Metropolitan Washington Council of GovernmentsCOG Recycling Committee

December 7, 2006

“Think Globally, Act Locally”: Effective Recycling in Government Facilities from an International Perspective

I-Eco-S, Inc.®

International Economic and Ecological Services

Anke E. WienandPresident & CEO

5619 Namakagan Rd.Bethesda, MD 20816

Phone: +1 301-263-1326Fax: +1 301-229-1047

Email: i-eco-s.inc@web.de

© Copyright I-Eco-S, Inc.® 2006. All Rights Reserved

p

Part I

“Partnership in Leadership”

Photo: © Copyright Greenpeace, USA

Mandatory Regulations & Incentives for “Product Stewardship” in Germany

1990: “Green Dot System“ (Der Grüne Punkt)

(Duales System Deutschland GmbH;

incorporated since 12/15/2005)• Customers: ca. 18.000 (2005)

• Licensees : Manufacturers, bottling & packaging manufacturers, retailers/traders pay according to quantities of recyclables generated / sold

• Recycling amount: over 65 million tons (U.S.), (1991-2005)

• Per capita collection quantity: 70 lbs. (2005)

• Recycling partners: 724 in 446 municipalities

• “The Green Dot” System used to be a monopoly in Germany, but now other recycling collection companies are also legalized (EU antitrust ruling)

• Incentives for household, business, or government facilities customers: PAYT (“Pay-As-You-Throw”)

Source: Duales System Deutschland GmbH, 2006

Mandatory Recycling Regulations in Germany and the European Union (EU):

1993: The German Packaging Ordinance, adopted by EU in 1994 Directive

Source: Duales System Deutschland GmbH, 2006

Requirements to be met by dual systems in Germany:

• State-wide coverage

• Regular collection

• Directly from the end user or in the vicinity of home/business

• Recycling targets for licensed packaging • Take-back and recovery obligations for retailers according to the German Packaging Ordinance

• Agreement with public or other authorities responsible for waste management

• Participation in cost of waste consultancy and site cleaning • Obligation to collect packaging waste in “leisure sector” (public parks, etc.)

• Call for tenders for waste management services and award of contracts on a competitive basis

• Cost transparency

• Mass flow verification

• Certain obligations are subject to fines (if not adhered to), e.g., collection, cost transparency, verification obligation

Source: Duales System Deutschland GmbH, 2006

Newest Mandatory Recycling Ordinances in Germany and EU

2005: “TASI”/Germany :

• Prohibits landfilling of non-processed (sorted or recycled ) wastes and recyclables, including putrescibles (organics/biomass)

• paved way for new generation of environmental technologies, including power/heat generation technologies

2006: Electronics Recycling (EU regulation)

Time for a “New Deal“ : Global Perspectives on Need for and Benefits from Recycling (Germany and EU)

German Secretary for the Environment Sigmar Gabriel calls for a “third industrial revolution” and a “new deal”:

Governments need to pave way for combining forces from economic, environmental and employment sectors to solve increasing global environmental problems

Increasing global demand for raw materials (oil, gas, metals/steel, etc.) and implied increase in costs for consumers and businesses alike cause great global concern

Source: speech at Entsorga-Enteco 2006 - International Waste Management and Environmental Technologies Trade Show and Conference, Germany

Savings of ca. 3.5 billion Euros ( $ 4.9 trillion ) in new raw materials and energy costs per annum for German economy due to recycling

(collection/processing/re-use/re-sale) and alternative energy generation (biomass, new refuse-derived-fuels which are CO2 neutral)

Source: Entsorga Magazin, 11/12/2006

EU / Germany promote global climate change:

(Program: “Action Europe “/ separate German Government Program)

Promotion of renewable energy generation and use to secure long-term energy supply and demand (from biomass, solar, wind, water, etc.)

Goal EU: 12% of total energy demand in 25 EU member countries to be supplied by renewable energy sources by 2010 (Regulation 2001/77/EG)

Goal Germany: 4,2% of total energy demand to be supplied by renewable energy sources (2010), 10% by 2020 (at least 20% of all electricity demand)

Source: German Information Center, www.germany-info.de, 2006

Part II

“Think globally, act locally“ Effective Design and Implementation of Government Facilities Programs based

on international and U.S. experiences

“All Indians, no chiefs”: Need for top-to-bottom approach

Rule 1: Make waste reduction and recycling mandatory at your government facility (standard in Germany and other EU countries to set example for public to follow suit)Rule 2: Need for “Recycling Coordinator” at each govt. facility (see: supervision, training of personnel, acquisition of recycling bins for offices, etc.)

Government Facilities as Business-Driven Leaders:

Act as a “good neighbor” and set an example as an environmentally and economically effective government facility:

Re-organization of entire internal and external “Waste Management Chain” (sorting, collection, disposal) & implementation of new cost-effective recycling system:

Analyze waste composition

Separate recyclables (waste generators´ duty): mixed/office paper & cardboard, commingleds and trash need to be discarded into (preferably) differently colored containers Train and supervise (facilities manager and/or “recycling coordinator”) personnel and, especially, cleaning crew (multilingual instructions, differently colored bags that match office bins to ensure proper disposal into large-size pick-up containers outside/inside government buildings)

Review current waste disposal contracts: watch for correct “environmental/fuel surcharges” (guide: Dept. of Energy); compare pick-up prices with other government facilities in your jurisdiction Re-negotiate waste disposal contracts with private contractors (Note: “Recyclables are commodities” for re-sale, esp. office paper (only white paper) and/or mixed paper/cardboard, aluminium cans, plastics – see also global demand/pricing for raw materials)

German Embassy Washington, D.C.: cost reduction at four pick-up locations by 65% in 2006 (compared to 2005 figures) German School Washington, D.C.: cost reduction by 45% in 2005

Local-area examples, new programs implemented by I-Eco-S, Inc.®:

“There is strength in numbers”

Government Facilities´ Recycling Pools: Market your Recyclables as Commodities on the National or Global Market

• Sell your white office paper (shredded or non-shredded), if separated exclusively (negotiate lower or no pick-up disposal fees with paper companies other than your other main private disposal contractor)

• Check on “selling” even mixed paper/office paper (national and global demand in Asia) or scrap metals when renovating a building to reduce overall disposal costs

• Form “Recycling Pools” with other government facilities in your jurisdiction or in the Greater Washington Area for sought-after recyclables

• Meet minimum purchase or pick-up demands for selling your own recyclables (if necessary, invest in small balers for mixed paper/cardboard or aluminum/scrap metals to facilitate pick-up and increase re-sale value)

Quote: “Well-sorted recyclables are a valuable commodity,” Eileen Kao, recycling coordinator for Montgomery County said in an interview with The Almanac. Market forces like strong demandfor steel in China have driven up prices for the raw materials produced by good recycling plants. Montgomery County earned $3 million in gross revenue from its recycling [in 2004].” (The Almanac, Sept. 14, 2005)