STARCorpus Christi, TX

Returning to Work: A Review of CRIs New Recycling Jobs Study

Susan V. CollinsContainer Recycling InstituteOctober 22, 2012Container Recycling Institute:

Striving to make North America a global model for the collection and quality recycling of packaging materials.

Mission Statement CRIs mission is to make North America a global model for the collection and quality recycling of packaging materials. We do this by:Creating and maintaining a database on containers and packagingStudying container and packaging reuse and recycling options and legislation, including deposit systems, and their environmental and economic impactsEducating on recycling options for government, elected officials, for citizen groups, the print and broadcast media, publications and industry groupsCreating national networks

Prepared by:Sound Resource Management

Project Background

Development of performance indicators: weight; volume; energy savings; pollution prevention; cost; and impact on domestic jobs

Limited specificity in data on jobs from recycling;

Need to further explore how & why these jobs are created, and provide a jobs estimate.

Project Goals Measure direct impacts on domestic jobsFrom increased recycling of beverage containers Glass, aluminum & PETCompare different types of recycling programs to landfill disposalCreate a calculator: Measuring the Impact from Recycling on Jobs calculator (MIRJcalc) (user inputs available)

Study Methodology

Primary data collection data points each for stage: Collection (includes transport to MRF or transfer station) Operations at MRF, transfer station or landfill Transport to landfill Secondary processing End-use manufacturing (virgin or recycled content) Raw materials extraction and refining Administration/supervision/auxiliary positions

Study Methodology

NET Jobs impact from increased recycling is calculated as: Number of jobs created when more beverage containers are recycledMinus the number of jobs lost when fewer containers are landfilledMinus the number of jobs lost in raw-materials extraction and processing when recycled content replaces virgin materials in product manufacturing

Model ExclusionsRecycling-reliant employment Indirect effectInduced effectOut-of-country

Overview of Findings

Finding #3Material throughput is the primary driver of recycling jobs.

Policies that require more recycling can create more jobs Residential, commercial, etc.

Finding #5Jobs gained in recycling far outweigh any jobs lost in extraction of virgin materials. Increased jobs reflects a trade-off between labor and machinery Does not necessarily mean an increase in cost

Finding #8Jobs gained in recycling far exceed any jobs lost in extraction of virgin materials, landfilling or domestic manufacturing. Full report shows:Increases from recyclingDecreases from landfilling, virgin material extraction and domestic manufacturingTotal net increase

ConclusionsAs recovery tonnage increases, employment related to collection, processing and secondary processing also increases (excepting exports)Losses that occur in primary resource-extraction activities are greatly outnumbered by the jobs created in material-recovery activities.

ConclusionsImproved material quality directly impacts U.S. jobs; clean/separated recyclables more likely to stay in the U.S. for use by domestic manufacturers rather than be exported to foreign markets

Beyond JobsU.S consumer products manufacturers use recycled materials to meet other goalsReduce energy useReduce emissions and other environmental impactsReduce production and raw materials costs

Beyond Jobs, continuedU.S consumer products manufacturers use recycled materials to meet other goalsMeet internal or industry goals for recycled content and sustainabilitySatisfy public demand for greener products, packaging and business practices

How can this research help me? Use Impact Data to help estimate jobs impact for a recovery program

Support waste recovery systems that ensure high rates of capture and keep material clean/separated. This material will create more local and domestic jobs than would a dirtier mix of recyclables ton for ton. Use of methodology for other jobs studies.

Data TransparencyWe included all data in appendices

We invite you to use it to your benefit

Jobs Calculator

Input two-letter code for State to automatically calculate the number of jobs that will be created User can customize and change certain inputshttp://www.container-recycling.org/http://www.container-recycling.org/issues/jobs.htmJobs page has CRI Study, Returning to Work, the jobs calculator, and links to several other studies on recycling jobs

Just type in: Container Recycling Institute!Visit us atwww. container-recycling.orgWeekly Headlines newsletter(310) 559-7451

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