United States Environmental Protection Agency Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5306W) EPA530-R-95-044 September 1995 WasteWise: FIRST-YEAR PROGRESS REPORT ________________________________________________________________________ Contents Executive Summary WasteWise--Protecting the Environment Through Solid Waste Reduction WasteWise Participants--A Reflection of Corporate America Measuring Success--WasteWise: The First Year WasteWise Services What Does It Take To Be WasteWise? Looking Ahead--1995 and Beyond ======================================================================= Executive Summary In January 1994, EPA launched WasteWise--a voluntary partnership program designed to help businesses find practical methods for reducing municipal solid waste. This report describes the WasteWise program's eventful first year and shares the impressive results achieved by WasteWise partners in 1994. Who Participates in WasteWise? WasteWise offers companies the flexibility to design waste reduction programs that best meet their needs, so the program can successfully accommodate a wide range of participants. Nearly 370 companies joined WasteWise in its first year. Partners are located nationwide and span 35 different industry sectors, from aerospace to utilities. Approximately one-third of WasteWise partners are Fortune 500 manufacturing or service firms. To help spread the WasteWise message to more businesses, EPA launched the WasteWise Endorser Program in December 1994. Endorsers are trade associations and other membership-based organizations that champion the WasteWise program to their members. WasteWise has 26 Charter Endorsers, which are demonstrating their industries' commitment to reducing waste. 1994 Waste Reduction Achievements In 1994, WasteWise partners conserved more than 240,000 tons of material through waste prevention activities and collected nearly 1 million tons of material for recycling--enough material to fill the Houston Astrodome five times! In addition, WasteWise partners helped strengthen the markets for collected recyclables by purchasing products with recycled content. >>Waste Prevention<< Waste prevention (also called source reduction) is a main focus of the WasteWise program. Waste prevention offers the greatest environmental benefits and provides substantial cost savings to businesses. Essentially, waste prevention means using less material to do the same job--reducing waste before recycling. The waste prevention actions that conserved the greatest amount of materials were: * reducing and reusing transport packaging, such as wood pallets and corrugated boxes; * reducing primary product packaging; * reducing or reusing materials in the manufacture of products; * reducing the use of supplies, mainly paper; and * donating or exchanging products and materials. The materials conserved in greatest amounts by WasteWise partners were corrugated, wood, and ferrous metal. >>Recyclables Collection<< Nearly all WasteWise partners reported expanding or improving ongoing recycling programs by educating employees, performing community outreach, or collecting new materials. Corrugated containers, ferrous metal, and aluminum and other nonferrous metals were recycled in the greatest amounts. >>Purchase or Manufacture of Recycled Products<< Collectively, WasteWise partners purchased over 20 different kinds of recycled products: new products made with recycled content and products with an increased amount of recycled content. Paper products with recycled content were most commonly purchased. To support their buy-recycled efforts, WasteWise companies established corporate policies to purchase recycled products wherever feasible, set goals to increase the total amount spent on recycled products, and worked with their suppliers to identify recycled products that met their specifications. >>Cost Savings<< For companies, participating in WasteWise makes good business sense. Solid waste reduction can provide significant cost savings through reduced purchasing, operating, and waste management costs. For example, Target Stores, a retail chain of more than 600 stores, saved $4.5 million in operating costs in 1994 by switching to packaging for clothing that requires much less time to unpack and prepare for display. BankAmerica saved more than $1 million through its WasteWise initiatives to reduce paper use, including printing customer statements on both sides of a page. Many cost-saving examples are noted in this report. >>Getting Involved<< As WasteWise moves beyond its inaugural year, EPA invites all leading companies to join in this exciting effort. Working in partnership, EPA and the business community are demonstrating that voluntary approaches to environmental protection yield tangible results. For participating businesses, those results can include real cost savings. The WasteWise program helps participating companies uncover waste reduction opportunities and set waste reduction goals through a toll-free helpline, WasteWise representatives who provide assistance to partner companies, and a wide range of waste reduction publications, as well as other services. EPA also provides recognition for individual companies and program successes. For more information, call 800 EPA-WISE (800 372-9473). ======================================================================== WasteWise--Protecting the Environment Through Solid Waste Reduction In recent years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken many innovative approaches to environmental protection that have provided a more creative and flexible structure for achieving environmental goals. The Agency's Common Sense Initiative, pollution prevention demonstration projects, and an array of voluntary programs for businesses demonstrate EPA's commitment to working in partnership with American businesses and others to prevent pollution. The WasteWise program exemplifies these new approaches to achieving environmental goals. Designed with extensive input from businesses and other stakeholders, WasteWise was enthusiastically received by the business community at its launch in January 1994. The goal of the WasteWise program is to assist businesses in implementing cost-effective actions to reduce municipal solid waste. Solid waste reduction includes waste prevention, recyclables collection, and the purchase or manufacture of recycled products. (The WasteWise program does not involve hazardous wastes or most industrial process wastes.) Research by EPA and others has shown that conserving materials through waste prevention and recycling saves energy and reduces pollution, including emissions of gases that contribute to global warming. Often, these benefits are achieved early or "upstream" in a material's life cycle. For example, each ream of office paper conserved through double-sided copying conserves resources and energy and reduces pollution (including greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming). For companies, participating in WasteWise also makes good business sense. While other waste reduction programs for businesses emphasize recycling and strengthening "buy-recycled" programs, the WasteWise program offers the first opportunity for many companies to share, learn about, or implement waste prevention efforts. Waste prevention, also called source reduction, means using less material to get a job done. Waste prevention methods help create less waste in the first place, before recycling. Examples of waste prevention include reducing paper use and switching to reusable packaging. ************************************************************************ "EPA designed this program with business in mind. It's flexible. EPA gives you the freedom to make environmental improvements that make sense for your business." - Bob Langert, Director of Environmental Affairs, McDonald's Corporation, EPA's First WasteWise Partner ************************************************************************ Solid waste prevention can help businesses realize significant savings by reducing purchasing and waste management costs and increasing operating efficiency. For example, Target Stores, a retail chain of more than 600 stores, saved $4.5 million in operating costs in 1994 by switching to packaging for clothing that requires much less time to unpack and prepare for display. BankAmerica saved more than $1 million in 1994 through several WasteWise initiatives to reduce paper consumption, including printing customer statements on both sides of a page. Using the same technique with customer invoices, NYNEX cut paper and postage costs by more than $2.5 million in 1994. ************************************************************************ " WasteWise-type initiatives serve us, our shareholders, and the environment." - William Blackburn Vice President of Corporate Environmental Affairs and Chief Environmental Counsel, Baxter International Inc. ************************************************************************ This report describes the WasteWise program's eventful first year and highlights some of the leading companies and trade associations that are working with EPA to reduce solid waste and improve the environment. The report also highlights WasteWise partners' successes in preventing waste, collecting recyclables, and purchasing or manufacturing recycled products. The report presents EPA's best estimate of waste prevented and recyclables collected as a direct result of company WasteWise goals. Most importantly, the report provides many examples of cost-saving waste reduction actions that are being successfully implemented by companies. We hope readers who are new to business waste reduction will find many ideas in this report to spark their interest in starting a waste reduction program in their own organization. ________________________________________________________________________ Selected EPA Voluntary Initiatives: * 33/50 * Green Lights * Energy Star computers and other equipment * Climate Wise * Water Alliances for Voluntary Efficiency (WAVE) * Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program * Design for the Environment ________________________________________________________________________ ======================================================================== WasteWise Participants--A Reflection of Corporate America The WasteWise program has a broad and varied membership that reflects the makeup of corporate America. Nearly 370 companies became WasteWise partners in 1994, demonstrating their leadership in solid waste reduction. WasteWise partners are located nationwide and span 35 different industry sectors. Collectively, WasteWise partners employ more than 4.5 million people. WasteWise offers companies the flexibility to design waste reduction programs that best meet their needs. While the program is designed for large businesses, all U.S. companies are eligible to join. Large businesses in particular are in an excellent position to reduce solid waste because of the vast quantity of materials they use and their ability to influence both suppliers and customers. ________________________________________________________________________ Industry Sectors Represented by WasteWise Partners: Aerospace Airlines Banking, financial, and savings Beverages Building materials Chemicals and pharmaceuticals Communications Computers and office equipment Consulting and research services Education Electronics and electronics equipment Entertainment Food and grocery stores Forest products Furniture Hotels and restaurants Industrial and farm equipment Insurance Medical services Metals and metal products Mining and crude oil production Motor vehicles and parts Petroleum refining Printing and publishing Religious organizations Retail Rubber and plastics products Scientific and photographic equipment Soaps and cosmetics Textiles Toys and sporting goods Transportation Transportation equipment Utilities Waste management services ________________________________________________________________________ Partners WasteWise was launched in early 1994. At the close of the charter period (May 20, 1994), the program had 281 Charter Partners. A total of 368 companies had joined by the end of 1994. WasteWise partners include many of the country's leading manufacturers and service firms, such as the Inland Steel Company, The Boeing Company, and American Airlines. About one-third of companies participating in WasteWise are Fortune 500 manufacturing or service firms. Many WasteWise partners participate in other voluntary initiatives, demonstrating that their environmental leadership goes beyond solid waste reduction. These programs include EPA's Green Lights and Energy Star programs, 33/50, and Climate Wise, as well as private programs such as the National Recycling Coalition's Buy Recycled Business Alliance, the Coalition of Northeastern Governors' packaging challenge, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors' National Office Paper Recycling Project. WasteWise allows companies to decide which of their operations participate in the program. Some companies begin by enrolling selected departments, manufacturing facilities, or the headquarters office in the program, adding segments of the company as the others realize results. The Battelle Memorial Institute, for example, enrolled its headquarters facility in the program the first year. According to Eddie Swindall, Environmental Support Manager at Battelle, "During the course of the next year, Battelle anticipates incorporating other Battelle laboratories and facilities into the WasteWise program. Battelle started participating in WasteWise on a small scale, but we have been so pleased with the results that we are planning to expand our efforts." Because of the diversity of its businesses, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., opted for all of its major subsidiary companies to sign on as separate partners. The company's headquarters and breweries, as well as its subsidiaries Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Metal Container Corporation, St. Louis Refrigerator Car Company, Busch Entertainment Corp., and Campbell Taggart, Inc., are all WasteWise partners; each sets goals and reports its achievements separately. Other companies have opted for their entire organizations to sign on to WasteWise. For example, American Standard, Inc., joined the WasteWise program as a whole, with nearly all of its U.S. facilities participating in the first year. Endorsers To help spread the WasteWise message to more businesses, EPA launched the WasteWise Endorser Program in December 1994. Endorsers are trade associations and other membership-based organizations that champion the WasteWise program to their members. WasteWise endorsers commit to recruiting their member companies to join WasteWise and providing their members with ongoing information about waste reduction strategies. Endorsers have complete flexibility in designing these activities to best meet their industries' needs. EPA provides assistance as needed to help endorsers plan and implement their efforts. In early 1995, 26 Charter Endorsers signed on to demonstrate their strong commitment to reducing waste and helping their members save money. Together, these organizations represent thousands of companies and a diverse mix of industry sectors. Many WasteWise endorsers have stimulated extensive participation in WasteWise among their memberships. The American Textile Manufacturers Institute, for example, has 140 members, 22 of which are WasteWise partners. The Edison Electric Institute also has encouraged its members to participate; 21 utilities are currently WasteWise partners. The metals and metal products industry is represented by three WasteWise endorsers--the American Iron and Steel Institute, the Steel Manufacturers Association, and the Steel Recycling Institute--as well as 21 individual WasteWise partners. Together, EPA and WasteWise endorsers will help many more businesses find cost-effective ways to reduce solid waste. Initial endorser efforts have focused on spreading the WasteWise message to businesses. For example, endorsers have shared the waste reduction message with their members by: * featuring waste reduction success stories in trade association newsletters; * sponsoring WasteWise workshops at annual meetings; * featuring "how-to" information from current WasteWise partners; * recommending that companies join WasteWise as part of an association's environmental excellence program; and * mailing information to companies encouraging them to undertake new waste prevention efforts in their products or manufacturing processes. Future endorser efforts may emphasize sharing "hands-on" technical information that can help businesses maximize the effectiveness of their waste reduction program and learn from the experience of other companies. ________________________________________________________________________ Charter Endorsers: American Iron and Steel Institute American Plastics Council American Textile Manufacturers Institute Association of Ohio Recyclers Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association Direct Marketing Association, Inc. Edison Electric Institute Electronic Industries Association Food Marketing Institute Foodservice & Packaging Institute Glass Packaging Institute Green Hotels Association Grocery Manufacturers of America Institute of Packaging Professionals National Association for Environmental Management National Association of Photographic Manufacturers, Inc. National Automobile Dealers Association National Retail Federation National Soft Drink Association National Wooden Pallet and Container Association Newspaper Association of America Polystyrene Packaging Council Steel Manufacturers Association Steel Recycling Institute Virginia Recycling Association The Vinyl Institute ======================================================================== Measuring Success--WasteWise: The First Year Thanks to the ambitious efforts of WasteWise partners in 1994, more than 240,000 tons of materials were conserved through waste prevention, and nearly 1 million tons of materials were collected for recycling. In addition, WasteWise partners helped create stronger markets for collected recyclables by purchasing 23 different kinds of products made from recycled materials. EPA congratulates all of the WasteWise partners on these impressive achievements. ************************************************************************ " What started out as a nice thing to do for the environment ended up saving an impressive amount of money." - Jim Oberndorfer, Manager, Facilities Operations, Perkin-Elmer Corporation ************************************************************************ The 1994 figures indicate businesses' enormous potential to divert materials from the waste stream. This potential is most evident when the individual contributions of some of the larger WasteWise partners are examined. Through waste prevention actions, the Pepsi-Cola Company, Chrysler, Stone Container, and Xerox each eliminated from 45 million to more than 100 million pounds of waste in 1994. If all Fortune 500 manufacturing firms joined WasteWise and achieved waste reduction results in this range, the total materials conserved would exceed 19 million tons per year, or 9 percent of all municipal solid waste generated in the United States! This level of waste reduction could save U.S. businesses billions of dollars each year. Taking a closer look at the aggregate figures reported by WasteWise companies for 1994 reveals several interesting aspects of business solid waste reduction. First, the amount of material collected for recycling is considerably greater than the amount of material conserved through waste prevention. Waste prevention, also called source reduction, means using less material to get a job done. Waste prevention methods help create less waste in the first place, before recycling. Reported waste prevention amounts may be lower because waste prevention efforts are just getting under way in many companies, and systems for tracking and measuring the amount of waste prevented are less developed than those for recycling. Recycling programs, on the other hand, are well established and easily measurable. Furthermore, in most cases recycling figures reflect total company recycling efforts, while waste prevention figures reflect only a company's three WasteWise waste prevention goals. Many of the materials that WasteWise partners recycle in large amounts could be significantly reduced through waste prevention efforts. Waste prevention usually offers cost savings and environmental benefits even greater than those achieved through recycling. For example: * NYNEX saved $2.5 million in 1994 through its waste prevention activities, which included printing customer telephone bills on both sides of the page. * Quaker State changed the shape of its motor oil bottle from round to rectangular. This alteration enabled the company to reduce the use of corrugated material in its casing by 15 percent, which will save approximately $600,000 annually. * LSI Logic Corporation saved $500,000 in 1994 by decreasing paper usage (by using electronic mail and smaller data sheets) and implementing other WasteWise activities. EPA asked the 290 partners that joined WasteWise before August 1, 1994, to report their progress for the year. A total of 170 WasteWise partners submitted annual reports. WasteWise partners that did not report 1994 activities were unable to do so either because they were still in the early stages of assessing waste reduction opportunities and identifying company goals or because they had begun implementing their waste reduction programs but did not yet have measurable results. Further, of those companies submitting reports, some were unable to measure results for each activity. In the discussion that follows, the number of companies noted is the number that reported making progress in the particular waste prevention activity; the number of companies reporting actual measurements for that activity is slightly smaller in most cases. EPA expects that, as companies progress further in their waste reduction and measurement efforts, a greater portion of WasteWise companies will be able to report results for 1995 and subsequent years. ************************************************************************ El Paso Natural Gas reduced the use of white office paper by 100,000 pounds by promoting double-sided copies,electronic mail, electronic bulletin boards, and company newsletters for interoffice communication. ************************************************************************ Waste Prevention Of the companies that reported on their WasteWise results, 140 companies reported specifically on waste prevention activities. In total, these activities eliminated more than 240,000 tons of waste. Table 1 depicts the reported waste prevention activities that conserved the greatest amount of materials. ________________________________________________________________________ Table 1 Major Waste Prevention Activities by WasteWise Partners in 1994 (Number of companies reflects those reporting waste prevention progress for that activity.) Reduce/Reuse Transport Packaging 137,911 tons (51 companies) Reduce/Reuse Materials in Product 77,323 tons (19 companies) Manufacture Reduce the Use of Primary Packaging 9,583 tons (14 companies) Reduce the Use of Supplies 8,622 tons (55 companies) Donate/Exchange Materials/Products 821 tons (17 companies) ________________________________________________________________________ Table 2 shows the top materials conserved through waste prevention activities. Corrugated is the single largest component of commercial solid waste and was also the material conserved in greatest amounts through company waste prevention activities. To achieve these reductions, WasteWise partners reduced the weight of the packaging, reused it, or replaced corrugated with more durable containers. Judging by the amount of corrugated that WasteWise partners collected for recycling and by the clear potential for reducing use of this material in the first place through waste prevention efforts, corrugated containers represent a waste prevention and cost-saving opportunity for many companies. Ferrous metals were reduced by WasteWise partners through changes in product design, container lightweighting, and improved production efficiencies. Wood pallets are generated in large numbers by businesses and these were reduced through repair and reuse or replacement with more durable pallets. ________________________________________________________________________ Table 2 Materials Conserved Through Waste Prevention by WasteWise Partners in 1994 (Number of companies in parentheses are those reporting waste prevention figures for that material.) Corrugated 105,776 tons (35 companies) Ferrous Metals 46,476 tons (18 companies) Wood 44,178 tons (24 companies) All Other Materials 19,554 tons (N/A) Non-Ferrous & Aluminum 10,519 tons ( 5 companies) All Plastics 9,674 tons (36 companies) Mixed and White Paper 6,678 tons (45 companies) ________________________________________________________________________ Top Waste Prevention Activities The following waste prevention activities implemented by WasteWise partners in 1994 resulted in substantial reductions in waste. >>Reduce or reuse transport packaging<< In 1994, 51 WasteWise companies focused on reducing or reusing transport packaging, such as wood pallets and corrugated boxes. Together, WasteWise partners conserved more than 137,900 tons (275 million pounds) of materials through more efficient transport systems, packaging redesign, and packaging reuse. * At Navistar International Transportation Corporation, used corrugated boxes are collected and sold to selected vendors. The company also uses returnable containers and works with its vendors to reduce packaging materials and reuse corrugated boxes whenever possible. These practices conserved 3.2 million pounds of corrugated. In addition, Navistar conserved 2.9 million pounds of wood by collecting wood pallets and returning them to vendors, reusing them, selling them, or repairing them at off-site locations. * By replacing one-way corrugated shippers with reusable plastic cases, the Pepsi-Cola Company reduced corrugated use by 101 million pounds. * A project to reduce the dimensions of lumber used to make two types of standard pallets conserved 5.6 million pounds of wood for Eastman Kodak Company. Kodak also changed product stacking patterns and packaging to ship the same amount of product on fewer standard pallets. This project eliminated 1.8 million pounds of wood that otherwise would have been used to make pallets. Kodak saved more than $380,000 implementing these projects. * Perkin-Elmer, a manufacturer of analytical, environmental, and life science systems, instituted a return program to reduce and reuse corrugated boxes. The company found that it could reuse returned boxes and packaging up to five times before recycling them, so they offered to pay for shipping if customers returned the packaging. Although the program is new, customers are returning 28 percent of the packaging, and the company has saved $95,000 thus far. >>Reduce or reuse materials associated with manufacturing products<< Nineteen WasteWise partners reported that they reduced waste in their manufacturing processes. By reducing packaging weight (lightweighting), switching to more efficient processes, and reusing materials, WasteWise partners reduced the waste associated with product manufacturing by 77,300 tons (155 million pounds) in 1994. * Stone Container Corporation decreased corrugated container manufacturing waste by more than 40 million pounds by redesigning products to eliminate waste during manufacturing, lightweighting, and reusing fibers recovered from waste water. * Ingersoll Rand, a heavy-equipment manufacturer, reduced the volume of ferrous metal shavings being landfilled by 520,000 pounds through improvements in its manufacturing process. * Xerox Corporation accepts used copiers from its customers, disassembles them, and reuses or remanufactures as many parts as possible in making new products. Xerox has reused 50 million pounds of metals and 2.5 million pounds of plastic materials from its U.S. facilities. >>Reduce the use of primary packaging<< In 1994, 14 WasteWise partners reduced primary packaging by more than 9,500 tons (19 million pounds) by lightweighting the materials used or eliminating product packaging altogether. * S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., reduced primary packaging by more than 12 million pounds by reducing both ferrous and plastic packaging of products by 25 percent. For example, the company lightweighted by 10 percent the 12-ounce and 2-liter plastic containers for a liquid cleaning product. * Land O' Lakes reduced primary packaging by nearly 500,000 pounds. The company achieved this reduction by eliminating paperboard sleeves on 16-ounce margarine-spread tubs, converting foodservice and deli cheese overwrap to a lighter weight material, and reducing the package length for a processed cheese product. * Procter & Gamble designed new packaging for cooking oil that will eliminate 2.5 million pounds per year of plastic and 1.3 million pounds per year of corrugated material. * Crown Cork & Seal Company, a packaging manufacturer, eliminated 48 million pounds of steel and aluminum by lightweighting the cans it produces. >>Reduce the use of supplies<< Thirty-eight companies reported taking steps to reduce their use of high-grade paper, conserving a total of 3.4 million pounds of white paper. Seventeen partners initiated actions to reduce their use of mixed paper (e.g., direct mail and interoffice envelopes), conserving an additional 9.9 million pounds of paper. Companies estimated reducing the use of paper or other supplies by a total of 8,600 tons (17.2 million pounds). * McDonald's reduced low density polyethylene (LDPE) usage by 2.1 million pounds by switching to a redesigned trash bag that is both stronger and thinner. * Chrysler's Information Systems Print Reduction Team reduced the number of pages the company printed by 10 percent from the previous year. This eliminated approximately 15 million pages of print--the equivalent of 150,000 pounds of paper. * BankAmerica conserved 1.4 million pounds of paper through a comprehensive waste reduction program. The bank instituted a duplexing policy and reinforced it through employee education; began printing account reconciliation information on the back of checking account statements, rather than on a separate page; and replaced procedure manuals in bank branches with a combination of a condensed reference library in the branches and a telephone support center. These paper reduction measures saved BankAmerica more than $1 million. ________________________________________________________________________ Savings Measure Up Measuring the success of waste reduction efforts enables companies to identify which actions are most cost-effective and to share successes with employees, management, and shareholders. For example, Dow Corning Corporation used a simple calculation to estimate that it conserved more than 1.7 million pounds of material through repair and reuse of wood pallets, thus saving $530,000. "Measuring your efforts allows you to continuously improve your waste reduction program. You discover further opportunities to cut costs and are able to share your successes with others," explained Dow Corning's Senior Recycling Coordinator, Kim Hohisel. When aggregated, as in this report, these company estimates demonstrate the magnitude of the environmental results that voluntary efforts can achieve and suggest the enormous potential for other businesses to prevent waste, recycle, and increase the use of recycled products. While estimating the amount of materials collected for recycling is straightforward, waste prevention measurement is a new and evolving area. Ease of measurement varies based on each company's waste prevention activities and existing tracking systems. To assist WasteWise partners and other companies in measuring their waste prevention efforts, EPA is developing case studies and practical methods that can be readily adapted to an individual company's circumstances. EPA will be sharing this information through 1995 and beyond. ________________________________________________________________________ >>Donate products/materials<< Donating not only helps reduce solid waste but also benefits the community. Seventeen WasteWise partners reported donating products and materials, conserving 800 tons (1.6 million pounds) of materials. Donations included furniture, building materials, surplus supplies, and excess food. * Tidyman's grocery stores donated 208,000 pounds of leftover food to local churches and food banks. * State Street Bank & Trust Company salvaged two truckloads of carpeting, lights, ceiling tiles, and cabinets from a demolition project and donated the materials to a United Way agency for reuse in a housing project. The reuse of these materials diverted 70,000 pounds of waste from disposal; the materials were valued at approximately $20,000. * Baxter International Inc. donated 950,000 pounds of surplus or short-dated medical supplies and equipment, worth more than $11 million, to nonprofit organizations. ________________________________________________________________________ Table 3 Materials Recycled by WasteWise Partners in 1994 (WasteWise & Non-WasteWise Activities) Percentages are based on a total of 956,684 tons of material collected for recycling. (Due to rounding, the sum of individual material values may vary from the total.) Non-ferrous includes aluminum; "other" materials include batteries, tires, and telephone directories. Corrugated 304,347 tons (31.8%) 98 companies Ferrous Metals 189,451 tons (19.8%) 66 companies Non-Ferrous Metals 187,026 tons (19.6%) 95 companies All Other Materials 107,926 tons (11.3%) N/A White and Mixed Paper 68,712 tons ( 7.2%) 126 companies All Plastics 42,517 tons ( 4.4%) 61 companies Wood 37,537 tons ( 3.9%) 40 companies Organic 17,917 tons ( 1.9%) 18 companies Glass 1,253 tons ( 0.1%) 32 companies ________________________________________________________________________ Recyclables Collection Of the companies reporting, 159 reported on efforts to collect recyclables. WasteWise partners recycled more than 956,000 tons (1.9 billion pounds) of material in 1994. Much of this amount is attributable to ongoing company recycling programs, which were expanded or improved as part of company WasteWise goals. For example, partners expanded programs through employee education and community outreach and by adding new materials where markets for them existed. Because WasteWise recycling goals took many forms and were often integrated into overall recycling efforts, the amount of materials collected specifically as a result of WasteWise activity was difficult to extract from overall 1994 recycling figures. Many companies did not attempt to differentiate recyclables collected for WasteWise goals from total recyclables collected in 1994. Based on those that were able to make this distinction, a minimum estimate is that more than 61,700 tons of materials were collected as a direct result of WasteWise goals. As illustrated in Table 3, the materials recycled in the highest amounts were corrugated containers/boxes (304,347 tons), ferrous metals (189,451 tons), and aluminum/ other nonferrous metals (187,026 tons). In 1994, several WasteWise partners expanded recycling efforts by building partnerships within their communities: * Opp and Micolas Mills helped a local elementary school start a recycling program and began hauling the school's white paper to a recycling facility. The company is working toward reaching an agreement with the local newspaper office to transport its discarded newspapers, along with the company's own paper, to a recycling facility in a nearby town. * Virco Manufacturing helped a local school's recycling program raise money for a trip to Space camp. Virco also allows vendors to deposit their corrugated material at Virco for recycling. * Bell Atlantic shared responsibility for recycling old telephone directories with numerous local governments throughout the mid- Atlantic states. ************************************************************************ Unusual Materials Collected for Recycling by WasteWise Partners * Burlap animal beedbags (Dow Corning) * Utility poles and wood cable reels (Baltimore Gas & Electric) * Porcelain insulators (Florida Power Corporation) ************************************************************************ Purchase or Manufacture of Recycled Products WasteWise partners helped stimulate the market for recovered materials by expanding their purchases of recycled-content products. Eighty-five partners purchased new products made with recycled content, and 54 partners purchased products with an increased amount of recycled content. (Some companies did both.) Collectively, WasteWise partners purchased 23 different kinds of recycled products. It was difficult for many companies to estimate the additional amount spent in 1994 on recycled products. Many companies did report on their activities, however. ________________________________________________________________________ "The WasteWise program increased our awareness of avenues for buying recycled products and showed us new ways to minimize solid waste." - Rod Rehwinkel, Corporate Executive Chef Perry Restaurant Group ________________________________________________________________________ To kick off their buy-recycled efforts, many companies established corporate policies to purchase recycled products wherever feasible. Safety-Kleen Corporation set a goal to increase the amount of money spent on recycled products by 10 percent annually. Several companies worked with their suppliers to identify recycled products that meet their specifications. The Coca-Cola Company works with its suppliers to ensure that specific levels of recycled content are used in the manufacture of its packaging. U.S. Steel's Gary Works facility is working with suppliers to increase the postconsumer content in several products it purchases, such as janitorial and office supplies. The Walt Disney Company encourages its vendors to carry more recycled products, and the company's paper buyers investigate new or alternative recycled papers for print jobs, including annual reports, advertising materials, internal newsletters, corporate forms, business cards, and tickets. WasteWise partners most frequently purchased recycled-content paper products. Several companies found more unusual recycled products to meet their needs, however, such as: * Plastic picnic tables (Monsanto) * Rubber ground cover for playgrounds (Amgen) * Concrete speed bumps (Amgen) * Paper straws (Perry Restaurant Group) Several WasteWise partners that also participate in the National Recycling Coalition's Buy Recycled Business Alliance made exceptional contributions by devoting substantial resources to purchasing a variety of recycled products. These companies and the total amount each spent in 1994 on recycled products are: American Airlines ($79 million), Bell Atlantic Corporation ($41 million), DuPont ($80 million), McDonald's Corporation ($309 million), and The Walt Disney Company ($30 million). Six WasteWise partners chose the optional goal of increasing the amount of postconsumer material in the products they manufacture. A few highlights: * Stone Container Corporation increased the amount of postconsumer material in its paper and paperboard production from 36 to 38 percent. This increased its total use of postconsumer material to over 2 million tons in 1994. * Xerox Corporation used 25 percent postconsumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in the manufacture of transparencies. * Coors Brewing Company used 85 million pounds of postconsumer aluminum to manufacture cans in 1994. ************************************************************************ Recycled Products Most Frequently Purchased by WasteWise Partners * Copier paper * Printer/computer paper * Stationery (letterhead, business cards, envelopes) * Paper towels * Toilet paper * Toner cartridges * Folders * Corrugated containers/boxes * Packaging material/filler * Brown/mixed paper envelopes (e.g., interoffice envelopes) ************************************************************************ WasteWise Services The WasteWise program offers several forms of assistance for participating companies to help them discover waste reduction opportunities and set waste reduction goals. WasteWise Helpline (800-EPA-WISE) EPA established a toll-free helpline to communicate with WasteWise partners and others interested in the program. Staffed by WasteWise information specialists, the helpline can answer both general program questions and specific technical questions on waste reduction. Helpline staff have access to an extensive library as well as a compendium containing current information about waste reduction resources nationwide. In the program's first year, the WasteWise Helpline responded to more than 1,700 calls. WasteWise Representatives Upon joining the program, a new WasteWise partner is assigned a WasteWise representative. WasteWise representatives are available to provide individual assistance to partner companies. WasteWise representatives can help companies establish their goals and complete their Annual Reporting Forms, and they are on call to provide technical assistance. WasteWise Workshops Through early 1995, EPA sponsored 14 WasteWise workshops nationwide that were attended by more than 500 participants. EPA plans to conduct additional workshops through 1996 to share waste reduction experiences and advice among WasteWise partners and other organizations interested in the program. The workshops typically feature presentations by partners on topics such as starting a waste reduction team, getting employees involved, measuring results, and conducting waste assessments. Workshops also have an interactive component in which small groups brainstorm waste reduction ideas based on actual company case studies. Several WasteWise partners have generously shared their time and experiences by making a presentation at a WasteWise workshop. ________________________________________________________________________ Presenters at Recent WasteWise Workshops: Advanced Micro Devices, Allergan, Anheuser-Busch, Hallmark, Hewlett-Packard, NYNEX, Pepsi- Cola General Bottlers, Perkin-Elmer, Polaroid Corporation, Target Stores, Tidyman's, Xerox. ________________________________________________________________________ Waste Reduction Publications In 1994, the WasteWise program distributed more than 10,000 publications to its partners and other interested parties. In addition to an introductory booklet that describes the program, WasteWise partners receive the following: * Waste Prevention Pays Off: Companies Cut Waste in the Workplace. This booklet highlights the successful waste prevention strategies of companies that have realized substantial cost savings. * Business Guide for Reducing Solid Waste. This comprehensive handbook offers "how-to" suggestions for conducting a waste assessment and designing a waste reduction program. * Tip Sheets. These provide succinct, practical information on the following topics: facility waste assessments, waste prevention, recyclables collection, and the purchase or manufacture of products with recycled content. EPA develops additional tip sheets as needed. * Recycled Products Guide (RPG). To help its partners locate products made with recycled content, WasteWise distributes a condensed version of the Recycled Products Guide to all participating companies. This privately published guide lists hundreds of U.S. manufacturers and distributors of recycled products. On-line information from this guide is also available via the WasteWise Helpline. (WasteWise also distributes a separate listing of other recycled-product directories.) * WasteWise Update Newsletter and WasteWise Bulletin. EPA publishes the WasteWise Update three times a year to showcase partner successes in preventing waste and tracking progress. The Update is distributed to all WasteWise partners and endorsers and to thousands of interested parties outside the program. The WasteWise Bulletin, a single page of news published bimonthly, is designed to inform partners and endorsers about current program news. Both publications also provide referrals to other resources as well as technical information. WasteWise Peer Exchange Network The WasteWise Peer Exchange Network is a new service in which WasteWise partners can directly share information and experiences in implementing waste reduction activities. To participate, partners complete a simple form indicating the type of information they need or have to share. EPA then facilitates a match between two or more companies. Thus far, more than 30 companies have expressed interest in either receiving or sharing waste reduction information. Public Recognition Generating public awareness of the benefits of partners' waste reduction activities is a major function of the WasteWise program. EPA draws attention to the WasteWise program through a variety of activities. These activities highlight the program as a whole, as well as the successes of individual partners. Highlighting the WasteWise Program EPA publicizes the WasteWise program so that the public understands the significance of companies' participation in WasteWise. EPA's goal is that the WasteWise logo will be recognized as a symbol of environmental leadership. EPA conducts publicity activities for major program events, such as the release of this report, the initial program invitation, the launching of the endorser program, the Endorser Roundtable, and the program's inaugural event held at the National Press Club in July 1994. Furthermore, the WasteWise program receives coverage in a wide range of business and trade publications, as well as in EPA publications such as Reusable News, Pollution Prevention News, and the EPA Journal. In the future, EPA plans to encourage further public recognition of the program by placing public service announcements in key business and trade journals. Recognizing Individual Companies EPA also recognizes the efforts of individual WasteWise partners by featuring their waste reduction successes in WasteWise workshops and presentations, the annual progress report, the WasteWise Update, and other EPA case studies. Furthermore, several partner companies were featured in independently produced video news releases (VNR) on the WasteWise program. Specific features of each company's waste reduction efforts were highlighted in the VNR series, which aired to an audience of millions via public broadcasting and commercial television networks. Companies can also highlight their participation in WasteWise by using the WasteWise logo or through press releases and employee newsletters. ======================================================================== What Does It Take To Be WasteWise? I n joining WasteWise, partners commit to implementing or expanding a solid waste reduction program. There are three complementary components to the program: waste prevention, recyclables collection, and the purchase or manufacture of recycled products. As a first step, EPA encourages partner companies to examine their operating and purchasing practices and to identify cost-effective opportunities for waste reduction. Partners then establish practical and measurable goals, which have been tailored to their individual circumstances, in each of the three program areas. Partners monitor their progress and report annually to EPA on their accomplishments. Each year, companies reexamine their efforts and set new goals, as appropriate, to expand and enhance their waste reduction activities. EPA is available to provide technical assistance and information to help companies establish goals, implement programs, and monitor progress. >>Waste Prevention<< Waste prevention (also called source reduction) is a critical element of the WasteWise program. Waste prevention offers the greatest environmental benefits and provides substantial cost savings to businesses. Waste prevention means using less material to do the same job, cutting waste before recycling. WasteWise partners commit to implementing three significant waste prevention activities of their choice and report annually on the amount of waste they avoided. >>Recyclables Collection<< WasteWise partners commit to initiating, expanding, or improving company programs to collect recyclables. In some cases, companies add new materials to an existing program, or they increase program efficiency through activities such as employee education or community outreach. WasteWise partners currently recycle an impressive array of materials,including corrugated, aluminum, steel, paper, plastic, wood, organics, and glass. >>Purchase or Manufacture of Recycled Products<< Many products in the marketplace contain materials recovered from the solid waste stream. These products are often priced competitively with products made from virgin materials. Nonmanufacturing WasteWise partners commit to increasing the overall recycled content in the products they purchase, either by purchasing recycled products in lieu of virgin products or by increasing the recycled content in those recycled products that they already buy. Manufacturers may either increase the percentage of postconsumer content in the products they make or increase the recycled content in the products they purchase. >>Tracking Progress and Reporting Results<< By March 1 of each year, WasteWise partners submit to EPA a brief report on their waste reduction accomplishments for the preceding calendar year. Partners are asked to quantify waste prevented, materials recycled, and the additional amount spent (from the preceding year) on products with increased recycled content. Manufacturers also report the increased amount of postconsumer content used in the products they manufactured. WasteWise partners are encouraged to share cost savings that resulted from their waste reduction programs. For more information call the WasteWise helpline at 1-800-EPA-WISE ======================================================================== Looking Ahead--1995 and Beyond WasteWise began with a strong first year, thanks to the commitment and initiative of its Charter Partners and the other companies that joined the program in 1994. This inaugural year was also a time for EPA to learn more from WasteWise companies--what technical assistance they need and what program services EPA can develop to meet those needs. In subsequent years, EPA will build on this foundation to share the waste reduction message with many more companies. EPA will enhance the technical assistance and information available to WasteWise partners and endorsers. Our first-year results give an indication of the impressive amounts of material that can be conserved--by a single large corporation or a cluster of companies through waste reduction efforts. The WasteWise program will continue to work with its endorser organizations to help spread the news of the benefits of waste reduction and to provide practical information on starting or expanding solid waste reduction programs. Over the next year, EPA plans to work with one or two endorsers to demonstrate in greater depth the waste reduction achievements in their industry sector(s). This in-depth look might focus on a specific practice that could be adopted on a wide scale within a business sector (e.g., two-sided billing by utilities or telecommunications companies), or it might highlight an array of cost-effective practices that a particular sector could implement. EPA invites any interested trade association to sign on as a WasteWise endorser and work in partnership with EPA to increase waste reduction practices among its membership. It's easy to do, helps businesses cut costs, and demonstrates an industry's commitment to improving the environment. EPA will also continue to publicize the WasteWise program and the accomplishments of individual partners and endorsers. WasteWise will expand its focus on identifying the superior money-saving and environmental benefits of waste prevention. We will do this by emphasizing waste prevention tips and "how-to" information in workshops, case studies, and other technical assistance, as well as by highlighting partner successes and cost savings. Through the WasteWise Peer Exchange, we will expand the opportunities for WasteWise partners to learn directly from each other about cost-effective waste prevention and recycling practices. To help partners monitor their waste prevention progress more effectively, EPA will share practical methods for measuring the results of waste prevention activities that have worked for other companies. ************************************************************************ EPA wants to work with more leading corporations to demonstrate the enormous power of American businesses to prevent waste, recycle, and strengthen markets for recycled products through voluntary action. ************************************************************************ The second and third years for WasteWise promise to be just as eventful and productive as the 1994 inaugural year, thanks to the devoted efforts of existing WasteWise partners and endorsers, the leadership of new companies that will step forward to join the program, and an EPA team that is committed to working with businesses to expand cost-saving waste reduction practices. If you are a WasteWise participant, EPA thanks you for the leadership and hard work that are making business waste reduction a success in this country. If you are not currently participating in WasteWise, EPA invites you to join in this exciting effort to reap the full environmental and cost-saving benefits of solid waste reduction and resource conservation.