Beyond 50% Recycling:Beyond 50% Recycling:Toward a Zero Waste EconomyToward a Zero Waste Economy

Institute for Local Self-Reliancewww.ilsr.org

How to Get ThereHow to Get There

Reduce & Reuse Recycle Compost (food discards too!) Collect Process & Market Make New Products from the Old Buy Reused, Recycled, Green Implement Institutional Framework (policies,

laws, incentives) Residential & Commercial Sectors

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Community Record-SettersCommunity Record-Setters

Community Pop. Waste Type Reduction

Chatham, NJ 8,000 65% Res. SuburbanFalls Church, VA 9,800 65% Res. SuburbanBellevue, WA 104,000 60% Res. Suburban/UrbanLeverett, MA 2,000 55% Res. RuralLoveland, CO 43,000 56% Res. UrbanWorcester, MA 165,400 52% Res. UrbanCrockett, TX 8,300 52% Res. Small Rural CityMadison, WI 199,500 49% Res. UrbanVisalia, CA 91,300 48% Res. UrbanSan Jose, CA 819,400 44% MSW Urban

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Institutional/Commercial Waste Institutional/Commercial Waste Reduction Record-SettersReduction Record-Setters

Community ICWWaste Reduction

Bergen County, NJ 62%Clifton, NJ 68%Portland, OR 47%San Jose, CA 42%Seattle, WA 52%

ICW = institutional/commercial waste

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Keys to Record-SettersKeys to Record-Setters

Accept many materials Compost Mandate recycling Institute pay-as-you-throw trash fees Target all sectors Augment curbside with drop-off Educate, educate, educate Market materials

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Institutional FrameworkInstitutional Framework

Landfill bans Recycling goals and requirements Bottle bills Recycled-content laws Creative funding mechanisms Buy recycled programs Pay-as-you-throw trash fees

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Food Discard Waste Reduction Food Discard Waste Reduction Record-SettersRecord-Setters

Organization, Location % of Food Discards Recovered

Del Mar Fairgrounds, CA 75%Fletcher Allen Health Care, VT 90%Frost Valley YMCA, NY 100%Larry’s Markets, WA 90%Green Workplace, Govt. of Ontario 70%Middlebury College, VT 75%NY State Prisons, NY 90%Shop Rite Supermarkets, NJ 90%

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Reusable Items Reusable Items in the Waste Streamin the Waste Stream

Reusable Items Percent ofDiscarded Municipal Solid Waste

Durable Goods* 16.4%Textiles (MSW) 3.3%Wooden Pallets 3.6%

*Appliances, furniture, furnishings, carpets, tires, electronics, luggage, sporting equipment, and the like

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Reusable Items Reusable Items Discarded and RecoveredDiscarded and Recovered

Reusable Items 1000s TPY 1000s TPY % Discarded Recovered Recovered

Durable Goods* 37,630 6,590 17.5%Electronics 2,260 210 9.3%Textiles (MSW) 7,610 1,080 14.2%Wooden Pallets 8,170 1,250 15.3%

*Appliances, furniture, furnishings, carpets, tires, electronics, luggage, sporting equipment, and the like

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Strategies to Promote ReuseStrategies to Promote Reuse

Implement drop-off and curbside programs Salvage at landfills & transfer stations Educate Disseminate reuse directories Develop reuse enterprises Target business community Partner with local charities Include reuse in solid waste plans/studies Ban specific items from disposal Be creative

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Select Reuse ProgramsSelect Reuse Programs

Program Type

Calaveres Co., CA* Salvation Army drop-off site at landfillCalvert Co., MD* Drop-offs, pick-up from charitiesChatham Co., NC* Swap Shops at drop-offsSt. Paul, MN* Curbside collection, Goodwill processingMontgomery Co., MD* Drop-off, pick-up programs, directoryL.A. Shares, CA* Reuse showroom, pick-up service, WebMaterials for the Arts Reuse showroom, pick-up serviceSurplus Exchange, MO Reuse showroom, pick-up serviceRecycletown, CA Retail store, drop-off at landfillReStore, VT Retail store, pick-up, drop-offUrban Ore, CA Retail store, drop-off, pick-up, salvage

*local charities served by program

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Job Creation: Job Creation: Reuse Vs. Recycling and DisposalReuse Vs. Recycling and Disposal

Type of Operation Jobs/10,000 TPY

Computer Reuse 296

Textile Reclamation 85

Misc. Durables Reuse 62

Wooden Pallet Repair 28

Recycling-Based Manufacturers 25

Conventional MRFs 10

Disposal Facilities 1

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Building the InfrastructureBuilding the Infrastructure

Build eco-industrial parks

Require product deposits

Establish landfill and incinerator surcharges

Expand buy recycled programs

Ban products and packaging that cannot be reused, recycled, or composted

Ban recyclable and reusable materials/products from landfills/incinerators

Retain control of materials