Recycling/Pollution Prevention

Buy Recycled
Buying recycled helps "close the recycling loop" by putting the materials collected through recycling programs back to good use as products in the marketplace. This Web area provides information about EPA's Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) and Recovered Materials Advisory Notices (RMANs), which recommend recycled-content levels for CPG items. Resources include a searchable database of vendors that sell or distribute CPG-designated products with recycled content, EPA product fact sheets, buy-recycled news, and related links.

Climate Change
This Web area explains the relationship between solid waste and climate change; discusses how to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from waste; addresses national, state, and local efforts to reduce waste-related GHG emissions; and offers information about relevant publications, tools, and best practices.

Electronics Recycling (eCycling)
This Web area provides information on electronics recycling, or "e-cycling." It also provides an overview of Plug-In To eCycling, a consumer electronics campaign working to increase the number of electronic devices collected and safely recycled in the United States. This Web area provides resources on electronics recycling; features partnerships with communities, electronics manufacturers, and retailers participating in the program; and shares information about pilot projects that identify the most efficient and easy to adopt electronics collection methods and educate consumers and businesses about end-of-life electronics.

Hazardous Waste Recycling
These resources provide information about the rules and regulations regarding hazardous waste recycling. It contains links to RCRA regulations, the Battery Act, the Cathode Ray Tubes and Mercury-Containing Equipment Proposal, Waste-Derived Fertilizers documents, and other useful documents and data.

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Jobs Through Recycling
This Web area introduces the Jobs Through Recycling (JTR) program and provides recycling market development information for state and local officials, sources of technical and financial assistance for recycling businesses, and general information for visitors interested in learning more about JTR. It features the JTRnet, an active list server for state and local government officials or nonprofit associations and links to state and tribal recycling market development programs.

Materials and Waste Exchanges
Materials and waste exchanges are markets for buying and selling reusable and recyclable commodities. This Web page provides a list of International and National Materials Exchanges and a list of State-Specific Exchanges.

Recycling Measurement
EPA developed a voluntary, standard methodology for measuring recycling rates. Utilizing this methodology can help state and local government officials accurately evaluate the success of their recycling programs and ensure that their fiscal, administrative, and planning decisions are sound. These resources allow users to access a variety of recycling measurement documents and tools including a "translator" tool to calculate recycling rates based on the EPA standard methodology.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
This Web page explains the Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle concept by providing definitions of each activity; outlining the benefits associated with waste reduction, reuse, and recycling; and offering links to related resources.

Waste Minimization
The National Waste Minimization Program supports efforts that promote a more sustainable society, reduce the amounts of waste generated, and lower the toxicity and persistence of those wastes that are generated out of necessity. This Web area provides detailed information about the program, and its partnerships and waste minimization efforts. In addition, it features such projects as Energy Recovery, Lead Tire Weights, Chemical Management Services, and Lean Manufacturing.

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