening the Options                                          16
Analyzing and Selecting the Options                                           16
Waste Prevention Options                                                   17
Recycling Options                                                         18
Composting  Options                                                       18
Purchasing  Options                                                        20
Implementing the Options                                                   20
Educating and Training Employees                                            20
Monitoring and Evaluating the Program                                         22
Waste Reduction in Your Workplace and Beyond                                 22
Appendices                                                           23
Appendix A: Waste Reduction Ideas                                           23
Appendix B: Regional EPA and State Waste Reduction Program Contacts              25
Appendix C:  Glossary                                                      31
Appendix D: Volume-to-Weight Conversion Table                                 33
Appendix E: Common Recyclable Materials                                     37
Worksheets                                                           41
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   How to  Use This Guide
  This guide offers step-by-step instructions designed to assist medium and large businesses,
   governments, and other organizations establish a waste reduction program. Although not
   specifically designed for smaller companies, these firms also might find the guide useful.  While
   employees at all levels can profit from this  guide, the information that follows is directed toward
   members of the waste  reduction team, a group of employees charged with planning and
   implementing the program.

   The guide presents an overview on developing and implementing a waste reduction program,
   followed by a series of worksheets  designed to help  the team conduct a waste assessment and
   devise a program tailored for its company's specific goals. The worksheets lead the team through a
   set of calculations to estimate the types and amounts of waste generated by the company, identify
   potential waste  reduction options, and determine which options will work in their facility. Teams in
   large companies with several departments  might find it necessary to copy some of the worksheets
   so that information  can be recorded for each department.  In addition, teams  can complete only
   those worksheets that are  applicable to their operations or appropriate for their waste reduction
   program.

   Appendix A lists a number of specific waste reduction measures  that can be implemented in  the
   workplace. You might want to scan this list before reading the remainder of the guide to get a better
   sense of the range of waste reduction options  that can be implemented.  This list, while fairly
   comprehensive, also can serve as a springboard for  generating additional ideas tailored specifically
   for your company.

   It should be  noted that while this guide discusses a range of approaches  to reducing waste in the
   workplace, in-depth discussions on comporting and recycling are beyond the  scope of this guide.
   Many publications have been developed on these topics, however. Contact EPA's RCRA Hotline at
   800424-9346 to obtain further information  or documents on waste prevention, recycling,
   comporting,  and purchasing recycled materials.
IV

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          Introduction
       Until recently, you might not have paid
       much attention to the municipal solid
       waste' your company produces. Many
businesses have been content simply to establish
and manage an efficient system for removing
trash. Times have changed, however, and so has
waste management, In many areas of the country,
companies are seeing a dramatic increase in the
complexity and  costs of managing their waste. At
the same time, public concern over the effects of
all this waste has grown significantly. Today, more
and more customers are taking environmental
considerations into account when purchasing
products and services.

In response, innovative companies are
incorporating waste reduction principles into
their daily operations. What exactly is waste
reduction? Waste reduction includes all actions
taken to reduce the  amount and/or toxicity of
waste requiring  disposal. It includes waste
prevention, recycling, composting, and the
purchase and manufacture of goods that have
recycled content or produce less waste. Some
companies are adopting simple waste reduction
options such as reducing paper consumption
through the use of electronic mail. Other
businesses are reviewing their entire operation to
identify and implement as many opportunities for
reducing waste as possible, Whether simple
alterations or large-scale initiatives, companies are
finding that waste reduction offers impressive
dividends,

The Benefits of Waste
Reduction
In addition  to saving money through lower waste
removal costs-sometimes thousands of dollars
annually-waste reduction makes good business
sense in other ways, too. Waste reduction can
help reduce expenditures on raw materials, office
   Waste Reduction Approaches
      Waste prevention, or source reduction, is the design, manufacture, purchase, or use of
      materials and products  to reduce the amount and/or toxicity of discarded waste.

      Recycling is the collection and use of materials that would otherwise have been discarded as
      the raw materials in the manufacture of new products.

      Composting is a natural process by which food scraps, yard trimmings, and other organic
      materials are  collected  and allowed to decompose under controlled conditions into a rich,
      soil-like substance called compost,

      Purchasing is the procurement of products  made from recycled materials and/or designed to
      result in less waste after their useful life.
'For the purpose of this guide, municipal solid waste includes all materials typically disposed of in dumpsters and removed for
 offsite disposal by private or municipal haulers.
                                                                             Introduction

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supplies, equipment, and other purchases.
Streamlining operations to reduce waste often can
enhance overall efficiency and productivity as well,
Furthermore, waste reduction measures can help
demonstrate concern for the environment,
increasing customer loyalty. For many companies,
therefore, waste reduction is rapidly becoming an
important component of their long-term business
planning,

Waste reduction can help protect the environment,
too. Waste reduction slows the depletion of natural
resources, helps reduce pollution associated with
the extraction of raw materials and the manufacture
of products, and conserves valuable landfill space.
Some waste reduction efforts also serve to reduce
hazardous constituents  in solid waste.

Waste  Prevention
The most effective way to reduce your company's
waste is to generate less in the first place.
Companies can adopt a wide range of waste
prevention strategies, including:
I Using or manufacturing minimal or
  reusable packaging. Encourage suppliers to
  minimize the amount of packaging used to
  protect their products or seek new suppliers
  who offer products with minimal packaging,
  Work with suppliers to make arrangements
  for returning shipping  materials such as
  crates, cartons, and  pallets for reuse. In
  restaurants and company cafeterias, using
  bulk food and  beverage dispensers  instead
  of individual-serving containers also will help
  prevent waste. (When  opting for  reusable
  containers, be  sure to take steps to  ensure
  proper hygiene is maintained.) In addition,
  examine the packaging used for your own
  products to determine if it is possible to use
  fewer layers of materials or to ship
  merchandise in returnable or reusable
  containers.
I Using  and maintaining  durable
  equipment and supplies. Purchase quality,
  long-lasting supplies and equipment that can
  be  repaired easily, and establish regular
                 &                           In On


   Long-term waste reduction efforts at large companies can yield big savings. JohnsonS, Johnson, a
   Fortune 100 company primarily in the business of manufacturing health care products, began
   developing its  waste reduction program in 1988. Since then, the company has reduced its
   packaging by 2,750 tons per year,  including a reduction in its use of paper by  1,600 tons, plastic by
    1,000 tons, metal by  100 tons, and other materials by over 50 tons. Over the first 2 1/2 years of the
   program, these reductions saved Johnson & Johnson an estimated $2.8 million in material costs
   alone.

    The company began its program by comprehensively reviewing its product packaging, looking for
   ways to cutback on the amount  of materials it purchased, as well as the amount of waste
   associated with the manufacture and use of these products. One measure Johnson & Johnson
   adopted was to reduce the weight of paper used to package one of its gauze products. Since
   millions of these particular products are sold every year, the company realized that even a small
   change would make a big difference.  Simply by changing from 30-pound paper to 28-pound paper,
   Johnson &  Johnson realized some dramatic results: a reduction in  waste of 115 tons of paper,
   saving $450,000 annually.

   Johnson &  Johnson also has initiated more complex waste prevention initiatives. In one example,
   the company eliminated an  aluminum pouch that surrounded a plastic film layer used to  contain
   medical sutures. Since doctors and nurses used the pouch as  part of their standard sterilized
   procedures, Johnson  & Johnson worked with a health care organization to develop a new
   procedure that would retain  a sterile environment without the need for the aluminum pouch. This
   coordination with the  users of the product paid off, saving Johnson & Johnson 83 tons of aluminum
   foil and $300,000 in material costs each year.
2  Introduction

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  Before  You Throw It Out...
  Often, companies dispose of materials that other businesses, nonprofit organizations, or
  community groups could use in their operations.  Instead of being thrown away, these materials can
  be traded, donated, or sold.

  Materials exchanges are an effective waste reduction measure your company might want to
  consider to  transfer items that would otherwise become waste. Materials involved in  these
  exchanges include building supplies,  manufacturing remnants, old equipment, and many other
  items. A company producing animal feed,  for example, might use stale baked goods from a bakery
  as a feed supplement. The plastic wrapping used to protect paper shipments to printing
  companies typically gets tossed in the dumpster, In a materials exchange, instead of paying for its
  disposal,  a company could give it to a local plastic bag manufacturer.

  Your company also might participate in donations programs, giving away items such as office
  equipment and building supplies to charities and other nonprofit organizations. Some donations
  programs specialize in food donations,

  Increasingly, businesses and state and local governments across the country are developing or
  participating in these kinds of programs. Contact your  state or local solid waste or environmental
  agency for information on tapping into these networks  (see Appendix B),
 maintenance schedules for them, These items
 will stay out of the waste stream longer, and
 the higher initial costs are often justified by
 lower maintenance, disposal, and replacement
 costs. In addition, these items  are replaced far
 less frequently, offering further cost savings.
Reusing products and supplies. Using
 durable, reusable  products  rather than
 single-use materials is one of the most
 effective waste prevention  strategies.
 Consider adopting simple, cost-effective
 measures such as washing and reusing
 ceramic mugs in place of disposable cups,
 Another idea  is to reuse common items such
 as file folders and interoffice envelopes.
Reducing the  use of hazardous
 constituents. Often, substitutes for the
 standard cleaning solvents, inks, paints,
 glues, and other materials  used by graphics
 and maintenance  departments are available
 free of the hazardous  ingredients that
 otherwise could end up being disposed of
 with the rest of your company's solid  waste,
 Ask suppliers to direct you  toward
 reformulated products such as toners with no
 heavy metals and water-based paints and
 cleaning solutions.
• Using supplies and materials more
   efficiently. There are many strategies that
   your company can adopt to reduce waste and
   conserve materials, including double-sided
   copying. In addition, purchasing and inventory
   practices that generate waste unnecessarily
   can be eliminated, For example, some
   companies might order large quantities of an
   item to receive a discounted unit price, only to
   have a portion of the order end up unused and
   discarded, Be cautious about over-ordering
   products with a  limited shelf life.
• Eliminating unnecessary items. When
   reviewing your company's operations for
   opportunities to reduce waste, don't overlook
   the obvious. Your company may routinely use
   items that contribute little or nothing to your
   product or service. A number of effective waste
   reduction measures may involve simply
   eliminating the use of unnecessary materials
   and supplies,
While most of these waste prevention strategies
involve daily facility operations, manufacturers also
can consider lowering costs and preventing waste"
by altering the design of products or changing
their manufacturing processes. Among the
strategies to consider are:
                                                                                Introduction

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   Using less raw material in a product that you
   manufacture.
   Avoiding or minimizing the use of hazardous
   substances in your manufacturing processes.
   Increasing the life span of your products by
   making them more durable and easier to repair.
   Cutting back on the amount of packaging
   associated with your products.
   Making your products' packaging reusable.
existing municipal collection efforts also might be
an option.
Recycling
The next preferred alternative for waste reduction
is recycling, Recycling offers businesses away to
avoid  disposing of the waste that cannot be
prevented. Many businesses are collecting bottles,
cans,  paper, corrugated cardboard, and other
materials for recycling.  If your company is interested
in recycling, you will need to design a system to
collect the recyclable materials. In many cases,
these  items also must be sorted and stored.
Sometimes a company is responsible for
transporting the collected materials to the recycling
facility, too. It might be possible, however, to contract
with your waste hauler or a local recycling company so
that it  is  responsible for cleaning, transportation, and
other steps in the recycling chain. Participation in
composting
composting and  "grasscycling" are  other effective
ways to reduce the amount of waste materials that
your company must dispose of. Simply by leaving
grass clippings on the lawn, your company can
significantly reduce waste that would require
management  and disposal, while conserving
nutrients and  reducing the need for fertilizer.
Companies with  other yard trimmings such as
leaves and branches may  also consider collecting
them into a pile and composting them on site.
Such programs typically require limited space and
attention. In some cases, food scraps,  mixed
paper,  and other organic matter may also  be
composted with yard trimmings.

composting can  make a significant contribution to
achieving your company's  waste reduction goals,
especially if organic waste comprises a large
proportion of  its solid waste. In addition, the
resulting compost can be used on company
grounds as a  soil amendment or mulch. If the
quality of your compost  is  high enough, you might
also be able to sell it to help cover expenses.
                           Practices        Enhance Public Image
    Waste reduction can bean effective way for your company to demonstrate its environments/
    awareness. At College Park Bicycles, a small bicycle retail and repair shop in College Park,
    Mary/and, recycling and reuse have long been a priority. In the past few years, however, the store
    has started promoting waste reduction in the community,  helping residents protect the
    environment and generating positive publicity in the process.

    Over the years, the owner of College Park Bicycles and his 10 employees have devised dozens of
    creative, cost-saving ways to reduce waste, from reusing old inner tubes to encouraging vendors to
    minimize packaging whenever possible. In 1988, the  shop had an opportunity to spread the message
    into the community. In cooperation with the county government, College Park Bicycles organized a
    contest to promote aluminum can recycling. The shop offered prizes to the children who dropped off
    the most cans at the  store, eventually collecting a total of 34,000 cans for recycling.

    The shop has received two awards from a  county-sponsored civic group interested in promoting
    responsible solid waste management for its role in  sponsoring the  contest. In addition, the
    company has earned praise throughout College Park for its internal and community-wide efforts.
    The waste reduction efforts at College Park Bicycles saves the company several hundred dollars
    each year and provides immeasurable earnings from good will.
4 Introduction

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If your company is interested in composting,            participate in municipal or county composting
assistance can often be obtained from state solid        programs. Contact your local department of public
waste or environmental agencies (see Appendix        works for more information.
B); contacting these agencies is particularly
important in those states where standards for
composting have been established, These
agencies, as well as county extension services,          Many waste prevention activities will invariably
also can be helpful in identifying new composting       change the way you purchase supplies and
techniques and equipment, Businesses also might      equipment, For example, a switch to reusable

    The reductions from waste prevention, recycling, and other measures can be impressive, In four
    years, the Brown and Sharps Manufacturing Company, a multinational manufacturer of precision
    measuring tools, cut its Rhode Island plant's annual waste disposal rate by 60 percent—from 400
    to 160 tons. At the company's headquarters, a 380-employee facility in North Kingstown, a
    comprehensive waste reduction program was launched in 1988. Through the program, the
    company now saves over $12,000 a year in disposal and transportation fees, as well as several
    thousand dollars in annual purchasing costs.

    Brown and Sharpe began by zeroing in on the largest components of its waste stream. After
    discovering that wooden pallets and shipping crates account for over half of the company's annual
    discards by weight, Brown  and Sharpe decided to reuse most pallets that arrive with incoming
    shipments, thereby eliminating the need  to buy new ones. Irreparably damaged pallets and crates
    are sent to a New Hampshire mill, where they are burned to create steam for power. Shipping the
    wood to the mill costs two-thirds less than the cost of landfill disposal.

    As another way to reduce packaging waste and save money, Brown and Sharpe no longer throws
    away the mounds of foam  packing peanuts that come with most deliveries.  Now, after an incoming
    shipment is unpacked,  the  peanuts are transferred into 55-gallon drums lined with  plastic bags,
    which then are sent to the shipping department for reuse. The company reused more  than 190
    cubic yards of packing peanuts in 1992,  saving several hundred dollars in avoided purchase costs.

    Brown and Sharpe's paper recycling program has further reduced  the company's  waste. Nearly 35
    tons  of paper were recycled in 1992, more than half of which was  white and colored office paper.
    Since the recycling company pays Brown and Sharpe for this high-quality paper, the paper
    recycling program pays for itself

    Waste reduction does not necessarily entail extensive planning and effort, as demonstrated by
    Taylor Equipment Company. Four years ago, this freezer equipment distributor in Forestville,
    Maryland, realized that it could reduce the amount of waste paper it discarded with one simple
    purchase: the company bought a paper shredder for about $250 and began replacing foam
    packing peanuts with shredded waste paper Taylor is saving $1,500 to $2,000 a year by reducing
    its waste  disposal costs and avoiding the costs of purchasing the packing peanuts. Other simple
    steps  the company has taken include reusing shipping crates it receives to package its own
    products and giving delivery pallets away as scrap wood.
                                                                                   Introduction

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plates in your cafeteria will eliminate the need to
buy single-use plates. In addition, purchasing
products with recycled content is another
important element of waste reduction. An
important complement to  your recycling efforts,
buying recycled products  helps ensure that
collected recyclable will actually be used  in new
products and kept out of disposal facilities.
Furthermore, when your company buys a  product
or package that was manufactured  with recycled
material, natural resources and energy often are
conserved. And many companies have found that
recycled products are now priced  competitively
with  products made from virgin materials. To be
sure your company  is purchasing recycled
products whenever possible,  it might be
necessary to review purchasing specifications to
ensure that they do not unnecessarily discriminate
against  products  made from  recycled  materials.
    About the Guide
    The remainder of this guide presents practical information to help companies design and
    implement a waste reduction program.  To assist companies in gathering the necessary
    information, a series of worksheets are included at the back of this manual. Each worksheet is
    introduced in the text of the guide. The purpose of these worksheets is to help companies
    determine the types and amounts of waste generated by their company and identify potential
    waste reduction options.  Companies need only complete those worksheets that are appropriate for
    their waste  reduction needs.
6    Introduction

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         Chapter One
         Getting   Started
      Successful waste reduction programs hinge
      on careful planning and organization. This
      chapter discusses how to lay the
groundwork for an effective program. The key
steps to getting started are:

   Obtaining management support and
   involvement.
   Establishing your waste reduction team
   and team leader.
   Setting preliminary program objectives.
   Getting the whole company on bored by
   announcing the program and its goals
   to all employees


Management Support
The support of company management is essential
for developing a  lasting and successful waste
reduction program. At the outset of a program, an
endorsement from company management is
needed to help establish your waste reduction
team. Throughout the program, company
management can support your team by endorsing
program goals and implementation,
communicating the importance of reducing waste
within the company, guiding and sustaining the
program, and encouraging and rewarding
employee commitment and participation in the
"effort. Stressing the range of benefits that can
come from waste reduction, such as cost savings
and enhanced company image, will help sell the
program to management,


The Waste  Reduction
Team
The waste reduction team is a group of
employees who are responsible for many of the
tasks involved in  planning, designing,
implementing, and maintaining the program, A
team approach allows these tasks to be
distributed among several employees and enables
employees from all over the company to directly
contribute to reducing waste.

Typically,  members of your waste reduction team
are responsible for:

£  Working with company management to set the
   preliminary and long-term goals of the waste
   reduction program.

^  Gathering and analyzing information relevant to
   the design and implementation of the program.
   (This is done through a waste assessment,
   which is discussed in Chapter 2.)

-  Promoting the program to employees and
   educating them about how they can participate
   in the effort.

^  Monitoring the progress of the program,

=  Periodically reporting to management about
   the status of the program.

The size of your team should relate to the size of
your company and be representative of as many
departments or operations as possible. For a
modest waste reduction program, an effective team
might consist of just one or two people. The ideal
candidate  for  a one-person team would bean
individual who wears many hats and is familiar with
the overall operations of your company. A
two-person team might consist of a company
manager and an administrative or technical support
person. Larger businesses might opt to create a
team of employees from different departments to
encourage widespread input and support. These
individuals can include environmental managers,
building supervisor, technical or operational staff,
administrative staff, maintenance staff, and
                          Getting Started    7

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purchasing staff, or other employees interested in
waste  reduction.

Team members can be volunteers  or appointed
members. To increase the members' motivation
and interest, it might be  appropriate to make
membership a sign of special recognition within
the company, Whether volunteer or appointed,
however, it is important that members be
enthusiastic about the waste reduction program
and able to commit time to the effort.

Company management or the team should
appoint a knowledgeable and motivated  team
leader. Depending on the size of the company
and the type of program being implemented, the
position can require a significant amount of time
and energy. The leader must be capable of
directing team efforts; administering the  planning,
implementation, and operation of the waste
reduction program; and acting as a liaison
between management and the team. Likely
candidates include a facilities  manager, an
environmental  manager, or an employee who has
championed waste reduction in your company.  If
possible, the task should be incorporated into the
person's job description.

Once your team has been established, members
should  meet regularly to develop a plan and begin
program implementation. The time needed to
design and implement a waste reduction program
will vary. Generally, large facilities incorporating
many different  options will need several months to
start up a program. Department-specific or more
modest programs might be implemented in less
than a  month. Some businesses might even be able
to implement simple options within a matter of days.
In any  case, the investment of time and resources at
this stage will likely be returned by the savings
realized through a successful  waste reduction
program,
                               at m
    Waste reduction programs at companies with a number of different locations are not necessarily
    more  difficult-they just require greater coordination. The northwest region of Kaiser Permanence, a
    7,500-employee health maintenance organization (HMO) with 47 sites, recognized early on that an
    effective waste  reduction program depended on promoting and coordinating the efforts at all its
    locations.

    In 1989, after an informal paper recycling program commenced in some Kaiser facilities, the
    company organized a committee to formalize the recycling initiative and identifty other waste
    reduction opportunities. Eventually, the company realized that the committee, renamed the  "Green
    Team, " could act as an important coordinating mechanism throughout the HMO's facilities.
    Consisting of representatives from every strata of the company the team was made responsible for
    organizing waste management efforts,  investigating and recommending alternative products and
    practices, and acting as a liaison between management, physicians and dentists, and support staff
    at the different sites,

    Today the Green Team publishes monthly updates and periodic position statements to update Kaiser
    employees about the HMO's waste reduction measures. To help with is coordination efforts,  the team
    has organized smaller groups in each division of the company and "Green Line" telephone hotlines
    have been installed to let employees voice their comments, suggestions, and concerns,

    Effective coordination efforts have enabled Kaiser to cutback on waste, generation and save
    money at the same time,  For example,  the company has replaced disposable foam/plastic
    mattress overlays with reusable pressure-relief mattresses that last up to 10 years and reduce
    patient bedsores. The  new mattresses save almost $200,000 a year in purchasing costs.  The
    HMO's radiology departments have begun to capture the silver remaining after developing X-rays.
    Currently,  600 pounds of the heavy metal are recycled per year generating $30,000 to $40,000 in
    revenues,  The company also recycles waste paper and cardboard and has begun using a
    degreaser with  reduced hazardous compounds in its housekeeping operations.
8 Getting Started

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Setting Preliminary
Program Goals
While the general objective of any waste reduction
program is to reduce the amount and/or toxicity
of municipal solid waste being generated, your
first task as a team will be to work with
management to establish and record specific,
preliminary goals for the program. These goals
might include enhancing the  company's corporate
image or  increasing operational efficiency. The
goals should be based primarily on how much
waste reduction is possible given the level of effort
that the company is willing to dedicate to the task.
The goals set by the team will provide a
framework for specific waste  reduction efforts to
follow. Keep in mind, however, that the preliminary
goals set by the team should  be flexible, as they
might need to be reexamined and adjusted as
specific waste reduction  options are considered
later on,

Notifying Personnel
Once the general direction of the waste reduction
program has been established,  present the
program to the rest of the company,  This is a good
opportunity to get employees excited and generate
some momentum behind  the team's efforts. The first
step is an announcement from the president or
representative of the upper management of the
company, demonstrating that the program has full
management support and is a high priority for the
company. The announcement should:

=  Introduce employees to waste reduction.
   Explain how waste reduction can benefit both
   the company and the environment.
   Outline the design and implementation stages
   of the program.
   Offer the team leader's name and number and
   encourage employees to contact him or her
   with any ideas or suggestions.

Your program is more likely to succeed if you
solicit suggestions from employees for reducing
waste, To reduce paper, the announcement
should be posted in a prominent place,
circulated, or distributed through electronic  or
voice mail, if available.

Throughout the duration of the program, periodic
communications (in the form of centrally posted
memos or announcements, for example) can  help
maintain employee support, Employees are likely
to appreciate being asked to join in your
company's waste reduction efforts, and such
offers will encourage consistent participation.
                                                                            Getting  Started  9

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         Chapter Two
         Conducting  a   Waste
        Assessment
      Having established the framework of your
      company's waste reduction program, the
      next step for the waste reduction team is
to consider conducting a waste assessment.
Some teams, especially those planning very
limited programs or in companies where the
waste stream is well understood, might opt to
forego a waste assessment. In fact, many effective
waste reduction measures can  be adopted
without the help of an assessment. The data
generated in an assessment can, however,
provide your team with  a much greater
understanding of the types  and amounts of waste
your company generates. These data can be
invaluable in the design and implementation of a
waste reduction program. The key steps to
conducting a waste assessment are:

   Understanding the purpose of the
   waste  assessment.

   Determining the approach.

   Examining company records

   Taking a facility walk-through.

   Conducting a waste sort.

   Documenting the waste assessment.


The Purpose of the
Waste   Assessment
The waste assessment serves two basic
purposes:

•  To establish a baseline of data by collecting
   background information  on a facility and its
   current purchasing, waste generation, and
   management practices.
•  To identify  potential  waste reduction options
   for further evaluation.
10 Conducting a Waste Assessment
The data you collect in the waste assessment can
be used to identify and evaluate potential waste
reduction options,  including alternative purchasing
practices, reuse, material exchanges, recycling,
and composting. The waste assessment also will
enable you to examine current waste reduction
practices and to quantify their effectiveness,
Furthermore, information generated by the
assessment can act as baseline data against
which the effectiveness  of the waste reduction
program can be evaluated.

If you do not have the time or resources to
conduct a waste assessment, you might consider
using industry averages of the amount of waste
generated by companies in your field to
approximate the amounts and types of waste your
company generates. Often, waste generation
estimates by general waste category can be
obtained for a company's specific type of
business and used as the basis for designing a
waste  reduction program. While this may be the
easiest way to approximate your waste generation
rate, these estimates are unable to account for
specific conditions and may therefore result in
inaccuracies. In addition, these potentially
inaccurate data can hinder the evaluation process,
since measuring waste  reduction progress
depends on comparing  current waste generation
data with information regarding the amounts and
types of waste produced before program
implementation.
Determining the Approach
Planning and executing an appropriate waste
assessment involves determining its scope,
scheduling the different assessment activities,
communicating the necessary information to
employees, and performing the actual
assessment. Depending on the objective  of your

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waste reduction program, a waste assessment
can involve:

• Examining facility records
• Conducting a facility walk-through
• Performing a waste sort

Your assessment may require just one of these
activities, or a combination of approaches.

The team should determine what type of
assessment is best for your company based on
such factors as the type and size of the facility,
the complexity of the waste stream, the
resources (money, time, labor, equipment)
available to  implement the waste reduction
program, and the goals of the program. For
example, if your facility generates only a few
types of waste materials, your team might only
need to review company records and briefly
inspect facility operations, On the other hand, if
your company generates diverse types of waste
and has established a goal to cut waste disposal
by 50 percent, the team will need to thoroughly
examine and quantify the wastes generated in
most company operations by performing a waste
sort, Each type of waste assessment activity is
described below. The table on the following page
summarizes the strengths and limitations of each
activity,


Records Examination
Examining company  records can provide insight
into your company's waste generation  and
removal patterns, The types of records you  might
find useful include:

• Purchasing, inventory,  maintenance, and
   operating logs,
• Supply, equipment, and raw material invoices.
• Equipment service  contracts.
     Renegotiating Your  Waste  Hauling  Contract
    Companies implementing waste reduction programs often find that these programs offer them
    leverage that can be used to renegotiate their waste hauling contracts. One such firm is EG&G
    Pressure  Science, a 300-employee aerospace design and manufacturing company located in
    Beltsville,  Maryland. Through successful renegotiation of its waste hauling contract, Pressure
    Science, a division of EG&G, reduced its hauling fees after implementing a recycling program, As a
    result of its new contract, the company not only offset the costs of its recycling program, but saves
    thousands of dollars each year.

    Pressure  Science launched its recycling program as part of its effort to use waste reduction to
    demonstrate responsible corporate citizenship and reduce expenses at the same time.  In order to
    determine which materials its recycling program should focus on, Pressure Science decided to sort
    through its company dumpster to identify the types and amounts  of waste it was generating. Local
    county government officials conducted the sort as  part of a waste reduction partnership effort
    between industry and government.

    Based on the results of this serf, the company designed  a recycling program targeting corrugated
    cardboard and office paper. Corrugated cardboard by far made up the largest percentage of the
    company's waste stream at 40 percent (by volume).  Office paper while not representing a large
    portion of the waste stream, was a material that nearly everyone in the company could  help recycle.

    While this new recycling effort carried a price tag,  Pressure Science recognized that this cost could
    be offset if it took advantage of the resulting  waste reductions to renegotiate its  waste hauling
    contract. Anticipating that it no  longer would  need to have its dumpster emptied three  times per
    month, the company decided to switch to an "on-call" service. Today,  Pressure  Science simply
    calls the hauler whenever the dumpster is full. After subtracting the cost of the recycling program,
    this renegotiation is saving the  company over $7,000 annually.
                                                              Conducting  a  Waste Assessment 11

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Waste Assessment Approaches

 Records Examination
 (Hauler Records)

•May provide accurate data on the
 weight or volume of waste generated
 at the facility.
•Can require less time and effort than
 facility walk-throughs or waste sorts.

•Might not provide adequate data,  if
  accurate waste hauling records do not
  exist,
•Not likely to provide information about
  specific waste components.
•Can be difficult to use if more than
  one business shares a dumpster.
 Records Examination
 (Purchasing Records)
•Can provide data on waste generation
  of specific materials or products.
•Tracks major potential waste from the
  point of origin.
• Can  require less time and effort than
  facility walk-throughs or waste sorts.
• Can  be more accurate than waste
  sorts for tracking small items,
  low-volume waste materials, and
  occasional  or seasonal waste materials
• Can  help identify the most expensive
  components of a company's waste.
• Not likely to provide the full picture on
 waste generation,
• If company purchasing is  not
 centralized, can be incomplete or
 require substantial effort to collect and
 analyze.
 Facility Walk-Through
  Can require less time and effort than
  waste sorts.
  Allows first-hand examination of
  facility operations.
  Can provide qualitative information
  about major waste components and
  waste-generating processes.
  Allows interviews with workplace
  personnel,  which can reveal waste
  prevention, recycling, composting, and
  purchasing opportunities that would
  not be found through records
  examinations or waste sorts.
• Might not identify all wastes generated.
• Might not be representative if only
  conducted once.
• Does not provide precise information
  about the quantity of waste generated.
 Waste Sort
 (Specific  Functional
 Areas)
 Provides quantitative information
  about specific types of waste and
  functional areas appropriate if
  targeting specific types of waste.
 Requires less time and effort than
  comprehensive waste sorts.
• Does not provide data on waste
  generated facility-wide.
• Might omit major components of the
  facility's waste.
• Might not be representative of the
  waste in the specific area if only
  conducted  once.
 Waste sort
 (Facility-Wide)
  Provides waste generation estimates
  for the entire facility.
 Provides quantitative information on
  each waste component.
• Requires significant time and effort to
  conduct.
• Might not be representative if only
  conducted  once.
• Does not provide qualitative
  information on how or why wastes are
  generated.
12 Conducting a Waste Assessment

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    Conducting an  Effective Waste Assessment
    Waste assessments can be instrumental in gathering detailed information about your company's
    waste. For companies that plan to focus on a particular portion of their waste, an assessment can
    be indispensable. At one of Quaker Oats Company's largest food processing plants,  in Newport,
    Tennessee, company officials suspected that a few types of recyclable materials-lass, aluminum,
    polyethylene terephthalate  (PET) plastic,  and corrugated cardboard comprised a large percentage
    of their waste, To find out, a waste assessment was conducted in 1990 focusing on recyclable
    materials.

    Company Records Review

    To conduct the assessment, the company setup a team of waste auditors. First, the  team reviewed
    company records, a step that proved to be especially useful.  In addition to indicating the total
    amount of waste generated annually,  these records  provided waste  auditors with data on specific
    components of the company's waste stream.  For example, shipments often arrive at  the facility
    packaged in cardboard cartons.  By researching how many cartons the facility received per year
    and estimating the weight of a single box, the waste auditors were able to calculate the total weight
    of the cardboard boxes discarded each year,

    Facility Walk-Through

    Waste auditors also spent a couple of days walking through the plant, observing waste-generating
    processes and watching what was thrown into dumpsters.  During the walk-through, the auditors
    solicited input from both employees and the plant's  four department managers, In  addition, the
    managers were asked to complete detailed questionnaires recording every item thrown out in their
    department during one week, In place of a detailed waste sort, the auditors used data from the
    questionnaires and checked the contents of selected dumpsters.

    Results

    The waste assessment confirmed that glass,  aluminum, PET plastic, and cardboard were the major
    components of the company's waste. Furthermore,  the assessment provided highly specific data to
    help the company plan and set up its recycling program.  With these data, the auditors were able to
    demonstrate to the company's management that, given the huge volume of recyclable  waste the
    plant generated, certain pieces of equipment and capital improvements were justified.
    Management agreed to invest over $130,000 in a glass crusher, a plastic granulator a horizontal
    baler for corrugated cardboard, and dozens  of color-coordinated dumpsters (blue for bottles,
    yellow for plastic, and brown for cardboard).

    The waste assessment data also proved useful when negotiating contracts with buyers of
    recyclable materials.  For buyers with minimum shipment requirements, for example,  plant
    managers were able to determine at a glance if the  facility could meet the requirement.
    Assessment data also showed the volume of materials the company expected to process, enabling
    equipment vendors to recommend a machine of the correct size and capacity,
m  Repair invoices,                                  Company records will be needed to complete
                                                   Worksheet A and Worksheet B found at the
a  Waste  hauling  and disposal records and            epd Qf ^ manua| Worksheet A wiN he,p the
   contracts.                                        team document background information
   Contracts with recycling facilities and records        regarding the physical layout of your facility and
   of earned revenues from recycling.                 the functions of the different departments. Your
                                                              Conducting a  Waste Assessment 13

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company's current waste  collection and removal
practices can be documented using Worksheet B.
The tables and formulas in this worksheet will
enable the team to estimate your company's
annual waste generation rates and the costs of
collecting this waste and removing it for disposal,
regardless of whether your company is charged
for waste removal by weight, volume,  or through a
flat fee. In this way, the team can compile
important baseline data against which potential
waste reduction options can  be measured.
Company records will be  needed for some
portions of other worksheets in this guide, as well.


Facility Walk-Through
The walk-through involves touring the  facility (and
its grounds), observing the activities of the
different departments, and talking  with employees
about waste-producing activities and  equipment.
A facility walk-through is a relatively quick way  to
examine a facility's waste-generating practices.
Specifically, the walk-through will enable the team
to:

•  Observe the  types and relative  amounts of
   waste produced.
•  Identify waste-producing  activities and
   equipment.
•  Detect inefficiencies  in operations or in the way
   waste moves through the organization.
•  Observe the layout and operations of various
   departments.
•  Assess existing space and equipment that can
   be used for storage, processing recyclable,
   and other  activities.
•  Assess current waste reduction efforts.
•  Collect additional  information through
   interviews with supervisors and employees.
While a records examination provides the team
with data (such  as estimates of the types and
amounts of waste generated by your  company),
the walk-through is an opportunity  to observe the
connection  between the types of waste generated
and the actual waste-generating activities or
processes.  In addition, a facility walk-through that
includes interviews with groundskeeping staff is a
good way to assess the amount of yard trimmings
generated by your company. The team should be
careful during the walk-through not only to record
 14 Conducting  a Waste Assessment
the types of waste observed and the ways in
which waste is generated, but also to consider the
potential waste  reduction opportunities that lie  in
increasing the efficiency of these operations,

Before conducting the walk-through, the team
leader should check with the managers of the
departments that will be toured to avoid disrupting
special deliveries, rush orders, or other
department functions. He or she also can request
that the supervisor and  employees of each
department be available during the  walk-through
to answer questions or  describe operations, These
interviews can offer  important additional detail  on
waste generation and removal practices.
Moreover, interviews help keep employees
informed and interested in the evolving waste
reduction program, and offer an opportunity to
ask questions. Employees also can  be a valuable
source of ideas for reducing waste.

Worksheet C contains the information needed
to organize and conduct a facility walk-through.
The time necessary to complete a walk-through
depends on the size and structure of your
facility, For medium-sized  businesses with few
departments, the walk-through  should be quick
and relatively easy,  It might take as little as an
hour to tour facilities like small warehouses,
office buildings, and restaurants. Teams in
larger companies might need to devote more
time and resources  to this activity  since more
departments  must be investigated  and more
employees interviewed. Large office  buildings,
complexes, or plants might require a day or
more to tour,


Waste Sort
If you need more data than company records or  a
facility walk through  can provide, a waste sort can
be conducted, A waste  sort involves the physical
collection, sorting, and weighing of  a
representative sample of the company's waste,
The goal of the sort  is to identify each waste
component and calculate as precisely as possible
its percentage of the waste your company
generates.  Depending on your needs,  a waste  sort
can focus on the entire company's waste or target
certain work areas. If the team believes one or
more specific functional areas are responsible  for
much of the facility's waste, it may choose to
concentrate its waste sort accordingly.

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Worksheet D provides a step-by-tep procedure
for conducting a waste sort,

For some companies, it will be feasible to
assemble and measure one day's worth of
waste, In larger firms where this is impractical,
team members might choose instead to
assemble a portion of the waste from each
department for measuring. However you choose
to structure the waste sort,  consider whether
waste generation at your company varies
significantly enough from one day to the next to
distort results, Seasonal and periodic variations
in waste generation are also common. If the
potential for inaccuracy is large enough, the
team might want to sort samples on more than
one day. Multi-day sampling might provide a
more  accurate representation of the waste
generated at your company. Since the data
gathered in the waste sort will be used as the
basis  for key waste reduction program
decisions, it is important that you obtain a truly
representative sample of your company's waste.
If a representative sample is not obtained,
calculations on  waste generation, waste
composition, and waste removal costs can be
skewed  significantly,

In addition, waste reduction teams in companies
with active recycling programs will need to decide
whether  their waste sort should measure all
materials or target just the portion of the waste
stream that is not currently being recycled, For a
complete assessment of the types and amounts of
waste being generated,  the waste reduction team
should locate all recycling collection areas and
measure the contents to be sure that all waste
components are included in the sort. If your
company is more concerned with finding ways to
reduce just the materials that are not being
recycled, it  can focus exclusively on the waste
collected in company dumpsters. This might also
help companies  with existing recycling programs
to identify the amount of materials that could have
been recycled under the current program but
ended up being thrown away,

To organize a waste sort, you will need to
determine which waste categories to quantify.
Typically, the major components of a  business'
waste include paper, plastic, glass, metal, and
organic  material such as yard trimmings and
food scraps. A range of other types of waste
also can be generated by a company depending
on the nature of its operations. The team also
should choose whether to limit its waste sort to
identifying and measuring these major waste
component categories or further sorting the waste
into subcategories (for example, sorting paper into
such subcategories as high-grade, low-grade,
newsprint, corrugated cardboard, magazines, and
other), If possible, the team should strive to
separate and measure the waste sample as
completely as possible. These precise
measurements will be useful later on when the
team is determining which materials can be
exchanged, reused, sold, or recycled.  Also,
consider whether a particular waste component
needs to be measured. For example, if you know
that a market for recyclable, high-grade paper
exists in the area, team members might want to
design the sort to ensure that  this waste type is
quantified accurately,

Documenting the Waste
Assessment
Once the team has determined the approach to
use, it is time to perform  the actual waste
assessment. While examining  the company's
waste generation and management practices,
team members also should search for
opportunities to reduce waste and increase
efficiency. Be sure to document all information
gained through the waste assessment.
Documenting your findings serves several
purposes, including:

   Providing a record of the company's  efforts to
   reduce waste,
   Developing a record keeping system so that
   costs, savings, and waste reduction quantities
   can be more easily tracked,
   Obtaining baseline data from which to
   investigate economic and technical feasibility
   of waste reduction options.
   Obtaining baseline data from which to evaluate
   the impact of these options once implemented.
In addition to guiding the waste assessment
process, the worksheets will function as a  record
of your waste assessment activities and the data
generated. Be sure to keep with the worksheets
any related information you recorded  during your
waste assessment.
           Conducting  a waste Assessment  1 5

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        Chapter  Three
        Selecting,  Implementing,
        and  Monitoring  Waste
        Reduction  Options
      The information collected in the waste
      assessment now can be used to list,
      analyze, and choose appropriate waste
reduction measures for your company. This
chapter will help the team consider both the
operational and the economic feasibility of the
options under consideration, as well as the extent
to which they will help achieve the goals of your
waste reduction program, In addition, this chapter
also discusses the process of implementing your
program and monitoring it overtime to evaluate
progress, The key steps of selecting,
implementing, and monitoring waste reduction
options are:

   Compiling and screening the options

   Analyzing and selecting the options

   Implementing the options

   Educating and training employees

   Monitoring and evaluating the program


Compiling  and Screening
the  Options
Using the findings from the waste assessment, the
team should list all the possible waste prevention,
recycling,  composting, materials exchange,  and
purchasing measures that it feels might be
effective, using Worksheet E as a guide. This list
should be compiled based on the goals of your
waste reduction program. For example, if your
company hopes to reduce waste removal costs as
much as possible, and is charged for waste
removal based  on volume, the list of options
should focus on high-volume waste materials.
(Appendix A lists a number of waste reduction
ideas,) Brainstorming sessions among team
members can  provide additional options.
Managers and employees that participated in the
walk-through also can be consulted for more
ideas, if necessary,

After all potential options have been identified, the
team should screen them based on criteria such
as whether the options will substantially reduce
waste removal costs, reduce purchase costs, have
low start-up costs, or are likely to boost employee
morale. Companies may weigh these criteria
differently based on the particular goals of their
program. Use Worksheet E to screen all potential
options against the criteria the team feels are
important. This initial evaluation and screening will
help you identify a subset of options that deserve
further analysis and possible inclusion in your
waste reduction program.


Analyzing and Selecting
the Options
Once a short list of waste reduction options has
been  identified, the team should begin the
process of deciding which options are the most
appropriate for your program. Worksheet F
provides a set of decision-making criteria to help
lead the team through the evaluation process, At
the end of Worksheet F, the benefits and
drawbacks of each option  under consideration
can be summarized.

During this evaluation process, the team should
be clear on the relative  importance of the different
criteria against which the options are being
measured, Depending on your company's waste
reduction  goals, for example, cost-effectiveness
may not always be the overriding criteria for
selected options. Other criteria, such as improved
environmental awareness, employee morale, and
community relations, may be equally important. In
 16 Selecting, Implementing, and Monitoring Waste Reduction Options

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    When Evaluating Your Options.
    It is important that the waste reduction team throughly review the potential effects of each waste
    prevention, recycling, composting, and purchasing option. While a strong consideration is likely to
    be whether the option's  costs are justified by potential savings, the waste reduction team also
    should consider:

       Effects on product or service  quality and product marketing

       Compatibility with existing operations

       Equipment requirements

    -   Space and storage requirements

       Operation and maintenance requirements

       Staffing, training, and education requirements

     .  Implementation  time

       Effects on employee  morale, environmental awareness, and community relations
addition, teams whose companies feel
cost-effectiveness must be a key criteria should be
sure to consider  the long-term economic feasibility
of an option. While the team may be inclined to
disregard a particular option with  large start-up
costs, the measure may end up yielding
impressive savings over several years. Worksheet
F contains a formula for calculating  an option's
payback period, which is one way of measuring
the long-term economic feasibility of a proposed
investment. Your company may use other such
measuring tools.

In addition, after  completing the evaluation of
these options, review the long-term feasibility of
the program as a whole. Successful programs can
be designed around complementary options that
take advantage of their  different strengths. Before
removing any items from consideration, for
example, consider whether certain waste .
reduction efforts  may, over time, save enough
money to pay for other  waste reduction activities
that improve environmental awareness, employee
morale, or community and customer relations,

Some options might not require extensive
analysis. For example, if your facility already has a
copy machine with the ability to make two-sided
copies efficiently, then a policy mandating
double-sided copying usually can be implemented
easily, On the other hand, you will want to
carefully analyze complex options that require a
significant change in operations or large capital
investments. For instance, a food service
considering a switch from disposable to reusable
serviceware needs to assess factors ranging from
the cost of new equipment and added labor
expenses to the savings from reduced waste
removal costs and the avoided purchase of
disposable serviceware. The health and sanitation
aspects  of such a switch also should be
considered. For complex options, the team will
want to  contact suppliers, product refurbishers,
packaging designers,  and any other individuals
who could help determine if the option is feasible.
These individuals also can help pinpoint any
unforeseen obstacles  or complications that could
hinder  implementation,
 Waste  Prevention  Options

When analyzing and selecting specific options,
team members should focus first on waste
prevention, which will enable your company to
eliminate some of its waste, After studying your
company's waste generation and management
practices,  you will likely have compiled a number
of waste prevention options. Use Worksheet F to
determine the capital and operating costs of these
options and compare them against potential
                                  Selecting, Implementing, and Monitoring Waste  Reduction Options 17

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savings and revenues. Be sure to examine the
potential operational effects, as well. For example,
while modifying packaging can  significantly
reduce waste, you will want to consider carefully
how these changes will affect storage, operations,
and  labor costs.

One waste prevention option may result in savings
in several different areas, including avoided
purchasing, storage, materials handling,  and
removal costs. For example, switching to
double-sided  copying can result in  cost savings
associated with reduced  paper  purchasing,
reduced space necessary for paper storage,
reduced employee time  associated with  handling
paper and filling paper trays,  and reduced paper
packaging removal costs. Be  sure to consider
savings in each of these areas when evaluating
waste reduction  options.


Recycling  Options
Next, evaluate the recycling options the team has
identified to better manage waste that cannot be
prevented. Before implementing  any  recycling
option, the team needs to consider the
marketability  of the  materials to be collected. To
locate potential buyers, contact  local  recycling
companies. Consult the Yellow Pages (under
"recycling"), trade associations,  chambers  of
commerce, and state or local government
recycling offices for assistance.  When conducting
preliminary contract discussions with  local buyers
and  haulers, there are a number of questions you
should ask. The box on  the following page
provides a starting point. Appendix E provides
information on the types of materials that
commonly are collected  for recycling.

Be sure to carefully weigh the cost-effectiveness
and  potential  operational  effects  of your  recycling
options. Recycling programs,  especially more
ambitious efforts,  often require purchases of
equipment like  containers, compactors, and
balers. Additional labor also might be required.
Moreover, steps might be necessary to ensure
that  contamination of collected materials is
minimized. Some companies also may have to
pay  a fee to have their collected  recyclable
material removed. In many cases, however, the
savings and revenues (such as reduced removal
costs and revenues from selling  collected
materials) will offset these costs.  In addition,
consider whether the new recycling  program will
affect current purchasing practices. For instance,
your company might want to begin buying
exclusively white  legal pads instead of yellow ones
to take advantage of the strong market for white
office paper. Also examine the extent  to which
internal collection, transfer, and storage systems are
needed and whether these new systems will be
compatible with existing operations.

Composting  Options
If the team discovers that yard trimmings or other
organic matter make up a significant percentage
of your company's waste, evaluate the feasibility of
"grasscycling" or composting. Most companies
can benefit by "grasscycling" —  leaving cut grass
on the lawn where it will decompose quickly and
help add nutrients that improve the quality of the
lawn. Though not necessary, a mulching mower
can cut the grass clippings into smaller pieces,
allowing  them to decompose more  quickly. Your
company will save time and money  by no longer
bagging the clippings, and will reduce  its disposal
fees,

If your company  has available outdoor space,
onsite composting can be used.  Companies with
composting programs usually find them to be a
cost-effective method for turning lawn  trimmings
into a product that may then be  sold or used on
company grounds. The team can design a
program  to collect all types of organic  materials
into piles for composting, or a simpler program
designed to compost just yard trimmings might be
used. If the  local municipal  government operates
or participates in a composting project, offsite
composting also  may be an option.  A  program
can be designed to collect and store organic
materials and, if  necessary,  haul it to the
composting facility. Even when hauling is
necessary, however, these programs also tend to
be cost-effective.

To determine if composting is appropriate for your
company's waste reduction  program, it is
important to calculate likely startup and ongoing
expenses against projected  savings  at  the outset.
Worksheet F will help the team estimate likely
costs, including training groundskeeping staff in
compost management, educating company
employees about participating in the program,
equipment and operating cost,  and compare
18 Selecting, Implementing, and Monitoring Waste Reduction  Options

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                 to Ask                Buyers of
 When meeting with recycling companies interested in purchasing your collected materials, there
 are a number of issues you should discuss, including:

 -;: What types of recyclables will the company and how must they be prepared?
   Recycling companies might request that the material be baled, compacted, shredded, granu-
   lated, or loose.  Generally, recyclers will offer a better price for compacted or baled material.  Com-
   pacting or densifying materials before transporting also  can be a cost-effective method of
   lowering hauling costs for the buyer.

 ". What contract termswill the buyer require? Discuss the length of the potential contract
   with the buyer,  Shorter contracts provide greater flexibility to take advantage of rising prices,
   while longer contracts provide more security in an unsteady market, Often, buyers favor long-
   term contracts to help ensure a consistent supply of materials.  The terms of payment should be
   discussed as well, since some buyers pay after delivery of each load,  while others setup a peri-
   odic schedule. Also, ask whether the buyer would be willing to allow changes to the contract
   over time, The buyer might want some flexibility as well; in many cases, the buyer will be willing
   to pay a higher rate in return for a stable supply of quality materials.

 •-"•• Who provides transportation? If transportation services are not provided by the buyer, you
   will need to locate a hauler to transport materials to the buyer. The Yellow Pages, local waste
   haulers, and state or local waste management authorities can help provide this information.

 •': What is the schedule  of collections? If the recycling  company offers  to provide transporta-
   tion, check on the frequency of collections. Some businesses might prefer to have the hauler be
   on call, picking up recyclable when a certain weight or volume has been reached. Larger com-
   panies might generate enough recyclable material to warrant a set schedule of collections.

 :"  What are the maximum allowable contaminant levels and what is the procedure for
   dealing with rejected loads? Inquire what the buyer has established as maximum allowable
   levels for food,  chemicals, or other  contaminants, If these requirements are not met, the buyer
   might reject a contaminated load and send it back to your company. The buyer also might dis-
   pose of a contaminated load in a landfill or combustor which can result in your company incur-
   ring  additional costs.

 ?  Are there minimum quantity requirements? Find out whether the buyer requires a minimum
   might or volume before accepting delivery.  If a buyer's minimum quantity requirements are difficult to
   meet, consider working with neighboring offices or retail spaces.  By winking together it might be possi-
   ble to collect recyclables in central storage containers and thereby meet the buyer's requirements,

 "  Where will the waste be weighed? Ask where the material will be weighed, and at what
   point copies of the weight slips will  be available.  Weighing the material before it is transported
   will eliminate the problem of lost weight  slips and confirm the accuracy of the weight recorded
   by the buyer.

 L-- Who will provide containers for recyclables? Buyers should be  asked whether they will
   provide containers in which to collect,  store,  and transport the material, and whether there is a
   fee for this service.

   Can "escape clauses" be included in the contract?  Such clauses establish the right of a
   company to be released from the terms  of the contract under conditions of noncompliance  by
   the buyer.

I? Be sure to check references! Obtain and thoroughly check the buyer's references with exist-
   ing contract holders, asking these companies specifically  whether their buyer is fulfilling all con-
   tract specifications,
                               Selecting, Implementing, and Monitoring Waste Reduction Options 1 9

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these against projected savings' in waste removal
costs and the potential for selling the compost or
using it on site in place of commercial mulch.

In addition to grasscycling and  composting, other
practices can reduce yard trimmings at your
facility and should be considered by the team.
The team can investigate the possibility of
chipping other ground debris, like branches, into
mulch, The mulch can be used on company
property to  reduce weeds and conserve moisture
around plantings, Other options include  planting
low maintenance plants. Slow-growing species
and evergreen trees generally do not  create large
amounts of debris.

Purchasing Options
During the waste assessment, the team may have
noted purchasing changes that  could  help reduce
waste, from  buying supplies with reduced
packaging to careful inventory control to avoid
overordering and possibly throwing away
perishable items. In addition, during the team's
exploration  of local recycling markets, the need for
favoring products made with recycled  content also
may have become evident. In any business, many
opportunities exist to use the company's buying
power to reduce waste  and  encourage the growth
of recycling markets. To identify specific changes
in purchasing that your company could adopt, the
team might contact its suppliers and discuss
alternative products that would  meet the new
purchasing criteria. Check with other suppliers,
as well, to see what they may be able to offer. In
addition, various industry groups,  state solid
waste agencies, and federal information services
such as EPA's  RCRA Hotline can help identify
ways to reduce waste  through product
purchasing and sources of products  made from
recycled materials.

After you have  identified opportunities to purchase
recycled  products and products that can  help you
reduce waste, each item should be evaluated in
terms of availability and cost. Reduced waste and
recycled  products do not necessarily cost more
than other products, For example, while paper
made from recycled fibers was once considerably
more expensive than virgin paper, the price of
paper with  recovered content today is competitive
with traditional paper. In addition,  be sure to
compare recycled or reduced waste products to
other products on the basis of long-term costs,
rather than purchasing costs alone. For example,
while benches and picnic tables made from
recycled  plastic may initially cost more than their
wooden counterparts, they last up to four times
longer and do not require maintenance.
Similarly, while reusable products may cost
more to purchase initially, they often save
money over time by avoiding frequent
purchases of single-use items.


Implementing the Options
Having determined the initial waste reduction
measures to adopt, the team should now begin to
implement the measures. Consider building your
program  slowly, implementing a few options at a
time, so employees are not overwhelmed by
changes  in procedure. This is particularly
important for more complex waste  reduction
programs. Building slowly also provides an
opportunity to identify, assess, and solve any
operational problems in the early stages. If a
program  involves only a few simple measures,
however, it might be possible to implement all
options at once.


Educating and Training
Employees
As the team begins to implement the waste
reduction program, it is essential that all
employees be informed about the program  and
the importance of their cooperation and
involvement. Be sure to update employees
regarding the options being  implemented,
changes  in work patterns or equipment, expected
benefits,  and their roles and responsibilities.
These  messages can be conveyed  in a variety of
ways, including:

   Staff meetings and training sessions.
''-• Employee newsletters
 ' Posters, signs, or flyers.
   Notices on electronic mail.
••-•• Special events, such as slogan contests, cash
   awards, or other recognition  for waste
   reduction activities.
 j New employee orientation.
   Job performance standards.
 20 Selecting, Implementing, and Monitoring Waste Reduction Options

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Some companies can effectively reach all their
employees by circulating memos or holding
informal meetings. Larger businesses might need
to conduct a full-cale education or training
campaign to be sure their entire company is
aware of and involved in the program.

These outreach techniques also should be used
to keep staff up-to-date on the program's
successes and problems. Employees will feel a
greater stake in the program if they receive frequent
updates on the quantity of waste being reduced,
reused, or recycled; the recycled products being
purchased; and the cost savings that have
resulted. These reports also might impress
management, increasing their commitment to the
program.

Another method of sustaining employee interest is
to encourage them to submit new ideas for
increasing the efficiency of company operations.
You also might consider asking employees to help
   Encourage  Employee  Participation
    In 1990, the independently owned and operated Boston Park Plaza Hotel& Towers expanded its
    modest white paper recycling initiative into a comprehensive environmental program that includes
    waste prevention, recycling,  energy and water conservation, as well as education and
    communications, Recognizing that the effort's success depended on widespread employee
    support, management launched the program with a formal "Environmental Policy" statement
    signed by the president and the environmental program director.  A copy of the statement was
    distributed in three languages-English, Spanish, and French-to all 600 employees, and was
    framed and posted in each department at the 977-room hotel.

    The next step was to develop an  ongoing effort to increase employee participation. The
    management at The Boston Park Plaza quickly learned that regular communication with individual
    employees-on the phone or one-on-one kept the staff informed about the program and
    encouraged them to suggest improvements.  The  hotel adopted many other outreach methods,
    including:

   • Holding regular "Green Team" meetings. Representatives  from  different departments
      meet monthly to discuss possible program changes. Green Team  members also encourage
      fellow employees to participate in the program.

   • Holding monthly company-wide "Green Day" luncheons.   At lunchtime on the third
      Thursday of every month, the company celebrates Green Day. In the employee cafeteria,
      educational displays are setup and a raffle is held to give away prizes, such as canvas tote
      bags, plants, and water-saving devices.

   m Publicizing program changes and achievements in the company newsletter.  Articles
      highlight employees' efforts, press coverage of the program, and basic operations and changes.

   •  Announcing special happenings in memos and paycheck stuffers.  When the hotel's
      program receives outstanding recognition, such as  the President's Environment and
      Conservation Challenge Award that it won in 1992, employees get a memo from the hotel
      president thanking them  for their assistance and support.

   • Rewinding employees for program involvement. Once a year, the most dedicated
      employees are awarded a small gift and a framed certificate praising them for their involvement.

    In addition to attracting national attention, The Boston Park Plaza Hotel has proved that even a
   luxury hotel can "reduce, reuse, and recycle" without sacrificing quality. In fact, since the program
    was launched, hotel executives  estimate having generated more than $750,000 in new convention
   business due to clients' desire to support this environmentally conscious establishment.
                                 Selecting, Implementing, and Monitoring Waste Reduction Options 21

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with program implementation. These  employees
could notify program coordinators or monitors
when recycling containers are full or oversee
waste reduction measures such as double-sided
copying in their department to ensure that
everyone understands and complies with the
policy.


Monitoring and
Evaluating the Program
Waste reduction is a dynamic process. Once the
program is underway, the team will need to
evaluate its effectiveness to see if preliminary
goals are being met. In addition, once the
potential for reducing waste in the  company
becomes better understood, consider establishing
long-term goals for the program. It  is important to
evaluate the program periodically to:

;:;-  Keep track of program success and to build on
   that success (e.g., waste reduced,  recycling
   rates achieved, money saved).
•••••  Identify new ideas for waste reduction.

;:;;  Identify areas needing improvement,
:":  Document compliance with state or local
   regulations,

-;?  Determine the effect of any new additions to
   the program.

;;;  Keep employees informed and  motivated.
The best way to assess and monitor program
operations is through continued documentation.
Use Worksheet G to help analyze and record the
effectiveness of your waste reduction program
over time. Perform your first evaluation after the
program has been in place long enough to have an
effect on your company's waste generation rate,
usually about one year. In addition, it might be
worthwhile to conduct additional periodic waste
assessments to determine further changes in your
company's waste. If an assessment already has
been performed, subsequent ones will be much
easier to conduct. Consider reviewing as well your
company's waste removal receipts and
purchasing records (look back at your target
items), or preparing a summary of recycling
receipts and waste assessment worksheets.


Waste Reduction  in Your
Workplace and Beyond
Many companies are finding that waste reduction
makes economic and environmental sense. By
working with other  employees in your company as
a team, you can devise and implement a
successful waste reduction program. Not only can
such a program look good on the bottom line, but
it also can reflect well on your company!

Waste reduction isn't something you have to leave
at the job, either. Spread the message to "reduce,
reuse, and recycle" at home and in your
community,  too!
22 Selecting, Implementing, and Monitoring Waste Reduction Options

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        Appendix A
        Waste  Reduction  Ideas
Below are some ideas that businesses have used to reduce waste, You might be able to adapt some of
these to your business after considering your particular needs and local conditions.
Writing/Printing Paper
   Establish a company-wide double-sided
   copying policy, and be sure future copiers
   purchased by your company have double-sided
   capability.
   Reuse envelopes or use two-way
   ("send-'n-return") envelopes.
   Keep mailing lists current to avoid duplication,
   Make scratch pads from used paper,
   Circulate (rather than copy) memos,
   documents, periodicals, and reports.
   Reduce the amount of advertising mail you
   receive by writing to the Direct Marketing
   Association Mail Preference Service, P.O. Box
   9008, Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008, and ask
   that your business be eliminated from mail lists.
   Use outdated letterhead for in-house memos.
   Put company bulletins on voice or electronic
   mail or post on a central bulletin board.
   Save documents on hard drives or floppy disks
   instead of making paper copies.
   Use central files to reduce the number of hard
   copies your company retains.
   Proof documents on the computer screen
   before printing.
 I Eliminate unnecessary reports.
 I Donate old magazines and journals to hospitals,
  clinics, or libraries.
Packaging
  Order merchandise in bulk.
  Purchase products with minimal packaging
  and/or in concentrated form.
  Work with suppliers to minimize the packaging
  used to protect their products,
  Establish a system for returning cardboard
  boxes and foam peanuts to suppliers for reuse,
  Request that deliveries be shipped in returnable
  and/or recyclable  containers.
  Minimize the packaging used for your products.
  Use reusable and/or recyclable containers for
  shipping your products.
  Repair and reuse pallets or return them to your
  supplier.
  Reuse newspaper and shredded paper for
  packaging.
  Reuse foam packing peanuts, "bubblewrap,"
  and cardboard boxes, or donate to another
  organization,
                                                               Waste Reduction Ideas
                                      23

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Equipment
   Rent equipment that is used only occasionally.
   Reuse worn out tires for landscaping, swings,
   etc.
   Purchase remanufactured office equipment.
   Establish a regular maintenance routine to
   prolong the life of equipment like copiers,
   computers, and heavy tools.
   Use rechargeable batteries where  practical.
   Install reusable furnace and air conditioner
   filters.
   Reclaim usable parts from old  equipment,
   Recharge fax and printer cartridges or return
   them to the supplier for remanufacture.
   Sell or give old furniture and equipment to other
   businesses, local charitable organizations, or
   employees.
Organic Waste
•  Compost yard trimmings or ask your landscape
   contractor to compost them.
•  If unable to  compost on site, investigate
   participating in a municipal composting
   program.
•  Choose a landscape design that needs low
   maintenance.
•  Use a worm bin to convert non-fatty food
   wastes into  potting soil (called vermicompost).
•  Use a mulching lawnmower and leave  grass
   clippings on the lawn.

 Inventory/Purchasing
•  Implement an  improved inventory system (such
   as systems  based on optical scanners) to
   provide more precise control over supplies,
•  Avoid  ordering excess supplies that may never
   be used.
•  Advertise surplus and reusable waste items
   through a materials exchange.
•  Set up an area in your business for employees
   to exchange used  items.
•  Donate surplus produce to food banks, if still
   edible,
•  Substitute less toxic or nontoxic products for
   products such as inks, paints, and cleaning
   solvents.
•  Use products that promote waste reduction
   (products that are more durable, of higher
   quality, recyclable, reusable).
•  Where appropriate, order supplies in bulk to
   reduce  excess packaging.


Consumer Education
•  Teach your customers about the importance of
   reducing waste (effective tools include
   promotional  campaigns, brochures and
   newsletters,  banners, newspaper
   advertisements, product displays, store signs,
   and information on labels).
•  Offer customers waste reducing choices, such
   as:
     Items in bulk or concentrate.
     Solar-powered items, such as watches,
     calculator, and flashlights.
     Rechargeable batteries.
     Durable, repairable merchandise.
     Returnable bottles.
•  Encourage  reuse of shopping bags by
   offering customers the  choice of buying
   their own bag, providing a financial
   incentive for reuse.
•  Offer customers a rebate when they reuse
   grocery bags, containers, mugs, or cups for
   refilling,
24 Waste  Reduction Ideas

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      Appendix B
      Regional  EPA and State
      Waste  Reduction
      Program  Contacts
Regional EPAOffice Addresses and Phone Numbers:
 USEPA Region 1
 90 Canal Street
 Boston, MA 02203
 Mail Code: HER-CAN6
 (61 7) 573-9656

 USEPA Region 2
 26 Federal Plaza
 New York, NY 10278
 Mail Code: 2AWM
 (21 2) 264-3384

 USEPA Region 3
 841 Chestnut Street
 Philadelphia, PA 19107
 Mail Code: 3HW53
 (21 5) 597-7938

 USEPA Region 4
 345 Courtland Street, N.E.
 Atlanta, GA 30365
 Mail Code: 4WD-RCRA
 (404) 347-7603

USEPA Region 5
 230 South Dearborn Street
 Chicago, IL 60604
 Mail Code: 5HR13
 (31 2) 886-7598
USEPA Region 6
Interstate Bank Building
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
Mail Code: 6HHS
(21 4) 655-6760

USEPA Region 7
726 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas City, KS66101
Mail Code: STPG
(913) 551-7523

USEPA Region 8
999 18thStreet, Suite 500
Denver, CO  80202
Mail Code: 8HWM-WM
(303) 293-1667

USEPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco. CA 94105
Mail Code: H-3-1
(41 5) 744-2091

USEPA Region 10
1200 6th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
Mail Code: HW072
(206) 553-6522
                        Regional EPA and State Waste Reduction Program Contacts 25

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State Environmental Agency Addresses and
Phone  Numbers:
Alabama
Department of Environmental  Management
Land Division
1715 Congressman William Dickinson Drive
Montgomery, AL 36130
(205) 271-7726
fax (205) 271-7950

Alaska
Environmental Quality Division
Department of Environmental  Conservation
410 Willoughby Avenue
Suite 105
Juneau, AK 99801
(907) 465-5150
fax: (907) 465-5164

Arizona
Office of Waste Programs
Department of Environmental Quality
3033 North Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85012
(602) 207-4121
fax: (602) 207-4236

Recycling Coordinator
Conservation  Programs Energy Office
1700 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
(502) 255-3303

Arkansas
Solid Waste Division
Department of Pollution Control and Energy
P.O. Box8913
Little Rock, AR72219
(501 ) 570-2859

California
Integrated Waste Management Board
8800 Cal Center Drive
Sacramento, CA 95826
(916)255-2182
fax: (91 6) 255-2228
Colorado
Office of Energy Conservation
1675 Broadway, Suite 1300
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 620-4292

Connecticut
Waste Engineering and Enforcement Division
Department of Environmental Protection
165 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
(203) 566-8844
fax (203) 566-5255

Delaware
Solid Waste Division
Department of Natural Resources and
Environmental Control
89 Kings Highway
P.O. Box 1401
Dover, DE 19903
(302) 739-3820
fax (302) 7395060

Solid Waste Authority
(302) 7395361

Waste Minimization
(302) 7395071

District  of Columbia
Office of Recycling
65 K Street, NE.
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 727-5856

Florida
Solid Waste Section
Department of Environmental  Protection
Twin Towers Office Bldg.
2600 Blair Stone  Road
Tallahassee, FL 32399
(904) 922-6104
fax (904) 488-6679
 26 Regional  EPA  and State Waste  Reduction Program Contacts

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Georgia
Environmental Protection Division
Department of Natural Resources
4244 International Parkway
Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30354
(404) 362-2695
fax: (404) 354-6612

Hawaii
Solid Waste Management Coordinator
Department of Health
6 Waterfront Plaza
500 Ala Moana Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 586-4240
fax: (808) 586-4370

Idaho
Permits and Enforcement
Department of Health and Welfare
1410 North Hilton
Boise, ID 83720
(208) 334-5898
fax: (208) 3344417

Illinois
Solid Waste Management Section
Environmental Protection  Agency
2200 Churchill Road
P.O. Box19276
Springfield, IL 62794
(217) 785-8604
fax (21 7) 524-4193

Indiana
Office of Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
Department of Environmental Management
105 South Meridian Street
Indianapolis, IN 46225
(31 7) 232-3501
fax (317) 232-3403

Iowa
Environmental Protection Agency
Department of Natural Resources
Wallace State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 281-6284
fax (51 5) 281-8895
Kansas
Bureau of Air and Waste Management
Department of Health and Environment
Forbes Field, Building 740
Topeka,  KS 66620
(91 3) 296-1594
fax: (91 3) 296-1592

Kentucky
Division of Waste Management
Department of Environmental Protection
Fort Boone Plaza
18 Reily Road
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502)  564-6716
fax (502)  564-4245

Louisiana
Department of Environmental Quality
Recycling Division
P.O. Box82178
Baton Rouge, IA 70884
(504)  765-0249

Maine
Bureau of  Hazardous Materials and Solid Waste Control
Department of Environmental Protection
State House Station 17
Augusta, ME 04333
(207) 289-2651
fax (207)2897826

Maryland
Waste Management Administration
Department of the Environment
2500 Broening Highway
Baltimore, MD 21224
(410)  631-3315
fax  (410)  631-3321

Massachusetts
Division of Solid  Waste
Department of Environmental Protection
One Winter Street
4th Floor
Boston,  MA 02108
(61 7) 292-5961
fax (61 7)556-1049
                                      Regional EPA and State Waste Reduction Program Contacts 27

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Michigan
Waste Management Division
Department of Natural  Resources
P.O. Box30241
Lansing,  Ml 48909
(51 7) 373-9523
fax (51  7) 373-4797

Staff Specialist, Waste  Reduction
(517)335-1310

Solid Waste Coordinator, Recycling
(517) 373-4735

Minnesota
Office  of Waste Management
1350 Energy Lane
St. Paul,  MN 55108
(61 2) 649-5743
fax (61  2) 649-5749

Mississippi
Non-Hazardous Waste Branch
Department of Natural  Resources
P.O. Box 10385
Jackson, MS 39289
(601 ) 961-5047
fax (601 ) 354-6612

Missouri
Solid Waste Management Program
Department of Natural  Resources
P.O. Box 176
Jefferson City, MO 65102
(314) 751-5401
fax (31  4) 751-7869

Montana
Solid Waste Program
Department of Health and Environmental Sciences
Cogswell Building
Helena, MT 59620
(406) 444-1430
fax: (406) 444-1499

Nebraska
Litter Reduction and Recycling Programs
Department of Environmental  Control
P.O. Box98922
Lincoln, NE 68509
(402) 471-2186
fax:  (402) 471-2902
Nevada
Division of Environmental Protection
Capitol Complex
123 West Nye Lane
Carson City, NV 89710
(702) 687-5872
fax (702)  885-0868

New  Hampshire
Waste Management Division
Department of Environmental Services
P.O, Box 95
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 271-3505
fax (603)  271-2456

New Jersey
Division of Solid Waste Management
Department of Environmental Protection & Energy
840 Bear  Tavern Road
(CN 414)
Trenton,  NJ  08625
(609) 530-8208
fax: (609) 530-8899

New Mexico
Environment  Department
Solid Waste Bureau
P.O. Box266110
Santa Fe, NM 87502
(505) 827-2883
fax (505)  827-2902

New York
Division of Solid Waste
Department of Environmental Conservation
50 Wolf Road
Albany, NY 12233
(518) 457-6603
fax (51 8) 457-1283

North  Carolina
Solid Waste Section
Department of Environmental Health and
  Natural Resources
P.O. Box 27687
Raleigh, NC 27611
(91 9) 733-0692
fax (91 9) 733-4810
 28 Regional EPA and State Waste Reduction Program Contacts

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North Dakota
Solid Waste Program
Department of Health
P.O. Box 5520
1200 Missouri Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58502
(701) 221-5166
fax: (701 ) 221-5200


Ohio

Solid Waste Division
Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
1800 Watermark Drive
P.O. Box1049
Columbus, OH 43266
(614) 644-3181
fax: (614) 644-2329


Oklahoma

Solid Waste Division
Department of Health
P.O. Box  53551
1000 N.E. 10th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73152
(405) 271-7159
fax:(405) 271-7079
Oregon

Hazardous and Solid Waste Division Department of
Environmental Quality
Executive Building
811 S.W. Sixth Ave.
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 229-5356
fax: (503) 229-6124
"Pennsylvania

Bureau of Waste Management
Department of Waste Management
P.O. Box 2063
Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 787-7328
fax: (717) 783-1904
Rhode Island
Waste Management Division
Department of Environmental Protection
9 Heyes Street
Providence, Rl 02908
(401) 277-2797
fax (401) 277-2017

South Carolina
Bureau of Solid and Hazardous Waste
Management
Department of Health and Environmental Control
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 734-5200
fax (803) 734-5199

South Dakota
Office of Waste Management
Department of Environment and  Natural Resources
319 South Coteau
c/o 500 East Capitol
Pierre, SD 57501
(605) 773-4222
fax (605) 773-5286

Tennessee
Division of Solid Waste Management
Department of Environment and Conservation
701 Broadway
Customs House, 4th Floor
Nashville, TN 37247
(615) 741-3424
fax (61 5)741-4666

Texas
Bureau of Solid Waste Management
Department of Health
1100 W. 49th Street
Austin, TX 78756
(51 2) 458-7271
fax: (51 2) 458-7408

Utah
Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste
Department of Environmental Quality
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
(801 ) 538-6170
fax (801) 538-6116
                                      Regional EPA and State Waste Reduction program Contacts 29

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Vermont
Management Division
Department of Environmental Conservation
103 South Maine Street
Waterbury, VT 05671
(802) 244-7831
fax: (802) 244-5141

Virginia
Division of Litter Control and Recycling
Department of Waste Management
Monroe Building
11th Floor
101 N. 14th Street
Richmond, VA 23219
(804) 225-2667
fax (804) 225-3753

Washington
Solid and Hazardous Waste Program
Department of Ecology
P.O. Box47600
Olympia, WA 98504
(206) 459-6316
fax (206) 438-7484

Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling
(206) 459-6302

Litter and Recycling Information
(206) 459-6301
West Virginia
Conservation, Education, and Litter Control
Department of Natural Resources
Capitol Complex
Building 3
1900 Kanawha Blvd., East
Charleston, WV 25305
(304)  556-3370
fax (304) 558-2768

Wisconsin
Bureau of Solid and  Hazardous Waste Management
Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, Wl 53707
(608)  266-0520
fax (608) 267-2768

Solid Waste Recycling/Waste Reduction Program
(608)  267-7566

Wyoming
Solid Waste Program
Department of Environmental Quality
Herschler Building
4th Floor
122 W. 25th Street
Cheyenne,  WY  82002
(307)  777-7752
fax (307) 777-5973
30 Regional EPA and State Waste Reduction Program Contacts

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          Appendix C
          Glossary
 Baler: A machine used to compress recyclables
 into bundles to reduce volume. Balers are used
 often on newspapers, plastic, corrugated
 cardboard, and other sorted paper products,

 Compactor: Power-driven device used to
 compress materials to a smaller volume.

 Compost: The stable, decomposed organic
 material  resulting from the composting process,
 Also referred to as humus.

 Composting: The controlled  biological
 decomposition of organic materials in the
 presence of oxygen into a stable product  that may
 be used as a soil amendment or mulch.

 Contaminant: Foreign material that makes a
 recyclable or compostable material impure;  for
 instance, food scraps on paper products.

 Hauler: A garbage collection  company that offers
 a complete refuse removal service. Many haulers
 now offer to serve as collectors of recyclable as
 well.

 Markets: Generally, a recycling business
 (i.e., a buyer) or municipal recycling facility that
 accepts  recyclable  materials for processing  and
 final sale to an end user, either for their own use or
 for resale.

Materials Exchange: A mutually beneficial
 relationship whereby two  or more organizations
 exchange materials that otherwise would  be
 thrown  away.  In some areas,  computer and
 catalog networks are available to match up
 companies who wish to participate in exchanging
 their materials.
Municipal Solid Waste: For the purposes of
this guide, municipal solid waste includes all
materials typically disposed of in dumpsters by
businesses and removed for off site disposal by
private or municipal haulers. Includes wastes such
as durable and nondurable goods, containers and
packaging, food scraps, yard trimmings, and
miscellaneous inorganic wastes from residential,
commercial, institutional, and industrial sources.
Municipal solid waste does not include wastes
from other sources, such as municipal sludges,
combustion ash, and  industrial nonhazardous
process wastes that might also be disposed of in
municipal waste landfills or incinerators.

Pallets: A wooden platform used with a forklift for
moving bales or other large items, Also called a "skid."

Processing: The operations performed on
recycled materials to  render them reusable or
marketable. Processing can include grinding
glass, crushing cans, or baling newspaper.
Processing has  two distinct functions: a
separation function and a processing or
beneficiation function. Processing generally results
in adding value to a particular material,

Rebuilding: Modifying a component of
municipal solid waste by repairing or replacing
certain parts and reusing it again for its original
purpose (e.g., refillable or rebuildable toner
cartridges, wooden cable reels, or plastic wire
reels). Rebuilding of solid waste components is
most often done by a middleman,

Recyclables:  Materials that still  have  useful
physical or chemical properties after serving their
original purpose. Such materials can be remade
into new products, (See Appendix E for a list of
common recyclable.)
                                                                                   Glossary  31

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recycling: The process by which materials are
collected and used as raw materials  for new
products,  There are five steps in recycling:
collecting  waste materials, separating them  by type
(before or after collection), processing them into
reusable forms, marketing the "new"  products,  and
purchasing and using the goods made with
reprocessed  materials.

Reuse: Taking a component of municipal  solid
waste  (possibly with slight modification) and using
it again for its original purpose (e.g.,  refillable
beverage bottles, foam peanuts,  or pallets).

Solid Waste: According to  the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), solid
waste  is: garbage;  refuse; sludge from a waste
treatment plant, water supply treatment plant, or air
pollution control facility; and  other discarded
materials, including solid, liquid,  or contained
gaseous material resulting from industrial,
commercial,  mining, and agricultural  operations,
and  from  community activities.

Source Separation: Separating waste materials
such as paper, metal, and glass  by type at the
point of discard so that they can be
 Trash: Material often considered  worthless,
 unnecessary, or offensive that is usually thrown
away. Generally defined as dry waste material; but
in common usage, it is a synonym for garbage,
rubbish, or refuse.

 Waste Prevention: The design,  manufacture,
purchase  or  use of materials or products to reduce
their amount or toxicity before they enter the
municipal solid waste  stream. Because  it is
intended to reduce pollution and conserve
resources, waste prevention should not increase
the net  amount or toxicity of wastes generated
throughout the life  of a product.


 Waste Reduction: Preventing and/or
decreasing the amount of waste being generated
either through waste  prevention, recycling,
composting,  or buying recycled and
 reduced-waste products.


 Waste  Streams:  The total  flow of solid waste
from homes, businesses, institutions, and
 manufacturing plants that are recycled,  burned, or
disposed  in landfills, or any segment thereof such
as the "residential waste stream" or the "recyclable
waste stream."
Glossary  Sources

Definitions for glossary terms were derived from the following
sources
Brown University Summer Internship Program, Guide for
Preparing Commenrcial Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling
Plans, prepared for Ocean State Cleanup and Recycling
(OSCAR), Providence, Rhode Island, 1988.
Brown University Summer Internship Program, Handbook for
Reduction and Recycling of Commercial solid Waste, pre
pared for OSCAR, Providence, Rhode Island, 1988.
Fenedick, Al Jr., Kimberly  Henderson, and Jay Birgamini, Office
Recycling Handbook Region 5, USEPA and General Services
Administration,  1990.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation,
Recycling: A Planning Guide for Communities, Division of Solid
Waste, January 1990.
Scheinberg, Anne and Dee Cotherman, Business Recycling
Manual, prepared for the Westchester County Association,
Inc., White Plains, New York, November 1989.
USEPA, Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in the
United States: 1990 Update,  EPA/530-SW-90-042, June  1990.
USEPA Region 2 for World Congress of Local Governments
for a Sustainable Future, Recoverable Resource Audit Hand-
book, September 1990.
World Wildlife Fund  and Conservation Foundation, Getting at
the Source, Strategies for Reducing Municipal Solid Waste,
1991.
32  Glossary

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       Appendix D
       Volume-to-Weight
       Conversion  Table
The volume-to-weight conversion table presented on the following pages is a compilation of several sources.
Materials converted from volume to weight include paper (high-grade and other), glass, plastic, metals,
organics, and other materials (e.g., tires and oil).

It is important to note that although the weight (density) figures presented here are useful for determining
rough estimates, they will not be as useful when precise measurements are required. Differences in the way
a material is handled, processed, or in the amount of moisture present can make substantial differences in
the amount a particular material weighs per specified volume. Because of these differences, it will be
important to actually sort and weigh materials in your program whenever precise measurements are needed
(e.g., recycling contract agreements).
Category
High-Grade Paper












Material
-
4

Uncompacted, stacked
Compacted/baled
1 case

(u)stacked/(c)stacked
(u)crumpled/(c)cru tripled
Ream of 20# bond; 8-1/2x11
Ream of 20# bond; 8-1/2x14
White ledger pads
Tab
Uncompacted
Compacted/baled
Volume

1 cu.yd.
1 cu.yd.
2800 sheets

1 cu.yd.
1 cu.yd.
1 ream = 500 sheets
1 ream= 500 sheets
1 case= 72 pads

1 cu.yd.
1 cu.yd.
fin

655
1,310
42
- . j
*
375465/755-925
11 0205/325
5
6.4
38
I
605
1,215-1,350
                                            volume-to-weight Conversion Table 33

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Category
Other Paper
Gass
Material
(u/c = uncompacted/
compacted & baled)
V«^MHA
WVHHU^V
Estimated
Weight
[In pounds)
Cardboard (Corrugated):
Uncompacted
Compacted
Baled
1 cu. yd.
1 cu. yd.
1 cu. yd.
50-150
300-500
7001,100
Newspaper;
Uncompactad
Compacted/baled
12" stack
1 cu. yd.
1 cu. yd.
—
360-505
7201,000
35
Miscellaneous Paper
Yellow legal pads
Colored message pads
Self-carbon forms; 8-1/2 x 1 1
1case=72pads
1 carton= 144 pads
1 ream= 500 sheets
38
22
50
Mixed Ledger/Office Paper.
Flat (u/c)
Crumpled (u/c)
1 cu. yd.
1 cu. yd.
380/755
110205/610
Refutable Whole Bottles:
Refillable beer bottles
Refillable soft drink bottles
8 oz. glass container
1 case= 24 bottles
1 case= 24 bottles
1 case= 24 bottles
14
22
12
Bottles:
Whole
Semi-crushed
Crushed (mechanically)
Uncrushed to manually
broken
i cu. yd
1 cu. yd.
i cu. yd.
55gallon drum
500-700
1,0001,800
1,800-2,700
300
34 Volume-to-Weight Conversion Table

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Category
Plastic


















Metals







Material
fu/c - yncompacted/
compacted & baled)
PET (Soda Bottles):
Whole bottles, uncompacted
Whole bottles, compacted
Whole bottles, uncompacted
Baled
Granulated
8 bottles (2-liter size)
HDPE(Dairy):
Whole, uncompacted
Whole, compacted
Baled
HDFE(Mixed):
Baled
Granulated
Odd Plastic:
Uncompacted
Compacted/baled
Mixed PET and HOPE (Dairy):
Whole, uncompacted
Aluminum (Cans):
Whole
Compacted (manually)
Uncompacted
Ferrous (tin-coated steel cans):
Whole
Flattened
Whole
Volume

1 cu. yd.
1cu. yd.
gaylord
30" x 62"
gaylord


1 cu. yd.
1 cu. yd.
32"x60"

32" x 60"
semi-load

1 cu. yd.
1 cu. yd.

1 cu. yd.

1 cu. yd.
1 cu. yd.
1 full grocery bag
1 case= 24 cans

1 cu. yd.
1 cu. yd.
1 case= 6 cans
Estimated
weight
(in pounds)

30-40
515
40-53
500-550
700-750
1

24
270 ,
400-500

900
42,000

50
400-700

32

50-75
250-430
1.5
0.9

150
850
22
Volume-to-weight Conversion  Table 35

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Category
Organics
Other Materials
Material
(u/o = uncompacted/
Compacted & baled)
Volume
Estimated
weight
(in pounds)
Yard trmming*:
Leaves (uncompacted)
Leaves (compacted)
Leaves, vacuumed
1 cu. yd.
1 cu. yd.
1 cu. yd.
Grass clippings (uncompacted)! 1 cu- Yd-
Grass clippings (compacted)
Finished compost
1 cu. yd.
1 cu. yd.
200-250
300-450
350
350-450
550-1,500
600
Scrap wood:
Pallets
Wood chips

1 cu. yd.
30-100(40avg.)
500
Food Waste:
Solid/liquid fats
55-gallon drum
400-410
Tires:
Car
Truck
Oil (Used Motor Oil)
1 tire
1 tire
1 gallon
12-20
60-100
7
 *Density of yard trimmings is  highly variable depending on moisture content.
Conversion Table Sources
Brown University Summer Internship Program, Guide for Pre-
paring Commercial Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling
Plans, prepared for Ocean State Cleanup and Recycling (OS-
CAR), Providence, Rhode  Island, 1988.

Draft National Recycling Coalition Measurement Standards
and Reporting Guidelines presented to NRC membership, Oc-
tober 31, 1989.

FenedickAl Jr., Kimberly Henderson, and Jay Birgamini, Office
Recycling Handbook, Region 5, USEPA and General Services
Administration, 1990.

Hunt,  Robert, Franklin Associates, personal communication,
April 18, 1991.

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection,  Office of
Recycling. Steps in Organizing a Municipal Recycling Pro-
gram, 1988.

New York  State Department of Environmental Conservation,
Recycling: A Planning Guide for Communities,Division of
Solid Waste,  January 1990.

36  Volume-to-weight  Conversion  Table
Reynolds, John, Business Waste Reduction Audit Handbook,
Spokane Regional Council, Spokane, Washington,  February
1989.
R.W. Beck and Associates, Commercial Waste Reduction
Audit Manual, prepared for the City of Seattle Solid Waste Util-
ity Under the Environmental Allowance Program, January
1989.
Scheinberg, Anne and Dee Cotherman, Business Recycling
Manual, prepared for Westchester County Association, Inc.,
While Plains, New York, November 1989.
Conversion factors are adapted from information in: "Recy-
cling is Everybody's  Business", Morris County Municipal Utili-
ties Authority, April 1989 and "Recycling  Manual: Oneida and
Herkimer Counties Solid  Waste  Management Project",  William
F. Cosulich Associates, 1988.

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        Appendix E
        Common  Recyclable
        Materials
Paper

High-Grade Paper
High-grade paper is usually generated in office
environments and can earn recycling revenues
when present in sufficient quantity. Types of
high-grade paper include:

SB  Computer paper (also known as Computer
   Print Out or CPO). Can be all white or have a
   white main fiber with bright green or blue bars.
Si  White ledger. Most white office paper,
   including white  computer paper, copy
   machine paper,  letterhead, white notebook
   paper, and white envelopes. Common
   contaminants include glossy paper,
   wax-coated paper, latex adhesive  labels,
   envelopes with plastic windows, and carbon
   paper.
•  Tab cards.  Usually manilla-colored computer
   cards; may be other colors but must be
   separated by color to be valuable as a
   high-grade  paper,

Other Papers
These papers  are less valuable than high-grade
paper in terms of recycling, although they still
can be cost-effective to recycle in many cases,
Examples of other  types of paper include:

   Colored ledger, Most non-white office paper,
   including carbonless paper, file folders; tablet
paper, colored envelopes, and yellow legal
paper,
Corrugated Cardboard (also known as Old
Corrugated Cardboard or OCC), Includes
unbleached, unwaxed paper with a ruffled
(corrugated) inner liner. It usually does not
include  linerboard or pressboard, such as
cereal boxes and shoe boxes, For most
businesses, cardboard  is a cost-effective
material to recycle.
Newspaper (also known as Old News Print or
ONP). It is most valued when separated from
other paper types, but  can be recycled as
mixed waste paper.
Miscellaneous waste paper. Encompasses
most types of clean and dry paper which do
not fall  into the categories mentioned above,
including glossy papers, magazines, catalogs,
telephone books, cards, laser-printed  white
ledger, windowed envelopes, paper with
adhesive labels, paper bags, wrapping paper,
packing paper, sticky-backed notes, and
glossy advertising paper, This mixed paper
has limited value in existing markets.
Mixed waste paper. Paper that is
unsegregated  by color, quantity, or grade
(e.g.,  combination of white ledger, newsprint,
colored  paper, envelopes without windows,
computer paper, glossy paper, etc.). Mixed
paper generally sells below the price of the
least  valuable paper in  the mix.
                                                         Common Recyclable Materials 37

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Glass

Color-separated
This includes all container glass that is separated
into clear, green, and brown. When this glass is
broken or crushed for recycling, it is called "flint,"
"green," and "amber" cullet, respectively.

Mixed  Color
This is the same as color-separated glass except
clear, green, and brown glass are mixed together.
It generally has very limited market value.
Plastic
There are 7 types of plastic which are identified by
a Society of Plastics Industry  (SPI) code number
ranging from 1 to 7. These numbers are usually
found on the bottom of plastic containers inside a
three-arrow recycling symbol. A description of
each kind of plastic is presented below. Also, you
may check with the Society of the Plastics Industry
at 1-8002-HELP-90 for information about
haulers/recyclers in your area. Some recyclers
only accept a sub-category of the ones presented
below. For example, a recycler may only accept
HOPE  milk jugs and not all HOPE products.

PET (SPI=1)
Polyethylene terephthalate  (PET) is the most
readily recyclable material  at  this time.  It includes
1-and 2-liter clear soda bottles, as well  as some
bottles containing liquor,  liquid cleaners,
detergents, and antacids.

HOPE (SPI=2)
High-Density Polyethylene (HOPE) is currently
recyclable in some areas. This class includes milk,
juice, and water jugs, base cups for some plastic
soda bottles, as well as bottles for laundry
detergent, fabric softener,  lotion, motor  oil, and
antifreeze.
Pvc  [SPI=3)
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC, also referred to simply as
"vinyl") includes bottles for cooking oil, salad
dressing, floor polish, mouthwash, and liquor, as
well as "blister packs"  used for batteries and other
hardware and toys.

LDPE  (SPI=4)
Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) includes grocery
bags, bread bags, trash bags, and a variety of
other film products. LDPE  is currently being
recycled  by some of the major retail chains.

Polypropylene (SPI=5)
Polypropylene includes a wide variety of
packaging such as yogurt  containers, shampoo
bottles, and margarine tubs. Also cereal box liners,
rope and strapping, combs, and  battery cases.

Polystyrene  (SPI=6)
Polystyrene includes Styrofoam™ coffee cups,
food trays,  and "clamshell" packaging, as well  as
some yogurt tubs, clear carry-out containers, and
plastic cutlery, Foam applications are sometimes
called  EPS, or Expanded  Polystyrene. Some
recycling of polystyrene is taking place,  but is
limited by its low weight-to  volume ratio  and its
value as  a commodity.

Other (SPI=7)
Can refer to applications which use some of the
above  six resins in combination or to the collection
of the individual resins  as mixed plastic (e.g.,
camera film can include several types of plastic
resins). Technology exists  to make useful  items
such as plastic 'lumber" out of mixed plastic
resins, but generally the materials are more useful
and valuable if separated into the generic resin
types described above.
38 Common Recyclable Materials

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Metals

Aluminum
Included in this category are aluminum beverage
cans, as well as clean aluminum scrap and
aluminum foil. Currently, aluminum is a highly
valued material for recycling,

 Tin-Coated  Steel  Containers
Includes cans used for food packaging (i.e.,
canned foods). Some local recyclers may require
cans to be cleaned and crushed with labels
removed.

Bimetal   Containers
A typical example includes tin-plated steel cans
with an aluminum "pop top" (e.g., peanut cans).
These containers can be separated from
aluminum cans by using a magnet.  [Note:
Technically, tin cans are bimetal, but we do not
consider them when  referring to bimetal cans.]
Many recyclers accept bimetal containers with
tin-coated steel cans.

Non-Femous Metals
Includes most types of scrap metal  which do
not contain iron  (such as copper and brass).
This scrap can be a relatively valuable
commodity, depending on quantity. It is often
recycled through scrap metal dealers,
although some general recyclers will  handle it
with  other materials.

Ferrous Metal
Includes iron and iron-containing metal scrap.
Ferrous metal is handled in the same manner as
non-ferrous metal but generally has lower market
value.
Compostables
Usually, compostable materials include food scraps
and yard trimmings. Paper that cannot be recycled
also can be composted.

Food  Scraps
Includes grease-free organic scraps from
restaurants, cafeterias, motels, and other places
producing food waste. It is technically possible to
compost food waste in a manner similar to yard
trimmings, although additional  problems with
rodents and other scavengers need to be
addressed. Some states allow farmers to sterilize
food waste and use it as animal feed.

 Yard  Trimmings
Includes landscaping debris, grass clippings,
branches, and leaves. There are largr-scale
facilities which compost yard trimmings,  producing
a product which can be used for mulch, potting
soil, landfill cover, and soil amendment, Also,
composting can be performed directly on site or in
backyards.
Miscellaneous
Recyclable

Lead-Ac id Batteries
Lead-acid batteries are used in automobiles,
back-up lighting systems, lawn mowers, and
computers. Lead-acid batteries contain lead, a
toxic metal, and sulfuric acid.  Many states prohibit
disposal of lead-acid batteries  in  municipal solid
waste, and many require either retailers,
wholesalers, or distributors to  take back batteries.
Currently, about 90 percent of lead-acid batteries
used in automobiles  are recycled.

Household Batteries
Household batteries come in a variety of types,
including alkaline, carbon-zinc, mercuric-oxide,
silver-oxide, zinc-air,  and nickel-cadmium,
Currently, only button batteries containing mercury
and silver or nickel-cadmium batteries can be
recycled, often at a net cost,
                                                               Common Recyclable Materials   3 9

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Common Recyclable  Materials Sources


The information in Appendix E was derived from the following      Plans, prepared for Ocean State Cleanup and Recycling (OS-
sources:                                            CAR), Providence, Rhode Island, 1988.
Brown University Summer Internship Program, Guide for Pre-       King County Solid Waste Division, Business Waste Reduction
paring Commercial Solid Waste Reduction and  Recycling         and Recycling Handbook, September, 1990.
40 Common Recyclable  Materials

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        About the  Worksheets
This guide contains seven worksheets designed to help you implement a waste reduction program:

Worksheet A:    Facility Background Information
Worksheet B:    Records Review: Waste Collection and Removal
Worksheet C:    Facility Walk-Through
Worksheet D:    Waste Sort
Worksheet E:    Identifying Potential Waste Reduction Options
Worksheet F:    Economic and Operational Feasibility
Worksheet G:    Monitoring and  Evaluation
These worksheets will help companies to understand the types and amounts of waste generated and
carefully analyze the options for reducing this waste. Companies can invest as  much time and resources
into their waste reduction program as they feel is necessary, The worksheets have been designed to be
flexible  in order to meet the waste reduction needs of different companies. Using these worksheets,
companies can opt for the most basic program, which might simply involve collecting facility information,
identifying potential waste reduction options, and program evaluation. More involved programs might entail
reviewing records and/or conducting  a facility walk-through, identifying program options, and evaluation,
The most comprehensive  program  would entail examining facility records, conducting a waste sort,
identifying and evaluating potential options, and monitoring the program overtime. Depending on the level
of your  waste reduction effort, you might only want to complete certain worksheets. After determining the
scope of your program, use the following chart to determine which worksheets are actually needed to
achieve the level of waste reductions you are seeking.
Level of waste reduction
Basic program
Moderate program
Comprehensive program
Complete worksheets..
A, E, and G
A, B, C, E, and G
A, B, C, D, E, F, and G
Optional
Band F
F
—
Because there are a wide range of waste reduction programs, this chart is intended to offer guidance
regarding the resources needed to complete the different worksheets, Your company should review the
worksheets and determine which ones are needed to help you design and evaluate your waste reduction
program.

Note: Because repeated duplication of the worksheets will diminish their clarity and make them more
difficult to complete, it is recommended that you retain the original worksheets in this guide as masters. Be
sure to use these originals whenever copies of the worksheets are needed.
                                                               About the Worksheets   41

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             Facility
             Background
             Information
Use this worksheet to assemble background information
on your company's layout and organization.

Data collected for this worksheet will be useful in designing implementing
your waste reduction program. Company records will provide much of the
information requested. Interviewing building and department contacts may also
be helpful.
if your company Occupies several different building, you may want to record
the requested information separately for each building, copying this worksheet
as needed.

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              Facility Background Information
Building Name/Address:
Building Owner or Management Company:
Name of Contact:
Telephone Number:
      Physical Layout and Organization
 Building Location:
 Number of Employees:
{Size (Area):
                                                    Number of Floors:
 Is the Facility Equipped with U Freight Elevators U Loading Dock
 List any Other Companies Leasing Space in the Building:
 Company
 Name of Contact
Telepone Number
 2   Company Departments and Functions
 Department:
 Name of Contact:
 Telephone:
 Location:
 Major Functions:
 Department
 Name of Contact:
 Telephone:
 Location:
 Major Functions

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                Records  Review:
                Waste Collection  and
                Removal
 Uso this worksheet to record information on how solid
 waste is removed from your facility and to estimate the
 total amount paid for waste removal services.

Company  records  (including  waste  hauling   contracts,  maintenance    and
operating  logs, and waste removal records) will be the primary sources of
information needed to complete  this  worksheet.  Maintenance  staff  or
contractors also  might be able  to provide  information.

This  worksheet measures current costs of "onsite waste  collection" and
"offsite waste  removal" Waste collection involves  gathering trash  from
individual offices  and  taking it to an onsite  collection  area  such as  a dumpster.
 Waste removal involves shipping  the waste  off site for  disposal.  In  addition,  this
worksheet is designed to help you  calculate waste removal costs whether you
pay a flat fee for this  service or are  charged  per pull. A flat fee is a  rate
charge for  waste  removal  service  that remains constant  over a  specific
period of time  (such  as a year)  regardless  of fluctuations  in the  amount  of
waste generated.  A per pull charge  is a fee paid each time waste is hauled
from  a company.
 If  waste  removal  practices  vary  significantly among buildings,  or  if  different
wasts contractors are used, record the information  separately for each  building
in  your company, copying this worksheet as needed.
                                                                       m m

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B
Records Review:
Waste Collection and Removal
Building:
Name of Contact:
Department:

Telephone Number:

1 Onsite Waste Collection
A Name of Waste Collector:
Telephone Number:

Check One: CD Maintenance Staff D Maintenance Contractor
B. Collection Schedule:
times per (da

C. Annual Cost of Waste Collection (if maintenance contr
If waste collection is performed by a maintenance contr
use this formula to calculate the annual cost. If waste cc
+ =
Annual payments to Waste container
maintenance contractor rental fee, if any
//week)
actor)
actor and the fee for this service is not included in rent,
Election is performed by in-house staff, go to step I-D.
$
Annual Coat of Waste Collection

D. Annual Cost of Waste Collection (If maintenance staff)
If waste collection is performed by in-house staff, calculate the costs below. When filling in hourly rate, be
sure to calculate wage rate plus overhead including benefits. (In many businesses, a factor of 1.3 is often
used. For example, for an employee earning $10.00/hr, use an hourly rate of$13.00.)
Collection personnel:
x x X 52 =
Number of employees Hourly rate
X x
Number of employees Hourly rate
If applicable, add:
per X
Waste container(s) Time period
rental fee
+ =
Total annual labor Annual waste
cost container rental cost
Hours per week spent Annual cost
on waste collection
X 52 =
Hours per week spent Annual cost
on waste collection
Total annual labor cost
Time periods Annual waste
per year container rental cost
$
Annual Cost of Waste Collection


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                Records Review:
                Waste  Collection and  Removal
      Offsite Waste Removal
AName of Waste Removal Company
   Telephone Number:	
                   Contract Expires:,
B. Removal  Schedule
   Number of times	
   Day of week:	
   Day of week	
 per (day/week/month/other).
                    Time(s):.
                    Time(s):.
 C. Waste Removal Charge (M charged it «X to or part of rent)
    Waste removal fee
 Time periods per year
    (if applicable)
                                                     $
       Annual Waste Removal Charge
 D. Waste Removal Charge by weight or Volume
  Waste removal charge

 If applicable, add:
                    .per.
Unit of weight or
   volume
                    .per.
   Hauling container(s)
      rental fee
  Annual waste removal
  	charge	
 Time period
 Units of waste
removed annually
 Time periods
   per year
Annual waste removal
      charge
   Annual waste
container rental cost
     Annual waste
   container rental cost
                                                     $.
        Annual Waste Removal Charge
 E. Waste Removal Charge (If charge per pull)

	  x  	
    Charge per pull

 If applicable, add:
Pulls per year
    Annual waste
    pulling charge
   Hauling container(s)
      rental fee
                    . per.
 Time period'
 Time periods
    per year
   Annual waste
 container rental cost
                   per
      Tipping fee
Unit of weight or
   volume
  Annual waste pulling      Annual waste
       charge           container rental cost
  Units of waste
removed annually
                    Annual tipping fee
  Annual tipping fee
                  =   Annual Waste
                     Removal Charge

-------
             Facility
             Walk-Through
Use this worksheet to identify and record the different
waste-generating activities and equipment in your facility,
the types of waste produced, and any current waste
reduction efforts. In addition, identify all materials that
could be targeted by your waste reduction program and
brainstorm ways to reduce, recycle, or compost these
materials.

The information needed to complete this worksheet can be obtained by
conducting a walk-through of targeted functional areas or of your entire
facility. The walk-through entails carefully observing waste-generating
activities and equipment, examining the contents of waste containers, and
interviewing supervisors and employees.
Be sure to pay close attention to areas and operations that tend to generate
the largest amounts of waste, such as shipping and receiving departments,
copying areas, cafeterias, assembly lines, and offices. Remember to include a
review of the grounds maintenance operations. While conducting the
walk-through, watch closely for activities and equipment that generate waste
unnecessarily, as well as waste reduction efforts that are already in place.
Before the walk-through begins, contact department managers to inform them
of the visit and the possibility of short interviews with department staff. (More
involved  interviews should be scheduled separately.) You may also want to
interview custodial workers and operations staff.
If possible, schedule the walk-through just before trash pickups to allow a
sufficient amount of waste to accumulate. Avoid scheduling rt on or around
holidays, company parties, or other special events that would produce wastes
not representative of a normal workday.
During the walk-through, ask questions about variations in daily waste
generation.  For example, periodic deliveries may result in more discards on
the delivery day. In addition, ask about any recent or upcoming changes within
the department, such as new equipment or procedures, that could alter the
types or  amounts of waste generated.
Larger companies may want to record information gathered on the
walk-through by department, copying this worksheet  as needed.

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c
Facility Walk-Through
1 Waste Components (Continued)
Waste-Producing
Activity or








Waste
Material
















Estimated
Amount of Waste
Produced per
Year
















Current Waste
Reduction
Activities
(if any)

















-------
      c
Facility Walk-Through
Date and The of Walk-Through
                          Department:
Department Manager:
                          Telephone Number:
Team Members Conducting Walk-Through:.
Employees Interviewed:,
1 II
Waste-Producing
Activity or
Equipment
Receiving
shipments




Waste
Material
Produced
Cardboard boxes
Foam
peanuts








Estimated
Amount of waste
Produced per
Year
About 50 boxes per
week/2,600 per year
2 waste containers
(5 cubic yards each) per
week/1 00 per year








Current waste
Reduction
Activities
(if any)
Recycling
None









-------
c
Facility Walk-Through
2 for
on the facility walk-through, list all that could be by your program, For
type, list all recycling, and/or that be effective.
Although recycling are of managing you to preventing
the waste in the first place,
Waste Type
Office paper
Foam peanuts













Potential waste Reduction Activities
Develop company-wide double-sided copying policy
Return to supplier for reuse
Collect in house for reuse in our own shipments














-------
I
                     Waste
                     Sort
       Use this worksheet if you need a more detailed profile of
       the amounts and types of waste generated at your facility
       than a records review or facility walk-through can provide.
This worksheet provides step-by-step instructions for sorting, weighing, and
recording data on the waste your company generates.

Two different types of sampling methods can be used during a waste sort. The first
method is to collect and sort all the waste generated during the day. This is the
most practical  method for smaller companies. The second method is to use a
representative sample off approximately 50 pounds of waste from each collection
container (i.e.,  dumpster) at the company. This is more appropriate for larger
companies.

If you elect to analyze a representative sample, be sure your sorting sample is truly
representative. Waste generation and waste components can vary significantly
from day to day, season to season, and year to year.  In addition, periodic events
such as holiday parties and special orders can affect your company's waste
stream. If you suspect that the waste sample being sorted is not truly
representative of your company's waste-generating practices, consult with your
trash collection or operations manager for input on the accuracy of the data.  Make
a note on this worksheet of any results you believe are not accurate. When sorting
a sample, you will still need  to weigh or estimate one day's worth of waste in order
to extrapolate annual estimates for each waste category.

Determine the  size and location of the area in which you will sort the waste.  For
smaller companies, it might  be easiest to sort the sample in a large indoor room
after business  hours. If large quantities of waste will be sorted, a large, flat area
such as a parking garage or shipping and receiving area is preferrable. It is
advisable to sort in a sheltered area to provide cover from adverse weather.  Be
sure to consider health and safety issues as well.  All members of the waste
reduction team should wear protective clothing (such as leather or thick rubber
gloves, heavy-duty shoes, safety glasses, and coveralls), and precautions should be
taken to ensure that the waste does not come in contact with food or drink.

You will need several containers for holding the sorted wastes and a scale for
weighing the samples. The size of the containers depends on the amount of waste
to be sorted. Office wastebaskets might work well for small sorts. For larger
companies, 30- to 50-gallon  plastic containers, garbage cans, or large corrugated
cardboard boxes will be needed. If there are no large scales at your facility, they
often can be rented. In addition, you also will need shovels or pushbrooms, a
clipboard, labels, pens, and  a first aid kit.

A three- or four-person waste reduction team in a small- to medium-size facility can
probably complete the sorting and weighing in a few hours. Waste sorts at a larger
facility will take longer, depending on the size of the team and the amount of
waste to be sorted.

-------
        D
Waste  Sort  Instructions
 1    Beginning the Waste Sort
A. Assemble the waste sample to be sorted, using either one day's worth of waste or an otherwise
   representative sample of waste from your facility.

B. Weigh the empty containers that the sorted wastes will be placed into and record these weights on a label
   on each container.

C. Sort the waste sample by major component (paper, plastics, glass, metal, compostable organics, other),

D. If needed, further sort each major waste component into more specific component subcategories (e.g., glass
   into clear, green, amber, or other),

E. Place the sorted materials  into separate labeled containers.
2   Calculating  Net Component Weights
A.  Weigh each filled waste container and subtract the weight of the container (from I-B) to obtain the net
    component weight. Record the net component weight on the spaces provided on the Waste Sort Form, If you
    did not sort these waste components into component subcategories, proceed to Step 2-C.

B.  If you sorted the waste components into component subcategories, add their net weights and record the total
    waste component weight on the Waste Sort Form.

C.  Add all the total waste component weight figures to determine the total sample weight and record
    this total on the Waste Sort Form,
3   Calculating  Percent of Total Sample Weight
A. Use the following formula and the figures recorded in the Net Component Weight column of the Waste Sort
    Form to compute the percentage each waste component constitutes the total weight of the sample. Repeat
    the calculation for each waste component under consideration and record the results in the Percent of
    Total Sample Weight column on the Waste Sort Form. (Note: If you sorted the waste components into
    component subcategories, you also may choose to calculate the percentage of the sample occupied by
    each waste component subcategory, depending on the level of information you are interested in,)
                                                       X1 00 =
      Net component weight
                    Total sample weight
     Percent of
Total Sample Weight

-------
                 Waste  sort  Instructions
B. Use the data listed in the Percept of Total Sample Weight column on the Waste Sort Form to create a
  pie chart to help compare the percentages of the different waste components.
                  Other - 5%
          Glass-10%

      Metals -10%

     Plastics. 5%
                        Example
4   Calculating Weight of Waste Generated Annually
JLyou sorted one day's worth of waste, calculate the weight of waste generated for each waste component
    using the following formula
      Net component weight
       Number of working days
              per year
                Weight of waste Generated
                         Annually
B. If you sorted a representative sample, first weigh or estimate all of the waste generated by your company that
    day. Calculate the amount of waste generated annually for each waste component using the following formulas:
     Total component weight
         generated/day
         Total sample weight
          (all components)
    Net component
        weight
Multiplier
Number of work
 days per year
 C. Repeat the appropriate calculation for each waste component under consideration and record the
    figures in the Weight of Waste Generated Annually column on the Waste Sort Form. (Note: If you sorted
    the waste components into component subcategories, you may choose to calculate the amount of waste
    generated annually by each waste component subcategory, depending on the level of detail you are
    interested  in obtaining.)

-------
              Waste  sort Form
Date of waste Sorb
Department:
Source of Sample (if different from department
Sample Collected Oven D One Day  D Two Days
U Other Technique (specify)	
Sample Colleetm!! D A!! Waste at Source D Representative Sample {specify wsight}_
Team Members Conducting Waste Sort:.
Factors Affecting Representativeness of Sort:_
Waste Component


High-Grade
Low-Grade
Computer Printout
Newsprint
Corrugated Cardboard
Magazines/Glossy
Other
Total Component Weight
PET(1)
HOPE (2)
PVC (3)
LDPE (4)
Polypropylene (5)
Polystyrene (6)
Other (7)
Total Component Weight
Net Component
Weight
















Percent of Total
Sample Weight
(all components)
















Weight of
Waste
Generated
Annually





i











-------

Waste Component
I
5
I
Compostable
Organics
•
Clear
Green
Amber
Other
Total Component Weight
Aluminum
Other Non-Ferrous Metal
Tin-Coated Steel
Other Ferrous Metal
Bi-Metal
Other
Total Component Weight
Yard Trimmings
Food Scraps
Scrap Wood
Other
Other
Other
Total Component Weight
Textiles
Rubber
Leather
Inorganic (e.g., ceramics, mixed materials)
Copier Toner Cartridges
Other
Total Component Weight
Totals
Net Material
weight



























Percent of Total
samples



























Weight
of waste
QwNMrated
AnniMlly




























-------
              Identifying Potential  Waste
              Reduction  Options
 Use this worksheet to list and screen the potential waste
 reduction options that have emerged from your waste
 assessment.

 This worksheet enables to list  all the potential waste prevention, recycling,
 composting and purchaseing options  that  might be feasible for your waste
 reduction program. Information  needed to fill out  this  worksheet will  come
from your records review, facility walk-through, and waste  sort, as well as  from
your  general  working knowledge about  your  company  and its operations.  At
this point, the team might want to meet to discuss the results of the waste
 aasessment and to brainstorm potential options for the program.
 Once you have listed the potential options, use this  worksheet help you
 quickly identify those options that are most feasible based on economic,
operational, and other criteria. This process serves to screen  out  those ideas
that are least feasible,enabling you to concentrate on  a  select  set  of  options
for further analysis in Worksheet F.

-------
Identifying                Reduction Options
• All
On the following table, list all potential waste reduction options gathered during the records review, facility
walk-through, and/or waste sort. If needed, refer to Appendix A for a list of additional waste reduction options,
Describe how and where the option will be used, if applicable,
Option:
Doublesided copying
Return toner cartridges
























Equip copiers in accounting and sales offices with double-sided copying
capability.
Return toner cartridges from the printers in accounting and sales offices to the
manufacturer for refilling.
























-------
Identifying Potential Waste Reduction Options
2 Screen the Potential Options
Use the following table to screen the options listed in Step 1 according to how well they meet the criteria listed
below. Add additional criteria that is important to your company in the blank spaces provided. Weigh each opt on
against the listed criteria, using a screening system that works well for you. One option is to use a (++} when an
option fully satisfies the criteria, a +} when an option partially satisfies the criteria, or a (-) when an option does not
satisfy the criteria. Check off in the last column those options that warrant further analysis.

Double-sided copying
Return toner cartridges













Reduces Waste Volume or Weight
+
+













Reduces Waste Toxicity
-
+













Economic
Reduces Waste Disposal costs
+
+











Reduces Purchasing Costs
+
+












i
£
s
0
-







Has Low Startup Costs
-*-
+








Operational
improves Productivity















Improves Product or Service Quality















Is Relatively Easy to Implement















other
Builds Employee Morale
+
+













Improves Company Image














ncreases Use of Recycled Goods












































v
1
k
£
r
it
1
1
0
•
•














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              Economic
              and
              Operational  Feasibility
 Use this  worksheet to evaluate the economic and
 operational feasibility of the waste reduction options
 under  Consideration.

This  table in this worksheet will enable you to  examine more closely the
potential Waste reductions  options that passed  your initial  screening  in
worksheet E. Much  of the information requested on this worksheet involves
business  judgement concerning such factors as the effect each option is likely
to  have on productivity and  the ease of implementation. You may want to
consult with  department managers on some  issues. Certain questions may not
be applicable to all  waste  reduction  option
For the economic  evaluation sections  of this worksheet, refer  to purchasing
records, disposal records,  waste  sort or  facility walk-through data,  and
interviews with company employees, as well as  information  recorded on  earlier
worksheet Consult  company purchasing officals, financial advisor,  or
department  managers as  necessary.
Fill out a separate  workksheet for each waste reduction option  to be  evaluated
copying the forms  as needed.  Use the last page of this worksheet  to summarize
the economic,  operational, and intangible factors associated with  waste
reduction  options  under evaluation

-------
              Economic and                      Feasibility
Waste Reduction Option.
 1
A. Could this option improve or reduce product or service quality? How?
B. Could this option improve or reduce productivity? How?
C. Will additional staffer time be required to implement, operate, or maintain this option? How many'? What
   would additional staff be required to do?

-------
              Economic  and Operational  Feasibility
D. Can the option be Implemented within the existing facility setup, or are adjustments needed (such as
   additional space or a change in layout) to accommodate the option? If so, what
E. Will any new equipment be needed? If so, what?
F. Are there companes willing to purchase collected recyclable materials? List area buyers or haulers
   willing to collect material.
G. Can reusable materials be donated to a local community group or listed with a materials exchange?

-------
                Economic and Operational  Feasibility

A Capital Costs for This Option
   Equipment Purchased (e.g., baler, containers)
   Facility/Storage Preparation (e.g., grading a site for composting)
   Installation/Utility Connection (for equipment such as compactors)
   Initial Staff Training
   Initial Promotional and Educational Materials
   Other (specify)          	
                                                               Total Capital Costs
B. Annual Operating Costs for This Option
   Materials and Supplies                                     $
   Operation & Maintenance                                  $
   (e.g., labor, equipment, storage space, service contracts, utility charges)
   Transportation                                           $
   Ongoing Staff Training                                     $
   Ongoing Promotion  and Education                      $
   Other (specify)          	    $
./year
./year

./year
./year
./year
./year
./year
./year
                                                                Annual Operating Costs

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               Economic  and  Operational   Feasibility
C. Avoided Waste Removal Costs for this Option

  Use the table below to calculate the annual avoided removal costs for this waste reduction option. Using data
  from the waste sort, purchasing records, and interviews with personnel as a starting point, estimate the annual
  amount of waste this option will reduce. If necessary, use the conversion factors listed in Appendix D to
  convert the amount of waste material being reduced (Column 3 below) to the same unit of measure (e.g., cubic
  yards or tons) as your waste removal cost.
Waste
Reduction
Activity

Waste
Malarial
Being
Reduced
Amount of
Waste
Reduced per
Time Period
Annual
Amount of
Watt*
Reduced
                                         X Annual
                                                   ~
Waste
Removal
Cost
Annual

Removal Cost

                                5 cubic yards
                                per
                                280 cubic
                                     per
                                $3 per cubic
                                $780
D. Avoided Purchase Costs for this Option

   If the waste reduction option under consideration will result in the opportunity to purchase fewer supplies or
   materials, use the formula below to calculate the annual avoided purchase costs for this option.

     Type of Material 	
  Annual reduction in purchasing
     [In same unit of measure
         as the unit price]
                              X
                           Unit price
                                       Annual Avoided
                                       Purchase Costs
 E. Annual Revenues for this  Option

   Use the formula below to estimate annual revenues for this option (if any).
    Sale of recyclable
        materials
            Sale of items in a
            materials exchange
                    Sale of compost
                             Total Annual
                               Revenues

-------
                Economic and  Operational  Feasibility
F. Net Savings for This Option

   Use the formula below to calculate the total annual savings for this option,
     Annual avoided            Annual avoided            Annual revenues            Total Annual
      removal costs              purchase costs             [from Step 2-E]               Savings
     [from Step 2-C]            [from Step 2-D]


G. Net Annual Cost or Savings for This Option

  Subtract the total annual operating costs from the total annual savings to arrive at the net annual cost or savings
  resulting from this waste reduction option (exclusive of capital costs),
       Total annual savings                   Total annual
          [from  Step 2-E]                  operating costs
                                           [from Step 2-B]
                                                                       $
   Annual Net
Costs or Savings
H. Interpreting Net Costs

  If the figure arrived at in 2-F is positive, proceed to 2-1,

  If the figure arrived at in 2-F is negative, this option will cost more to implement than it will save, First, review the
  numbers to ensure you have accounted for all potential costs and savings. If the result is the same, you will
  need to determine whether this option belongs in your waste reduction program. If this option has other
  intangible benefits (such as improved public relations and employee morale), you might consider including it.
  In addition, be sure to consider the program as a whole. This option might make sense if the other
  components of your program will result in large enough savings to offset the costs of this option, resulting
  in overall program savings.

  If you decide it should not be included in your waste reduction program at this time, you might want to make
  a note to revisit this option if conditions change. For example, if the market for a recyclable material improves
  significantly or equipment costs decline due to technological advances, this option might become
  cost-effective.

-------
               Economic   and  Operational  Feasibility
1. Payback Period for This Option

  Payback period is one of many ways of measuring the economic feasibility of the options under consideration.
  The payback period  measures the amount of time needed for the cumulative revenues or savings resulting
  from the waste reduction program to equal the initial investment. (This calculation is only relevant when annual
  savings or revenues exceed annual  costs.) If your company uses other measures of investment worthiness
  (internal rate of return, net present value, etc.) you may wish to use one of these methods instead of calculating
  the payback period.
   Calculate the payback period using the formula below.
        Total capital costs
         [from Step 2-A]
Annual net savings
  [from Step 2-F]
Payback Period (Years)
   Note: If the payback period is longer than the useful life of any of the equipment purchases listed in 2-A, add
   the costs of replacing this equipment to 2-A and recalculate the payback period.
      Other Factors
Aspects of the options that cannot easily be expressed using the Economic and Operational Feasibility
tables and formulas may be explained below. (These  intangible factors include improved working environment,
corporate  image, employee and customer satisfaction, community relations, and recognition.) List the intangible
advantages and drawbacks associated with implementing this  option.

-------
Economic and Operational Feasibility
4 of
Use this table to si
Option
Recycling office
paper















jmmarize the economic and operational feasibility of your waste reduction options.

Projected
Amount of
waste
reduced
200 reams of
paper















Annual Net
Cost or savings
$2,000 savings















Payback Period
Less than 1 year
















Operational and Intangible
Advantages and Drawback
Strong local paper recycling
market, easy to implement,
good for employee involvement
















-------
            Monitoring and Evaluation
Itethlm

               ft has

                               	

                            is »
       Tllit            help you      AM           *f
               by         || how much waste your company is reducing,
tl                       *I                     and 41

Be aware, howewer, that this worksheet does not calculate iref costs or savings
«f ttMi       T* do    you          to
                         •     ill the       as     In
F. Now mieht be a good time to rewistt that worksheet.



                                                  as a
ill

          in
       Be
as                     and
       of

-------
     G
Monitoring  and Evaluation
Name of Reviewer: Date of Review:
Building: Department:
Name of Contract: Telephone Number:
1 Amount of Waste Reduced
— ~
Use the following tables to quantify the annual amount of waste that is being reduced as a result of your
company's waste reduction efforts. When recording the amount of waste prevented, use whatever time period
(e.g., weeks or months) is easiest for you to measure. Multiply these figures by the appropriate annual multiplier to
come up with an estimate of the amount of waste reduced per year. Then, in the last column of each table, convert
this amount to either weight or volume, (if you are charged for waste removal based on weight, convert the amount
of waste reduced to tons. If you are charged for waste removal by volume or per pull, convert this amount to cubic
yards).
A Waste Prevention
.Activity
Double-sided copying
Donate wooden pallets







Type of Waste
Prevented
White office paper
Pallets







Amount of Waste
Prevented
(units/t me period)
Annual Amount
of Waste
Prevented
X Annual
Multiplier •
12 reams per week
10 pallets per week







624 reams per year
520 pallets per year







Total
Conversion to
Tons or Cubic
Yards*
21 cubic yards per
year
10.4 tons per year








• See Appendix D for conversion tables.

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     G
Monitoring and Evaluation
B. Recycling
Material
HOPE plastic





Collected Waste Collected
(units/time period)
X Annual
Multiplier -
40 pounds per week 2,080 pounds per year




Total
Conversion to Tons or
Cubic Yards*
1.04 tons





C. Composting
Material
Cafeteria food scraps



Location of Estimated Annual Amount Conversion to
Composting Amount of Waste of Waste Tons or Cubic
Reduced Reduced Yards
X Annual
Multiplier «
On site 250 pounds per 13,000 pounds per 6.5 tons
week year




Total
D. Total Amount of Waste Reduced
Use the formula below to calculate the total annual amount of waste reduced (in tons or cubic yards).
+ + =
Total annual amount of Total annual amount Total annual amount
waste prevented of waste recycled of waste composted
[from Step 1-A] [from Step I-B] [from Step 1-C]

Total Annual Amount
of Waste Reduced

• See Appendix D for conversion tables.

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G
Monitoring and Evaluation
2 Avoided Waste Removal Costs
Avoided waste removal costs will be calculated differently, depending on how your company is charged for waste
hauling. Companies may be charged by weight (2-A), volume (2-B), container pull (2C), or a combination (2-D) of
these. Complete as many of the following tables as appropriate for your company's waste hauler billing system(s).
A. Avoided Waste Removal Costs (if darged by weight)
Activity
Waste Prevention
Recycling
composting
Total Annual Amount
of Waste Reduced
(in tons)
Waste Removal Cost
(per ton)
/from Worksheet B-2]
Annual Avoided
Removal Costs
[from Worksheet G-1]






Total




B. Avoided Waste Removal Costs (If charge by volume)
Activity
Waste Prevention
Recycling
composting
Total Annual Amount of
Waste Reduced
{in cubic yards)
Waste Removal Cost
{per cubic yard)
/from Worksheet B-2]
Annual Avoided
Removal Costs
(ftotn Worksheet G-t}
X •






Total





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       G
Monitoring and Evaluation
C. Avoided Waste Removal Cost (if charge by container pull)

  If your facility is charged by container pull, use the following table to show how many fewer pulls could have
  resulted from your waste reduction activities.
Activity
     Total Annual
     Amount of
     Waste
     Reduced
     in cubic yards)
       from
       'orksheet
     G-1]
                     Wi
Volume of
Hauling
Container
 Container
Dull  Avoided
Cost per Pull
(in dollars)
[from
Worksheet B-2]
Annual
Avoided
Waste
Removal
Cost*
Waste Prevention
Recycling
Composting
                                                                      Total
D. Total Avoided Waste Removal Costs

   If your company is charged in a combination of ways for waste removal services, and you have filled out two or
   more of the above tables, use the following formula to calculate your total avoided removal costs.
                                                   [from 2-C]
                                                                        Total Annual
                                                                        Avoided Waste
                                                                        Removal Costs

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G
Monitoring and Evaluation
31
Revenues and Avoided Purchase Costs 1
A. Revenues
Use the following table to calculate the revenues received from collected recyclable or exchanged materials,
Activity
Glass recycling






Amount
Collected per
Time Period

Annual Amount
Collected

Unit Price
Estimated
Annual Revenue
xA n n ua 1
Multiplier x ~~

55 pounds per
week







2,880 pounds per
year







$0.08 per pound






Total

$229







If your company receives additional revenues from other measures such as materials exchanges or the sale of
compost, use the formula below to calculate total annual revenues from your waste reduction program.
+
Revenues from recycling Revenues from materials
exchanges, compost sales, etc.
= *
Total Annual Revenues


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G
Monitoring and Evaluation
B. Avoided Purchase Costs
Use the following table to calculate the annual savings from avoided purchase costs resulting from all waste
reduction activities (waste prevention, composting, recycling, materials exchange).
Activity
Double-sided
copying










Material
White office
paper










Amount off
Material Not
Purchased
per Time
Period
Unit Price
Total
Avoided
Purchase
Cost
V An
X = Multip

12 reams per
week











$3 per ream











$36 per week










Total
Annual
Avoided
Purchase
Coet
nual
lier =

$1,872












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G
Monitoring and Evaluation
C. Total Revenues and Avoided Purchase Costs
Calculate the total annual revenues and avoided purchase costs using the following formula:
+
- *
Total annual revenues Total annual avoided Total Annual Revenues
[from 3-A] purchase costs [from 3-8] and Avoided Purchase
Cost*


4 Gross Annual Waste Reduction Savings II
Use the following formula to calculate the gross annual savings resulting from your waste reduction program, If 'an
estimate of your program's net savings is desired, use Step 2-B in Worksheet F to estimate operating costs for each
of your waste reduction measures. Then, subtract these costs from the gross savings calculated below.
+
$
Total annual avoided Total annual revenues and Gross Annual Waste
waste removal costs avoided purchase costs Reduction Savings
[from Step 2-D] [from Step 3C]


5 Purchases of Recycled Products II
Use the following table to track your purchase of products with recycled content.
Recycled Content
Product
Recycled corrugated
cardboard boxes






Annual Quantity
Pi irrli «• jjff
Unit Price
X a
2, 000 units






$.10 per unit






Annual Purchase Cost
5
$200







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               Monitoring  and  Evaluation
     Other Factors
Consider other significant factors that may have influenced any changes in cost or savings. For example, did
your number of employees increase or decrease?
7   Summary
Summarize the success of your waste reduction program and describe any drawbacks. Indicate ways to address
these drawbacks.

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          Evaluation
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is interested in feedback from you regarding your use of A Business Guide
for Reducing Solid Waste. Please take a few minutes to answer the following questions. When you have finished,
return the form by simply folding it, stapling the bottom, and dropping in any mailbox.
1.  Please rank the overall usefulness of this guide from 1 to 5.
         5 = excellent, 4 = good, 3 = fair, 2 = poor, 1 = unsatisfactory
2.  Please rank each of the worksheets from 1 to 5 for completeness (did the worksheet ask for the
    right date?), applicability (did the worksheet apply to your business?), and ease of use (was the
   worksheet easy to follow and fill in?).
         5 = excellent, 4 = good, 3 = fair 2 = poor, 1 = unsatisfactory
worksheet
Worksheet A :
Facility Background Information
Worksheet B:
Records Review: Waste Removal and Collection
Worksheet C:
Facility Walk-Through
Worksheet D:
Waste Sort
Worksheet E:
Identifying Potential Waste Reduction Options
Worksheet F:
Economic and Operational Feasibility
Worksheet G:
Monitoring and Evaluation
Completeness







Applicability







Ease of Use







3.  Whet was your primary use of the guide? (Check all that apply.)
        DResource only   Q To conduct a waste assessment   DTo setup a waste reduction program
        D To  get waste reduction ideas DOther  (specify): 	
   How useful was the guide in meeting these needs?
4.  Please share your own waste reduction successes. (Attach an additional sheet of paper if needed.)
5.  The following information is optional.
         Name:	
         Type of Business:
         Number of Employees:
         Location (city, state):	

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Fold
Fold
                                                                              PLEASE
                                                                              PLACE
                                                                              STAMP
                                                                              HERE
                     U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION  AGENCY
                          RCRA  INFORMATION  CENTER  (5305)
                                  401  M STREET, SW
                               WASHINGTON,  DC  20460

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