U. S. EPA Region 6
Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 1200
Dallas, Texas 75202-2733
1-800-877-6063
www. epa.gov/reg/on6
EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
&EPA
Resource Conservation
Challenge Programs
Brief Summaries and Links to Further Information
on Programs In Region 6
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Table of Contents
What is MSW? 1
Resource Conservation Challenge 2
Continuing Efforts and Guidelines 4
Programs
Community Action fora Renewed Environment (CARE) 7
Coal Combustion Products Partnership (C2P2) 7
Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) 7
Environmental Management System (EMS) 7
GreenScapes 8
Industrial Materials Recycling 8
National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP) 8
Pay As You Throw (PAYT) 9
Plug-In To eCycling 10
Pollution Prevention (P2) 10
Responsible Appliance Disposal Program 11
Responsible Recycling (R2) 11
Recycling On The Go (ROGO) 12
School Chemical Clean-out Campaign (SC3) 12
WasteWise 13
WasteWise
WasteWise helps companies create programs custom-tailored to their needs
to eliminate costly municipal solid waste and select industrial wastes, and
reduce their purchasing and waste disposal costs. Through WasteWise, EPA
provides free technical assistance to help companies develop, implement, and
measure their waste reduction activities. It also provides partners an array of
resources, including a helpline, technical assistance, public recognition and
awards, partner forums, and a variety of publications. WasteWise partners
have reported waste reductions of more than 120 million tons since 1994,
significantly reducing their impact on global climate change.
http://www.epa.gov/wastewise
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Recycle on the Go (ROGO)
As part of the RCC, ROGO encourages recycling in public places such as
parks, stadiums, convention centers, airports and other transportation hubs,
shopping centers and at special events. It encourages the development of a
recycling infrastructure for away-from-home collection, increasing the amount
of waste collected for recycling, and promoting a culture of recycling by
making it convenient and cost effective.
http://www.epa.gov/recycleonthego
School Chemical Clean-out Campaign (SC3)
SC3 aims to eliminate the hazards associated with mismanaged chemicals
from our schools. From elementary school maintenance closets to high
school chemistry labs, schools use a variety of chemicals. When they are
mismanaged, these chemicals can put students and personnel at risk from
spills, fires and other accidental exposures. SC3 provides information to K-12
schools information and shows how schools, parents, and local organizations
can partner to create a chemical management program that meets the unique
needs of their schools.
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/sc3/index.htm
What Is MSW?
In communities across the country, businesses and individuals have found
creative ways to reduce and better manage Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
- commonly known as trash or garbage - through a coordinated mix of
practices that includes source reduction, recycling (including composting) and
disposal. The most environmentally sound management of MSW is achieved
when these approaches are implemented according to EPA's preferred order:
source reduction first, recycling and composting second, and finally disposal in
landfills or waste combustors. The United States Federal Government fosters
this approach in a national effort to conserve natural resources and energy
through numerous partnerships in The Resource Conservation Challenge
(RCC). This booklet briefly describes the programs of the RCC. This directory
should provide you with enough information about these programs to answer
your questions and encourage you to access the individual Web sites for more
information.
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Resource Conservation Challenge
The Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC) is a national effort to conserve
natural resources and energy by managing materials more efficiently. The
goals of the RCC are to: prevent pollution and promote reuse and recycling;
reduce priority and toxic chemicals in products and waste; and conserve
energy and materials. Reaching the goals is a widespread effort working with
states, industry, businesses and others to accomplish smarter and faster
ways to yield environmental results. Partnerships may be developed by EPA
selecting projects or by nominations by industry, government agencies, tribes,
or any non-governmental organizations.
However, because P2 is related to the same ideals, it is included in this list.
In fact, a number of Partnership Programs and other EPA initiatives utilize
this approach in their work. P2 is reducing or eliminating waste at the source
by modifying production, using less-toxic substances, employing better
conservation techniques, and re-using materials. The Why Should You Care
About Preventing Waste? brochure outlines P2 practices that can help small
businesses cut waste and save resources.
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/p2home/
Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) Program
RAD is a voluntary partnership program that
began in 2006 to help protect the ozone layer and
reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. As part of
the program, partners recover ozone-depleting
chemicals from old refrigerators, freezers, air
conditioners and dehumidifiers and implement best
practices for recycling/disposal. EPA provides partner
recognition for achievement through press releases,
brochures, articles and awards. EPA also serves as a technical clearinghouse
to calculate annual and cumulative program benefits of emissions savings
and equivalents and, as available, potential cost savings. RAD partners
include utilities, municipalities, retailers, manufacturers, universities and other
interested organizations.
http://www.epa.gov/ozone/partnerships/rad/
Responsible Recycling (R2)
EPA supports and will continue to encourage
safe and protective recycling efforts and to foster
improvements in best management practices
for electronics recyclers. EPA believes existing
recycling certification programs, such as R2 and
e-Steward, advance environmentally safe practices
and include standards for use in third party
certification of such efforts.
http://www.epa.gov/waste/inforesources/
news/200Qnews/o8-r2.htm
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under the program, PAYT not only
rewards those who recycle, it also can
save a local government more than
20 percent of its municipal solid waste
budget per year. The less individuals
throw away, the less they pay.
PAYT also benefits the environment
by reducing waste, conserving natural
resources and saving energy, which
significantly reduces green house
gas emissions. More than 7,000
communities in the United States, and
many around the world, are cashing
in on the perks from various forms of
PAYT. http://www.epa.gov/payt
Plug-In To eCycling
EPA partners with electronics
manufacturers and retailers to increase
the number of safe, convenient
opportunities Americans have to
recycle unwanted electronics such as
computers, televisions, cell phones,
PDAs, chargers and batteries and to
increase the public's awareness of the
need to recycle these products.The
program's goals are to reduce the waste of materials such as plastics, precious
metals and copper, and protect the public from hazardous substances such
as lead and mercury in old electronics. Recycling not only conserves these
materials, but prevents air and water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Partner companies agree to assist with recycling events or with the promotion
of the program. Manufacturers and retailers can set up or participate in
collection programs for used electronics equipment, solidifying companies'
reputations as good environmental stewards
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/index.htm
Pollution Prevention (P2)
Pollution Prevention is a key policy in national environmental protection
activities created by the Prevention Pollution Act of 1990, and as such,
is not a program under the Resource Conservation Challenge programs.
EPA has identified four national priorities or focus areas for the RCC. The
programs briefly described in this brochure belong, in large part, to one or
more of these focus areas.
Municipal Solid Waste
EPA has issued a nationwide challenge to recycle 35 percent of America's
municipal solid waste -commonly known as trash or garbage. Waste is a part
of everyone's daily life, from office paper to product packaging. By managing
materials and making smart decisions, we all can make an impact.
Green Initiatives-Electronics
The quantity of computers, televisions and other electronic products that we
purchase, use and discard is steadily increasing. EPA is collaborating through
national partnerships to address the full life cycle of electronic products,
including their design, operation, reuse, recycling and disposal. Do your part
by recycling televisions, computers, cell phones and other electronics through
EPA programs.
Industrial Materials Recycling
The management and recycling of industrial products and materials are key
priority areas. While typically not part of people's daily lives, these wastes
are often generated in large volumes. Learn about EPA initiatives, such as the
Coal Combustion Partnership Program, and the recycling and beneficial use of
industrial by-products generated during manufacturing processes.
Priority and Toxic Chemicals Reduction
While comparatively low in volume, priority and toxic chemicals present
potentially hazardous waste. Learn about ways to reduce the amount
of hazardous chemicals in products and waste, and make smart up-front
decisions with recycling in mind. EPA is working to eliminate or reduce priority
chemicals in commercial products, waste streams and industrial releases
through programs like the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities
and the Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign.
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Continuing Efforts and Guidelines
EPA has a comprehensive body of references containing general information
and guidelines helpful to businesses, organizations and individuals that
address resource conservation practices. All of the guidelines are consistent
with the goals of the Resource Conservation Challenge. All address the life
cycle of products from the cradle to the grave to manage materials more
efficiently. Those general programs are mentioned below. Visit the Web sites
to read additional information.
Composting—Yard trimmings and food residuals together constitute 26
percent of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream. Compost it into something
useful and environmentally beneficial instead of sending it to a landfill as
waste.
http://epa.gov/waste/conserve/rrr/composting/index.htm
CPG—This program is part of EPA's continuing effort to promote the use of
materials recovered from solid waste. Authorized by Congress, the Guideline
recommends practices for manufacturing and buying, and designates
recommended products.
http://epa.gov/waste/conserve/tools/cpg/index.htm
Household Hazardous Waste—This information is for everyone. It gives
options for disposing of typical household products which contain corrosive,
toxic, ignitable or reactive ingredients. These are household hazardous waste
products such as paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, pesticides and others which
pose a threat to human health and can be found in any home.
http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/materials/hhw.htm
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle—Reduce the amount and toxicity of trash you throw
away and reuse containers and products. Recycle as much as possible and buy
products with recycled content.
http://epa.gov/waste/conserve/rrr/index.htm
Stewardship—This is a product-centered approach to environmental protec-
tion. Manufacturers, retailers, users and disposers are called upon to develop
a partnership and share responsibility for reducing the environmental impacts
of products.
http://epa.gov/waste/partnerships/stewardship/index.htm
Chemicals list. The chemicals on that list have been identified as having
significant effects on human health and the environment and are typically
persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic. Public and private, large and small,
NPEP recognizes all partners with atrophy plaque, press release, posting of
their membership and success stories on the EPA Web site, and the use of the
NPEP logo. EPA Region 6, alone, has received commitments from 32 facilities,
and these partners have successfully reduced over 7 million pounds of
hazardous chemicals, and have pledged additional reductions of over 21 million
pounds. As part of the RCC, the NPEP program focuses on improving materials
management, as well as reducing wastes.
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/npep/index.htm
Pay As You Throw (PAYT)
Also known as Save Money and Reduce Trash, the PAYT program simply
means charging residents for municipal solid waste (ordinary household trash)
collection like any other municipal utility - based on how much they throw
away, instead of paying for garbage services out of the tax base or a flat fee.
This economic incentive strongly encourages people to reduce their waste and
to recycle and compost more. And, with a 32-59 percent increase in recycling
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EMS program is primarily internal, but its support team can provide advice and
information to other facilities to help them "Go Green." Businesses can save
money and help the environment by reducing energy consumption and waste
through development and implementation of EMS programs, behavioral
conditioning and operational controls.
http://www.epa.gov/EMS/index.html
GreenScapes
EPA's GreenScapes provides cost-effective and environmentally friendly
solutions for large-scale landscaping. Designed to help preserve natural
resources and prevent waste and pollution, GreenScapes encourages
companies to make more holistic decisions regarding waste generation and
disposal and to consider the associated impacts on land, water, air and energy
use. GreenScapes focuses on the "four R's" in landscaping: reduce, reuse,
recycle water and waste and rebury. Green landscaping means buying fewer
products and switching from disposable products to those that are long-
lasting and reusable. While the purchase of longer-lasting product may be
more expensive initially, savings accrue overtime. Using reusable materials
reduces waste, which is associated with green house gas emissions reductions,
savings of landfill space and natural resource preservation.
http://www.epa.gov/greenscapes/
Industrial Materials Recycling
Also referred to as beneficial use, EPA promotes
reusing by-product materials from industrial
processes which can be used as substitutions for raw
materials in the manufacture of consumer products,
roads, bridges, buildings and other construction
projects. Industrial recycling preserves our natural
resources, conserves energy, reduces greenhouse
gas emissions and saves money. Examples of practical
recycling applications include: concrete, slag, spent foundry sand, and asphalt
crushed and used as an aggregate in pavements or as structural fill; pulp and
paper products used in manufactured soil and agricultural amendments; and
other applications related to by-products from coal-fired power plants, (see
the Coal Combustion Products Partnership).
http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/rrr/imr/basic.htm
National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP)
NPEP targets hazardous chemical reductions and accepts partners that
eliminate, reduce the use of, or recycle hazardous chemicals on the Priority
Tools for Local Government Recycling Programs—This Web site contains
tools and information for local governments and community leaders seeking
to create or maintain a residential recycling program.
http://epa.gov/osw/conserve/tools/localgov/index.htm
"What Is Integrated Solid Waste Management"—This is a guidebook (in PDF)
for managing solid waste that identifies important issues you should consider
in establishing recycling and composting programs - components of waste
collection, transport and disposal. It also explains the relationship between
climate change and solid waste.
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/waste/downloads/overview.pdf
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Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE)
CARE is a competitive grant program that offers communities an innovative
way to address the risks from multiple sources of toxic pollution in their
environment. Local organizations, including nonprofits, businesses, schools
and governments, create partnerships that support communities to assess
the risks and implement solutions to improve the environment through local
action. Through CARE, EPA also provides technical assistance and resources.
CARE cooperative agreement funding is spread over two years in two levels
that vary with the project proposal.
http://www.epa.gov/care/index.htm
Coal Combustion Products Partnership
C2P2 is a voluntary program cosponsored by EPA to promote the beneficial
use of coal combustion products (CCPs) and the environmental benefits that
result from their use. CCPs are the by-products generated from burning coal in
coal-fired power plants. These by-products include fly ash, bottom ash, boiler
slag and flue gas desulf urization gypsum. Through this program, EPA works
with governments and industry organizations to address legal, institutional,
economic, market, informational, and other barriers to the beneficial use of
CCPS.
http://www.epa.gov/waste/partnerships/c2p2/index.htm
Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)
EPEAT is a system to help purchasers compare and select electronic products
based on their environmental attributes. The system currently covers
computers, notebooks, monitors and workstations that meet 23 required
environmental performance criteria. The EPEAT Registry lists products in
conformance with the baseline criteria and also operates a verification
program to assure the credibility of the Registry. Registered products are
rated Gold, Silver or Bronze, depending on the percentage of 28 optional
criteria they meet above the baseline criteria. The Federal Acquisition
Regulations require that federal agencies purchase EPEAT registered products,
and many local governments require it as well.
http://www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/products/epeat.htm
Environmental Management System (EMS)
An EMS network is based upon the International Organization of
Standardization's (ISO) 1400:2004(E) environmental impacts through
implementation of policies and procedures, programs/plans, and clearly
defined roles and responsibilities for all facility staff. Performance can be
tracked and is measured through periodic audits and surveys. EPA Region 6's
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