vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5305W)
EPA530-N-99-009
Fall 1999
www.epa.gov
REUSABLE
NEWS
== in nation's recycling rate
=3climbed to 28 percent in
1 1997, according to EPA's
new report, Characterization of
Municipal Solid Waste in the
United States: 1998 Update—up
from 10 percent in 1980 and 16
percent in 1990. This increase
reflects the continued growth of
recycling and composting pro-
grams across the country. In fact,
according to the report, there were
nearly 9,000 curbside recycling
programs in the United States in
1997, as well as more than 12,000
drop-off centers for recyclables.
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
(Continued on page 3)
The family of 1997 American Green Dream House
winner Sgt. Robert Portillo is given the keys
to their new house by Fran McPoland, Federal
Environmental Executive, and Bill Heenan,
President of the Steel Recycling Institute.
. , ack by popular demand, the
' third annual America Recy-
'.. - cles Day (ARD) is scheduled
for November 15, 1999, with EPA
once again serving as a "premier
sponsor" of the event. With more
than 5,000 local recycling events
expected around the country, ARD
organizers are gearing up for
another big success. This year's
theme is "For Our Children's
Future,..Buy Recycled Today,"
which emphasizes the importance
of buying recycled-content products
and recycling in order to conserve resources for future generations.
To date, a total of 45 states—up from 44 states last year—are partici-
pating in the event, along with Washington, DC; Puerto Rico; and the
U.S. Virgin Islands. "Last year we saw phenomenal growth in participa-
tion, with more than 2 million Americans taking part in more than
4,000 local events," notes Fran McPoland, federal environmental exec-
utive and 1999 cochair of the event. "We hope to reach even higher lev-
els of participation in 1999."
In celebration of the event, organizers are inviting Americans to
make a pledge to buy recycled-content products, recycle more, or support
a recycling event on November 15th. All pledges will automatically be
entered into a drawing for an "American Green Dream House," a new
three-bedroom home valued at more than 5200,000 and built primarily
• • . with recycled-content and energy-efficient products.
• . ; '.;•, ;•-; " -. In addition, families of children who make the
•', '.; ,- •,.',"" • ARD pledge will be eligible to win a personal
'' •' f -'-•;-'". ""-" computer, as well as 25 remanufactured com-
- .- - .' " / ', -.,: • putors that will be donated to the school of
i - , /-,>'" - • : | the winner's choice. Individuals can also win
. i' •' v ' , . ,! ' '' a trip for four to Walt Disney®World includ-
'' - I - ,' ' ing hotel accommodations, airfare, and
-. ' theme park passes.
• i • " •__ ', Last year's event garnered more than 610 mil-
'. lion impressions in the media, including more
(Continued on page 3)
IX/-V Printed on paper that contains at least 30 percent postconsumer fiber.
-------
• ." • ome record setters are busy,
'• rapidly growing cities. Others
. • are small rural towns with
populations of less than 10,000. A
world apart in many ways, they
have one important thing in com-
mon: they're taking recycling,
reuse, and source reduction to new
heights, achieving waste reduction
rates ranging from 40 to 65 percent.
In a new report, Cutting the
Waste Stream in Half: Record-
Setting Communities Show How
(EPA530-R-99-013), EPA profiles
18 cities and counties with record-
selling wasle prevention and recy-
cling programs. The report explores
each community's program in
depth, detailing how the program
is structured, what materials are
targeted for waste reduction, and
how much each program costs to
implement and maintain. The
report is a result of the 3-year-long
Waste Reduction Record Setters
Project conducted by the Institute
for Local Solf-Rolianco (ILSR)
under a grant from EPA. During
the project, ILSR documented the
practices of more than 100 com-
munities reporting 50 percent or
higher wasle reduction levels.
What makes these programs so
successful? Although no two commu-
nities take the same approach, they
tend to include the following ele-
ments in their solid waste programs:
« Targeting a wide range of mate-
rials. All of the record-setting
communities target a wide range
of materials for recovery,
.:. •; specifically several
grades of paper and yard
.... ''. trimmings. Ceramics,
textiles, and used oil fil-
'• • ters are some of the
unconventional materials
collected by one community.
« Composting. For 10 of the
record-setting communities,
composting comprises ,^^~f^^
more than half of all ^^^= i.
residential material '^=^="
diverted from disposal, lip"
*l t
I
in1
Establishing participation
Incentives. Many of the com-
munities use a pay-as-you-
throw program, which provides
a direct economic
incentive for
residents to
generate less
garbage through
source reduction
and to increase
recycling and com-
posting efforts. State and local
mandates also encourage resi-
dents to participate in recycling
and composting programs.
Offering services to multifamily
households. At least four of the
record-setting commu nities
serve 100 percent of their
households, including
.- '•• " - •• . ... multifamily
' ''I .' / /^ ' dwellings. Reaching
out to this often
overlooked popula-
tion can result in sig-
nificant increases in
waste reduction levels.
« Maintaining drop-off sites In
addition to curbside recycling
collection. Nearly all
of the record- . - ~ ",. •. • :
setting communities •'•" •
offer drop-off col- '. ' aj4* •
lection in addition . •
to curbside collec- > :'. •
tion of recyclables. '• •'
Establishing drop-off
sites is especially useful in
rural areas and for multifamily
households.
The record-setting communities
use a variety of techniques to pro-
mote their programs, including
fact sheets and pamphlets,
newsletters, recycling guides, util-
ity or tax bill inserts, calendars,
hotlines, appearances on local
cable shows, and booths at com-
munity events. Fundamental to
the success of all waste reduction
programs are strong education
and outreach and securing mar-
kets for collected materials.
ILSR is also
developing a . ,.
series of fact K.: : .;;:•..,:: .
sheets on
record-setting •".
apartment build-
ings, food sera}) :
recovery pro- ;'
grams, and .,-• :
construction .••' I ,?
and demoli- *' -,
tion debris recovery programs. For
more information about the pro-
ject, contact Kelly Lease of ILSR
at 202 232-4108 or by e-mail at
. To obtain a
copy of the report, contact the
RCRA Hotline at 800 424-9346.
You can also visit ILSR's Web site
at for short profiles of
public and private waste reduc-
tion record setters.
for
, elow are some waste reduction
.tips the record-setting commu-
nities learned along the way:
Integrate waste reduction efforts
into an existing solid waste man-
agement infrastructure rather than
treating them as add-ons.
Pass a local ordinance requiring
residents to participate in waste
reduction programs.
Make program participation as
conwenient as possible.
Build partnerships with active
community members.
Know how much components of
your solid waste program cost,
Know your recycling markets.
Investigate dual collection of trash
with recyclables, especially when
considering replacing an aging
trash fleet.
Consider pilot programs to collect
data.
Target education to new residents.
Be prepared for resistance to
change and anticipate questions.
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(Continued from page 1)
The amount of waste generated,
however, rose in 1997 to 217 million
tons, nearly 8 million more tons than
in 1996. The amount of municipal
solid waste (MSW) generated per
person rose as well, from 4.3 pounds
per day in 1996 to 4.4 pounds per
day in 1997. This rise in waste
generation can be attributed to
strong economic growth during
that time period. Successful source
reduction programs—from back-
yard composing to grasscycling—
helped to offset the total amount of
garbage generated nationwide.
The report indicates paper and
paperboard accounted for nearly
half (42 percent) of the total ma-
terials recycled—in part, due to
increases in the production of
newsprint, printing and writing
paper, tissue paper, and other
paper products. Yard trimmings
(Continued from page 1)
than 100 television stories in 35
of the top 50 markets. In addi-
tion, there were more than 1,200
newspaper articles about ARD, as
well as radio coverage. Organiz-
ers are hoping to improve upon
last year's successful media
coverage.
To make a pledge, find more
information on how to get
involved, or look for local events,
visit the ARD Web site at
.
weren't far behind, accounting for
nearly 10 percent of the total. Prod-
ucts with the highest recovery rates
included lead acid batteries (93.3
percent), corrugated boxes (67.3
percent), steel in major appliances
(64.3 percent), and aluminum bev-
erage cans (59.5 percent).
The report also includes projec-
tions of MSW generation and man-
agement, forecasting different
scenarios for 2000 and 2005. In
addition, it includes a detailed dis-
cussion of source reduction and
reuse, including examples of dif-
ferent waste prevention strategies
such as materials substitution and
improved product design.
For a free copy of the report
(EPA530-R-99-021) and/or the
executive summary (EPA530-S-99-
021), contact the RCRA Hotline at
800424-9346.
i =: ; ,; j hether you are just begin-
lllllll n'nS to t>uy recycled prod-
Si II? ucts or are looking to
share your success stories with a
national audience, you won't want
to miss EPA's upcoming national
satellite forum. The event, entitled
Buying Recycled: The Real Story
About Cost, A¥ailabi!ity, and
Quality, is scheduled for November
9, 1999, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
(eastern time). The free, interactive
program is designed to provide
government agencies, businesses,
and other organizations with
insights on ways to purchase qual-
ity, competitively priced recycled
products. The forum, which will fea-
ture a panel of nationally recog-
nized experts, is being presented in
support of America Recycles Day by
EPA's WasteWise program and the
Buy Recycled Business Alliance of
the National Recycling Coalition. For
more information, including sites
where the forum can be viewed,
visit the WasteWise Web site at
.
"I,
vvww. epa.gov/payt
On this Web site, you
can now view clips
from the new PAYT
video and obtain a
listing of upcoming
PAYT events across the country.
www.epa.gov/msw
This new Web site
includes information
on the various methods
to reduce and better
manage municipal solid waste such
as source reduction and recycling.
Waste Wise
www.epa.gov/vvastewsse
Visit the Web site for
WasteWise, EPA's vol-
untary partnership pro-
gram for solid waste
reduction, to view the
latest program results, news,
and announcements.
www.epa.gov/epaosw^.;cbvVki--'b.<
This site features a variety of
activities and games
for students in
kindergarten through
grade 6, including a
new poster and story
book on fun ways to
reuse old jelly jars.
vvvvw. e p 3. g o v/e p r
This new site explores the environ-
mental principle of EPR, its benefits
to business and the environment, and
its growing application worldwide.
I.-
*»•
www.epa.gov/tribainr .'•*••
In addition to an
improved navigational
approach, this site
now offers the tribal community
information on solid waste issues such
as construction and demolition debris
and hazardous waste management.
3
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To obtain a copy of the following
publications, contact the RCRA Hotline
at 800 424-9346.
From duplexes to high-rise buildings,
muftifamify residences can help divert
significant quantities of materials from
the solid waste stream, Multifamily
Recycling: A Golden Opportunity for
Solid Reduction (EPA53Q-F-99-
010) is a new EPA fact sheet that
focuses on the strategies, costs, and
diversion rates of successful programs
across the country. For more informa-
tion on multifamily recycling, call Angie
Leith of EPA at 703 308-7253,
Ever wondered how much waste
Americans prevent through source
reduction? How about the key factors
that contribute to the success of source
reduction at the national, state, and
local level? All of this information
and more is contained in EPA's new
National Source Reduction Characteriza-
tion Report for Municipal Solid Waste in
the United States (EPA530-R-99-034).
full Cost Accounting in Action: Case
Studies of Six Solid Waste Agencies
(EPA53G-R-98-G18) is a valuable new
tool for communities establishing or
expanding full cost accounting (ECA).
In this document, six case studies
illustrate the various uses of EC A by
municipal solid waste management
agencies throughout the United States
and focus on the benefits of FCA such
as setting fair and equitable user fees
and developing competitive bids for
solid waste services.
improving routing. The document also
includes detailed instructions for adopt-
ing each of the strategies, as well as
case studies of communities that have
reaped the benefits of improved solid
waste collection.
Students from around the country are
participating in recycling and waste
reduction-related "service-learning"
projects—community service or volun-
teer efforts that emphasize education
as well as service. EPA's new booklet,
Service-Learning: Education Beyond
the Classroom (EPA530-K-99-001),
profiles more than a dozen of these
unique projects, highlighting both
school-based and community-based
initiatives. The booklet also lists con-
tacts who can help start a project in
your local area.
Often, collection is the most expensive
part of a solid waste management sys-
tem. Getting More for Less: improving
Collection Efficiency (EPA53Q-R-99-
020), a new resource for local commu-
nities, explains several important
strategies for improving efficiency—
which often reduces costs—such as
changing collection frequency and
This issue of Reusable Mews is also available on
the Internet. Access this and other EPA publications
=-:-S"Sifir;=;#?-; through the World Wide Web at .
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
(5305W)
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
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