RECYCLING:
Protecting the environment,
and growing the economy
fit PRO^
NOVEMBER 2018
-------
RECYCLED/RECYCLABLE - PRINTED ON PAPER THAT CONTAINS AT LEAST 50% RECYCLED FIBER
-------
Recycli ng Across the United States
The passage of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) in 1976 established the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a federal leader in the conservation and recovery of materials.
EPA's Sustainable Materials Management program seeks to efficiently and effectively minimize environmental
impacts throughout the entire life cycle of materialsfrom raw materials extraction, through transportation,
processing, manufacturing, and use, as well as reuse, recycling, and disposal.
EPA recognizes the importance and impact of recycling, which contributes to American prosperity and the
protection of our environment. The United States has made great progress on recycling, growing from a rate
of less than 7 percent in 1960 to 35 percent in 2015 for municipal solid waste, in addition to helping to protect
the environment by keeping valuable materials out of landfills, the U.S. recycling industry is an important
economic driver and provides more than 757,000 jobs and $6.7 billion annually in tax revenues. There is
opportunity for an even greater contribution, as the most recent data from 2015 show that materials worth $9
billion are thrown away each year.
The U.S. recycling system is facing several significant challenges: well-intending consumers accidentally
place recyclable items in the trash and non-recyclable items in the recycling bin; recent changes have
negatively impacted markets for recyclables; and the evolution of new materials and products has added
stress to our U.S. recycling system.
With these challenges, come great opportunity. By working together, all stakeholders in the recycling system
can identify solutions to:
Create a more resilient recycling system capable of withstanding disruptions;
Support more competitive manufacturing by converting materials that are currently managed as waste
into valuable raw materials;
Maintain U.S. economic competitiveness in the future;
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018 3
-------
TOGETHER, WE CAN
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
identify opportunities for investment in
municipal recycling facilities to recover more
material; and
Create jobs.
On this 21st annual America Recycles Day we
celebrate the progress we have made as a nation
on recycling as we work to improve the recycling
system to tackle 21st century challenges. WHEN YOU THROW SOMETHING
AWAY, WHERE DOES IT GO?
EPA's Role in Recycling
Responsibility for managing materials and waste
is largely at the state and local levels, yet capacity
and approaches vary widely. EPA helps to provide
national consistency and co-implements RCRA
with states by providing states, businesses,
and other stakeholders with national standards,
guidelines, and technical support to more
effectively conserve and manage materials and
waste.
In addition, through EPA's Sustainable Materials Management program, EPA facilitates the dialogue and
collaboration needed to address the complex challenges of sustainably managing natural resources while
experiencing healthy economic growth.
GENERATED
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
Recycling Spurs Economic Growth
In 2016, EPA released the Recycling Economic Information (REI) Report, which increases the information on
the economic implications of material reuse and recycling. How our society uses materials is fundamental to
our economic and environmental future. Global competition for finite resources will intensify as economies
grow. More productive and less impactful use of materials helps our society remain economically competitive,
contributes to our prosperity and protects the environment in a resource-constrained future. By converting
waste materials into valuable raw materials, recycling creates jobs, builds more competitive manufacturing
industries and significantly contributes to the U.S. economy.
The 2016 REI Report includes updated information about the number of recycling jobs, wages, and tax
revenue. The report shows that recycling and reuse of materials creates jobs, while also generating local and
state tax revenues. In 2007, recycling and reuse activities in the United States accounted for:
757,000 jobs
36.6 billion in wages; and
$6.7 billion in tax revenues
This equates to 1.57 jobs for every 1,000 tons of materials recycled. Construction and demolition materials
recycling provides the largest contribution to all three categories (jobs, wages, and tax revenues), followed by
ferrous and non-ferrous metals such as aluminum.
See the full report here: https://www.epa.aov/smm/recvclina-economic-information-rei-report.
Wages, Tax and Jobs Attributable to Recycling
O
O
o
TI
w
c
X
CD
n
,<* .<ฃ>
^ <$>
rv> . r*'
V
A*
250,000
200,000
150,000
co
_Q
O
QJ
100,000 E
3
50,000
*Food category includes animal feed, meal, meat, fats, oils and tallow, as well as
community food service
**Yard Trimmings category includes biodiesel, biogas, compost, mulch and wood chips
ฆ Wages ($1000) ฆ Employment {# of jobs) ฆ Tax ($1000)
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
A Sustainable Materials Management Approach
Sustainable materials management (SMM) is a systemic
approach to using and reusing materials more productively over
their entire life cycles. It represents a change in how our society
thinks about the use of natural resources and environmental
protection.
EPA works with state and local governments, industry,
academia, and non-governmental organizations to promote
SMM approaches to conserve resources, reduce waste, and
promote recycling. Here is a summary of recent EPA efforts.
Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Electronics Challenge
Each year, EPA recognizes leading electronics manufacturers, retailers, and brand owners for their significant
contributions in designing products sustainably and diverting electronics from landfills by sending them
to third-party certified recyclers as part of the Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Electronics
Challenge. Electronics are a global economic driver with supply chains that reach around the world and
products that touch every part of our lives. Today's electronics are made from valuable resources and highly
engineered materials, including precious metals. If not properly managed at the end of their iifetime, some of
the materials in electronics may pose a risk to human health and the environment. In 2016, SMM Electronics
Challenge participants:
Diverted 227,467 tons of end-of-life electronics from the landfill; and
Sent 227,467 tons of end-of-life electronics to third-party certified recyclers.
REUSE
RECYCLE/COMPOST
ENERGY RECOVERY
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
SMM Electronics Challenge participants' accomplishments include:
LG Electronics introduced their line of OLED TVs, which compared to LCD/LED TVs, eliminated
the use of several hazardous materials, reduced their overall materials impact, and made these TVs
easier to disassemble and recycle. LG showed great vision in continually replacing and reducing use
of hazardous materials in electronics products by developing an OLED TV that is mercury-free, uses
PVC-free internal cables and BFR-free housing and stand parts, and greatly reduces the potential harm
to humans and the environment. LG was also commended for their high-level of engagement with
suppliers to improve supplier environmental performance by transferring LG's green technologies and
know-how to the suppliers' operations through the company's "Green Program Plus."
Staples made it as easy for consumers to recycle their electronics as it is to buy them. By creating
a convenient and secure option for consumers to recycle their used electronics at 1,250 stores
nationwide, Staples filled a huge gap in the market, where consumers do not have simple, accessible
options to recycle their electronics. Staples' outreach and public education initiative not only increased
the amount of e-waste collected per store in a climate of lighter products, but also ensured that 100
percent of e-waste collected was sent to a third-party recycler.
Samsung Electronics created their unique and fun Galaxy Smartphone Upcycling program. This
innovative approach for the millions of old Galaxy smartphones provides all the necessary resources
and tools to allows users to "upcycle" an old smartphone into a new product and share applications on
the Upcycling website. Other users can download and use these crowd-sourced ideas.
Best Buy worked in a unique partnership with HP to deliver a closed loop recycled plastic printer, the
"first of its kind" in the retail market. The printer currently uses 10% recycled-content plastic from Best
Buy's recycling efforts, and HP plans to expand its recycler base in the future.
Dell created the first commercial-scale global ocean plastics supply chain by upcycling ocean waste
into viable products rather than allowing the plastics to break down or become too contaminated to be
reusable.
For more information about the SMM Electronics Challenge, visit https://www.epa.gov/smm-electronics/
sustainable-materials-manaaement-smm-electronics-challenae.
EPA's WasteWise Program
EPA's WasteWise program promotes more productive use and reuse of materials
over their entire life cycles, and helps organizations and businesses apply SMM
practices to prevent and reduce waste, save resources and money, and receive
recognition for significant results. WasteWise partners reported preventing
and diverting 8.5 million tons of waste in 2016 that would otherwise have been
disposed in landfills or incinerated.
Participant accomplishments include:
Kohl's Department Stores - 49 States
Kohl's is a retailer with more than 1,100 locations in 49 states. It deploys waste recycling programs and
waste avoidance strategies to help conserve resources, and actively encourages associates, partners, and
customers to reduce their waste and look for opportunities to reuse and recycle materials. The retailer's
signature grey shopping bags are made from recycled plastic, and the company offers customers the
opportunity to recycle their plastic bags, shipping envelopes, air pillows, and product wrap at Kohl's stores
nationwide. In 2016, Kohl's diverted more than 80 percent of its operational waste from landfills, including
more than seven million pounds of plastic and 230 million pounds of cardboard.
&EPA
WASTE
Wise
Preserving Resources,
Preventing Waste
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
CenturyLink Field - Seattle, Washington
CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington, home of the
National Football League's Seattle Seahawks and Major
League Soccer's Seattle Sounders FC, won a national award
in 2018 from EPA's WasteWise program for reducing waste,
keeping materials out of landfills, and preventing food waste
through donation and composting. CenturyLink Field works
with their sports teams and the Green Sports Alliance to
achieve impressive sustainability results such as: keeping
more than 95% of their waste out of landfills over the last
four years; using food service products and vessels that
are compostable; working with Cedar Grove and Sound
Sustainable Farms to direct compost from CenturyLink Field
to grow organic vegetables used at the stadium; generating
25% of the stadium's energy consumption by on-site solar; and saving 1.3 million gallons of water per year by
using low-flow bathroom fixtures.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center - Boston, Massachusetts
Beth israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) is a patient care, teaching and research affiliate of Harvard
Medical School, located in the heart of Boston. Through the commitment of all its employees, BIDMC can
become more sustainable every day through employee engagement, community partnerships, and innovative
solutions. In 2016, BIDMC prevented, donated and recycled nearly 1,300 tons of waste through efforts
including reprocessing medical devices, donating supplies, composting food waste, and promoting green
commuting with rideshare programs.
Earth Friendly Products - Parsippany, New Jersey
Earth Friendly Products operates four sustainable manufacturing facilities across the United States, including
WasteWise award recipients in Parsippany, N.J. Family-owned and operated since 1967, the company
has implemented rigorous recycling programs in all its divisions to dramatically reduce its production and
packaging waste. By separating all recyclable materials, being vigilant in reducing consumption, and working
closely with suppliers and vendors to prevent waste, Earth Friendly Products has reduced its overall waste by
95 percent since 2010. Since 2011, the company has earned over $223,000 from selling recyclable materials
and has reduced its trash disposal costs by over $115,000. In addition to a WasteWise Award, each of the
company's facilities has achieved TRUE Zero Waste Platinum certification from the U.S. Zero Waste Business
Council and Green Business Certification Inc.
Curbed, Inc. - Orchard Park, New York
Building on past environmental successes, Curbell, Inc.'s two western New York facilities achieved a major
objective in 2016: the company was able to cut its dumpster pick-ups from 104 to 52, a nearly 50 percent
reduction. A main factor in the Curbell program's most recent improvement was the creation of an all-
volunteer employee Green Team. The team is made up of a diverse group of individuals from all departments,
from management to facilities and operations. The wide range of influence helped Curbell, Inc. implement
single stream recycling and allowed the team to tackie many smaller projects that resulted in significant
waste reduction. Projects included digitization/print management, in which many departments committed to
using electronic records, resulting in a 75 percent reduction in ink costs. Based on an employee suggestion,
Curbell, Inc. worked with a supplier to eliminate extra packaging. This effort resulted in an estimated 500
thousand plastic bags saved annually. Another suggestion led the company to negotiate with a supplier for
custom-length cords, resulting in the elimination of 75 thousand feet of copper wire scrap per year. Curbell,
inc.'s Green Team meets regularly to share and encourage ideas, tackie waste reduction projects, and help
ensure that the message of sustainability is embraced by the entire company.
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
Urban Chestnut Brewing Company - St. Louis, Missouri
Urban Chestnut Brewing Company (UCBC) has made sustainability
a major focus of its business plan since its inception in 2011.
Whenever possible, sustainable design and processes are
implemented at the point of installation. Its award-winning LEED
Silver Certified production facility is one example. These industrial
processes and technological investments enable UCBC to always
minimize its waste footprint, while simultaneously engaging in
ongoing opportunities to improve as the company expands its
operations. UCBC believes that participating in EPA's WasteWise
program enables it to communicate and share its approach in the
hope that the message may assist others in craft brewing and other
industries. In 2016, UCBC diverted up to 97 percent of its solid waste through recycling and repurposing.
The company has solid waste diversion programs for spent grain (1.1 million pounds), wood pallets (28,000
pounds), and high-density polyethylene barrels (500 pounds). In the coming years, UCBC plans to focus on
improving its ability to track its processes to deliver more accurate and meaningful cost savings numbers and
further improve its operational efficiencies.
Evelyn Hill, Inc., Liberty Island - New York City, New York
Evelyn Hill Inc. is a family-owned company that has provided visitor services for generations at Liberty Island,
the location of the Statue of Liberty. As part of an overall 'greening' effort, Evelyn Hill Inc. opened the Liberty
Gift Pavilion, a LEED Platinum Certified building. The environmentally friendly construction features recycled
materials, waterless urinals, LED lighting, a geothermal heating and cooling system, and rainwater recycling.
Evelyn Hill Inc., also became a leader in concessionaire recycling methods, recycling over 94 percent of the
solid waste produced by its operations in 2016.
The Valley Hospital - Ridgewood, New Jersey
The Valley Hospital is dedicated to ever-increasing accuracy in waste segregation. The hospital is monitoring
waste streams through education and assistance from consulting sources. The Valley Hospital is also a
member of Practice Green Health, which drives ideas and innovation into actions to create an environment
for better health and safety. The Valley Hospital has approximately 3,000 employees. In 2016, the hospital
recycled 462 tons, or 23.4 percent, of all waste materials. The hospital is very proud of the continued work it
does to reduce waste. Great successes came from some of the smaller, harder to manage waste streams that
added up to overall success. Examples are textiles, ink cartridges, medical instruments, metals, pallets, and
Styrofoam. The challenge is to keep waste stream segregation in front of staff continually through monthly
audits, Green Team meetings, and lunch and learns.
St. John's University - New York City, New York
As a Catholic, Vincentian, and Metropolitan institution, the values of sustainability are inherent to the mission
of St. John's University (SJU). In 2016, SJU diverted more than 1,084 tons of municipal solid waste from
landfills through donation, recovery, recycling, and composting. With its emphasis on setting goals, assessing
progress and evaluating results, EPA's WasteWise program provides structure and framework for SJU.
Town of New Paltz - New Paltz, New York
The Town of New Paltz' Sustainable Materials Management Program began in 2011 when EPA representatives
reached out and asked the town to participate in the national EPA Zero Waste Initiative Pilot Program. At
that time, New Paltz' transfer station was sending out over 800 tons of garbage a year to a landfill four and a
half hours away. In 2017, the transfer station, now marketed as the New Paltz ReUse and Recycling Center,
sent out only 297 tons of garbage. The Town of New Paltz embarked on an aggressive public education
and outreach campaign to promote the New Paltz Zero Waste Action Plan, which was adopted in 2012.
It conducted tabling at local events, public speaking at local schools and organizations, and improved
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
educational materials, including a website. The zero-waste program created a new position to assist in
outreach and operate the New Paltz ReLlse Center that opened in 2012. The public provided significant input
into the Action Plan, resulting in the Plan's expansion beyond "garbage only" to include a food recovery
program that started with commercial composting and now includes the recovery of food to feed hungry
people.
University at Albany - Albany, New York
The University at Albany, State University of New York consists of approximately 18,000 undergraduate
and graduate students, and over 4,000 employees, distributed across three campuses. Since instituting a
recycling program in 2005, the University at Albany has worked to increase the number of items it diverts
from the landfill. The university achieved a breakthrough in these efforts in 2013 with the implementation
of a composting pilot program. Composting is now flourishing in all the dining halls. In 2016, over 660
tons of wasted food were diverted through composting. This diversion accomplishment could not have
been achieved without the coordinated efforts of the university's facilities management, University Auxiliary
Services; Sodexo dining services; and Empire Zero, a composting company. Additionally, a food recovery
program was recently established in one of the dining halls. The food recovery effort resulted in over 4,000
pounds of food being donated to the Regional Foodbank of Northeast New York. Finally, the university has
steadily increased the number and types of materials that are reused, recycled, or otherwise diverted from the
landfill, achieving a current diversion rate of 60 percent.
Perishable Distributors of Iowa - Ankeny, Iowa
Perishable Distributors of Iowa (PDI) is a food distribution
company servicing the retail grocery industry. PDI has long
been a company that recycles, but after making a Zero Waste
commitment, landfill diversion results have been substantial, in
2016, PDI's landfill diversion rate was over 98 percent, keeping
24,018,995 pounds of waste out of landfills. One of the keys
to achieving this rate was the successful diversion of organic
wastes. Wasted food made up 799,723 pounds of PDI's waste
diversion. Organic waste diversion is a significant challenge for an
operation like PDI. it carries 7,400 fresh and frozen products from
live lobsters to specialty cheeses, eggs, salads, and juices. This product diversity comes with its own inherent
diversion challenges, along with the many different types of product packaging. PDI is proud of its ability to
overcome this challenge.
PDI achieved Platinum-level Zero Waste status through the U.S. Zero Waste Business Council. It
accomplished this through a comprehensive Zero Waste program and multiple areas of focus on materials
throughout its company, including redesigning, reducing, reusing, recycling, composting, anaerobic digestion,
reporting metrics, upstream management, leadership, training, waste analysis, hazardous waste prevention,
closed-loop practices, and innovation. The biggest key to the success of the program is the top leadership's
commitment to Zero Waste.
Just Salad - New York City, New York
Just Salad is a fast-casual restaurant committed to sustainability. The restaurant sells BPA-free reusable
bowls to its customers for $1 at all 30 worldwide locations. With its 18 New York City locations, Just Salad
saves the city of New York over 75,000 pounds of plastic waste every year with its unique approach to cutting
waste. The restaurant's incentives program encourages individuals to purchase and use reusable bowls. The
company offers free salad toppings each time a reusable bowl is brought back to a Just Salad location. Just
Salad also offers a VIP program, where winners receive a black reusable bowl that allows them to skip the line
anytime, in addition to free toppings every time a Black Bowl is brought back to a location.
Read about all the national and regional winners' accomplishments and how they achieved them here:
https://www.epa.gOv/smm/wastewise#AwardsandAwardWinners
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
Food Recovery Challenge
To put surplus food to better use, EPA partners with businesses and organizations in the Food Recovery
Challenge (FRC) to help participants support their communities through food donation and protect their
bottom line by reducing waste. The FRC is a voluntary program with over 1,000 businesses and organizations
that have made commitments to reduce food loss and waste, track progress, and report results. In 2017,
FRC participants prevented and diverted over 719,000 tons of food waste from landfill disposal.
Over 18,000 tons were source reduced, preventing the creation of excess food.
More than 286,000 tons were recovered through donations to feed people and animals.
More than 179,000 tons were anaerobically digested.
More than 225,000 tons were composted.
Participants also saved up to $36.4 million in landfill tipping fees because of their prevention and
diversion actions. Fifteen entities were selected for national recognition in 2018 for outstanding
achievements through a variety of cost-effective and practical actions.
The following are some of the success stories on reducing food loss and waste:
Philadelphia Prison System Success Story -
Leveraging Resources to Achieve Waste Reduction and Significant Socio-Economic Benefits
In 2011, EPA awarded a
$15,000 composting grant
to the Philadelphia Prison
system to begin building
a four-bay aerated static
pile compost system. This
success led to the City of
Philadelphia awarding the
Prisons an additional $60,000
to expand to a 12-bay system
to compost most of the
food waste being generated
within the Philadelphia
Prison system. The finished
compost is now donated
to the local community and
used in a newly-established
Philadelphia Prisons Orchard
Program which is producing
fruit for the prison system and for donation. This initiative also offers a job training opportunity for inmates.
In 2016, the Philadelphia Prison system won a Food Recovery Challenge National Award Honorable
Mention in the "Innovation Category" for their efforts to develop an inmate Horticultural Training Certificate
program in partnership with Temple University. Inmates received both classroom and hands-on training
working in the compost and orchard operations. In 2017, the Philadelphia Prison system composted
88,688pounds of food waste. The Prison is currently working with EPA to develop a Food Donation
and Prevention Plan to handle surplus food generated as part of its orchard and greenhouse growing
operations.
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY ป NOVEMBER 2018
-------
Drake University - Next Course Food Recovery - Des Moines, Iowa
The Next Course Food Recovery Program at Drake
University began in 2014 when then president, Sara
Hillring, saw a need to address university food waste.
She helped create Next Course in her first year at
Drake University. Since then, it has grown into an
official student organization that serves the university
and the Des Moines, Iowa, communities. Next
Course is a member of Food Recovery Network and
works with Sodexo on composting and food waste
prevention. Recovered food is donated to the Central
Iowa Shelter and Services, YMCA, Hawthorne Hill,
Children and Family Urban Movement, and Hope
Ministries. Excess food is gathered from the Hubbell
Dining Hall, activities such as Drake's Relay Week, and catered Drake University events. In 2016, Next Course
joined EPA's Food Recovery Challenge. In one year, they diverted 2.9 tons of food waste on campus. Next
Course donates wholesome, excess food to provide nutritious meals to people in need. In addition, they
utilize social media to build awareness of food waste and its environmental impact.
Snoqualmie Tribe - Snoqualmie, Washington
The Snoqualmie Tribe, located in Snoqualmie, Washington, has become
a sustainability leader among Indian Tribes in the Pacific Northwest,
especially in the area of food recovery. In 2009, the Tribe conducted a
waste audit of their casino and discovered that only 18.75 percent of
what was in their garbage dumpsters was not recyclable or compostable.
Much of what was in their garbage was wasted food. They designed a
program to increase both recycling and composting at the casino and its
many restaurants, trained staff regularly, and partnered with EPA and their
local composting facility. In 2009, the Tribe began composting wasted
food and kitchen scraps back-of-the-house and sending fats, oils, and
greases (FOG) to a local biodiesel facility. Over the past 10 years, the
casino has composted over 2,000 tons of wasted food and sent over 182,000 gallons of FOG to be used
as biodiesel feedstock. In 2018, they've stepped up their food waste prevention efforts and implemented
catering practices which result in less wasted food by event attendees. The Tribe takes all surplus unserved
food to its employee lounge and allows its 1,100 part-time and full-time employees to enjoy free meals during
their lunch and dinner breaks. Whatever surplus edible food is left over, the Tribe donates to local hunger
relief organizations, like the Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank. The Snoqualmie Tribe is an EPA FRC participant
and they will soon be sharing their experiences with other Pacific Northwest Tribes via peer networking calls,
to help them green their casino operations.
Grinnell College - Grinnell, Iowa
Grinnell College has been successfully participating in food recovery efforts since its initiation in the Fall of
2013. Their program recovers thousands of pounds annually from the dining hall and local businesses. Food
is distributed to people in need at the First Presbyterian Church and a nonprofit called Station Clubhouse. In
2016, Grinnell College diverted over 8,000 pounds of food from the landfill. The program also improved its
efficiency by recovering more meals per week. They started recovering six meals a week with one distribution
day and increased efforts to recover 12 meals a week with four distribution days. Grinnell College is located
in a rural area, with one food bank accepting non-perishable items in town, resulting in a challenge to
distribute perishable foods. Therefore, they had to be creative and find local partners who would be able
to host distributions. Establishing these community partnerships has been crucial to their success, as well
as establishing connections with key volunteers and supporters. Increased awareness of the college's food
recovery efforts has allowed the program to work.
RECOVERY
NETWORK
notDiNa fron.i
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
The Forge Restaurant at Montgomery Bell State Park Inn and Conference Center (Burns, TN)
Department of Environment and Conservation, TN State Parks - Burns, Tennessee
The Forge Restaurant at Montgomery Bell State Park's Inn and Conference Center in Burns, Tennessee, has
worked diligently to implement a food recovery program that diverts, donates, and composts food waste as
much as possible. The restaurant currently diverts approximately 8,000 pounds of food waste a year and
4,000 pounds of food waste are composted. The remaining 4,000 pounds is donated with the help of a local
philanthropy group, Hearts and Hands, in Dickson, Tennessee. The restaurant composted 57 tons of food
waste in 2017, saving the park approximately $4,000.
Get Food Smart TN - Tennessee
A key initiative supporting EPA's FRC goals is the launch of a statewide initiative, Get Food Smart TN,
endorsed by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. The program includes an interactive website, a recognition
program, and a link to EPA's FRC. This program promotes FRC goals to grocery suppliers, schools,
businesses, and consumers. As of October 2018, 140 entities have joined the program to recover and divert
food. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) Organics Management Grant
funds projects that support FRC goals and raises awareness regarding the impact of food waste. Total grant
funding of $3.7 million is used for diverse projects - from supplying composting equipment and organics
collection receptacles, to supporting a distribution hub for a major food recovery organization. Working
closely with EPA, TDEC staff presented about food waste, recovery, and diversion at 19 different events in
2017, engaging a wide variety of audiences. Staff assisted in food waste audits in select schools, and in food
waste diversion, donation, and composting across the state.
EPA Partners with The Kroger Co. to Reduce Food Waste - Nationwide
The Kroger Co. is an EPA FRC participant and award winner. In 2018, Kroger joined the U.S. Food Loss
and Waste 2030 Champions when EPA signed a new joint agency formal agreement under the Winning on
Reducing Food Waste Initiative. The Kroger Co. focuses on addressing the complex issues of hunger and
food waste through its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Food Rescue program. Through this program, Kroger
associates nationwide donate wholesome meat, produce, deli, bakery and dairy products that can no longer
be sold to local food banks that have the capacity to safely handle and distribute fresh food. In 2017, Kroger
donated 91 million pounds of food company-wide to local Feeding America-affiliated food banks. Working
in partnership with internal food safety experts, Kroger continuously looks for opportunities to add new
categories of food that can be rescued and donated safely.
In 2017, Kroger introduced its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste social impact plan. Their commitment: to end hunger
in Kroger communities and eliminate waste across the company by 2025. In 2018, the company relaunched
Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Food Rescue in stores to improve engagement and execution, with a goal of
100% of stores donating food consistently every month. Kroger will also create a Zero Hunger | Zero Waste
Innovation Fund to find new ideas and scalable solutions to reduce food insecurity and food waste.
Food Forward - Southern California
Food Forward, a three-time EPA FRC awardee,
rescues fresh local produce that would otherwise
go to waste, connecting this abundance with
people in need and inspiring others to do the
same. Produce is collected from over 750 private
backyards, 22 weekly farmers markets, and
the downtown Los Angeles Wholesale Produce
Market. In 2016, the Wholesale Recovery program rescued over 13.7 million pounds of fresh fruits and
vegetables. This produce would have otherwise been sent to landfills at a great financial and environmental
cost. One hundred percent of the recovered food is donated, within hours, to hunger relief agencies across
eight counties in southern California. In 2016, Food Forward helped feed 1.25 million people facing food
insecurity.
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
Kansas City Chiefs - Kansas City, Missouri
The Kansas City Chiefs Organization wanted to be a positive
example for recycling and sustainability efforts within their
community, so they created the "Extra Yard for the Environment"
sustainability committee to educate their fans on environmental
issues and have diverted more than 1,500 tons of materials from
landfills through these efforts, in addition to waste diversion, the
Chiefs have focused on energy efficiencies, glass recycling, and
broadening recycling efforts, and are well on their way to having a
positive environmental impact in Kansas City and throughout the
region. Since 2012, the Chiefs and its vendors have diverted more
than 600 tons of food from concession stands into composting and
donated more than 24 tons of food to those in need.
Food Rescue Partnership - Moline, East Moline, and
Iowa
The Food Rescue Partnership focuses on education,
awareness, community outreach activities, forming
partnerships by tracking stakeholder engagement,
and aiming to form and maintain relationships
between community members to rescue food for
its best possible use. The partnership also provides
monthly food rescue education and awareness to the
community, and continually looks to leverage existing,
relevant, and recognized sources and authorities
for the more up-to-date information to incorporate
into their message. As a Food Recovery Challenge
endorser, the partnership has increased the number of stakeholders; increased the number of donor-recipient
relationships; increased both the number and geographic reach of education and awareness programs; and
increased community visibility through in-person presence at community conferences and showcase events,
in addition to online, print and broadcast media.
Johnson County Department of Health and Environment - Olathe, Kansas
The Johnson County Department of Health and
Environment (JCDHE) has been a member of EPA's
FRC since 2013. One of the major components of
JCDHE's food recovery program is to ensure that
enough outreach and education is provided to schools
to decrease contamination rates in compost. JCDHE
found that one of the most common contaminants
in compost is straws. Straws are an unnecessary
expense for schools. JCDHE also makes sure to
advocate for source reduction at schools, often in the
form of changes in purchasing. JCDHE believes that
its work with the Shawnee Mission School District has
direct application for strategies that apply to other
K-12 schools.
JCDHE and the school district found that standardizing and improving signage on bins has been effective
in reducing contamination, as well as encouraging waste diversion. JCDHE suggests that each bin have a
dedicated color - blue for recycling, black for waste sent to the landfill, and green for compost. JCDHE also
suggests that organizations look at what they are spending and why. They believe that collaborations with
Rock Island, Illinois; Davenport and Bettendorf,
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
food service and custodial staff has been a key factor in the success of diverting food from landfills. Finally,
JCDHE also advises schools to conduct at least a week of surveying before beginning food recovery efforts.
Separating liquids from other waste streams, so that the additional weight does not need to be paid for, is a
best management practice that resulted from location surveys.
Iowa Waste Reduction Center (IWRC): Works with K-12 Schools to Reduce Food Waste - Cedar Falls,
Iowa
Food waste reduction in Iowa is a priority for the
Iowa Waste Reduction Center (IWRC). Since 2012,
the center has focused on working with industrial,
institutional and commercial entities. IWRC also
showed a strong interest in understanding K-12
schools and reducing their wasted food. IWRC works
with 29 schools, spanning 12 school districts, to
provide waste audits, observe food management
practices, and make recommendations to prevent and
reduce food waste, with an emphasis on learning what
gets thrown in the garbage daily. IWRC conducted the
following work with select Iowa schools:
M YOUR L'SSc
Separated and measured all waste streams,
including recyclables, compostables, cold lunch
waste (lunches that students bring from home), trash, liquids, and food waste.
Calculated that 0.4 pounds of food is wasted during lunch per student in the selected schools, which
was extrapolated to estimate that each student generates 65 pounds of food waste per school year.
Estimated that K-12 students in Iowa generated 33,423,650 pounds of food waste during the 2016-
2017 school year.
Participating schools receive estimated potential savings in disposal costs if their food waste is diverted from
the landfill. They also receive projected reductions in greenhouse gas emissions generated by the school's
food waste. Recommendations are made to reduce school food waste, such as composting, repurposing
food, inventory management, student involvement, and establishing share tables for uneaten, unopened
foods for reuse and/or donation. IWRC's work and data collected showcase the impacts of reducing food
waste in Iowa's K-12 schools and sparked interest in many institutions to learn about their food waste and
what they can do to reduce, recycle and recover it.
Green Dining Alliance - St. Louis, Missouri
The Green Dining Alliance (GDA) has always encouraged their
member restaurants to minimize their food waste by reducing portion
sizes and composting food waste. Many of the GDA restaurant
members compost, diverting more waste from landfills and reducing
more greenhouse gas emissions than those restaurants who are only
recycling. One GDA member is an Asian cuisine restaurant that has
an all-you-can-eat buffet served Dim Sum style. Guests are offered
small portions of everything on the menu but if they want more food,
they must ask for it. Customers can have as much as they like, but
they don't get more than they need, reducing the waste that is typical
of buffets.
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
Mid America Regional Council (MARC) - Kansas City, Missouri
The Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) Solid Waste District serves
five counties in Missouri and cooperates with four counties in Kansas, all
within the Kansas City metropolitan area, which includes 119 local city
governments. MARC became an EPA FRC endorser in 2015 and is very
active in promoting the sustainable management of food. MARC funds food
recovery and recycling grants in the Kansas City area and works to increase
recovery awareness. During 2017, five of 12 grants funded by the District
supported food recovery activities ranging from establishing food recovery
programs in K-12 schools to composting and raising business and public
awareness about food recovery. The District recently added a new wasted
food webpage to Recvclespot.org. The page contains useful information for homeowners on how to reduce
the amount of wasted food and encourages organizations to join the FRC. Another key objective of MARC
is to share food recovery information through social media. In 2016, MARC shared 35 Facebook posts that
generated more than 13,800 impressions and 25 tweets that generated more than 6,500 impressions. MARC
also presents, or invites other organizations to present, on wasted food at meetings and conferences. Finally,
MARC sponsors the Kansas City Environmental Educators Networks (KCEEN), which is a group of individuals
and organizations focused on enhancing environmental education in K-12 schools. MARC also established a
KCEEN sub-committee on food recovery. Many additional FRC participants joined as a result of MARC and
KCEEN's efforts.
St. Louis Cardinals - St. Louis, Missouri
In 2016, the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team
initiated a variety of green measures, including
recycling, pollution prevention, and reducing
wasted food at Busch Stadium. Sport teams
and venues across the nation are encouraging
Americans to protect the environment and
sharing simple actions people can take to
make a difference. Over the past five years,
the Cardinals took advantage of EPA technical
assistance to achieve food recovery goals, use
a data management system, and reduce food
disposal costs. In 2016, the Cardinals and their
concessionaire, Delaware North, diverted approximately 217 tons of wasted food by composting and donated
approximately 0.5 tons to Operation Food Search, which helps feed those in need in the St. Louis community.
The Cardinals are also members of the Green Sports Alliance. Since launching nationally in March 2011 with
six professional teams and five venues as founding members, the Alliance has grown to approximately 350
professional and collegiate teams and venues. Members are integrating environmental sustainability into their
core operations and engaging fans in the process.
Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Music & Arts Festival - Honesdale, Pennsylvania
In 2010, the Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Music & Arts Festival Board in Pennsylvania worked with a local
waste consulting firm specializing in food recovery and with a local farmer who agreed to accept the festival's
food waste for on-farm use. Materials were donated by local businesses and waste reclamation stations
were positioned throughout the festival along with community volunteers. Due to the community's efforts to
educate festival-goers about food waste diversion and sustainability, the latest data from the 2016 festival
indicates that more than 1,100 pounds of wasted food was composted and 480 pounds of recyclables were
collected. These results represent more than a 90 percent increase in sustainable materials successfully
diverted from the landfill when compared to 2008's Festival. For their efforts, Honesdale Roots and Rhythm
Music and Arts Festival won the Innovation Award in 2017 in the EPA Food Recovery Challenge.
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
Aurora Public Schools (Aurora, CO) Food Recovery Challenge activities
EPA and USDA Food and Nutrition Services visited Aurora West College Preparatory Academy
(Aurora Public Schools) to learn about their donation program in partnership with EPA FRC member
We Don't Waste.
Patrick Davis, Advisor to the Regional Administrator, Presents Aurora Public
Schools with FRC Recognition.
Students Discuss Food Waste Measurement results from their school
Students from Aurora West College Preparatory Academy Demonstrate
Safe Food Handling Practices for their Food Donation Program to Local
Communities
Aurora West Students Discusses School Food Donation Program with Deputy
Regional Administrator Deb Thomas
Aurora Public Schools Students Measured Food
Waste in the School Cafeteria
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
Winning on Reducing Food Waste Initiative
In October 2018, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), EPA, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) announced the signing of a joint agency formal agreement under the Winning on Reducing Food Waste
initiative. The agreement is aimed at improving coordination and communication across federal agencies and
sharing information with Americans on the impacts and importance of reducing food loss and waste. While
there have been significant actions taken and commitments made through public-private partnerships to
date, such as the U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions initiative, which asks businesses to reduce
food loss and waste by 50% by 2030, there is still much work to be done. There are tremendous economic
opportunities and possible cost savings for businesses and individual households that can result from
reducing food waste. And while businesses are a critical component of food waste reductions, consumer
education is also key to finding better ways to use excess food than simply throwing it away.
Pollution Prevention: Reducing Waste at the Source
Environmental Protection Hierarchy
Pollution Prevention
(Source Reduction)
w
Re-Use
Recycling
w
An inverted pyramid with the most preferred pollution prevention
option source reduction at the top. Other sections of the pyramid
recycling, treatment, disposal are less desirable, in that order.
Pollution prevention (P2) is any practice that reduces, eliminates, or
prevents pollution at its source before it is created. If you can avoid
a pollution generating activity, you can avoid the cost and impacts of
waste management, including recycling (e.g., the costs of collection
and handling of recycled material, and the energy costs and impacts of
recycling the material). The environmental protection hierarchy triangle
shown here provides a quick and easy overview of the best ways
to protect the environment in the most efficient manner with source
reduction being the first and preferred method.
We can all apply pollution prevention in our daily lives. Whether in the
home and garden, at the supermarket or on the road, we can make
pollution prevention choices every day in order to protect the environment, save money and conserve natural
resources. For instance, using a reusable water bottle instead of a plastic throw-away reduces the impact on
the environment from extracting the raw materials to produce the throw-away water bottle, and the handling
and energy costs to recycle that bottle after it has been used.
EPA works with businesses, states, and other partners to encourage and facilitate adoption of P2 approaches
through the development and delivery of P2 information and tools; technical assistance; and the sharing of
those innovations so that others can replicate those P2 approaches and outcomes.
For more information, please check out our website, www.epa.gov/p2.
18
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
Federal Green Challenge
The Federal Green Challenge (FGC) calls on EPA and other federal
agencies throughout the country to lead by example in reducing the
federal government's environmental impact. It also furthers the goals
of the President's Executive Order (EO) Regarding Efficient Federal
Operations, EO 13834.
FGC participants are leading the way in advancing the goals of the
President's EO, which states that agencies must prioritize reducing
waste, cutting costs, enhancing the resiliency of federal infrastructure
and operations, and that these reductions should be tracked to ensure
accountability.
U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) Southeast Laboratory
in Miami reduced potable water use by 69 percent, from 950,710
gallons to 293,964 gallons. The facility currently utilizes a
Deionized Water Purification System to remove impurities from the
water supply. The previous Deionized Water Purification System
was allowing the excess purified water to discharge into the drain.
The Southeast Laboratory implemented a system to allow the
discharged water to recirculate to a holding tank. This system can
also operate continuously, even when off-line, to minimize excess
water waste. Since the re-routing system was implemented, the
laboratory has seen a dramatic decrease in water consumption.
U.S. Department of Transportation Volpe National Transportation Systems Center was founded in
1970 to address emerging transportation issues related to safety, infrastructure, and innovation. Their
13-story office building in Cambridge, Mass., hosts 1,100 employees on 14 acres of land. In 2017, the
Volpe Green Team joined with food service management to establish a back-of-the-house "compost"
program designed to capture organic waste from the food preparation stations. Although a small
compost program for coffee grounds was established several years earlier, this expanded program
called for new equipment, training on food waste management procedures, and modified operations
with the building's waste hauler.
U.S. Department of Energy, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) considers waste reduction and
recovery an agency-wide priority. To achieve its 92 percent diversion rate, the highest-impact facilities
(Portland headquarters and the Ross Complex) undergo waste audits every few years to determine the
makeup and contamination level of its landfill, recycling and compost materials streams. In response to
its FY17 audit, for example, Ross Facilities reduced the use of Styrofoam in their cafeteria by providing
durable to-go options for customers. At the headquarters building, Workplace Services partnered
with the Sustainability Program to design signage and engagement programs to encourage proper
recycling and composting of materials. BPA's Investment Recovery Center (IRC) is also instrumental in
the responsible diversion of unwanted or surplus materials. For instance, last year the IRC undertook a
massive substation cleanup effort that resulted in the recycling of 128 tons of materials that would have
otherwise gone to a landfill. Overall, the IRC recovered over 2,000 tons of waste in FY17.
General Services Administration (GSA), Fort Worth Federal Center is a 187-acre campus that is
home to the National Archives and Records Administration, the National Resources and Conservation
Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency U.S. Geological Services, and the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This site achieved a 97 percent diversion rate in FY17. This
diversion rate was achieved through a combined recycling effort from the tenants, tenant agencies and
the custodial contractor, Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth.
Federal Green Challenge
National 2017 Results
A Ovwtปd 9M* 412.400 torn
lanMh, u>*n plJ
lorn of NWtป fro
1 S CWNWMttf tSS mAoa p0M of
^ I UtetMktm wtyr in FY1T thi FYI4> miff m
J MflmJlMi U I HfllM
Q\ f uป< oi 4
MJ **********
Iwfmrt b* 701,000 plbm,
tymtt 1*57,0001
y y. Ww m ton at KWI to
;V^7. J party ixylwt
TWt# in w
(Ml wrtfi of ซkNOi $11 m4i<
10 O l
oEFA
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
Race to Recycle Since 2016, EPA has
partnered with GSA's Regional Sustainability
team to conduct an annual "Race to Recycle"
competition during the summer to engage
federal facility managers to reinvigorate
recycling and inspire tenants to boost
recycling and waste diversion over an eight-
week period. From 2016-2017, nine facilities
diverted approximately 180 tons of waste
from landfills. Race to Recycle winners
are recognized with an awards ceremony
and a 3-foot tall, silver trophy to the facility
manager and their team. EPA and GSA
provide technical assistance, tools and
training to support participating facilities
including posters, flyers, and weekly updates and social media posts highlighting simple ways to reduce
waste. In 2018, EPA and GSA expanded web-based training to address topics including "How to
Craft a Recycling Communication Plan," "How to Build a Successful Recycling Program," and "How to
Conduct a Solid Waste Audit." Eleven federal facilities are participating in the 2018 competition.
Presidio Trust EPA worked with the Presidio Trust, which manages a former U.S. Army base in San
Francisco, Calif., to advance outstanding federal environmental leadership. The Trust developed
and implemented a comprehensive waste reduction strategy through the facility's participation in
EPAs Federal Green Challenge. In 2016, staff identified issues like refuse and recycling overflow,
contamination of recyclables with trash, and low diversion rates. In 2017, they conducted waste audits,
including a campground waste audit with EPA staff, and implemented new waste reduction practices.
All told, from 2016 to 2017, the Presidio Trust increased its reuse of materials by 47 percent and grew its
composting by 30 percent.
Department of Veterans Affairs' Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center - Bonham, Texas
In 2018, the Department of Veterans Affairs' Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center in Bonham, Texas,
was recognized nationally for increasing its alternative Fuel Vehicle and Hybrid Electric Fleet from 91 to
167 vehicles, increasing bike miles from six to 80 miles, and increasing purchasing of Electronic Product
Environmental Assessment (EPEAT) registered electronics by 542 percent over the last the last year,
from 87 to 559 units. These efforts help to reflect the commitment of the VA to provide the best service
in the most healthful setting possible for this nation's veterans. In addition, the Sam Rayburn Memorial
Veterans Center approached recycling innovation with the use of personnel and resources that it already
had on site. It incorporated a work therapy person to hold a lead position of making sure that paper
goods were recycled throughout the facility. While helping work therapy personnel to get back in the
workforce, they managed to recycle 7.9 tons of paper. This included cardboard, paperboard, white
paper, box board, magazines and other types of paper products. Every year, the Center improved upon
is outreach and education. Their leadership is centered in healthcare and environmental improvements
and one example of their commitment includes creating a healing garden using harvested rainwater.
The healing garden imbues beautification, relaxation, sensory stimulation and promotes physical activity
for its dementia patients. The idea was very well received, and the feedback is that it is great for the
families to have a place to come and sit in a seating area of choice and talk with their loved ones while
enjoying the outdoors.
Read about all of the national and regional winners' FGC Award Winners' accomplishments and how they
achieved them here: https://www.epa.aov/fac/federal-areen-challenae-awards.
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
Memorandum of Understanding with the National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program
On November 15, 2018, EPA renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National
Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program (NVMSRP). Involving more than 10,000 recyclers, this
program has already removed and safely recycled more than 6.8 million mercury convenience light
switches containing a total of more than 7.6 tons of mercury. EPA's Smart Sectors program revitalized
the MOU with the NVMSRP, a collaboration for reducing mercury air emissions initially designed by
EPA's Sectors program and its partners in 2006. By diverting the switches from the waste stream, the
program has prevented the release of mercury into the environment. Other parties to the MOU include
the Steel Manufacturers Association, the End of Life Vehicle Solutions Corporation, the Automotive
Recyclers Association, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, and the American Iron and Steel
Institute. EPA Smart Sectors is a partnership program that provides a platform to collaborate with
regulated sectors and develop sensible approaches that better protect the environment and public
health. To learn more about the program, visit: epa.aov/smartsectors.
EPA Research Aims to Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse Waste
EPA researchers are developing new and innovative ways to reduce waste, increase recycling, and repurpose
materials currently sent to landfills into commodities that not only reduce disposal costs but spark economic
growth. The research is conducted in close collaboration with states to develop reuse options, and in
partnership with private business to help assess promising technologies and processes. This research helps
identify opportunities to reduce the volume of waste disposal, conserve natural materials, and reduce costs-
all while protecting the natural environment.
A few examples of EPA SMM research include the following:
Turning Waste Streams into Resources for Removing Contaminants from Water
EPA researchers and collaborators are leading studies to help turn a waste stream from the seafood industry
into a resource for mitigating the impacts of mining on water resources. The resource? Crab shells. The work
is part of larger EPA research efforts to develop innovative, sustainable solutions for cleaning up contaminated
sites and advancing waste management. One promising area they are exploring is the use of "biosorbents,"
materials grown by plants, animals, or other living organisms that naturally reduce acidity and bind with
harmful contaminants. EPA researchers and collaborators conducted one of the first studies using samples
of mine-influenced water to evaluate the effectiveness of commercially available, crab-derived products to
remove contaminants from water. What they found is that the materials effectively neutralize strong acidity, as
well as remove iron, copper, lead, zinc, cadmium, and manganese.
Turning Biomass into Energy and Chemicals: An Overview
Developing new sources of energy and chemicals from plants and other biomass-based materials has the
potential for massive environmental, public health, and economic benefits. EPA researchers recently provided
an overview of current biorefinery techniques and their status for turning feedstocks that are high in cellulose
and hemicellulose into renewable fuels and more sustainable chemicals on a commercial scale.
Material Recovery for Construction and Demolition
New construction and development is a vital part of a strong and growing American economy, but it does
create environmental challenges. Construction and demolition debris (CDD) is a significant component of
the country's solid waste stream. EPA researchers are working to usher in a new generation of cleaner, more
sustainable CDD management practices. EPA research provides state, local, and municipal waste managers
with resources to better manage CDD, reduce contamination risks associated with CDD in landfills, and
assess best practices. A summary of six recent reports, Sustainable Materials Management Options for
Construction and Demolition, Debris provides a one-stop-shop for those looking to reduce the impacts of
construction and demolition and advance sustainability in their communities. Learn more: https://www.epa.
gov/smm/sustainable-manaaement-construction-and-demolition-materials.
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
I OVERSIZE
\CONTAIHERl
Sustainable Materials Management Tools and Resources
Facts and Figures Website
EPA began analyzing national data on waste and materials recycling more than two decades ago, and the
Agency has data tables that go back to the 1960s. The Facts and Figures data looks at generation, recycling,
composting, combustion with energy recovery, and landfiiling for a variety of materials and products. In
April 2018, EPA debuted the website, Facts and Figures about Materials, Waste and Recycling. This website
replaces the biyearly Facts and Figures "full" report that EPA published, which was a PDF document of 100-
plus pages. This data is still released in the form of a Fact Sheet and in Data Tables which can now be easily
downloaded. The website includes 2015 data, which is the most recent year of data. Check out the web area
here: https://www.epa.aov/facts-and-fiaures-about-materials-waste-and-recvclina/auide-facts-and-fiaures-
report.
Waste Reduction Model (WARM)
EPA created the Waste Reduction Model (WARM) to help solid waste planners and organizations track and
voluntarily report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions from several different waste management
practices. WARM calculates and totals GHG emissions of baseline and alternative waste management
practicessource reduction, recycling, anaerobic digestion, combustion, composting and landfiiling.
The model calculates emissions across a wide range of material types commonly found in municipal solid
waste in the following:
metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent,
metric tons of carbon equivalent, and
energy units.
Read more about WARM and see the tool here: https://www.epa.aov/warm.
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
Save Energy by Recycling Widget
This interactive widget allows you to choose a recyclable (aluminum can, glass
bottle, plastic bottle, weekly magazine and a plastic grocery bag) and then
choose an appliance (air conditioner, hair dryer, laptop computer and 60W
equivalent compact fluorescent light bulb or CFL) to find out how long that
appliance can be powered for by recycling the material chosen.
See the tool here: https://www.epa.gov/recvcle and add it to your website.
Excess Food Opportunities Map
In June 2018, EPA released the Excess Food Opportunities Map, a first-of-its-
kind national map that provides information on places that may have excess food,
and those who may be able to use it. It supports nationwide diversion of excess
food from landfills through the identification and display of establishment-specific
information about potential generators and recipients of excess food. The map
displays over half a million potential
rnAsa,e energy by
OtrA recycling
cfiooM ฆ rปc*ctatrte
m Aluminum
ฆ Can
power an appliance
<
Lฎ Conditioner
g Glass Bottle
Hair Dryer
i Plastic
I Bottle
m Laptop
Computer
^ Weekly
Magazine
p SOW Equrv
CFL Bulb
. Plastic
ฆ Grocery Bag
Share youi
results
Learn
more
5
j r
T
'.vป7 1
i
generators of excess food, such as food processors and
manufacturers, grocery stores, and hotels, along with estimates
of excess food per establishment, as well as over 4,000 potential
recipients of excess food, including food banks and composting
and anaerobic digestion facilities. Through analysis of the data
A ฆ , " presented in the map, users from businesses, non-governmental
organizations, and government can identify infrastructure gaps,
assess the feasibility of developing new recipient facilities, and
identify alternatives to landfill disposal of excess food. The map
is supported by a technical methodology document, a user guide, and frequently asked questions. EPA also
held a training webinarthat was attended by approximately 700 people in July 2018. See the map here:
https://www.epa.aov/sustainable-manaaement-food/excess-food-opportunities-map.
Municipal Solid Waste Decision Support Tool
The Municipal Solid Waste Decision Support Tool (MSW DST) is designed to aid solid waste planners in
evaluating the cost and environmental aspects of integrated municipal solid waste management strategies.
The tool enables users to simulate existing MSW management practices and conduct scenario analyses of
new strategies based on cost and environmental objectives. The MSW DST includes multiple design options
for waste collection, transfer, materials recovery, composting, waste-to-energy, and landfill disposal. Find the
tool here: https://mswdst.rti.org/.
Anaerobic Digestion Data Collection Project Summary Report
In July 2018, EPA developed and released the Anaerobic Digestion Facilities Processing Food Waste in the
United States in 2015: Survey Results report. The report includes information about the processing capacity
of anaerobic digestion facilities (stand-alone, on-farm, and water resources recovery facility co-digestion
facilities) as well as the total food and non-food waste processed in 2015. It also includes information about
facility operations, pre-processing/de-packaging technologies, feedstock types and sources, biogas cleaning
systems, biogas production and uses, and solid/liquid digestate uses. The report is the first of three annual
reports; EPA will collect additional data for years 2016 and 2017 and will publish new reports in 2019 and
2020. Check out the full report here: https://www.epa.gov/anaerobic-dioestion/anaerobic-dioestion-facilities-
processing-food-waste-united-states-2015-survev.
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
Materials Management Wizard (MWiz)
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Those three words capture simple
ways of improving our environment. EPA's Materials Management
Wizard (MWiz) is an interactive web application that supports
communities, consumers and businesses interested in reducing,
reusing, and recycling materials as a means of creating greener,
healthier and more sustainable communities. MWiz offers quick
and easy access to EPA-sourced tools and resources that support
sustainable materials management and community planning
decisions. The tools and resources available through MWiz can
help users analyze problems, understand management options,
calculate design parameters, analyze costs and benefits, evaluate
tradeoffs, engage stakeholders, and develop education and
outreach campaigns.
To use MWiz and find out more, visit: www.epa.gov/sustainabilitv/mwiz.
Toxics Release Inventory
As part of the Prevention Act (PPA) of 1990, the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program collects information
to track industry progress in reducing waste generation and moving toward safer waste management
alternatives. Each year, the TRI collects information on releases, recycling, and other waste management
from more than 20,000 facilities. The public can search the TRI Pollution Prevention (P2) Search tool
(www3.epa.gov/enviro/facts/tri/p2.htmn for industry submitted examples of source reduction, recycling and
other waste management alternatives.
>0 Quick Links
Use the Keyword
Search
Which Materials
Interest You?
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
wsmm
Supporting Reduce, Reuse, Recycle through
Grants and Contracts
EPA Funding and Technical Assistance
Tribal Communities
Through the General Assistance Program (GAP), EPA provides funding to
tribes to support the development of community recycling programs. EPA
funding and technical assistance helps tribes build capacity, and develop and
implement waste diversion programs, thus maximizing the materials' useful life
and reducing the amount landfilled. In addition to supporting strategic planning
on waste management programs and the staff to manage those programs,
tribes have also used GAP funds to purchase cardboard balers, recycling
trailers, recycling containers, collection vehicles and community drop-off
stations. EPA SMM staff have also supported tribes with hands-on solid EPA Waste Characterization Training at the
, , , . . . . Ak-Chin Indian Community
waste characterization trainings. '
EPA Support of Delta Institute's Work on St. Louis Demolition and Building Materials Recycling and
Reuse
With grant funding from EPA, Delta Institute, a nonprofit organization located in Chicago, IL, is working with
St. Louis, Missouri, to clarify and improve their demolition processes and incorporate best practices for
recycling and reusing building materials. One of several deliverables is a new demolition handbook which
outlines a step-by-step timeline and requirements for contractors to follow when overseeing a demolition
project. The handbook highlights actions to increase recycling and reuse including identifying local recycling
facilities, creating a waste management plan with an inventory of valuable materials, and locating reuse
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018 25
-------
facilities that have an interest in selling this material. Delta is also completing a market study for construction
and demolition material. This information will be useful to communities and demolition and deconstruction
contractors interested in increasing the recovery and reuse of construction and demolition materials.
EPA and The Recycling Partnership Emphasize the Importance of Recycling Messaging to Reduce
Contamination
In 2016, EPA supported work by The Recycling Partnership (TRP) to study consistency in recycling messaging
around Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) in the Midwest. The study showed that not only is it difficult
for citizens to find recycling information online, that information is often incorrect. Incorrect information can
contribute to contamination and ultimately result in recycling being taken to the landfill rather than being
recovered. Following this study EPA held a recycling forum in 2017 to share the results with local municipal
recycling coordinators, MRF operators, and other key communicators. TRP is continuing to work with
surrounding communities and the state of Illinois is now exploring the development of a state-wide campaign
to reduce contamination and improve local recycling.
Citizen's Committee for New York City - $50,000 - The Reusable Container Project
With EPA funding, Citizen's Committee for New York City will work to establish a reusable food takeout
container program within a large corporate building. They will then use this experience and data to develop
a toolkit for others to implement similar programs and make this widely available. The overall goal is to work
towards finding a lasting alternative to single use takeout containers, which is a critical element for New York
City achieving its Zero Waste by 2030 goal.
University of Puerto Rico - $59,336 - Pollution Prevention Programs for the Food Manufacturing
Industry in Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico, in partnership with the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association, will provide
training to the food manufacturing industry in Puerto Rico. UPR will provide technical assistance to twenty-
two targeted food manufacturing and processing businesses. Through a series of seminars, site visits
and roundtables, these businesses will receive training on ways to reduce the consumption of water and
electricity, use of hazardous materials, and operational expenses.
Rowan University - $289,361 - Roadmap for Solvent Recovery in Industrial Manufacturing
Rowan University will provide technical assistance to pharmaceutical companies to assist them in reducing
hazardous chemicals, in the form of solvents, in their manufacturing process. Rowan University will
develop a universal framework for optimal solvent recovery and a computational tool that can be used by
pharmaceutical and other manufacturing facilities. Rowan faculty and students will provide direct technical
outreach to Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and potentially other facilities with which it has
previously provided green chemistry recommendations.
New Jersey Institute of Technology - $225,000 - Sustainable Recovery of Metals from Waste Lithium-
Ion Batteries Through a Green Process
New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) will develop benign alternatives to current metal leaching processes
for waste lithium-ion batteries. Current mainstream metal leaching processes for waste batteries involve the
extensive use of hazardous and corrosive acids and bases. NJIT will develop benign alternatives and will pilot
their use in leaching processes in selected facilities. Results will be shared though workshops, educational
curricula, and disseminated by state and local organizations.
Rutgers University - $180,705 - Encouraging and Advancing Pollution Prevention
Rutgers University, New Jersey Small Business Development Centers (NJSBDC), in partnership with the New
Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, will deliver pollution prevention and sustainability outreach
to small and medium-sized businesses on ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, use of hazardous
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
materials and water consumption. NJSBDC will create a web-based application and business registry and will
recognize participating businesses with a New Jersey Sustainable Business Award which will be presented at
NJSBDC's annual Small Business Growth awards ceremony.
Rowan University - $123,335 - Process Intensification in Food Manufacture - A Path to Water, Energy,
Waste Reduction
Rowan University will provide pollution prevention technical assistance to a Nestle Corporation facility in
Freehold, New Jersey. Rowan University will implement green engineering strategies to reduce water and
energy consumption, reduce the use and release of hazardous materials, and save money at this facility.
Using this facility as a case study, Rowan will hold a seminar on pollution prevention practices for personnel
at other Nestle facilities. Rowan will disseminate this case study and best management practices to the
broader food manufacturing sector through professional conference presentations and publications.
Guam Zero Waste Plan
EPA worked closely with Guam EPA and island recyclers to develop an annual recycling measurement
program and to develop a model island-wide Zero Waste Plan. Guam's recycling rate of 18% was calculated
for the first time in 2012. At that time, the island did not have curbside recycling and only was only
composting about 23 tons/year at a University of Guam pilot project. Since then, the Governor's Office,
Guam EPA, and EPA leveraged Department of Defense funding to work with island stakeholders to develop
a detailed 20-year Guam Zero Waste Plan. Guam's Governor and Guam EPA staff participated in EPA-
coordinated recycling and composting facility tours and training. Guam has held America Recycles Day
events at schools and implemented island-wide curbside recycling. In 2017, the island's recycling rate rose to
39%, and permitted facilities composted nearly 27,000 tons.
Guam EPA's experts have become inspirational SMM leaders by sharing their successes with other island and
state colleagues. Guam EPA hosted the first Zero Waste Pacific Conference and Certification Training in 2016
and presents regularly at Association of State and Territorial Waste Management Officials (ASTSWMO) as well
as annual Pacific Islands Environmental Conferences and meetings. Learn more at: http://www.one.auam.
gov/zero-waste/plan/5-zero-waste-plan.html
EPA's People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Program
EPA's P3 Student Design Competition - People, Prosperity and the Planet - is a collegiate program that
benefits people, promotes prosperity, and protects the planet by designing solutions that move us towards a
sustainable future. The P3 Award competition is a two-phase team contest. Highlighted are several notable
projects that relate to reducing, reusing, and recycling materials and waste.
California State University at Chico. For every 10 gallons of biodiesel produced one gallon of the
glycerol by-product is cogenerated. This glycerol is currently viewed as a problematic waste stream.
This project seeks to improve biodiesel manufacturing by designing a sustainable solution to the
industry's waste glycerol problem. The P3 Phase II Team at California State University at Chico is
continuing to test the use of biodiesel waste glycerol in the production of mixed solvents, called
deep eutectic solvents (DESs) that are gaining interests as a renewable, recyclable, biodegradable
to conventional volatile organic solvents. Learn more about this project: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer
abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/displav.abstractDetail/abstract/10889/report/0
i.epa.aov/ncer abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/displav.abstractDetail/abstract/10891/report/0
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018 2
-------
Georgia Institute of Technology. According to this P3 Phase I Team, across the globe, about one in
10 (or 700 million) people do not have any access to clean water. Yet Americans use about 99 gallons
per person per day at home, over five times the necessary amount "needed lead a comfortable life", or
about 13 gallons a day per person. A 30% reduction of residential water use could save about 5.4 billion
gallons of potable water a day. The Phase I P3 Team at Georgia Institute of Technology is developing
an in-home water saving technology to facilitate sustainable water usage habits through a novel smart-
feedback device. The end goal is to alter daily water-consuming activities and help households use
water more sustainably. Learn more about this project: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer abstracts/index.cfm/
fuseaction/displav.abstractDetail/abstract/10863
Michigan Technological University. The P3 Phase I Team at the Michigan Technological University are
developing a sustainable recycling technology for the end-of-life lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) to reduce
waste and promote economic profit through separation and recovery of individual battery components.
Learn more about this project: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/displav.
abstractDetail/abstract/10872/report/0
Loyola University Chicago. Recognizing the challenges to reduce solid waste and produce of
renewable energy are goals for many institutions, particularly those in urban environments with limited
available space for organic matter recycling and energy production infrastructure. The P3 Phase I Team
at Loyola University Chicago aims to make their transform their school into a zero-waste and carbon-
neutral urban campus by ultimately implementing a sustainable process to redirect waste streams from
campus food, biodiesel, and wetland restoration into an integrated anaerobic digestion (AD) system to
convert waste carbon into energy-generating biogas. Learn more about this project: https://cfpub.epa.
gov/ncer abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/displav.abstractDetail/abstract/10868
EPA's Small Business Innovation Research Program
Funding from EPA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program boosts local economies by creating
jobs and promoting collaborations among small businesses through product testing and research. Highlighted
below are several notable small business efforts that relate to reducing, reusing, and recycling materials and
waste.
A Green Rooftop System for Commercial Buildings with Superior Energy Efficiency
This proposed project will develop a highly modularized green rooftop system that is not only long-lasting
but also assemble-able/disassemble-able. At a roof's end-of-life, it can be disassembled and 100%
recycled. Learn more about this project: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/displav.
abstractDetail/abstract/10918/report/0
Formulation and testing of an entirely wood-based exterior insulation board for the high-performance
building market
The goal of this project is the formulation a rigid, insulating, low-density wood composite, with physical and
thermal properties comparable to fossil fuel derived foams. Learn more about this project: https://cfpub.epa.
gov/ncer abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/displav.abstractDetail/abstract/10917/report/0
Growth and Fungal Resin Generation for Manufacturing Novel, Formaldehyde-Free Wood Particleboard
jb.epa.gov/ncer abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/displav.abstractDetail/abstract/10827/re
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
Zero-Emission Reconstituted Wood Panels for Building Interiors
Organic resin-bonded reconstituted wood products, including oriented strandboard and medium density
fiberboard, are major sources of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released to the building interior, that
are harmful to human health. The main thrust of this project is to significantly reduce the release of VOCs by
replacing organic resins with inorganic polymer binders in reconstituted wood panels. Inorganic polymers are
zero-emission binders with significantly reduced energy content, carbon footprint and cost when compared
with organic resins. Learn more about this project: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer abstracts/index.cfm/
fuseaction/displav.abstractDetail/abstract/10828/report/0
Circuit board Component Recovery for Electronic Waste Reduction
The D2000 depopulator removes parts from circuit boards without using chemicals. The precious metals parts
go to the smelter as opposed to the whole circuit board. Learn more about this project: https://cfpub.epa.gov/
ncer abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/displav.abstractDetail/abstract/10802/report/0
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
Waste Reduction, Reuse, Recycling and Composting
Activities Across EPA Locations
Each year, the EPA collects information about
waste reduction and diversion activities that
are ongoing across the Agency. The following
provide examples of information that EPA
has collected over the past three years.
Waste Reduction and Reuse
EPA locations employ a variety of strategies
to reduce the amount of waste they
generate. Examples include:
Reduce junk mail
Establish office and laboratory reuse
centers and material exchanges
Donate unwanted supplies to outside entities
Install water bottle filling stations
Reduce paper towel use
Reduce the use of plastic trashcan liners
Encourage staff to bring reusable plates, cups and cutlery to work
Reduce food waste
Reduce paper use
Promote green meetings
Recycling Best Practices
Even though the Agency's recycling programs have been well established for years, EPA locations continually
strive to improve their programs. For example, locations have done the following over the past few years:
Expanded the types of material recycled
Implemented a centralized waste stream program
Held diversion challenges
Ensured strategic placement of recycling bins
Raising employee awareness
Composting
Thirty EPA locations (or 86 percent) supported composting efforts in Fiscal Year 2017, collectively diverting
more than 300 tons of organic material (including food waste, yard debris, and compostable plates, cutlery
and paper towels) from landfills over the course of the fiscal year.
RECYCLING: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GROWING THE ECONOMY NOVEMBER 2018
-------
EPA Regional Offices
Region 1
Boston Regional Office
Serving CT, ME, MA, NH, Rl, and VT and 10 Tribal
Nations
5 Post Office Square, Suite 100
Boston, MA 02109-3912
1 -888-372-7341; 617-918-1010
Region 2
New York Regional Office
Serving NJ, NY, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin
Islands and 8 Tribal Nations
290 Broadway
New York, NY 10007-1866
1-877-251-4575; 212-637-5000
Region 3
Philadelphia Regional Office
Serving DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV, and 7
Tribal Nations
1650 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029
1-800-438-2474; 215-814-5000
Region 4
Atlanta Regional Office
Serving AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC,
and TN and 6 Tribes
61 Forsyth Street SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
1 -800-241 -1754; 404-562-9900
Region 5
Chicago Regional Office
Serving IL, IN, Ml, MN, OH, and Wl and 35 Tribes
Ralph Metcalfe Federal Building
77 West Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604-3590
1 -800-621 -8431; 312-353-2000
Region 6
Dallas Regional Office
Serving AR, LA, NM, OK, and TX and 66 Tribal
Nations
1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 1200
Dallas, Texas 75202
1-800-887-6063; 214-665-2000
Region 7
Kansas City Regional Office
Serving IA, KS, MO, and NE and 9 Tribal Nations
11201 Renner Blvd.
Lenexa, KS 66219
1-800-223-0425; 913-551-7003
Region 8
Denver Regional Office
Serving CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY and 27 Tribal
Nations
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
1 -800-227-8917; 303-312-6312
Region 9
San Francisco Regional Office
Serving AZ, CA, HI, NV, Pacific Islands, and 148
Tribes
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
1-866-372-9378; 415-947-8000
Region 10
Seattle Regional Office
Serving AK, ID, OR, and WA, and 271 Native Tribes
1200 6th Avenue
Seattle, WA98101
1-800-424-4372; 206-553-1200
-------
------- |