Federal Green Challenge - Waste

On this page:

• Federal Green Challenge Waste Goals
• Reducing Your Waste Footprint
• Case Studies

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Federal Green Challenge Waste Goals

Relative to your baseline, achieve a 5% increase or reduction in the following activities:

• Reduce the tons of waste generated;
• Increase the tons of material recycled; and
• Increase the tons of material composted.

EPA has tools available through WasteWise to help organizations achieve their waste reduction, reuse, and recycling goals. Federal Green Challenge participants report waste goals and results into the WasteWise measurement tool.

Reducing Your Waste Footprint

Reduction

• Print double-sided and/or multiple pages to one sheet of paper
• Set printers to double-sided default
• Create and distribute materials electronically
• If you have a cafeteria, use reusable serviceware instead of disposable
• Reduce packaging waste by purchasing products in bulk
• Design new facilities for deconstruction to reduce construction and demolition debris in the future

Reuse

• Create a materials exchange in your building
• Donate used electronics that are still functional through programs like Computers for Learning  
• Reuse packaging material

Executive Order 13514

• Minimize the generation of waste and pollutants through source reduction;
• Divert at least 50% of non-hazardous solid waste, excluding construction and demolition debris, by end of FY2015;
• Divert at least 50% of construction and demolition materials and debris by end of FY 2015;
• Reduce printing paper use and acquiring uncoated printing and writing paper containing at least 30% postconsumer fiber; and
• Reduce and minimize the quantity of toxic and hazardous chemicals and materials acquired, used, or disposed of.
• Learn more about Executive Order 13514

Executive Order 13423

• Increase diversion of solid waste as appropriate; and
• Maintain cost-effective waste prevention and recycling programs.
• Learn more about Executive Order 13423 (PDF) (5 pp, 139K)

Recycling/Composting

• Start a composting and/or recycling program
• Remove individual garbage cans and place them in a central location
• Recycle electronics
• Recycle construction and demolition materials

Buying Recycled/Recyclable

• Purchase 100% postconsumer fiber paper products
• Purchase office products with recycled content
• Purchase products that are recyclable/compostable at your facility

Measurement

• WARM (WAste Reduction Model)
• ReCon Tool (Recycled Content Tool)
• Food Waste Management Calculator
• Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors (PDF) (21 pp, 481K)
• WasteWise's Waste Reduction and Buy Recycled Tracking Sheet (XLS) (Excel spreadsheet format, 17K)

Case Studies

• In 2008, the US Postal Service Western Areas conservation efforts saved the region $44 million. These savings were achieved by reusing and redistributing equipment and materials within the postal system, as well as diverting 35,000 tons of waste from the landfill.
• The Federal Prison Camp (FPC) in Duluth, Minnesota used a three-tier recycling program to increase its recycling rate by 118% in just one year. The three tiers were:
1. detailed institution trash recycling,
2. vermiculture or worm farming, and
3. food waste composting.

More case studies are available at the WasteWise website

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