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WasteWise Helpline Questions and Answers
Below are questions from Partners received by the WasteWise Helpline. Choose a question to see the Helpline’s response.
- How do I start a recycling program? Where can I recycle in my area?
- How do I join WasteWise? Where can I find general program information?
- Why should I join WasteWise? What can WasteWise do for me?
- Should I join WasteWise as a Partner or as an Endorser?
- Once I’ve submitted my baseline data, what are the next steps?
- Why should I attend the WasteWise annual conference?
- How can I access my forms and complete new forms online?
- Where can I find more information about the ABA-EPA Climate Challenge and WasteWise?
- When will annual reports and awards applications be due in 2008?
- Where I can I recycle material (e.g. electronics, clothing, furniture, metals)?
How do I start a recycling program? Where can I recycle in my area?
You will first need to find a market for the materials you are planning to recycle, including a vendor that is willing to arrange a deal for purchasing your goods. Vendors can include the company that helps set up the collection program, the processor who prepares them for the end user or manufacturer, or a broker who markets the materials to processors or end users. The arrangements you make will be unique to your company and the company collecting the materials.
In many cases, a vendor will be easy to find in the telephone book. In other cases, more research might be required. Sometimes a new market might need to be developed for a material. Your local or state government recycling offices, the local Chamber of Commerce, or a local or regional recycling organization might be able to help you find or develop markets for materials you intend to collect. In addition, other businesses might be able to use these materials. A neighboring business might, for instance, be able to use your recovered materials in their production process. An organization, such as a “waste exchange,” can provide the necessary communication link between those who have materials that could be recycled and those who are looking for materials to use in their production processes.
See EPA's recycling Web page for a list of associations and organizations that might be able to inform you of relevant funding opportunities and waste exchanges in your area. You may also consider contacting your state and/or local economic development authority or small business office for additional information about financial assistance programs for your prospective business.
In addition, EPA’s State-Specific Exchanges Web site is a great resource for finding location-specific, and often waste-type-specific, recycling facilities. Earth 911 also offers a unique tool to identify recycling exchange markets in your area.
How do I join WasteWise? Where can I find general program information?
Visit the Join WasteWise page for links to general program information and Partner registration forms.
For information about planning your WasteWise program once you are a Partner, visit our Partner Support page.
To ensure a successful WasteWise program, consult the checklist 10 Steps to a Successful WasteWise Program (PDF) (2 pp, 2,815K).
Why should I join WasteWise? What can WasteWise do for me?
As a WasteWise Partner or Endorser, organizations can access a wealth of free technical assistance that will help you design and implement effective waste reduction activities. Through our network of experts and peers, you will learn cost-cutting waste reduction strategies and gain valuable insight from other Partners. Key benefits include:
- Awards and recognition are available through national and local events, media advisories, and various EPA publications.
- The WasteWise Helpline, a toll-free service, offers access to information specialists trained to answer questions about WasteWise, including technical questions.
- Online Partner Support with useful tools only available to Partners, including guidance on setting goals, measuring results, and reporting.
- Partner forums that present program information and educate Partners on technical topics.
- Mentoring opportunities between Partners.
- Personalized Climate Profiles provide reporting WasteWise Partners with information on organizations’ individual greenhouse gas emission reduction efforts.
- Publications and communications from the WasteWise program, including the eBulletin, an electronic newsletter, and a listserv to facilitate Partner interaction.
Should I join WasteWise as a Partner or as an Endorser?
Organizations are encouraged to join as a WasteWise Partner if they produce waste and have a means by which to measure recycling and waste reduction efforts. Endorsers do not typically produce significant waste in and of themselves, but their affiliates may. Endorsers are state and local government agencies, trade associations, nonprofit organizations, and businesses that help their constituents realize that reducing solid waste makes good business sense. Endorsers recruit organizations to become WasteWise Partners and provide Partners with ongoing promotional or technical information. By doing so, Endorsers demonstrate their leadership in the environmental arena and play a pivotal role in conserving our natural resources and preventing pollution.
Once I’ve submitted my baseline data, what are the next steps?
WasteWise Partners join the program at different points in their waste reduction efforts. Therefore, we do not have a formulaic step-wise program for waste reduction. We do, however, have many resources available through our Partner Support section.
- Setting goals. Each year, we ask WasteWise Partners to set goals for the next year on their Assessment Form. However, it may be helpful for your program to set more long-term goals. Selected Goals of WasteWise Partners (PDF) (17 pp, 960K) gives some examples of these goals.
- Developing effective measuring and monitoring systems. This resource will help your organization determine how cost effective and environmentally friendly your waste reduction efforts are.
- Increasing employee education
- Finding new products to recycle
- Buying recycled products
- Considering other non-recycling waste reduction efforts
Additionally, the WasteWise Publications page has several Annual Reports and Case Studies that outline different initiatives established by WasteWise Partners since the program’s inception.
We encourage Partners to attend our annual conference to learn more about the WasteWise program and the achievements of our Partners. This year’s conference will be held November 13th-15th in Washington, DC. Conference registration is now available online.
Why should I attend the WasteWise annual conference?
The 2007 WasteWise & NPEP Conference: Building Community and Business Partnerships is a great opportunity for Partners and Endorsers to learn more about how WasteWise can support their waste management programs, and to share information and network with each other. In addition, group breakout sessions provide unique information for WasteWise Partners, including how to further develop your waste reduction program using Materials Exchange programs as well as how to translate your achievements into meaningful figures using Climate Reports.
How can I access my forms and complete new forms online?
Our online Partner reporting function is currently under construction. If you need information from previously submitted forms, please contact the WasteWise Helpline at 800-EPA-WISE.
Visit the Publications and Forms page to download PDF files of the baseline and annual assessment form.
Where can I find more information about the ABA-EPA Climate Challenge and WasteWise?
ABA-EPA Climate Challenge participants are encouraged to join WasteWise to help them adopt best practices for office paper management. Please visit the ABA-EPA Climate Challenge WasteWise Web site 
for more information. You may also wish to read about the connection between climate change and waste.
When will annual reports and awards applications be due in 2008?
We have set a tentative due date of March 1, 2008, but please check the Web site for updates.
Where I can I recycle _______ material (e.g. electronics, clothing, furniture, metals)?
Local laws, markets, and infrastructure typically dictate recycling. You should direct the question of where to recycle certain materials in your area to your local government (generally to the offices of solid waste, public works, or department of environment), or call 1-800-CLEANUP. You can also use EPA’s A-Z Subject Index to find more information about how to recycle certain types of wastes.