United States
Environmental Protectk
Agency
WHAT CAN YOU
TODAY
S M T W T F S
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RESOURCE CONSERVATION
CHALLENGE
Resource Conservation Challenge:
Improving Recycling Nationwide
Although Americans continue to reiterate our belief in the value of recycling, our recycling
efforts seem to be leveling off, right when we need to do more. Recycling has environ-
mental benefits at every stage in the life cycle of a consumer product—from the raw
material that it's made with, to the final method of disposal. Think about all the material
value and the energy that we simply lose when we throw away products. When you dis-
card a product, like an aluminum can, you lose the material outright. For example, it takes
530,000 BTUs to put 1 ton of aluminum cans in a landfill. Recycling that same ton of alu-
minum saves that half million BTUs, which is equivalent to nearly 1,500 gallons of gas. So,
you can see recycling not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also conserves
energy and natural resources.
The main goal of the Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC) is to change the way
Americans think about waste—to see the value of a used material as a product or com-
modity, not a waste. We want you to realize your impact on the environment before you
act—whether you're reading today's newspaper, eating lunch, grabbing a bottle of water,
or mailing a package. All the materials we use, and actions we take, in our daily lives
affect our environment. By committing ourselves to reduce more waste, to reuse and
recycle more materials, to buy more recycled and recyclable products, and to reduce
toxic chemicals in products and waste, we conserve energy and preserve natural
resources. To this end, the RCC relies on voluntary partnerships to promote and encour-
age the reuse and recycling of materials. Our partners are getting positive economic
rewards and environmental results that are moving us toward our 35 percent national
recycling goal.
Goal: 35 Percent National Recycling Rate
The RCC is focusing on three broad municipal solid waste streams with high generation
rates and significant potential for increased recovery or recycling:
• Paper and paperboard
• Food scraps and yard trimmings
• Packaging and containers
We are focusing on these materials generated at schools and office buildings, by land-
scapers and food services, and at "recycling on-the-go" venues, such as shopping
centers. To help accomplish our goal, we are collaborating with partners, key stakehold-
ers, and recognized experts to identify creative and innovative ways to increase recycling,
change our disposal culture, and build an infrastructure to ensure sustainability.
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Key to Achieving 35 Percent MSW Reduction
CATEGORY 200 1 RECYCLING RATES 2008 RCC GOALS
Paper and paperboard
Food waste
Yard trimmings
Paper folding cartons
Wood packaging
Plastic wraps
Beverage containers
36.7 million tons
0.7 million tons
15.8 million tons
0.48 million tons
1.25 million tons
0.17 million tons
2.93 million tons
44.1 million tons
1 .28 million tons
16.8 million tons
2 million tons
2 million tons
0.5 million tons
4.36 million tons
RCC Partnerships Address Solid Waste
We're working with states, local governments, national recycling organizations, recycling busi-
nesses, and others to provide more recycling opportunities everywhere. We're collaborating with
businesses and governments that offer the best opportunities for success. Examples of partner-
ships and initiatives include the following.
• WasteWise.
Our decade-plus WasteWise partnership now includes more than 1,300 corporations,
government agencies, universities, hospitals, and others who are committed to reducing
waste and conserving energy and resources. WasteWise provides technical assistance to
help develop, implement, and measure partners' waste reduction and recycling activities.
Collectively, WasteWise partners have prevented nearly 5 millions tons of waste, which
equates to removing more than 3 million passenger cars from the roads for one year.
• GreenScapes Alliance.
GreenScapes provides cost-efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for large-scale
landscaping projects. Designed to help preserve natural resources and prevent waste and
pollution, the partnership aims to create a unified influence over the reduction, reuse, and
recycling of waste materials in large land use applications, such as brownfields, highways,
or golf courses. By reducing, reusing, recycling, and rebuying recycled materials, partners
help improve both the environment and their bottom line. A partner commits to measura-
ble goals through efforts such as composting and mulching organic wastes and using
native plants to reduce water and pesticide use.
• America's Marketplace Recycles!
Several leading shopping centers nationwide participate in America's Marketplace
Recycles! partnership, which focuses on reduced packaging, resource management, buy-
ing recycled products, and educating consumers on the value of recycling.
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• A Guide for Reducing Waste at Shopping Centers.
Developed with the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), A Guide to Waste
Reduction at Shopping Centers helps shopping centers prevent waste and improve recy-
cling. It is used as an informal standard for ICSC to reward and publicly recognize
innovative and successful waste prevention and recycling activities by retailers and shop-
ping centers.
• Donating Edible Food.
We are working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop a guide for institutions
that generate food waste. The guide will help them donate edible food or learn how to
compost food waste.
Resource Conservation Challenge
The RCC challenges everyone to accept responsibility and rededicate themselves to conserving
resources. Accepting responsibility for improving our environment means changing our habits,
processes, and practices. Everyone has a role. Businesses, consumers, and governments work
together to make changes that result in products designed to be more easily reused and recycled.
Manufacturers can make products less toxic and more recyclable, and prevent and recycle waste.
Individuals and businesses can change their buying and disposal habits, seeking less toxic prod-
ucts and recycling at every opportunity. For more information on the RCC, see .
Resources
EPAs Make a Difference Campaign (www.epa.gov/epaoswer/education/mad.htm) educates and
engages middle school students in resource conservation and environmental protection by helping
them make informed decisions in their day-to-day life. By providing tools and materials, and work-
ing with individual schools to host an environmental event, this campaign achieves measurable
waste reduction results.
America Recycles Day (www.americarecyclesday.org) is a national all-volunteer, non-profit organ-
ization that encourages Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products. Every year, America
Recycles Day holds a national awareness event to promote the social, environmental, and eco-
nomic benefits of buying recycled and recycling.
National Recycling Coalition (NRC) (www.nrc-recycle.org) is dedicated to the advancement and
improvement of recycling. A true coalition, NRC provides technical information, education, training,
outreach, and advocacy service on recycling, source reduction, composting, and reuse. The
4,000 members include recycling and environmental organizations; large and small businesses;
federal, state and local governments; and individuals.
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