Recyc ing
        ...for the  future
It's everybody's business

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T/IZS brochure tdh  the Stories of people across America who
have helped make recycling one of our greatest environmental successes.
But these stories are just the tip of the iceberg. Every day, thousands of
communities,  companies and organizations are pitching in to reduce and
recycle waste. Their efforts help to strengthen our economy, protect our
environment,  and ensure a healthier planet jor future generations.

Yet we must do  more. Sorting our trash for recycling is the first step. But to
close the loop, we must go the next step by putting recycled material back
into productive use. The best way is to buy  products made from recycled
material whenever we can.

Recently, President Clinton signed a "Greening the Government" Executive
Order strengthening federal efforts to  "buy  recycled." You, too, can help.
Please join me and the many other Americans who have taken the
National Recycling Challenge and pledged to use more recycled products in
our businesses and in our daily lives. Together, we can "close the loop" and
write the next chapter in the recycling success story.
                                          —Vice President Al Gore

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0
     ur goal as a nation must be to conserve our environment for future generations.
Recycling is one easy, practical way each of us can do that every day Thanks to the
efforts of people like you, America already recycles 27% of its waste. Through the
National Recycling Challenge, we aim to expand recycling across all sectors of the
American economy and achieve a 35% recycling rate by 2005.
Your business, your community, your agency, and your institution can help by expand-
ing an existing recycling program or by starting  something new. When you join the
National Recycling Challenge, you will be asked to register your commitment by agreeing
to take actions in at least one of the following areas over the next year:
     Improve Efficiency in Recycling: Reduce  the cost of recycling for your organiza-
     tion or community.
/\ Bolster Community and Economic Development Through Recycling: Start or
     expand recycling-related jobs programs, re-use programs, and innovative recycling
     financing programs.
     Bring  Forward Innovations in Recycling  Through New Technologies,
     Products, Policies, or Building Practices: Increase sales or production of a recy-
     cled content product, increase recycling rates for your community/organization, use
     recycled content for the new products for a building, or recycle your construction
     and demolition project materials.
     Promote Designs for Recycling: Design a  product or process which increases
     recycling or product recyclability
/\ Close  the Recycling Loop: Buy recycled content products, manufacture recycled
     content products, or become a steward of your product.
/\ Champion Outreach and Education for Recycling: Conduct training on recycling
     and/or buying recycled to increase green purchasing.
We'd like to thank you in advance for participating in the National Recycling Challenge
and encourage you to spread the word. Working together, we can achieve our goal,
strengthen  our economy, and leave our children and grandchildren a cleaner, healthier
environment.
George Frampton                               Fran McPoland
Acting Chair, Council on Environmental Quality     Federal Environmental Executive

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for   the   future
    IT'S  EVERYBODY'S  BUSINESS
        ie odds arc that you already know a lot about recy-
   cling, and that you participate at home, at work, or both.
   "Stale of the art" recycling practices and programs are con-
   tributing to the phenomenal economic and environmental
   success of the set of inter-related actions which, together.
   \ve call  'recycling." That success is built upon the daily
   actions at home and at work of millions of Americans,
   united in their dedication to work together to preserve the
   environment for our children. Vice President Gore issued
   ihc \cirioncjl Recycling Challenge on November 16, 1998—
   asking all Americans to renew their commitment to con-
   serve America's natural resources lor our children.
   "Working together, Americans have increased recycling by
   nearly  70'^ in six years." Vice President Gore said. "Today.
   there is even more that we can do. 1  am challenging every-
   one in our communities and all sectors of the economy to
   join with us in partnership to promote recycling and to
   buy and use recycled products."
       This publication, together with a companion docu-
   ment, RaTtliNg. ../(>/ thf fututc. Consult-/ the  /'Cnc/iLs.
   detailing the economic and environmental successes of
   recycling in America, are resource tools for the \t((ic/u/l
   Raveling Challenge. This brochure is intended to provide
   each of us with some new ideas and concepts that have
   been proven to work, so  that we can take them, adjust
   them, and experiment with them in our communities,
   businesses, and daily lives, as we accept the Vice
   President's Challenge. Just as an orchestra has many parts
   that have to work well together, so  too do the various
        RECYCLING FOR THE FUTURE: IT'S EVERYBODY S BUSINESS

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components of recycling. In this pub-
lication, you will find a sampling of
success stories of various compo-
nents—all of which are needed to
make recycling really work: Efficiency
in Recycling, Community and
Economic Development Through
Recycling, Innovations in Recycling,
Design for Recycling, Closing the
Recycling Loop, and Outreach and
Education for Recycling. Just like the
balance and harmony among the
instruments that make up an orchestra,
the best recycling programs carefully
incorporate and balance afl compo-
nents. No one part is more important
than another, and none should be left
out. As you prepare to join with those
cited  below in taking the National
Recycling Challenge, think of how your
town, your company, your institution,
or your agency can weave together its
recycling activities to fulfill the
promise recycling holds for our
children and the future they inherit
from  us.
Recycling 35% of our trash will:
• Conserve enough landfill space to
  serve the combined cities of Dallas
  and Detroit 92 times over.
• Save enough energy to fuel 6 million
  homes annually.
• Generate $5.2  billion  in raw materi-
  als for the economy every year.
• Expand recycling above the current
  $100 billion and 1 million jobs in
  the American economy.
• Reduce global warming emissions
  equivalent to faking 36 million cars
  off the road.
• Stimulate exciting new products and
  technologies.
• Conserve our precious natural
  resources instead of relying on non-
  renewable  resources to supply 94%
  of the economy's needs.
                              RECYCLING FOR THE FUTURE: IT'S EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS

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         efficienc
n   recyc  ing
                                                  I
Pay-as-you-throw
has helped
Loveland, CO
achieve high
recycling rates
since 1993
    n order for recycling to work, municipalities and compa-
 nies must continually find ways to drive costs out of their
 systems and improve the quality and quantity of recovered
 materials. In other words, we must continually strive to
 improve the efficiency of all recycling operations. Redesigning
 collection and processing systems to reduce overall costs and
 enhance the value of recovered materials is one of the first
 steps in improving efficiency. The use of full cost accounting
 to determine what waste collection and landfilling really cost,
 and the use of pay-as-you-throw systems to simultaneously
 focus attention on avoided disposal costs and create incen-
 tives for recycling and waste reduction, will also increase the
 efficiency of any recycling program. These efforts contribute
 to one of the central goals of the Challenge—to make recy-
 cling even more economically and environmentally sound.
     The Pay-as-You-Throw (PAYT) waste collection fee sys-
 tem is an effective, market-oriented approach to reduce dis-
 posal and increase collection of recyclables by creating
 incentives for households and businesses to behave more
 efficiently. Under this system, residents pay for waste
 removal according to the volume of waste they generate for
 disposal. Because recycling diverts material from  the waste
 stream and, thereby, reduces the community's overall waste
 disposal costs, recycling becomes a way for households and
 businesses to reduce their costs.
     Athens-Clarke County,  GA, home to the University of
 Georgia, documented a 48% reduction in the amount of
 solid  waste disposed per residential household since FY92
 as a result of implementing recycling and PAYT fee systems.
                                                       EFFICIENCY IN RECYCLING

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As one of the first county governments
in the State of Georgia to implement
PAYT, Athens-Clarke County took two
years to transition from property taxes
to monthly user fees for waste removal
services. The PAYT program, begun in
1995, includes both residential and
commercial sectors, and serves as a
PAYT model locally, nationally, and even
internationally.
   Even if your community isn't ready
for "Pay-as-You-Throw," there are other
actions where efficient recyclmg saves
money directly: sale of recyclables and
avoided disposal costs.
   From 1988  to 1994, garbage col-
lection costs in Contra Costa County,
CA, near San Francisco, more than
doubled from a monthly average
household  bill of $12 to $26. At the
same time, the  California legislature
mandated 25% and 50% waste diver-
sion goals by the years  1995 and
2000, respectively.  In response  to the
skyrocketing waste disposal rates as
well as  the state recycling mandate,
five cities and the county formed the
Central Contra Costa  Solid Waste
Authority  to increase efficiency. This
With a little thought,
recycling can  be easy even for
small businesses generating
non-conventional materials.
Parker's Exxon in Washington,
DC began recycling seven
years ago in  order to reduce
its monthly trash bill. Today,
the gasoline station pays $40
less per month for trash dis-
posal and has found markets
for used  oil and oil filters,
spent antifreeze, tires, metal
parts, and corrugated con-
tainers. It also trades in  "core
parts," such as water pumps,
master  cylinders, alternators,
and brake shoes for rebuild-
ing and purchases rebuilt and
remanufactured parts for use
in customers'  vehicles.
                                                       EFFICIENCY IN RECYCLING

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    single, regional agency solicited waste collection proposals from competing garbage
    and recycling companies for eight-year garbage, recycling, and yard clippings fixed-
    cost services contracts. As a result of rethinking the overall approach to waste man-
    agement by consolidating contract administration, taking advantage of competition
    and economies of scale, and negotiating fixed cost contracts, the Authority's 100,000
    residents experienced a 27% reduction in garbage collection costs in just two years,
    saving rate payers more than $12 million annually. Each agency is now diverting
    between 37% and 54% of its waste from landfills by recycling.
Recycling  in  multi-family housing  offers
      challenges but also great potential  to
   reach high concentrations of residents
               for  education  and  participation,

                                                -
       Different types of housing in our communities can present challenges to recycling
    effectively and efficiently. Recycling in multi-family housing, for example, offers chal-
    lenges but also great potential to reach high concentrations of residents for education
    and participation. It also allows for increased diversion of high quality recyclables with-
    out increased transportation costs. Bellevue, WA enjoyed one of the highest single fam-
    ily recycling rates at 61% in 1997, and perhaps the highest multi-family recycling rate as
    well. In 1998, multi-family housing residents recycled 21.7 pounds of recyclables per
    month per household. Bellevues Neighbors for Recycling volunteer program trains resi-
    dents to educate the community about recycling. More than 500 residents have partici-
    pated in Bellevues personalized outreach activities and today, 97% of multi-family
    buildings in Bellevue participate in recycling.
        EFFICIENCY IN RECYCtING

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   George Washington University
constructed a new residence hall with
environmentally friendly specifica-
tions, including a High-Rise Recycling
System. This built-in recycling/trash
compactor system allows residents to
use the same chute for waste and
recyclables, while a mechanism below
separates the different recyclable
commodities. This system  allows for
maximum efficiency and quality recy-
clables with minimal contamination.
   When and where should you focus
your collection efforts for maximum
efficiency? You need  to go either
where the waste is or when its there.
Virginia Tech Recycling in
Blacksburg, VA collected 50,000
pounds of corrugated containers
during its "Student Move-In '98" by
making corrugated collection sites
available at dormitories and student
housing facilities for the opening of
the school year. Madison,  WI divert-
ed 24 tons of waste in one day by
organizing and publicizing a conve-
nient computer drop-off event.
Americans are nowhere near the
limit of recycling with our cur-
rent 27% national  recycling
rate. Cities and counties in
every corner of the United
States are going way beyond
this rate.
•  Falls Church, VA      67%
•  Hamilton County, OH   63%
•  Believue, WA
•  Crockett, TX
•  Burbank, CA
•  Leverett, MA
•  Ann Arbor, Ml
.  Palo Alto, CA
•  Hennepin County, MN  48%
.  Chicago, IL           46%
.  San Jose, CA         43%
•  Colorado University    40%
.  Berea College,  KY     30%
61%
54%
53%
53%
52%
52%
                                                       EFFICIENCY IN RECYCLING

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communi
     d
ana   economic
develt
                                          THROUGH   RECYCLING
                                       A
     s the American economy continues its remarkable and
robust transition into the post-industrial era, more and
more jobs and opportunities will be concentrated in the
clean industries of the future. Community and economic
development through recycling can, and should be, one
engine of economic growth in our communities and is truly
a focal point of the National Recycling Challenge.
   Government at all levels is helping communities to cre-
ate opportunities and jobs. The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) developed the Jobs Through
Recycling program to help communities to build an infra-
structure to support new and existing recycling businesses
which process, manufacture, and sell recycled content prod-
ucts. Communities can use their home-grown resource of
solid waste as a feedstock for local industry. As part of this
effort, EPA has awarded $8 million in grants to 39 states, 4
multi-state organizations, and 5 Indian tribes. A review of
results shows that community development grantees have
helped recycling businesses create thousands of jobs, hun-
dreds of millions of dollars in capital investment, and mil-
lions of tons per year of capacity for using recovered materi-
als. A single project in California reports creating some
4,200 jobs, $17 million in capital investment, and more
than 8 million tons of material processed.
   The Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Tomah, WI,
uses a recycling program at the VA Hospital to provide job
skills training to a diverse and motivated recycling crew.
With the revenue generated from its recycling operation,
various members of the Tomah community—including vet-
erans with disabilities, homeless veterans, students, dis-

8   COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH RECYCLING

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)pment
       placed older workers, community service clients referred through the court system, and
       youth volunteers—are employed and trained in collecting, sorting, processing, and mar-
       keting recyclables. These highly transferable job training skills are key to self-sufficiency
       and a new beginning for many Americans.
         Chicago focuses on economic development in the community by adding value to
       the waste stream, creating jobs, and supporting local businesses. Under the award win-
       ning Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) "Buy-Back" Program, the City "buys back"
       recyclable materials from low income residents in 13 family developments and 28 senior
       Community and economic  development
       through  recycling can,  and  should be,
       one  engine  of economic growth  in our
       communities.
       centers by compensating them with vouchers redeemable at local grocery stores. The city
       hires CHA residents to work on the recycling routes collecting materials. Last year, the
       program collected 645 tons of recyclable material, a 160% increase over the previous year.
         In an innovative effort to provide "gap" financing to enterprises that have not attract-
       ed conventional financing, a unique partnership was formed between two non-profits,
       Materials for the Future Foundation and Oakland Business Development
       Corporation. The two community non-profits joined with the Alameda County Source
       Reduction and Recycling Board to establish the Recycling Revolving Loan Fund. The
       low interest loans allow recycling businesses both to finance business expansion and to
       catalyze start-up market activity. The Recycling  Revolving Loan Fund was established in

                       COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH RECYCLING   9

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1995 and has already loaned out $1.8 million to 15 businesses, leveraged over $4 mil-
lion in partner financing, created or retained more than 450 jobs, and diverted more
than 85,000 tons of materials per year. This is an excellent example of partnering in our
neighborhoods by using public funds, administered by local non-profits, to create jobs
and investment in the local community. One project alone, Pacific Steel in Berkeley, CA
received a $150,000 loan and leveraged another state loan of $700,000 to  purchase a
sand recycling system for the mold making process at the foundry. This allowed for the
creation of 5 new jobs, retention of 350 jobs, reduction of annual sand purchases by
85%, and diversion of 8,000 tons of materials from disposal to recycling.
   Every day, recycling is creating jobs in our communities. Based on a study for the U.S. EPA,
it is now estimated that 1 million Americans are working in recycling and remanufactur-
ingjobs in the United States, generating more than $100 billion in revenue in the economy.
   Many of these jobs in recycling and remanufacturing have been in our communities
for decades. Perhaps we  don't immediately think of them as part of the recycling indus-
try, but they are! For example, consider the company rebuilding water pumps or engines
for cars. More recently, consider how many computer rebuilding, re-furbishing, and re-
sale companies have popped up. Many people correctly regard the recycling and reman-
ufacturing industries as the "hidden giant" of the American economy.
   Cardone Industries, Inc. of Philadelphia, PA supplies remanufactured automotive
products, including a full line of brakes, electronics, motors, pumps, and steering, ride
control, and drivetrain components. Typically, a vehicle part such as a water pump has
internal parts housed within a metal or other casing; the internal parts wear out and
need to be replaced, while the housing does not. Remanufacturers  refurbish the entire
part. What started out in 1970  as a four-man operation with one product line has
expanded until Cardone has over 3,800 employees, 39 product lines, and 2.5 million
square feet of remanufacturing  operations. Its remanufactured products are built to the
same quality standards used to  manufacture new parts. Consequently, Cardone provides
a better value to vehicle owners by offering remanufactured vehicle parts as much as
30% to 50% below the cost of new parts. By extending the life of products through
remanufacturing, Cardone is recycling thousands of pounds of natural resources, saving
energy and greenhouse gas emissions by keeping parts out of the resmelting process
longer, and keeping products out of landfills.
   Communities and citizens also benefit directly from reuse of recyclables. Redistri-
bution of used material is considered by many to be the most efficient and highest end-

10   COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH  RECYCLING

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use of a used commodity, due to the
reduced energy and infrastructure
required to recycle the product. From
the smallest towns on the East coast to
the largest cities on the West coast,
everybody can reuse materials, and
everybody can benefit. Consider just
two examples.
   The "Take It or Leave It" reuse pro-
gram in Leverett, MA recycles clothes,
books,  paint, appliances, toys, paper
bags, tools, furniture, and other used
materials and redistributes these com-
modities back into the community. It
supports local enterprises ranging from
nurseries to farmers, small crafts opera-
tions, and other local businesses with
plastic  planting pots, cardboard egg
crates,  packaging materials, paint, and
used oil. In  addition to its redistribu-
tion program, this small town with a
population of 2000 has achieved a 60%
recycling rate.
    Likewise, LA SHARES, the worlds
largest  non-profit materials reuse pro-
gram, has diverted more than 7,000 tons
of materials from overloaded local land-
fills and collects from more than 800
participating businesses. As a result, more
than $15 million in desperately needed
equipment and supplies have been pro-
vided to more than 2,500 non-profit
organizations, schools, and churches.
Recycling not only saves
lots of resources, it can even
be a tool to save lives. U.S.
Steel's "Gary Works" in
Indiana recycled more than
500 guns, including dozens of
rifles, sawed-off shot guns,
semi-automatic weapons, and
hundreds of hand guns into
refrigerators, cans, cars and
even framing for new  homes.
Many of these firearms had
been used in crimes.  So what
was once an instrument of
crime is now a weapon of
economic development.
                     COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH RECYCLING

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innovation
n    recyc   ing
             The National Park
             Service constructed the
             viewing platform at
               t Old Faithful geyser
               m plastic lumber


                                          N
      I ew processes, new designs, and targeted research and
  development to enhance all elements of recycling are essen-
  tial building blocks of the National Recycling Challenge.
  Innovation can take many forms, whether in new technolo-
  gies, creating or requesting new products, helping to shape
  new policies, or adapting recycling to building projects. The
  Challenge is designed  to stimulate innovative recycling pro-
  grams throughout the United States  in all four areas. Such
  innovations reap additional rewards  beyond recycling in
  areas as diverse as educational opportunities, job skill
  enhancements, and new ideas and products which benefit
  us at home and in the workplace. First, consider innovative
  technologies and products.
     Many plastic objects are difficult to recycle because the
  type of plastic is hard to identify. It is important to separate
  the various types of plastics from each other because even a
  small degree of contamination in recycling facilities by look-
  alike, but incompatible, plastics can ruin an entire load of
  recovered material.
     A device called the RP-1 Polymer Identification
  System—developed by chemists at Purdue University and
  marketed by SpectraCode—promises to change all  that.
  The instrument works like a bar-code reader that "reads"
  the molecular structure of the material itself. The system is
  helping to recover some of  the billions of pounds of mixed
  plastic that we lose to landfills and incinerators ever}- year.
  The system takes less than one second to identify a  piece of
  plastic,  meaning that one sensor has the potential to sort
  through 500 tons of material a day.
                                          12   INNOVATIONS IN RECYCLING

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  But what about recyclables mixed in with municipal solid waste? The U.S. Department
of Energy has awarded a Small Business Innovation Research grant to National Recovery
Technologies, Inc., to do research and development on computer robotics to recover
recyclables from waste intended for landfills. The technology allows for a human operator
to guide the sorting process while the drudgery of the physical sorting labor is assigned to
a robotic machine. With the RoboSort™ unit, testing has shown sorting rates of two to three
times greater per person than with hand sorting. Two pilots are under way to use remote
handling equipment to recover recyclables and reduce direct human contact with the waste.
Innovations reap  additional rewards  beyond
recycling in areas  as  diverse as educational
opportunities, job skill enhancements, and
new ideas and products which benefit us  at
home and in the workplace.
   What should vehicle owners who change their own motor oil do with all those
 empty plastic lube oil containers7 Remember, there is always a little bit of oil remaining
 in the bottle. AlliedSignal Federal Manufacturing & Technologies in Kansas City
 developed a process that recovers clean oil from the "empty" container and turns the
 container into chips for resale. Through a licensing agreement with Fix-Corp. Recovery
 Systems for rights to the oil and plastic separation process, a prototype recycling unit is
                                       INNOVATIONS IN RECYCLING   13

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currently in operation in California. Based on an estimate of more than 2 billion
quart-sized plastic containers used in the United States each year, 230 million pounds of
discarded plastic and 14 million gallons of oil could be diverted from landfills. And even
better, the plastic is to be used to fabricate one-piece 100% postconsumer recycled plas-
tic pallets for use in shipping and storage. Now that's innovation in finding a new use
for an old waste!
   A number of companies and other institutions have devised unique ways to solve
the problems presented by the glut of packing materials. Innovative recycling technolo-
gy developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Products Laboratory
and licensed to Gridcore Systems International, of Long Beach, CA, uses old corrugat-
ed containers (OCQ and other recycled fibers to make strong, light-weight, honey-
combed, engineered panels for use in furniture, and as interior walls, shelving, and
packaging. The U.S. Postal Service arranged for Gridcore to produce 5,000 recycling
containers  from undeliverable standard mail. The containers will be used in post office
lobbies to collect recycled mail and other waste paper.
    Innovation doesn't have to be limited just to high technology or products. Innovative
policies and practices are needed to meet the challenges of recycling. The University of
Wisconsin-Madison, implementing a state recycling law, demonstrated how legislative
innovations can help grow a nationally recognized recycling collection program. The
state  law bans certain recyclables from landfills and creates a  strong market environment
for recyclables. During 1997 alone, the university generated more than $125,000 in rev-
enue from recyclables and saved $92,000 in avoided landfill  fees! With policies like this,
recycling can pay, even during periods of low market value.
    Local considerations will often influence the kind of innovative recycling policy
needed.  Chicago generates more than 55% of its waste stream from businesses and
high-density residential buildings. Those sources of waste present both challenges and
opportunities. In 1995, Chicago enacted an unprecedented high-density residential and
commercial recycling ordinance, which requires owners of these buildings to recycle at
least three materials or at least two materials if they also carry out at least one source
reduction measure. To boost compliance and achieve more recycling, the City also helps
businesses by conducting training seminars and offering recycling grants to the local
chamber of commerce. The recycling rate for multi-family, residential and commercial
buildings jumped from 28% to 38% as a result of this innovative policy. Last year, the
      INNOVATIONS IN RECYCLING

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City amended the ordinance to encourage businesses to recycle fluorescent and high-
density discharge light bulbs. In just one year, more than 86 tons of light bulbs were
collected—enough to light a building 123 stories tall!
   In addition to its recognized "Pay-as-You-Throw" program, Athens-Clarke County,
GA established an innovative funding mechanism for its recycling collection program.
The County established a "put-or-pay" recycling contract with the private owner and
operator of the Recovered Material Processing Facility (RMPF). Under this unique public-
private RMPF partnership, Athens-Clarke County owns the land where the RMPF is


By undertaking  environmentally and

economically sound building construction

and  deconstruction  practices, programs

have converted what  would  have

been thousands of tons of waste into a

valuable  commodity
located and is required to put 775 tons of recyclables per month into the recycling facil-

ity or pay for any shortage. In exchange, Athens-Clarke County receives an 80% share

of the revenues generated from the sale of the recyclables delivered, which reduces its

overall costs. The County generates an annual $200,000 in revenue from the sale of

recyclables.
  The amount of waste generated in a typical home improvement project or remodel-

ing project is staggering. Building-related construction and demolition debris accounted

for 136 million tons of waste generated in 1996. By undertaking environmentally and

economically sound building construction and deconstruction practices to facilitate
                                      INNOVATIONS IN RECYCLING

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recycling, the following programs have converted what would have been thousands of
tons of waste into a valuable commodity, while saving money and generating jobs. The
National Recycling Challenge will stimulate new innovations in this area.
   The City of Los Angeles is reducing waste and promoting recycling on construction
and demolition projects. Since 1992, the City has conducted technical assistance, educa-
tional outreach, and best management practices programs for various city agencies to
recycle construction, demolition, and land-clearing (CDL) materials. Outreach activities
focus on city departments and the private sector building industry, and include
one-on-one planning for project recycling programs, distribution of technical resource
guides, seminars, and membership in industry organizations. The City developed a
specification for recycling CDL materials on all Department of Public Works projects.
This specification has served as model contract language for major private sector devel-
opments and municipalities throughout the United States.
   The Los Angeles program has influenced dozens of major developers to  recycle. The
Playa Vista entertainment, media, and technology district, for example, recycled nearly
75,000 tons of CDL materials during the demolition phase, achieving a 92% recycling
rate. The Staples Center Arena recycled more than 15,000 tons of CDL materials dur-
ing site development, achieving a 98%  recycling rate. Los Angeles has produced a
"Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling Guide," which lists more than 115 con-
struction and demolition materials recycling companies, and a "Resource Guide  to
Recycled-Content Construction Products," which lists more than 125 manufacturers.
   The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) established the Sustainable Architecture
Program to minimize the negative environmental impact of building renovation  and new
construction. One of its key components is finding markets for used building materials.
To date, TVA has sold, donated, or reused  $9.25 million of used building materials and
purchased $7.8 million of building materials that meet sustainable criteria.
   "Helping to  save the planet—one building at a time by creating living wage jobs to
recover and sell quality reused building materials" is the mission of the Green Institute's
Deconstruction Services. Located in Minneapolis, MN this firm has successfully  recon-
structed houses and commercial buildings, thereby saving tons of waste from landfills
and thousands of dollars to clients. Items reclaimed and recycled range from lumber to
carpeting, from cabinets to appliances.  The organization is committed to "urban devel-
opment through sustainable enterprise, job creation, and environmental education."
     INNOVATIONS IN RECYCLING

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   Proving that "green" is good business, an innovative eco-smart hotel opened in
Philadelphia on January 27, 1999. The Sheraton Rittenhouse Square Hotel is located
in a building renovated under the direction of EcoSmart Healthy Properties, LLC and
takes a note from eco-hotels, winch have long been popular in Europe, offering guests a
wider variety of environmental amenities than just "smoke-free" rooms. Many U.S.
hotels have offered recycling or energy and water conservation for years, but this new
Sheraton contains other environmental attributes, too. For example, the lobby floor is
constructed with a material containing 93% recycled granite, the night tables arc made
Proving  that "green"  is good
business,  an innovative
eco-smart hotel opened this year
and uses recycled  content
products,  including tables made
from  recycled pallets.
from recycled shipping pallets, the carpet padding contains 100% recycled materials,
and worn carpeting will be recycled after removal.
   Using plastic lumber in place of wood in building applications can provide signili-
cant markets for recovered plastics. The National Park Service used the equivalent of 4
million plastic milk jugs by constructing the 30,000 square foot viewing platform at the
Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park from plastic lumber. And the Army
Corps of Engineers worked with Fort Leonard Wood, MO to replace a wooden
bridge with a plastic lumber bridge, which used approximately 13,000 pounds of mixed
plastics. The bridge is expected to last 50 years, compared to the 15-year life of wood
bridges.
                                         INNOVATIONS IN RECYCLING

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cose
studi
es
      The University of Colorado at Boulder has created
      one of the most successful university recycling
      programs in the nation. Although the landfill
  tipping fee is only $20 per ton, the University still
  succeeds in diverting 40% of its academic and admin-
  istrative waste stream. The University recently retired
  the debt on its $500,000 recycling facility with its
  accrued disposal savings.

  The recycling program at the University of Colorado
  was launched as a student enterprise in 1976. In
  1990, a Student-Administration Partnership for recy-
  cling was formed. Students staff the on-campus recy-
  cling processing center, prepare materials for market,
  manage recycling contracts, and coordinate campus
  outreach for the program. Facilities Management
  employees coordinate a convenient desk-side pro-
  gram, collect recyclables, and operate an efficient
  trash disposal operation.  In addition, over 15 intern-
  ships, independent studies,  and  class projects are
  sponsored each year.

  The University of Colorado was  a founding member of
  the College and University Recycling Council.  CURC is
  affiliated with the National  Recycling Coalition and
  represents over 180 university recycling coordinators
  nationwide. The group maintains an active web site
  and listserver, facilitates discounts on recycling equip-
  ment and  recycled products, and conducts regional
  workshops.

  The University of Colorado  is among a growing num-
  ber of schools which are  restructuring waste manage-
  ment, empowering students, and harnessing
  purchasing power.
                                                                        UNITED STATES
                                                                       POSTAL SERVICE
                                              The United States Postal Service (USPS) is one of
                                              the nation's leading recyclers, purchasing more
                                              than $160 million  worth of recycled content prod-
                                         ucts every year. Postal purchases of paper and  paper
                                         products must meet or exceed minimum materials con-
                                         tent standards, ranging  from  20% to 50% recycled
                                         content. Laser toner cartridges and toner ribbons also
                                         contain recycled content (and cost 50% less than non-
                                         recycled content products). USPS uses four million
                                         recyclable plastic pallets, and new hampers and mail
                                         containers contain 50% recycled material. Even the
                                         waste containers for recyclable mail at the USPS's
                                         20,000 recycling locations are themselves recyclable
                                         and made with recycled content.

                                         USPS is a national leader in  the use of re-refined oil
                                         and retread tires in its fleets.  More than 100,000
                                         postal vehicles currently use re-refined oil, and USPS
                                         purchases more than  100,000 retread tires annually.

                                         USPS also uses recycled materials  in its retail products,
                                         including stamps, pre-stamped envelopes, postal
                                         cards, packaging materials, and Express and Priority
                                         Mail envelopes.  USPS also has developed innovative
                                         programs to make pencils and compost from recycled
                                         mail. Due to the success of its recycling program,
                                         USPS's former disposal expense  has become a  revenue
                                         generating business. Last year, USPS recycled 60%—or
                                         one million tons—of its waste stream and  generated
                                         more than $8 million in recycling revenues and cost
                                         avoidance through reduced trash hauling.

                                         To close the loop, commodities such as toner car-
                                         tridges, polystyrene packaging, circuit boards, wiring,
                                         video/audio cassettes,  and paint cans, in addition to
                                         traditional recycled materials, are collected in recycling
                                         programs across the nation.

                                         USPS has become a national  advocate of recycling. It
                                         sponsors numerous recycling  promotions throughout
                                         the United States, including Clean  Your Files Day and
                                         America Recycles Day.
     CASE STUDIES

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      King County is recognized nationally for its cutting
      edge, comprehensive approach to recycling. Its
      Environmental Purchasing Program promotes
recycled content purchases within the County govern-
ment. Its Commission for Marketing Recyclable Materials
establishes partnerships and infrastructure for consumers,
businesses and other governments to buy recycled. And
its Solid Waste Division assists schools, businesses, and
residents with waste prevention and recycling.

Closing the Loop is King County's forte. The county
itself has purchased more than $2.5 million worth  of
recycled products,  resulting in a $600,000 savings.
The county's 1 2,000 employees and  its contractors are
trained on the procurement policy requirements and
how to buy recycled. Not only does the County use re-
refined oil in  its own fleets, but through its winning
"Shift Gears" program, 9,000 motorists and 1 25 auto
service shops were inspired to try re-refined oil.

King County's environmental purchasing web site and
frequent "Procurement Bulletins" serve as resources for
procurement officers and recycling coordinators
nationwide.

King County's focus on "Building  for the Future"
inspired the Kingdome stadium to use recycled lumber
to secure  the artificial turf. The County's Construction
Works  program assists construction  firms with waste
prevention, recycling, and sustainable building prac-
tices. King County's most recent product innovation
involves recycling 1 8 tons of glass into a pool filtration
medium at the King County Aquatics Center, a pool
where the U.S.  Olympic Trials will be held next year.

Over 80% of County residents participate in curbside
recycling, resulting  in a 50% diversion rate by 1995. At
least 400 community volunteers have  been trained in
King County's Master Recycler Composter program.
And 24,000 preschool through high school students
are reached through King County's School Education
Program.
 King
Washingt^ji
v\ \
                  © Bell Atlantic
        With more than 41  million telephone access
        lines, 7 million wireless customers, and •
        142,000 employees worldwide, Bell Atlantic
provides advanced wireline voice and data and wire-
less services. It also is the world's largest publisher of
directory information. In 1997, Bell Atlantic purchased
1 10,000 tons of directory paper with more than 30%
posfconsumer recycled content, which  provided a mar-
ket for over 33,000 tons of waste paper.  Bell Atlantic
has set a target of 40% postconsumer  recycled content
in its publication by 1998, which will provide a market
for 44,000 tons of waste paper.

In 1997, Bell Atlantic recycled more than 1 1  million
pounds of paper, 53,000 pounds of plastic, 43.2 mil-
lion pounds of metal, and 1 03,000 pounds of wood.
Each year, it saves $760,000 on waste removal costs
as a result of its office paper recycling program. Bell
Atlantic also generated $37.5 million  in 1997 from the
sale of recycled metals separated from surplus or
obsolete telecommunications equipment that was not
reused, repaired, or sold.

When Bell Atlantic and  NYNEX merged in 1997, the
company collected 45,000 pounds of old plastic sig-
nage from public phone booths for recycling. The
company will continue to collect old signage until all
967,000 pounds are gathered.

Bell Atlantic also changed its annual shareholders
report from a high gloss, magazine-type publication to
a "Plain Jane" facts and figures only report printed on
recycled content paper. While the cost of the recycled
content paper used in the publication was higher, the
cost of production was lower, so Bell Atlantic still
saved $1 million. Bell Atlantic also negotiated with its
supplier to reduce the cost of the recycled paper.
Subsequently, all shareholder information, dividend
checks, and reinvestment statements were printed on
recycled paper.
                                                                                            CASE STUDIES
                                                               19

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for   recyc   ing
   C
   I orporate product responsibility often includes designing
products to be recyclable. Early planning for recycling
opportunities during the initial design of products and the
production or construction process can quickly expand the
amount of materials recycled and make the inter-related
recycling processes work much more smoothly. "Design for
Recycling" focuses on setting up processes to enhance pro-
duction, reduce waste, reclaim resources, protect the envi-
ronment, and benefit the public. Designing products and
processes for recycling can help to reduce recycling costs
and is pivotal to the success of the National Rcrvvlmg
Challenge. Design  for recycling practices include designing
products and packages so they can be easily recycled;
designing collection and processing systems to maximize
recovered material commodity values; and designing prod-
ucts to include recycled content. Here are just a few examples.
   Compaq Computer Corporation, the largest global
supplier of personal computers, now designs its products to
minimize their impact on the environment. Design for
Environment/Recycling serves as a strategic tool at Compaq
for product planning,  design, and manufacturing to develop
products that are  energy efficient, easily upgradeable, recy-
clable, and reusable. By the time new products come off  the
production line or prototypes are being tested. Compaq
designers have taken into account the entire life cycle of  the
products. Today, with several million computers  shipped
annually, Compaq takes additional measures  to reduce
waste by building its computers  to be recyclable, uses recy-
clable plastics, labels recyclable parts, and designs compo-
nents to make them easier to disassemble and recycle.
    20
      DESIGN FOR RECYCLING

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   Led by members of its Recycling
Action Team, Ford Motor Company is
the first vehicle manufacturer to issue
worldwide automotive recycling guide-
lines to its engineers and parts suppli-
ers outlining ways to design autos for
recycling disassembly.
   Ford's Sheldon Road Plant in
Plymouth, MI is the first known auto-
motive plant to design its process to use
recycled content plastic resin for all of its
output, using 5 million pounds of recy-
cled plastics annually to produce 24
million air conditioner parts for cars
and  trucks.  Ford has taken the lead on
the use of recycled materials for other
vehicle components also. Ford uses
more than 50 million soda bottles
annually to  manufacture grille rein-
forcements, window frames, and trunk
carpets. These represent enough bottles
to cover a 400 acre lake from shore to
shore. More than 27 million square feet
of nylon carpeting are recycled and
used annually in the production of
engine cooling fan modules and air fil-
ter assemblies used in Ford automo-
biles. This is enough  used carpet to
cover every floor of the World Trade
Center and the entire U.S. Capitol
Recycline, Inc., a retailer of
high-quality recycled products, has
developed a  product that protects
our teeth and the planet. The han-
dle of the Preserve® toothbrush is
made from  recycled polypropylene
and incorporates a  unique design
to facilitate its recyclability. The
three ring gripping section is part
of the plastic handle,  rather  than a
separate rubber component, which
allows the product to  be easily
recycled. Recycline provides a
postage-paid return envelope for
customers to  send in their old
Preserve® toothbrushes for recy-
cling into plastic lumber. At
replacement  rates of 2 times a
year, toothbrushes represent over
 100 million pounds of plastic
waste a year that could be  avoid-
ed. Now that's something to smile
about.

                                                         DESIGN FOR RECYCLING

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Motorola
designed a new
multi-use tray
that would hold
several different
styles of pager
housings and is
made of recycled
plastic.
 Building complex. Ford also is the first company to manufacture its test vehicle fleet
 with recycled parts.
    Wellman, Inc., Bosch, and Ford Motor Company, partnered to develop and used
 the first postconsumer nylon engineering resin derived from carpet into car parts.
 EcoLon® was introduced in a fan and shroud for Ford's 1997 Windstar, meeting all
 quality and cost requirements. This accomplishment allowed 1.6 million square yards
 of carpet to be diverted from landfills in 1997. This year, Fords expanded use of
 EcoLon® in various car parts will prevent 24 million square yards of carpet from being
 landfilled.
    In addition to designing products to be recyclable, manufacturers are changing poli-
 cies, procedures, and even sales approaches to increase product recycling. Interface  Inc.
 uses a  stewardship approach to furnishing carpet to customers by treating flooring mate-
 rials as a "product of service." By the Interface definition, carpet is a "floor covering ser-
 vice," rather than a purchased commodity. Under the Evergreen program, Interface
 clients lease carpet rather than buy it, and Interface remains responsible for its upkeep,
 removal, and reclamation, removing old carpet for recycling and replacing it with new
 carpet  indefinitely. Interface recycles the old carpet by pulverizing it and separating out
 its key components, nylon and vinyl. The vinyl is recycled into new carpet backing.  The
 nylon is processed by outside companies who convert it into raw material for automo-
 bile parts.
    Motorola manufactures a wide variety of pagers, and each model  had its own com-
 ponent-unique packaging—an expensive feature which also required  a lot of attention to
 inventory. This packaging typically consisted of a plastic tray made of high-impact poly-
 styrene—a material that is not readily recyclable—along with other surrounding protec-
 tive packaging.
    Because unanticipated shortages of particular styles of the multiple types of packages
 were interrupting production, a team set out to reduce costs and at the same time
 reduce the impact of the packaging on the environment. The team designed a new
 multi-use tray that would hold several different styles of pager  housings. During the  tray
 design process, the team also considered the  overall impact to the environment. The
new tray is manufactured from 100% postconsumer recycled high-density polyethylene,
which, in turn, helps create a demand for recycled plastic in communities surrounding
Motorola's manufacturing facilities.
                             22
     DESIGN FOR RECYCLING

-------
   Motorola also made the trays lighter and thinner, reducing the amount of material
used. The new trays require less than 50% of the material that was needed to manufac-
ture the old trays. Motorola combined the lighter multi-use tray, a central database for
scheduling packaging and production needs, and an effective reuse system to create the
Compack packaging management system. The system significantly reduces costs, increas-
es efficiency, reduces packaging waste, and absorbs collected plastics from recycling pro-
grams in surrounding communities. Implementation of this system resulted in a savings of
$4.1 million in 1997 and eliminated a minimum of 250,000 pounds of packaging waste.
   An increasing number of adhesives from pressure sensitive labels and stamps, glues
used on product samples, and other sources are contaminating otherwise recyclable
paper. Recognizing that its self-adhesive stamps are popular with customers but a conta-
minant to paper recyclers, the U.S. Postal Service's Postage  Stamp Research and
Development Program is developing pressure sensitive adhesives (PSA) and stamp
requirements that minimize environmental impacts by reducing waste and increasing
recyclability. To date,  the Postal Service has developed a PSA stamp  coil constructed
without a backing liner and is completing research on environmentally benign stamp
adhesives. This year, the Postal Service plans to issue a stamp printed  on 20% postcon-
sumer recycled content paper and using the benign adhesive. It also plans to expand  the
use of the new PSA to other Postal products and office products.
   The UltraLight Steel Auto Body (ULSAB) Consortium was formed by the steel
industry to reduce  the weight of steel auto body structures while maintaining their per-
formance, safety, and affordability—and continuing the steels recyclability. The ULSAB
structure is 36% lighter than comparable vehicles and the light truck structure for sport
utility vehicles and light-duty trucks is  19% lighter. Both designed structures have no
adverse impact on  the recyclability of the steel and demonstrate improved performance
above and beyond  manufacturers' performance standards.
   To target new product design for recycling initiatives, IBM analyzes data identified
during the demanufacturing of computer equipment. Lessons learned at the end of a
product's life are communicated back to designers, enabling IBM to better design its
products for recyclability. Design guidelines include coding of plastic parts to promote
recycling, eliminating hard-to-remove labels and  foams, minimizing plating and painting
of parts, minimizing the quantity of different materials used in a product, and avoiding
the use of incompatible materials.
                                                        DESIGN FOR RECYCtING    23

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                        the   recycling   loop
                           T
Fire & Light recycles
glass
into dinnerware
    he three chasing arrows in the recycling symbol reflect
the three elements of the recycling system—collection,
processing, and buying recycled content products. When
we think of recycling, however, we usually think only
about putting recyclables at the curb or a drop-off center.
Limited markets for  recyclables often present the greatest
barrier to successful, economically sustainable recycling.
When consumers  and purchasing officials do not request
recycled products, manufacturers can not continue to
produce them. As a  result, recycling coordinators are
unable to successfully and efficiently "close the loop"
with the materials they collect, because markets for those
materials shrink. By reinforcing the need to both manufac-
ture and buy recycled content products, we not only
support our community recycling programs but also
American businesses.
    Producing and purchasing recycled content materials are
merely "flip" sides of the same coin—and that  coin is the
same one that pays for your recycling program. Govern-
ment, industry, institutions, and each of us as individuals
and consumers—both at work and at  home—need to com-
mit and take on the Challenge to build a stronger market-
place for recycled goods. When we purchase a recycled
content product, we  are making a contribution to reducing
energy consumption, reducing pollution, building new
business opportunities, and conserving more of our natural
resources for our future generations.
   In this section, you will see how communities, busi-
nesses, institutions, and agencies have aggressively
pursued buying recycled products; collected recyclables
                           24
     CLOSING THE RECYCtING LOOP

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for production; produced highly
useful, economic everyday products
for our homes and businesses; gone a
"next step" into cooperative and joint
ventures that unite communities and
manufacturers/end-users to collect,
market, and utilize recyclables; or
gone the extra mile to becoming an
active steward of their product
throughout its life-cycle. You, too, can
use your buying power in the market-
place and  make the goals of the
Challenge a reality.

PURCHASING
The Federal government has made
great progress in expanding markets
for recycled content products, espe-
cially paper. When President Clinton
signed Executive Order 13101 last
September, he committed the entire
Federal government to use  printing
and writing paper containing a mini-
mum of 30% postconsurner recycled
fiber. Prior to the signing of the new
Order, use of recycled content paper
had risen  from 19% in 1995 to close
to 70% in 1998.
    The Warner Bros. Studios
Facilities located in Burbank, CA offers
"As the nation's largest
paper purchaser,  the Federal gov-
ernment has a special  responsibil-
ity to lead the way in building
markets for recycled goods. Since
1993, when I signed an earlier
Executive Order to promote recy-
cling, we have quadrupled our
purchase of recycled content
paper. Today, we are going the
next step.  I am directing agencies
to ensure that as  of January,
[1999] they will  purchase only
recycled paper. Through this sin-
gle action, we will save hundreds
of thousands of trees, reduce air
and water pollution, and curb
emissions that contribute to global
warming. We will  also harness
our tremendous purchasing power
to support the growing market for
recycled products."
          —President Bill  Clinton
                                                 CLOSING THE RECYCLING LOOP   25

-------
a good example of organizing to buy recycled products. The company-wide
Environmental Purchasing Policy instituted in 1993 requires all paper purchased by
Warner Bros, to contain 20% or more postconsumer recycled content. Colored paper,
script covers, file folders, hanging file folders, storage boxes, envelopes, adding
machine rolls, Post-it® notes, pencils, remanufactured toner cartridges, and a host of
other office supplies all contain recycled content. Most janitorial paper supplies are
non-bleached and have recycled content—many up to 95% postconsumer. Other recy-
cled content items purchased include automobile parking stops, re-refined oil for the
entire fleet, and plastic lumber truck stakes for production vehicles. In some building
renovation projects, Warner Bros, used  drywall,  sub-flooring and flooring materials,
insulation materials, and bathroom partitions containing recycled content. In order to
measure progress, Warner Bros, tracks purchases on monthly reports and continually
trains buyers on the policy and how to  implement it in balance with price, perfor-
mance,  and other criteria.
    Sometimes a little help is needed to make good things happen, like in the City of
Ann Arbor, MI. The Ann Arbor Solid Waste Department set up a $50,000 annual
grant program to fund expanded uses of products made with recycled materials by
other City departments. Since 1994, the City has committed nearly the full $50,000
each year to support worthwhile, cost-effective projects to purchase recycled products
such as traffic cones, picnic tables, benches and  bleachers, welcoming mats, carpeting,
floor and ceiling tiles, office supplies, boat docks, fishing piers, boardwalks, and even
recycled plastic kayaks. The Ann Arbor Solid Waste Department knows that by sup-
porting manufacturers of recycled content products, it is helping its own recycling col-
lection programs.
   Academic and other institutions also are excellent models for buying "green." The
Environmental Contract Management program at Rutgers University uses purchasing
to take the  lead in environmental achievements. Contracts encourage manufacturer and
vendor take-back programs and elimination and reduction of packaging. Under this pro-
gram, each  of the  University's contracts have been revised to contain language stipulat-
ing the vendor's responsibility to minimize or remove wastes. A model contract is avail-
able for similar institutions to emulate this innovative approach to procurement. Rutgers
also benefits from recycling contracts, saving nearly $2 million in 1993 by recycling
instead of landfilling.
26   CLOSING THE RECYCLING LOOP

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   Rutgers' purchasing office also redesigned its procurement process to engineer in
recycling. For example, its road and sidewalk maintenance contract requires that
roads and sidewalks contain recycled materials, including material recovered
during rehabilitation of existing pavements. Recovering this material avoids landfill-
ing costs.
   What about a concentrated national program? Did somebody say McDonald's?™
Talk about buying power. In 1997, McDonald's McRecycle USA® program reached
a significant milestone. The program, which was launched in 1990, surpassed the

Modern re-refining  removes  all impurities

from used  engine  oil, producing a product

that meets or exceeds  the same standards         I • •   "

as  virgin oils.
$2 billion mark for purchasing recycled content products for use in U.S. restaurants.
In 1996 alone, McDonalds bought $369 million worth of recycled products in the
United States, a 13% increase since 1995. McRecycle USA® is now averaging
$265 million annually—almost three times the original commitment of $100 million
per year.
  As part of its 1998 Earth Day Buy Recycled promotion, Boise Cascade Office
Products offered its customers up to an 80% discount on over 100 recycled content
office supplies, and an additional 40-50% discount on other recycled content products.
The  company's 10,000-item catalog now features more than  1,400 recycled content
products, up from 68 featured products in 1991.
  Modern re-refining removes all impurities from used engine oil, producing a prod-
uct that meets or exceeds the same standards as virgin oils. Safety-Kleen Corporation
and  the Defense Supply Center Richmond (DSCR) teamed up to combine the sup-
                                        CLOSING THE RECYCLING LOOP

-------
     ply of re-refined lubricants with the collection of used oil. This closed-loop program
     supplies re-refined oil and, as an added value, provides the customers with pick-up of
     their used oil. The closed-loop program reduces costs by eliminating the need for two
     contracts—one for buying re-refined oil and one for disposing of it. Also, this pro-
     gram specifies that the used oil will be re-refined, which allows the oil to be used
     repeatedly. Since the program was initiated in June of 1997, some 90,000 gallons of
     oil have been picked up and re-refined.
   Recovered paper now supplies  36.5%  of
 the  American  paper industry's fiber needs
and  is used  in  all types  of paper products,
   from office papers to  newsprint to tissue
    products  to  paperboard  and packaging.
    MANUFACTURING WITH RECYCLABLES
    Recovered paper now supplies 36.5% of the American paper industry's fiber needs
    and is used in all types of paper products, from office papers to newsprint to tissue
    products to paperboard and packaging. At Union Camp's Fiber Recycling Plant in
    Franklin, VA, more than 400 tons of mixed office paper, the equivalent of 80 million
    sheets of 8.5" x 11" paper, can be processed daily. From that, 300 tons of 100% post-
    consumer pulp is made for producing recycled content business and printing papers
    and bleached paperboards. Union Camp recently increased the recycled content of its
    Great White® office papers to 30% postconsumer to meet federal purchasing require-
    ments. In 1997, to increase markets for Great White, Union Camp started the Great
    White Consumer Products Business™, which sells to home and small office paper
    28   CtOSING THE RECYCLING LOOP

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users who make their purchases through retail outlets, mail order catalogs, and via the
Internet.
   Fire & Light of Arcata, CA, devised a solution to where to send the glass collected
in its rural community. The company is using crushed glass cullet from bottles collected
by local recycling programs to create plates and bowls. By recycling glass into beautiful
dinnerware, Fire & Light creates a market for 1,000 pounds of recycled glass a day.
   Waste building materials are also finding a new life. Waste Reduction Products,
Corp. (WRPC) of Goldston, NC, recycles the large flow of wallboard scrap generated
by the mobile and modular home factories located in the state. Commercial and residen-
tial builders are now working with community landfill operators to segregate and collect
wallboard scrap. The WRPC recycling plant processes this scrap into gypsum materials
suitable for use in home gardening, lawn care, golf course maintenance, spill absorbents
for industry, animal waste management, and cat litter.
   A number of manufacturers have been aggressive in using recycled materials for
manufacturing carpet. Since 1991, Talisman Mills of Mequon, WI has been manufac-
turing Envirolon™ carpet with fiber created from the plastics in soda bottles. The
product has been in use in high traffic areas such as the Hennepin County
Convention Center in Minneapolis, MN and the Department of Housing and
Urban Development headquarters in Washington, DC. Collins and Aikman floor-
coverings of Dalton, GA is recycling old carpet to make backing for new carpet which
outperforms virgin materials and is covered by a 15-year warranty.  There are now
thousands of installations worldwide, including Fortune 1000 companies, using the
carpet. Companies purchasing carpet with recycled  content backing from  Collins and
Aikman include Compaq Computers, Orioles Park at Camden Yards, Hallmark
Corporation, Zales Corporation, Computer Associates, Gateway Computers, and
The Gap.  Image Industries of Armuchee, GA manufactures recycled content carpet
using more than  8 million soda  bottles daily. Every  125 square yards of Image car-
pet—the amount needed to carpet a typical  1,500 square foot home—uses about
3,000 plastic bottles.
   Sonoco, one of the worlds largest manufacturers  of packaging materials for industri-
al and consumer markets, aggressively re-collects its own products as a source of raw
materials for manufacturing—notably, those zillions of plastic shopping and grocery
bags we all have stashed around  our homes. An astonishing 60%  of the raw material
             By recycling glass
             into beautiful
             dinnerware, Fire
             & Light creates a
             market for 1,000
             pounds of recy-
             cled glass a day.
                                                 CLOSING THE RECYCLING LOOP
29

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A deck in
Michigan is
made from
Trex's weed-plas-
tic composite
lumber.
                        feedstocks Sonoco uses in making its products are recovered materials. As the largest
                        manufacturer of plastic grocery and shopping bags in the United States, Sonoco was the
                        industry pioneer in introducing recycling systems for this product and supports the
                        recycling efforts of 7,500 grocery stores across the country, which collect as much as a
                        million pounds of bags in a single month.
                           Okay, that takes care of a lot of the recovered plastics bags, but what about the rest?
                        Trex Company, LLC of Winchester, VA uses the recovered plastic grocery bags to man-
                        ufacture wood-plastic composite lumber. Trex mixes 50% recycled plastic film with 50%
                         Trex  Company of Winchester, VA uses
                                   recovered plastic grocery bags to
                            manufacture  wood-plastic composite
                           lumber  such  as the  deck shown here.
waste wood fiber to produce composite lumber for outdoor deck surfaces and landscap-
ing ties. Over 1000 dealers nationwide carry the product, which has been approved for
use in residential and commercial structures across North America.
   Walls from wheat? The U.S. Department of Agriculture has helped to commer-
cialize several building materials containing post-harvest wheat straw, which has
traditionally been of little use or value. Agriboard Industries, Inc. of Electra, TX
manufactures a load bearing wall panel of compressed wheat straw. Primeboard, Inc.,
of Whapeton, ND, makes a  high quality particle board from 100% wheat straw that is
used to construct cabinets and other furniture. The board contains no noxious binders
and does not off-gas like many wood-based particle boards. Phoenix Bicomposites of
Mankato, MM, produces Environ®, a decorative product used for table and counter
tops,  flooring, and wall coverings. Environ is made from soybean meal and waste
newspaper.
                        30
    CLOSING THE RECYCLING LOOP

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COOPERATIVE MARKETING OF RECYCLABLES
The State o£ Washington established the CWC, formerly the Clean Washington Center,
in 1991 to increase the use and value of materials recovered from the waste stream.
CWC partners with business, industry, and local governments to expand state-wide
recycling infrastructure and offers technical assistance in four areas: business develop-
ment, technology and engineering, marketing recycled content products or services, and
policy research and analysis for businesses and government agencies. CWC's efforts to
expand recycling businesses have attracted hundreds of millions of dollars in capital
investment to projects in Washington, which generate millions of dollars in state and
local annual tax revenue  and provide both blue collar and management job opportuni-
ties across the state.
   The Central Texas Recycling Association (CTRA) has made a business of bring-
ing together a number of small sources of recyclables to sell their merchandise more
effectively and for better prices. CTRAs program promotes the development of end
markets for Texas recyclables and disseminates public education about recycling. CTRA
supports rural communities in their recycling efforts by offering assistance in negotia-
tion and administration of market contracts, public education, grant-writing, equip-
ment loans, supplies, labor, volume purchasing, economic development, data collection
and record keeping, cooperative marketing system, and statewide and national network
opportunities.
   During 1997, CTRA sold almost 4,000 tons of material for its members. This trans-
lated into saving more than 15 million  kilowatt hours of electricity and preventing  110
tons of air pollution and 11,000 cubic yards of waste—enough to divert 550 garbage
trucks from landfills. And on top of that, member communities profited from more
than $165,000 in net revenue from sales through CTRA contracts.

PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP FOR RECYCLING
Demonstrating product responsibility, some manufacturers are taking back their prod-
ucts, once they've become somebody elses waste, and using them as a resource for
their manufacturing operations. Manufacturers also are actively putting infrastructure
and policies in place to make sure they get these resources back. The Rechargeable
Battery Recycling  Corporation (RBRC), for example, takes back nickel cadmium
(Ni-Cd) rechargeable batteries from more than 25,000 retail collection sites in the
                                                 CLOSING THE RECYCLING LOOP   31

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The Rechargeable
Battery Recycling
Corporation collects
rechargeable
batteries from
more than 25,000
retail sites.
                        United States and Canada and reclaims the materials for new batteries. The reclaimed
                        nickel is processed into a metal alloy that is used in stainless steel production, while
                        the cadmium is purified and used in the manufacturing of new Ni-Cd batteries. RBRC
                        also provides communities, businesses, and public agencies information to operate
                        Ni-Cd battery collection programs and pays all recycling costs.
                          Last year, Armstrong World Industries of Lancaster, PA, introduced the Ceilings
                        Reclamation Program, a process designed to reduce costs and save landfill space by
                        diverting used ceiling panels from renovation projects to Armstrong plants, where the
                          Demonstrating product responsibility,
                    some manufacturers are taking back their
                   products,  once they've become somebody
                    else's waste,  and  using them  as a resource
                              for  their manufacturing  operations.
tiles are recycled into new ceiling panels. The first-of-a-kind recycling program
was successfully tested during a 1997 renovation project at the Microsoft campus in
Redmond, WA; 150,000 square feet of mineral fiber ceiling panels weighing 86 tons
were re-ground and processed into new ceiling tile. These tiles, which can contain up to
79% recycled content, generated a savings of 52% for Microsoft compared to landfill
fees. If landfilled, the cost for disposal would have been more than $8,000.
   Xerox maintains a strong corporate policy on protecting the environment, includ-
ing a commitment to producing waste-free products  in waste-free factories, thereby
minimizing the impact Xerox has on the Earth and its limited resources. Xerox
believes that designing for the  environment not only conserves resources, but reduces
costs and pleases customers. Xerox's Document Centre 265 is a "zero landfill" product;
                       32   CLOSING THE RECYCLING LOOP

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since 98% of the products parts are recyclable in some way, with 80% of the compo-
nents being fully remanufacturable. Purchasers of the Document Centre 265 can
return replaceable units, at Xerox's cost, and the company will reuse or recycle the
parts and components.
   Xerox incorporates product recovery into its business operations. New products are
designed to be recycled or remanufactured. During the 1990s, Xerox remanufactured
equipment and print and copy cartridges and recovered toner cartridges for reuse or
recycling. In 1997, Xerox remanufactured equipment from more than 30,000 tons of
returned machines, without any loss in quality. Xerox also provides customers with pre-
paid return labels so they can ship back their used print and copy cartridges in  the
packaging from new cartridges. The returned cartridges are then remanufactured to the
same quality standards as new ones. In 1997, Xerox's print and copy cartridge return
rate reached 65%—the industry benchmark.
   Since 1990, Canon USA has helped businesses, municipalities,  and agencies achieve
their waste diversion goals by collecting more than 25 million Canon toner cartridges for
recycling and reuse at its Virginia facility. If the cartridges were laid  side-by-side, they
would cover an area the size of Washington, DC more than three times over. At the same
time, Canon achieved an extraordinary 91% monthly recycling average of its manufactur-
ing waste at its Virginia subsidiary, which receives between 20,000 and 30,000 car-
tridges per day.
   IBM Endicott's Asset Recovery Center (ARC) has processed about 35 million
pounds  of old  and returned equipment for reusable and recyclable content annually
since 1994. Equipment is received and sorted for reuse of parts in field service pro-
grams and machines, resale of industry standard parts, and recycling by material con-
tent. ARC has increased reuse to 38.2%, while greatly reducing the amount of non-
recyclable materials going to landfills—from 13% in  1994 to just 3.5%  last year!
Additionally, Endicotts Aurora Project, begun last year, is linking industry, local
government, and academia in an alliance that is investigating opportunities to reuse
and recycle traditional waste materials such as paper, glass, plastic, and industrial
byproducts.
                                                 CLOSING THE RECYCLING LOOP
33

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                      and    education
                         FOR   RECYCLING
                         I
A Burbank, CA
school teaches
children that they
can reduce, reuse,
and recycle 85%
of their lunch
waste
   t's simply not enough that only those "in the know" under-
stand why we as a nation must recycle and how recycling is
helping to secure our children's future. We must make a con-
certed effort to get the word out about why we are recycling
and why we need to do more across all components of recy-
cling. The National Recycling Challenge is for everyone, and
the only way to get everyone involved is to let them know the
importance of their everyday actions. Improved access to
facts and news invigorates and enables people to  find new
and better ways to benefit the environment through recycling.
Educational programs on the environmental and  economic
benefits of recycling can help people understand the reasons
recycling contributes to their welfare and the welfare of their
children. Increasing awareness translates into more active and
effective participants in increasing recycling, purchasing
recycled content products, and supporting recycling initiatives.
   Awareness is brought about by many efforts and by many
groups—from schools and government agencies to non-profit
organizations and businesses—involved in promoting the
recycling and "buy recycled" message. In fact, many of the
businesses and communities mentioned here are  members
of the U.S. EPAs WasteWise partnership program and/or
the National Recycling Coalitions Buy Recycled Business
Alliance. Currently, more than 850 companies receive tech-
nical assistance and recognition through these programs.
   In 1995, at the direction of President Clinton, the Office
of the Federal Environmental Executive established the
White House Closing  the Circle Awards Program to encourage
Federal agency innovation in implementing waste preven-
tion, recycling, and "green" procurement activities. These

34   OUTREACH  AND EDUCATION FOR RECYCLING

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 awards not only highlight the Admin-
 istration's commitment to environmental
 excellence in government, but also show-
 case model Federal programs and facilities
 and encourage further endeavors by the
 federal sector, public institutions, and the
 private sector.
    Pennsylvania turned to television to
 inform citizens about the states environ-
 mental programs. The Environmental
 Fund for Pennsylvania, in conjunction
 with the state Department of Environ-
 mental Protection, produces the television
 series, "GreenWorks for Pennsylvania." The
 February, 1999, episode shows viewers
 how to buy recycled content products and
 features some of the products made by the
 more than 130 Pennsylvania manufacturers
 that use recycled materials in their products.
    Todays school child learns four R's—
 Reading, 'Riting, 'Rithmetic, and  Recycling!
 Recently, the Wasteless Lunch pilot pro-
 gram at a Burbank, CA school incorporat-
 ed a sophisticated process that teaches
 children that  they can reuse, recycle and/or
 compost up to 85% of their lunch waste.
 When lunchtime is over,  the children exit
 in a reverse cafeteria style, disposing of
 their lunch waste in the appropriate recy-
cling and composting bins.
Are the American people hearing
the message about the necessity of buying
recycled? Since 1997, millions of Ameri-
cans have celebrated "America Recycles
Day" (ARD) on November 15. This nation-
al environmental partnership effort is
aimed  at increasing purchases of recycled
products, increasing nationwide media
attention, and promoting public support
from every sector for recycling and waste
reduction. ARD reminds people that setting
materials out at the curb  is only the first
step in recycling. They must also look for
and buy products made from materials
collected in their recycling programs.
Under  this program, businesses, industry,
government agencies, schools, and civic
and environmental groups organize spe-
cial events, educational campaigns, and
incentive programs.
In  1998, 45 states and 2 U.S. territories   j
celebrated with more than 4,000 events
across  the nation to promote the social
and economic benefits of recycling. Vice
President Al Gore promoted the event and
served  as the Honorary Chairman of the
campaign.
                                         OUTREACH AND EDUCATION FOR RECYCLING    35

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is   everybody's   business




            e hope that this compendium of success stories, drawn
     from the many, diverse efforts across the country to make recycling
     work for all of us, will inspire you to join with Vice President Gore
     in committing to the National Recycling Challenge. From waste
     efficiencies to new innovations in recycling technology, more
     organizations than ever are making exciting progress in recycling
     and using recycled  materials and recycled content products. If
     you are recycling at home and in the workplace, your contribu-
     tions will continue  to benefit your community and our country
     by conserving resources and stimulating our economy—produc-
     ing real goods and real jobs. But there is more that can and must
     be done. If you wish to do more. Vice President Gore's Nafional
     Recycling Challenge is your opportunity to step forward and
     make a difference for our children and the environment.
       Join with your neighbors and colleagues by taking the Challenge.
     Visit our web site, www.ofee.gov, where you can learn more about:
     •  Economic and environmental benefits in Recycling... for the
       future: Consider the benefits.
     m  Success Stories—get more information about any of the firms,
       institutions, or government agencies and programs described
       in this brochure, along with web sites and contacts.
     •  "America Recycles Day"— with its emphasis on buying recycled.
     •  The National Recycling Challenge—learn more about the
       Challenge, including what other persons have committed to do.
       Remember, we are now recycling 27% of the municipal solid
     waste generated in the United States—more than double the
     recycling rate 15 years ago. Our national policy is to reach a
     35% municipal solid waste recycling rate. Recycling 27% of our
     waste now fills enough recycling bins to stretch three-quarters of
     the way between the earth and the moon. Please sign up to do
     your part to get us the rest of the way there.
     36
RECYCLING IS EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The White House Task Force on Recycling gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the fol-
lowing individuals to the development of this publication:

Ms. Dana Arnold, U.S.  EPA, Office of Solid Waste
Mr. Ron Buckhalt, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
Mr. Bradley Campbell,  Council on Environmental Quality
Mr. Truett DeGeare, U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste
Mr. John Evett, U.S. Dept. of Energy
Dr. William Ferretti, National Recycling Coalition
Dr. Ron McHugh, U.S.  EPA, Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances
Mr. Edgar Miller, National Recycling Coalition
Mr. David Rejeski, U.S. EPA, Office of Economy and Environment
Ms. Alisa Stone, ORISE

The White House Task Force on Recycling also is very grateful to U.S. EPA for providing publica-
tion assistance and to Eastern Research Group, Inc., Arlington, VA, for graphic design services.
     How to Take the National Recycling Challenge

  America's children need your help to secure the environment for their future. You can
  make your commitments by taking  the National Recycling Challenge.  Submit two to
  three paragraphs to the  White House Task Force on Recycling  at:
  "fran.mcpoland@ofee.gov". The first paragraph should include information about
  your organization's recycling accomplishments. The second and third  paragraphs
  should include your new commitment to the Challenge. Please  be sure to include,
  along with your organization's name, a contact name, phone and fax numbers and
  e-mail address.

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