United States Environmental Protection Agency Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5306W) EPA530-R-99-035 August 1999 www.epa.gov/wastewise WASTEWISE FIFTH-YEAR PROGRESS REPORT CONTENTS Waste Reduction Results WasteWise Membership and Program Accomplishments 1999 WasteWise Award Winners WASTE REDUCTION RESULTS 1999 marks the fifth year of WasteWise, EPA's voluntary partnership program to reduce municipal solid waste. Since the program's inception in 1994, WasteWise membership has grown to more than 900 businesses, government agencies, universities, hospitals, and other organizations committed to cutting costs and conserving natural resources through solid waste reduction. Overall Waste Reduction Increases Six-fold From 1994 During the first 5 years of the WasteWise program, waste reduction (waste prevention and recycling collection) reported by partners has increased six-fold. Cumulatively, partners have reduced more than 26 million tons of municipal solid waste. In 1998, partners reduced more than 7.8 million tons of waste through waste prevention and recycling activities, a slight increase over 1997 results. This outcome continues the upward trend in waste reduction since the program began in 1994. Increased Waste Reduction Leads to Corresponding Greenhouse Gas Reductions In addition to its other benefits, waste reduction cuts emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere by reducing the amount of fossil fuels burned, reducing the amount of methane released from landfills, and leaving more trees to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In 1998 alone, our partners' actions reduced emissions by an estimated 7 million metric tons of carbon equivalent (MTCE), the standard unit of measure for greenhouses gas emissions. ************************************************************ Overall Waste Reduction (in million tons) [GRAPHIC] Greenhouse Gas Reductions (in million metric tons of carbon equivalent) [Graphic] ************************************************************ Since the program's inception, WasteWise partners have prevented the emission of an estimated 19 million MTCE--equivalent to taking 14 million cars off the road for 1 year. General Motors Corp. made the single largest contribution to the WasteWise greenhouse gas reduction total in 1998. Other large contributors in 1998 included the Anheuser-Busch Companies, Louisiana-Pacific Corp., and Crown Cork & Seal Co., Inc. EPA developed the Waste Reduction Model (WARM) to help organizations estimate greenhouse gas reductions from their waste reduction activities. See for more information. ************************************************************ WASTE PREVENTION FIRST Even simple waste prevention actions can help improve an organization's bottom line and help justify waste reduction programs to management. * AIRPAX, for example, conserved more than 10 tons of paper and saved $5,500 in 1998 by removing the names of people who no longer worked for the company from bulk mail mailing lists and by eliminating duplicate mailings. * Alcatel USA reused 10 tons of polystyrene shipping containers, saving $550,000. By using CD-ROM based rather than paper-based manuals, the company saved paper and an additional $1.2 million. * Seattle University composted nearly 200 tons of food and yard waste, sold 4 tons of furniture and office supplies for reuse, and eliminated more than 2.5 tons of paper cup waste by distributing reusable mugs to students. * First National Bank & Trust Co. of the Treasure Coast eliminated more than 3 tons of paper by expanding Internet-based transactions and mailings and computer-based manuals, reports, and procedures. The bank also donated more than 1.5 tons of computers and office furniture in 1998. ************************************************************ Waste Prevention Dips, But Long-term Trend Continues Upward Since 1994, WasteWise partners have eliminated more than 2.4 million tons of material through waste prevention--efforts taken to abolish waste before recycling, such as removing unnecessary packaging or refurbishing products for reuse. In 1998, partners reported preventing 611,000 tons of materials from entering the waste stream. Although this represents a 1-year decrease from 1997, the overall waste prevention trend across the full 5 years is consistently upward. (Substantial one-time activities by a few partners caused a spike in the 1997 waste prevention results.) Waste prevention activities result in real cost savings for partners including, in 1998, $20 million in avoided disposal fees. [Disposal fees based on an average 1998 tipping fee of $33.60. Source: Biocycle. April 1999.] Moreover, WasteWise estimates that avoided paper and corrugated purchasing costs for all reporting partners could be as high as an additional $20 million. [Avoided purchasing costs are based on the 1998 average costs of $777.50 per ton of high-grade office paper and $322.92 per ton of medium- weight corrugated. Source: Pulp and Paper Week 1998 price histories.] ************************************************************ Waste Prevention (in tons) [Graphic] ************************************************************ ************************************************************ TOP WASTE PREVENTION MATERIALS The most popular materials targeted and sample activities conducted for waste prevention by partners in 1998 included: Office supplies or equipment * Double-sided copying to reduce office paper. * Donating computers to schools. Transport packaging * Reusing wood pallets. * Replacing corrugated containers with reusable plastic containers. Manufacturing supplies, equipment, or raw materials * Improving manufacturing processes to reduce raw material waste. Cafeteria supplies * Switching to reusable cafeteria trays and plates. * Composting food scraps. Manufactured products * Lightweighting products. * Remanufacturing used products. ************************************************************ Recycling Collection on The Rise Recycling collection by Waste-Wise partners increased by 396,000 tons in 1998 for a total of 7.2 million tons, continuing the annual growth trend since 1994. In fact, partners reported recycling more than 7.5 times the amount of material they were recycling when WasteWise began--24 million tons over all 5 years. Collecting recyclables helped partners save $244 million in avoided disposal fees in 1998. [Disposal fees based on an average 1998 tipping fee of $33.60. Source: Biocycle. April 1999.] ************************************************************ Recycling Collection (in tons) [Graphic] ************************************************************ ************************************************************ Top Five Materials Collected for Recycling What materials do partners recycle most often? In 1998, partners most often recycled (by number of partners): * Mixed Paper * Corrugated * Aluminum * High-Grade Paper * Steel Newly Added Materials Several partners also reported recycling the following less-commonly recycled products for the first time in 1998: * Building Materials * Carpets and Rugs * Stretch Wrap * Toner Cartridges * Transparencies * Yarn ************************************************************ Partners Close the Loop by Buying and Manufacturing Recycled WasteWise partners reported purchasing 458,000 tons of products with recycled content in 1998, worth $4.7 billion. Partners conducted a variety of activities from purchasing new products with recycled content to increasing spending on products made from recycled materials. Anheuser-Busch Companies, for example, increased purchases of recycled-content paper to 1,635 tons as part of its WasteWise commitment. Manufacturers focused on ways to use recycled materials in their products or increase existing levels of recycled materials. Marko Foam Products, for example, increased the postconsumer recycled content of its polystyrene packing peanuts from 5 percent to 25 percent. The company manufactured more than 6 tons of this material in 1998. ************************************************************ BATTELLE DEVELOPS WINNING BUY-RECYCLED STRATEGY Battelle Memorial Institute continually seeks out products with recycled content that meet the organization's "CAP" requirements (reasonable Cost, Availability, and good Performance). Whenever possible, Battelle drives down the cost of recycled products by soliciting competitive bids for products they purchase in large quantities, by establishing preferred customer agreements with key suppliers, and by allowing staff to purchase products from other suppliers to maintain competition. In addition to these ongoing activities, each year Battelle targets a particular commodity for improvement in recycled-content purchasing. Battelle focused on remanufactured toner cartridges in 1997 and recycled construction products in 1998. In total, the organization purchased 96 tons of products with recycled content in 1998, worth $534,000. ************************************************************ WASTEWISE MEMBERSHIP AND PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS WasteWise membership continues to grow, including more and more businesses, governments, and institutions each year. For each of these partners, the WasteWise team at EPA provides access to many services including technical assistance, publications, networking opportunities, electronic resources, and recognition for outstanding accomplishments. WasteWise Membership Continues to Climb WasteWise membership increased by nearly 20 percent in 1998. A total of 918 partners joined the program through June 30, 1999. Membership continues to increase in 1999 through WasteWise marketing efforts and through the work of 81 WasteWise endorsers who have committed to spread the WasteWise message and recruit new partners. ************************************************************ Membership [Graphic] Businesses, institutions, and governments from all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico participate in the WasteWise program. ************************************************************ The Year in Review: WasteWise Accomplishments WasteWise initiated new projects in 1999 to complement technical assistance and recognition services. WasteWise piloted a new program to visit a limited number of partners at their facilities to help them measure results and identify new waste reduction opportunities. WasteWise also kicked off a Transport Packaging Challenge and developed the WasteWise Transport Packaging Reduction Guide. Together the Challenge and the Guide will help partners tap into the significant savings potential associated with packaging reduction. EPA also developed other tools to help partners measure progress, including the WARM model, a software application designed to help organizations estimate greenhouse gas reductions from their waste reduction activities. ************************************************************ [Photographs] WasteWise attended conferences and trade shows across the country in 1998 and 1999 promoting the WasteWise program to businesses, governments, and institutions. WasteWise sponsored satellite forums enabling partners from across the country to share waste reduction results. The 1998 satellite forum highlighted waste prevention, while the 1999 forum focused on buying recycled products. More than 100 people from 60 organizations attended the WasteWise Awards and Recognition Ceremony and National Forum held on September 9 through 10, 1998, in Washington, DC. EPA recognized 8 Partners of the Year and 20 Program Champions for their outstanding waste reduction achievements and welcomed new partners. WasteWise informed partners about waste reduction issues through our publications, including the bimonthly WasteWise Bulletin, semi-annual WasteWise Update, WasteWise Toolkit, and other publications. WasteWise continued sponsoring Regional Forums and Partner Network Meetings across the country. Meeting locations included Columbus, Boston, San Francisco, and New York. ************************************************************ WASTEWISE AWARD WINNERS Following a competitive award process, WasteWise named 13 Partners of the Year in 10 award categories. WasteWise 1999 Partners of the Year are those partners who were judged to have accomplished and reported the most impressive waste reduction results for 1998. In addition, WasteWise recognized 20 Program Champions who made noteworthy accomplishments in waste prevention, recycling collection, and buying or manufacturing recycled-content products in 1998. 1999 PARTNERS OF THE YEAR Very Large Corporation (20,000+ Employees) Eastman Kodak Company Eastman Kodak, headquartered in Rochester, New York, sold 4,200 tons of coated paper liners for reuse as label backings, saving $250,000. Kodak also conserved 1,550 tons of plastic and printed circuit boards by increasing the return of its FUNSAVER cameras, allowing more parts to be reused for the manufacture of new cameras. 1998 WasteWise Accomplishments Waste Prevented 23,000 tons Recycling Collection 47,900 tons Recycled-Content Purchases 10,650 tons Manufactured Recycled-Content Products 20,500 tons Total Cost Savings $3,000,000 Large Corporation (1,000 to 19,999 Employees) Herman Miller, Inc. Herman Miller, a Zeeland, Michigan, furniture manufacturer, reduced the volume of packaging materials for finished goods by switching to returnable packaging and changing packaging design. This activity resulted in the reduction of 270 tons of corrugated containers and boxes and nearly 8 tons of polystyrene packaging filler, saving $422,000. Herman Miller also eliminated 40 tons of panel textiles and 27.5 tons of textiles for chairs through a lifecycle analysis process and saved $407,300. 1998 WasteWise Accomplishments Waste Prevented 725 tons Recycling Collection 10,273 tons Recycled-Content Purchases 37,423 tons Total Cost Savings $91,059,300 Midsize Corporation (500 to 999 Employees) Southern Mills, Inc. Southern Mills, a textile company of 575 employees in Senoia, Georgia, manufactures thermal protective fabrics with end-use applications such as outer shells of firemen's turnout coats and garments used in the petroleum, electrical, and gas utilities industries among other products. Southern Mills saved 8.5 tons of corrugated material by switching to reusable plastic cones and tubes and by initiating a plastic tube return program with customers. The company also reduced 1,100 pounds of coated paper drums by switching to a tote and delivery system for dyes and chemicals. 1998 WasteWise Accomplishments Waste Prevented 10 tons Recycling Collection 450 tons Recycled-Content Purchases 7.5 tons Total Cost Savings $9,500 Schlegel Systems, Inc. Schlegel Systems, a Rochester, New York, manufacturer of foam weather stripping, EMI shielding devices, and plastic trim for automobiles, worked with suppliers to reuse incoming pallets for outgoing shipments, conserving more than 12.5 tons of wood pallets and $6,500. The company also conserved more than 20 tons of fiber board, steel, plastic, and boxboard by switching from single-use cores and spools to reusable materials, saving more than $13,000. 1998 WasteWise Accomplishments Waste Prevented 36 tons Recycling Collection 570.5 tons Total Cost Savings $22,850 Small Business (1 to 499 Employees) Guardian Industries--Ligonier Plant Guardian Industries' Ligonier Plant in Ligonier, Indiana, a manufacturer of vehicle glass and exterior trim systems for the automotive industry, eliminated more than 2 tons of textiles from the waste stream by laundering intact used gloves for reuse and instituting a glove return program. These activities resulted in a cost saving of $39,600. The company also switched from paper towels to reusable wiping clothes, saving 1.5 tons of paper towels and $7,200 in purchasing costs. Guardian also prevented the incineration of 100 tons of scrap wood by reusing it as animal bedding. 1998 WasteWise Accomplishments Waste Prevented 107 tons Recycling Collection 125 tons Recycled-Content Purchases 2 tons Total Cost Savings $87,900 The Seydel Companies The Seydel Companies in Pendergrass, Georgia, manufacture chemicals used in textile processing including fabric preparation, dying, printing, and finishing, and garment laundering and finishing. The organization and its 100 employees reduced 500 pounds of copier paper and saved $500 by encouraging double-sided copying, setting up phone lists and edits on e-mail, and using overheads in meetings instead of distributing handouts. The Seydel Companies also conserved 500 pounds of catalogs by contacting vendors who mail multiple catalogs and circulating magazines and articles instead of making personal copies. 1998 WasteWise Accomplishments Waste Prevented 4 tons Recycling Collection 191 tons Manufactured Recycled-Content Products 120 tons Total Cost Savings $4,150 Federal Government U.S. Postal Service--Northeast Area The U.S. Postal Service Northeast Area's 74,135 employees in 3,114 post offices throughout the New England states and upstate New York continued to demonstrate their strong commitment to reducing the generation of undeliverable standard mail throughout 1998. The Postal Service reduced 1,087 tons of bulk mail and saved $76,000 by promoting the national change of address program to major mailers. It also reduced the generation of solid waste at 25 vehicle maintenance and 29 processing and distribution facilities by 50 percent over fiscal year 1992 generation rates. 1998 WasteWise Accomplishments Waste Prevented 1,087 tons Recycling Collection 44,175 tons Recycled-Content Purchases 415 tons Total Cost Savings $2,378,700 State Government State of Ohio The State of Ohio, with 56,000 employees participating statewide, reduced paper usage by 10 tons and saved $47,700 through numerous paper prevention activities such as database development and form consolidation. Other accomplishments, spearheaded by recycling coordinators in Columbus, Cleveland, Akron, and Toledo, included refurbishing 18 tons of toner cartridges and 94.5 tons of computers. 1998 WasteWise Accomplishments Waste Prevented 123 tons Recycling Collection 1,487 tons Total Cost Savings $47,900 Tennessee Department of Correction The Tennessee Department of Correction employs 5,776 people and supervises more than 16,000 inmates throughout its 13 prisons. Many of the inmates participate in the department's waste prevention activities. The inmates helped eliminate 13 tons of computer waste by refurbishing and repairing 475 PC units at three computer repair centers located in the prisons. The department also conserved nearly 28 tons of textiles by repairing inmate clothing, saving more than $100,000 in avoided new clothing purchases. Activities also included composting 837 tons of organic materials and using the compost on the grounds of the department's buildings. 1998 WasteWise Accomplishments Waste Prevented 878 tons Recycling Collection 985 tons Recycled-Content Purchases 125 tons Total Cost Savings $500,100 Tribal Government Blue Lake Rancheria The Blue Lake Rancheria, Blue Lake, California, made impressive inroads to developing a solid waste reduction program in its first year of participation in the WasteWise program. The tribal office, which had no solid waste reduction program prior to joining WasteWise, conserved 25 pounds of copier paper by double siding all new documents, and 44 pounds of printer paper by using the back side of single-sided copies for draft printouts and in the fax machine. The tribal office also reduced 60 pounds of secondary packaging by switching from nonrecyclable PVC/vinyl plastic bags to recyclable PET containers. 1998 WasteWise Accomplishments Waste Prevented 129 lb Recycling Collection 2,500 lb Recycled-Content Purchases 396 lb Local Government Washoe County Government The Washoe County Government in Reno, Nevada, believes that government must lead by example and is doing just that by making itself an environmental role model. Its 2,500 employees reused thousands of large mailing envelopes for internal mail, saving approximately $50,000. The county agency also conserved 900 cases of tires by returning worn tires to be retreaded for nonsteering wheels of trucks and saved approximately $250,000. 1998 WasteWise Accomplishments Recycling Collection 45 tons Total Cost Savings $625,000 University/College Eastern Illinois University Eastern Illinois University, located in Charleston, Illinois, is committed to saving natural resources through the volunteer efforts of the university's 2,000 faculty and staff and 10,790 campus residents. The university also hires young adults with learning disabilities to help with its environmental program. The university composted 94.5 tons of yard trimmings onsite and used it to mulch flower beds and around trees, reduced the amount of computer paper used on campus by 10 percent, and reused 13 tons of office supplies through an internal exchange among employees. 1998 WasteWise Accomplishments Waste Prevented 163 tons Recycling Collection 385 tons Recycled-Content Purchases 8.5 tons Total Cost Savings $33,300 School/School District Alden Central School Alden Central School, which educates children from K through 12 and is located in Alden, New York, implemented a comprehensive waste reduction program at all campus buildings: high school, middle, intermediate, and primary education buildings, and the grounds department. Students and 250 staff members eliminated 400 pounds of polystyrene cafeteria trays and dishes by switching to reusable products and composted 850 pounds of cafeteria waste and 100 pounds of yard trimmings for use as mulch on building grounds. 1998 WasteWise Accomplishments Waste Prevented 2,450 lb Recycling Collection 2,900 lb Recycled-Content Purchases 2,250 lb ************************************************************ 1999 PROGRAM CHAMPIONS Very Large Corporation Bell Atlantic Target Stores Walt Disney World Co. Large Corporation Allergan, Inc. Amgen, Inc. Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. Battelle Memorial Institute Crown Cork & Seal Co., Inc. Dow Corning Corp. Florida Power & Light Millipore Corp. Pitney Bowes, Inc. Public Service Electric & Gas Company Russell Corp. UTC Carrier Corp. Virco Manufacturing Midsize Corporation AIRPAX Grolier, Inc. Small Business First National Bank & Trust Co. of the Treasure Coast University/College Seattle University ************************************************************ FOR MORE INFORMATION WasteWise Helpline: 800 EPA-WISE (372-9473) WasteWise E-mail: ww@cais.net WasteWise Web Site: www.epa.gov/wastewise