GRRN Zero WasteConference

Intro to Materials Exchanges

IntroductionTo

VirtualMaterials Exchanges

What is a Materials Exchange?

A system for recapture of materials and items which had previously been destined to be discarded/disposed of.

What are the Goals of aMaterials Exchange?

Reuse Recycle

Reduce

The “Rag and Bone” ManA physical waste exchange

Resource Scarcity World War II

Earliest Documented ExchangeWartime Britain

National Industrial Materials RecoveryAssociation

Ceased after WWII

Materials ExchangeTimeline

1950’s and 1960’sConservation and recapture are not atop priority 1970’sMaterials exchange systems spring up 1980’sRegulatory changes and reduced fundingundermine many systems

1990’s and Beyond Materials Exchange hits the net

History of Materials Exchanges

http://www.p2pays.org/ref/10/09222.htm#chapter1

Materials Exchanges:Trash-matching

Facilitate transactions where:

• Source and sink are not known in advance

• Material flows are intermittent and

unpredictable

What GetsExchanged?

Items and materials are typically: Previously considered waste/of no use Of low economic value Dispersed/low volume

Materials ExchangeCharacteristics

Successful exchanges are usually: Local/regional Focused And free!

Challengesof Reuse

The Challenges: Inconvenient Uneconomic Unknown method Perception that it is not viable

Our Goals: Convenience Economic

Efficiency Collaborative

method development

Change perceptions

What Does Information Technology Add?

Reduced transaction cost

Collaborative problem solving

Just in time information delivery

Better tracking and reporting

Reduced Transaction Cost

Reduced ‘search and information’ costs.

DistributedProblem Solving

Two minds are always better than one.

Just in timeInformation Delivery

Information is available and accurate atthe time it is needed.

Better Trackingand Reporting

Diversion rates and other metrics areavailable.

Thank Youfor Your Time!

James RuttanCEO

iWasteNot Systemsjamesruttan@iwsatenotsystems.com