Incentive to RecycleWhy businesses should start recycling programs within their

venues

Timothy LamWalden University

Learning Objectives To motivate business owners, vendors, and other stakeholders

to participate in the recycling process To discover the beneficial effects of recycling at the world,

state, and local levels To explore the incentives behind recycling for business owners To acquire knowledge regarding how to start a new recycling

program within a business or to expand an existing program within a company

To encourage business owners to motivate staff members and vendors to recycle

To learn the steps and calculations necessary to measure the success of a recycling program

What is Recycling? Definition of Recycling

The process by which the reuse or repurposing of waste into usable material

Reduce the accumulation of landfills Reduce the consumption of raw resources

Such as Timber, Water, Minerals (EPA, 2014) The United States currently recycles 32.5% of its waste (NRDC, 2008)

Recycled waste includes paper products, aluminum cans, plastic soft drink bottles, and all major appliances

By comparison, in 1970, only roughly 5% was recycled Before 1973, there were no curbside recycling programs. In 2011, over 9,800 curbside programs exist within the U.S.A. (EPA, 2011)

Benefits of Recycling: Impact on the World

Recycling helps reduce the amount of greenhouse gas which is the predominant causal factor of human induced climate change (NRDC, 2008) 1 ton of recycled paper saves the energy equivalent

of 165 gallons of gasoline (EPA, 2011) When food waste are disposed in the landfills, the

anaerobic decomposition produces significant amount of methane.

In contrast, composting is an aerobic process. Efficient and properly operated composting facilities produce no methane gas at all (Californians Against Waste, 2013).

Reduce the environmental and wildlife habitat damage caused directly by harvesting raw resources such as mining or timbering

Benefits of Recycling: The Nation and State

Generation of “Green” jobs which help stimulate state and national economy

California currently plans on reaching a 75% recycling rate by 2020, which is estimated to create at least 110,000 new recycling jobs and potentially even more jobs from related private industries Across the country, many states

offer recycling tax incentives (EPA, 2013).

Recycling 2.12 million tons of plastic can generate 29,000 jobs (NRDC, 2014)

Benefits of Recycling:Your Business and community

Excellent public relations opportunity

Participate in a growing “green” economy

Become an environmentally-friendly role model within your community

Encourages your vendors and other businesses in the community adopt the recycling process in their commercial practice

Recycling = Good business practiceWhy recycling makes perfect sense!

Recycling helps reduce your business expenses (NRDC, n.d.) Many states do offer tax

incentives for the purchase of recycled goods. For instance, in New Jersey, there are sales tax exemptions for the purchase of recycled equipment (EPA, 2013).

Decrease the cost of utilizing waste retrieval services that move your refuse from your business to the landfill

Decrease the expense of waste disposal charged by the landfill services

Some recycled items can even generate additional income for your business

How to start a recycling program within your business! 8 Steps to Set Up a Recycling Program (EPA, 2014) 1.) Choose a recycling coordinator. 2.) Decide what materials your business will recycle 3.) Reduction of Waste Generation 4.) Include everyone in the process, including Staff,

Vendors, and Customers 5.) Pick a Contractor or Hauler 6.) Establishing a Collections Program 7.) Educate people on the reasons behind the program 8.) Observe and Evaluate the Status of the Program

How to motivate your staff to join you

Convenience is the key to a successful recycling program (NRDC, 2008).

Recycling Bins in Key Locations

Separate Bins for Different Material

Signs to Educate

Encouraging green behavior from vendors Choose to purchase supplies

made from recycle material (NRDC, 2007).

Discourage vendors from utilizing difficult to recycle materials in shipping and packaging items

Give positive feedback to vendors that utilize “green” packaging such as recycled cardboard boxes

Success of the program: Calculations

CurrentRecycling Rate

Total recycled (weight) . Total discarded + recycled (weight)

Use this simple equation to determine your program’s recycling rate (EPA, 2014).

=

***Some waste companies will automatically calculate this for your business.

Success of the program: Calculations Through the usage of monitoring data, the

recycling coordinator can measure the amount of recyclables that are improperly disposed of in refuse containers instead of recycling bins.

Using this data, your company can set goals to improve your recycling program.

OptimalRecycling

Rate= Recyclables in Waste Bin + Recyclables in

Recycling BinDisposed in Waste Bin + Recyclables in Recycling

Bin

Success of the program: MonitoringThe routine monitoring of refuse and recycling containers is necessary for the success of any recycling program. (EPA, 2014). Record amount of recyclables that

are improperly disposed of in refuse containers instead of recycling containers

In contrast, monitor for trash being improperly thrown into the recycling bins

Consider availability of refuse and recycling containers- are they ever too full for people to use?

Sources EPA. (2014). How to Set Up a Recycling Program. Environmental Protection Agency.

Retrieved from the EPA website at: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/tools/rogo/program/index.htm

EPA. (2014). Program Monitoring and Evaluation. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from the EPA website at: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/tools/rogo/program/monitor.htm

EPA. (2014). Recycling Basics. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from the EPA website at: http://www2.epa.gov/recycle/recycling-basics

NRDC. (2008). Recycling 101. Natural Resources Defense Council. Retrieved from the NRDC website at: http://www.nrdc.org/cities/recycling/gsteps.asp

NRDC. (2014). California’s New Recycling Goal is a Green Jobs Creator. Natural Resources Defense Council. Retrieved from the NRDC website at: http://www.nrdc.org/recycling/green-jobs-ca-recycling.asp

NRDC. (n.d.). Smarter Business: Greening Advisor, Recycling. Natural Resources Defense Council. Retrieved from the NRDC website at: http://www.nrdc.org/enterprise/greeningadvisor/wm-recycling.asp

NRDC. (2007). Green Living Guides. Natural Resources Defense Council. Retrieved from the NRDC website at: http://www.nrdc.org/cities/living/paper/strategies.asp

Sources

EPA (2013). State Recycling Tax Incentives. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from the EPA website at: http://www.epa.gov/wastes/conserve/tools/rmd/bizasst/rec-tax.htm

EPA. (2011). Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in United States: Facts and Figures for 2011. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from the EPA website at: http://www.epa.gov/waste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/MSWcharacterization_508_053113_fs.pdf

Further Reading: for more information… EPA. (2011). Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions through Recycling and

Composting. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from: http://www.epa.gov/region10/pdf/climate/wccmmf/Reducing_GHGs_through_Recycling_and_Composting.pdf

Seldman, N. (2013). Review: 40 Years of Curbside Recycling. Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Retrieved from the ILSR website at: http://www.ilsr.org/review-40-years-curbside-recycling/

Goldstein, J. (2014). NRDC Report: From Waste to Jobs: What Achieving 75 Percent Recycling Means for California. Tellus Institute. Retrieved from the NRDC website at: http://www.nrdc.org/recycling/files/green-jobs-ca-recycling-report.pdf

Thank you!