Sustainable Materials Management Web Academy

University Best Practices in Waste Stream Management

This webinar session highlights best practices in university materials and waste stream management, including reduce, reuse, and recycle principles. Participants learned about the excellent waste reduction programs at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Colorado State University, and The Ohio State University. Our speakers shared proven practices that help colleges and universities minimize waste generation and promote materials reuse. Attendees also learned about ongoing university case studies and projects involving waste characterization as well as other programs assisting campuses in achieving sustainability goals.

Ian Joyce, Former EPA Research Participant at EPA Headquarters, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (Moderator)

Meredith Moore, Sustainability Programs Manager, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Sydney Trimble, Zero Waste Coordinator for Facilities and Services Department, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Sam Cummings, Zero Waste Team Co-President, Colorado State University

Molly Kathleen, Zero Waste Coordinator, The Ohio State University

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Presentation Slides (pdf) (4.89 MB)

Bolstering Markets for Recyclables via Recycling Market Development Centers or Programs

Expanding domestic recycling markets is essential to reach the U.S. National Recycling Goal of increasing the national recycling rate to 50 percent by 2030. Expanding our recycling capacity supports a circular economy that conserves resources needed to manufacture new products, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and creates U.S. jobs. This session, “recycled” from the EPA’s 2020 America Recycles Summit, highlights different approaches being taken by state market development centers and programs in Washington, California, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania -- demonstrating their critical role in improving and creating markets for recyclable materials. Market development programs and centers are part of the broader effort to refocus efforts on recycling market development and highlight the positive environmental and economic impacts of recycling programs.

Tim Hamlin, Director of the Land, Chemicals, and Redevelopment Division, U.S. EPA Region 10

Kara Steward, Recycling Development Center Coordinator, Washington State Department of Ecology

Frank Severson, Senior Environmental Scientist, California Recycling Market Development Zone Program

Bob Bylone, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center

Not applicable

(during this webinar, we played a recording of the previous presentation on this topic and then expert recycling market development panelists joined the session to answer questions from the audience, which was not recorded.)

Supporting Anaerobic Digestion in Communities FY21, Request for Applications

This webinar was held to help those seeking to apply for the Supporting Anaerobic Digestion (AD) in Communities request for applications being offered by EPA this year, which total up to $2 million. EPA sought applications that accelerated the development of new or enhanced/increased existing AD capacity and infrastructure in the United States. Applications had to achieve one or more of the following objectives: Develop new or expand existing AD capacity for processing food waste; Demonstrate solutions and/or approaches for increasing food waste AD utilization that can be replicated by other communities, governments, or other entities; and Support state, Tribal, and/or local government programs that seek to use AD to increase their food waste diversion rates. The webinar reviewed the funding opportunity, key sections of the application, and the application process. Entities that were eligible to apply include: States (including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands), local, Tribal, interstate, and intrastate government agencies and instrumentalities; and Non-profit organizations that are not 501(c)(4) organizations that lobby, including non-profit educational institutions and non-profit hospitals (Individuals and for-profit organizations are not eligible).

Chris Carusiello, EPA Sustainable Materials Management Program

James Drummond, EPA Office of Grants and Debarment

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (165.22 KB)
• Presentation Slides (pdf) (9.53 MB)

Achieving Zero Waste with Innovative Reuse and Recycling Contracts

Innovative contracting approaches to reduce and manage materials can advance your federal, state, tribal, community, or organizational zero waste goals by encouraging and requiring source reduction, reuse and recycling. During this webinar, the U.S. Forest Service shared their strategies for achieving net zero waste at all large fire incidents by 2030, and Urban Ore, Inc., discussed their transfer station salvage, reuse, and recycling contract with the City of Berkeley.

The U.S. Forest Service shared their 2020 EPA Federal Green Challenge Innovation award-winning vision and work to achieve net zero waste at all large fire incidents by 2030 and integrate sustainable operations best management practices into the fire community. The U.S. Forest Service’s model Blanket Purchase Agreement (executed in 2019) standardized recycling systems and signage and provided standardized reporting for large fire incidents in Arizona, New Mexico, California, Oregon and Washington. The model can be adapted for use by organizations with multiple facilities, campuses, or events.

In 2020, the City of Berkeley renewed a contract with Urban Ore, Inc., to advance the city’s Zero Waste Goal and reduce operational costs associated with long-haul transportation and landfill disposal. Urban Ore salvages reusable materials from the City’s owned and operated transfer station and is allocated space on the property for a staff shed and a box truck used to transport salvaged materials to the company’s reuse retail and recycling Ecopark. The Ecopark is a facility that includes a 30,000 square foot warehouse and a 2.5 acre building materials reuse yard where materials are processed and sold for reuse and recycling. Urban Ore salvagers also spot and report hazardous materials to City staff to avoid illegal disposal.

Kelly Jaramillo, Sustainable Operations Coordinator and National Greening Fire Team Chair, U.S. Forest Service Region 3

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (244.8 KB)
• Main Presentation Slides for all Speakers (pdf) (5.44 MB)

Safe Transportation of Lithium Batteries: What You Need to Know in 2021

Lithium batteries are key to our modern connected world, from our cellphones and computers to our cars and not just electric cars! Lithium batteries also have an increasing role in storing electricity for the electric grid which is critical to society and future progress. However, used lithium batteries aren’t like the used alkaline or lead acid batteries that many of us are familiar with handling. Because of the battery’s high energy density and the potential for serious incident, special preparation is needed when shipping these batteries. This webinar provides the audience with new and updated information, as well as discussion on electric vehicle and electric storage lithium batteries, damaged, defective, and recalled (DDR) lithium batteries, and DOT special permit packaging. Participants can learn in this webinar how to prevent, reduce, or eliminate risks of fire or explosions caused by the improper packaging, marking, labeling, or disposal of lithium batteries.

This SMM webinar was hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and led by subject matter experts from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). After a brief introduction about the importance of recycling lithium batteries, the webinar focuses on the safe transportation of lithium batteries for recycling, disposal and reuse. Content discussed includes an overview of the latest regulatory requirements on proper lithium battery packaging, marking, and labeling and as well as a basic understanding of how to apply the PHMSA’s Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). It is designed for any individual who is involved in preparing lithium batteries for transport, wants a working knowledge of the HMR, or provides training to their employees on the applicable regulations.

Chris Newman, Environmental Scientist, U.S. EPA Great Lakes Region

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (211.61 KB)
• Main Slides for all Speakers (pdf) (9.07 MB)

Effective Strategies for Reducing Contamination in Residential Recycling

Contamination in the recycling stream hinders the ability of a material recovery facility or secondary processing facility to produce high-quality recycled materials. During this webinar, participants learned from representatives from state and local governments and materials recovery facilities (MRFs) about successful strategies and programs that are reducing contamination in the recycling stream. The webinar is a rebroadcast of a popular session from the 2020 America Recycles Summit and includes live remarks about contamination rates in the United States and their impact on the efficacy of recycling systems. The presentations were followed by a live question and answer session with EPA materials and recycling experts.

Reducing contamination in the recycling stream is important to ensuring recycled materials are made into new products. Contamination can occur at various times throughout the recycling process and negatively affects the ability of a MRF or secondary processing facility to produce materials that can serve as feedstock for new materials and products. Reducing contamination in the recycling stream will enable more material to be recycled, less material to be discarded, and higher quality recycled materials to be produced for manufacturing feedstock. Therefore, reducing contamination levels is important as we seek to improve the quantity and quality of materials to be recycled.

In addition to being a key objective in EPA’s National Recycling Strategy, EPA is developing a measure to track the nation’s progress in reducing contamination in recycling. Reducing contamination will help the United States reach the national recycling goal, which is to increase the recycling rate to 50 percent by 2030.

Asami Tanimoto, Community Program Manager, The Recycling Partnership

James Jennings, Senior Public Service Administrator, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Erin Jensen, Environmental Specialist, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Sarah Reeves, General Manager, Chittenden County Solid Waste District Recycle Campaign

Leslie Hatchell, Recycling Educator/Coordinator, York County Government, South Carolina

Eduardo Rodriguez, Operations Manager, City of Phoenix, AZ

Swarupa Ganguli, Measurement Team Leader, U.S. EPA Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (397.41 KB)
• Main Presentation Slides for All Speakers (pdf) (7.74 MB)

Material Characterization and Economic Impacts of Recycling - 2020 Reports

In 2018, the United States generated more than 292 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW). Measuring waste generation and how it is managed characterizes the national waste stream and is an important foundation for managing materials.

This webinar was divided in to two sections. In the first part, EPA presented the information reported in EPA’s Advancing Sustainable Materials Management (SMM): Facts and Figures 2018 report. EPA discussed trends in U.S. materials generation, including recycling, composting, combustion with energy recovery and landfilling. The 2018 report also included measurement of new food management options and new data on construction and demolition debris management.

The second part of the webinar covered economic indicators and trend data such as personal consumer expenditures, commodity values and tipping fees included in the 2020 Recycling Economic Information (REI) report. This report examined the larger economic implications of material reuse and recycling. EPA staff took a deeper dive into those economic impacts and discussed the finding that recycling not only conserves resources and protects the environment, but is also an engine of growth in the U.S. economy. Recycling contributes to jobs, wages and government tax revenue by tapping into a domestic source of materials and supporting businesses and consumers to sustainably recover discarded materials.

Swarupa Ganguli, Measurement Team Leader, U.S. EPA Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery

Hope Pillsbury, Analyst, U.S. EPA ORCR

Lawrence Doppelt, Economist, U.S. EPA ORCR

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (178.31 KB)
• National Recycling Goal: Recycling Rate Comment Period (pdf) (140.17 KB)
• Material Characterization and Economic Impacts of Recycling: 2020 Reports Webinar Slides (pdf) (3.25 MB)

The Value of Repair: Fixing Stuff and Strengthening Communities

EPA’s sustainable materials management hierarchy places source reduction and reuse at the top of the pyramid, and reuse and repair play a critical role in conserving precious resources. Our grandparents and generations before them fixed things that were broken to avoid wasting materials, money, and time. Recent experience with supply chain disruptions in the wake of the global pandemic demonstrate the value of repair and reuse, and an infrastructure to support it.

There’s a revival of the repair tradition blossoming in locations across the globe as communities come together to repair what is broken in a variety of ways from community repair events such as Repair Cafes and Fixit Clinics to tool libraries. This webinar shares approaches to expand the growing repair movement that centers around culturally vibrant gatherings where people can bring broken items to be fixed or repurposed with assistance from an “expert” -- who may also be a neighbor or friend. These organizations and events help repair objects as they build community by bringing together the collective spirit of sharing, stewardship and waste reduction.

John Wackman, Coordinator and Communicator, Repair Cafes, Hudson Valley, New York

Jeanette Brizendine, Solid Waste and Recycling Project Manager, City of Federal Way, Washington

Peter Mui, Founder, Fixit Clinic, Berkeley, California

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (221.19 KB)
• Peter Mui Webinar Slides (pdf) (10.26 MB)
• John Wackman Webinar Slides (pdf) (13.45 MB)
• Jeanette Brizendine Webinar Slides (pdf) (2.61 MB)

National Recycling Strategy

EPA recently released a draft National Recycling Strategy and is now seeking public input through December 4th, 2020. The draft National Recycling Strategy identifies strategic objectives and actions needed to create a stronger, more resilient, and cost-effective U.S. municipal solid waste recycling system.

This webinar provides participants who may wished to comment on the draft with an overview of the draft National Recycling Strategy, as well the key questions EPA hopes commenters answered. The draft National Recycling Strategy was developed as part of EPA’s continued leadership in addressing the challenges facing the U.S. recycling system, including: confusion about what materials can be recycled, recycling infrastructure that has not kept pace with today’s diverse and changing waste stream, reduced markets for recycled materials, and varying methodologies to measure recycling system performance. The draft strategy identifies actions to address these challenges that build on the collaborative efforts by stakeholders from across the recycling system that began under EPA’s 2019 National Framework for Advancing the U.S. Recycling System. The draft strategy organizes high-level actions around three strategic objectives to improve the U.S. recycling system: Reduce contamination, Increase processing efficiency, and Improve markets.

Meghan Radtke, U.S. EPA ORCR

Kimberly Cochran, U.S. EPA ORCR

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (178.39 KB)
• Draft National Recycling Strategy Webinar Slides (pdf) (2.82 MB)
• Save the Date: 2020 America Recycles Summit and Innovation Fair (pdf) (223.86 KB)

New International Requirements for Exports and Imports of Plastic Recyclables

In this webinar, EPA experts explained the new international requirements for exports and imports of plastic recyclables or scrap. In May 2019, 187 countries decided to significantly restrict international trade in plastic scrap and waste to help address the improper disposal of plastic waste and reduce its leakage into the environment. As a result of these changes adopted under a treaty called the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, international shipments of most plastic scrap and waste are allowed only with the prior written consent of the importing country and any transit countries, effective January 1, 2021.

The new Basel provisions significantly limit the market for U.S. plastic recyclables. Because of a provision under the Basel Convention that prohibits trade between countries that have ratified the Convention (i.e., Parties) and non-Party countries like the United States, Basel Parties are not able to trade most plastic scrap and waste with the United States absent a separate agreement between countries that meets certain Basel criteria. The United States has one such agreement that addresses trade in non-hazardous plastic scrap with member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). EPA discussed how plastic scrap is covered under that agreement in this webinar.

Rick Picardi, ORCR, U.S. EPA

Lia Yohannes, ORCR, U.S. EPA

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (276.28 KB)
• New International Requirements for Exports and Imports of Plastic Recyclables (pdf) (1.4 MB)

A Review of Environmentally Preferable Purchasing and Select Experiences in the Midwest and Beyond

One way to help to build markets for recovered materials and products with an improved environmental performance is through environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP). EPP policies can help purchasers quickly identify products with positive environmental attributes without having to be an expert on EPP for every category of products they purchase. This webinar highlights the results of a project funded by U.S. EPA Region 5 for Michigan Tech University to identify EPP policies and other opportunities to increase the reuse of recovered plastics. This project surveyed the use of EPP policies in the Midwest and beyond, and identified strengths and needs, both in the region and nationally. Speakers from Michigan Tech University discuss the report Environmentally Preferable Purchasing: Potential for Increasing Recycle of Plastics and Lithium Batteries in EPA Region 5 and its findings. Leaders in procurement from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the California Department of General Services also speak.

David Shonnard, Sustainable Use of Materials, Department of Chemical Engineering
Michigan Technological University

Melissa Peck, Sustainable Procurement Program Coordinator for the State of Minnesota

Mark Wriston, Senior Procurement Engineer, Department of General Services, State of California

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (175.14 KB)
• Mark Wriston's presentation slides (pdf) (153.42 KB)
• Melissa Peck's presentation slides (pdf) (713.88 KB)
• David Shonnard's presentation slides (pdf) (1,016.72 KB)

The Disaster Debris Recovery Tool - Materials Management for Debris Planning and Emergency Response

The U.S. EPA Disaster Debris Recovery Tool provides emergency planners and responders at the federal, state, tribal and local levels with a tool to plan and implement proper recovery, recycling and disposal of disaster debris. The scope of the tool reaches beyond disasters to include green remediation and sustainable materials management technical assistance.

Once a regional tool, EPA has expanded and launched a national version. The expanded tool includes location and contact information of over 20,000 facilities including composters, demolition contractors, transfer stations, landfills, household hazardous waste collection sites, and facilities recycling construction and demolition materials, electronics, metals, tires and vehicles.

EPA experts presented alongside the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management. EPA provided an overview of the new EPA Planning for Natural Disaster Debris Guidance. EPA also shared how the newly expanded national tool can assist responders, recovery staff and planners and will provide a demonstration of the expanded tool. Representatives of the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management shared their experience using the tool during a 2019 disaster debris planning exercise.

Melissa Kaps, U.S. EPA ORCR

Camille Lukey, U.S. EPA Region 3

Lucy Stanfield, U.S. EPA Region 5

Lony Haley Nelson, Department of Emergency Management, City and County of San Francisco

Nancy Milholland, Department of Emergency Management, City and County of San Francisco

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (170.08 KB)
• Overview of EPA’s Planning for Natural Disaster Debris Guidance (PNDD) (pdf) (1.3 MB) Melissa Kaps' presentation slides
• EPA Disaster Debris Recovery Tool (pdf) (2.06 MB)
  Lucy Stanfield and Camille Lukey's presentation slides
• Disaster Debris Planning and the 2019 San Francisco Fleet Week Exercise Program (pdf) (4.75 MB)
  Lony Haley Nelson and Nancy Milholland's presentation slides

Procurement of Recycled-Content Products: Stimulating Recycling Markets and Creating Demand

This webinar highlights the role of procurement in stimulating recycling markets, explains the government’s “buy-recycled” program and helps facilitate public review of the program. Buying products with recycled content fosters the diversion and recycling of materials from the solid waste stream and promotes the use of these materials in the manufacture of new products. It creates domestic markets for materials collected and recycled through local recycling programs, strengthening local economies and the United States’ recycling system. The Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPGs) are the government’s buy-recycled program that seeks to harness the federal purchasing power, which stimulates the demand for recycled-content products. By 2007, EPA designated 61 items for federal procurement and issued procurement recommendations concerning these items. EPA is now seeking comment on its list of designated items and procurement recommendations. Register for the webinar to learn how procurement helps strengthen the United States’ recycling system, how CPGs benefit communities and businesses, and how to provide comment on CPGs.

Steve Alexander, Association of Plastic Recyclers

Judy Sheahan, The U.S. Conference of Mayors

Cheryl Coleman, U.S. EPA ORCR

Ron Vance, U.S. EPA ORCR

Ksenija Janjic, U.S. EPA ORCR

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (224.42 KB)
• Webinar Slides Procurement of Recycled-Content Products: Stimulating Recycling Markets and Creating Demand (pdf) (3.71 MB)

Supporting Anaerobic Digestion in Communities, Request for Applications

This webinar helped those seeking to apply for the Supporting Anaerobic Digestion (AD) in Communities request for applications being offered by EPA this year, which total up to $3,000,000. EPA is seeking applications that will accelerate the development of new or enhance/increase existing AD capacity and infrastructure in the United States. Applications had to achieve one or more of the following objectives: Support state, tribal and/or local government programs that seek to use AD to increase their organic waste diversion rates or support other sustainability goals; Demonstrate and/or implement solutions and/or approaches for increasing AD utilization that can be replicated by other communities, governments, or other entities; or Establish new or expand existing partnerships (public/private partnerships) that result in development of AD capacity.

The webinar reviewed the funding opportunity, key sections of the application, and the application process. Entities that were eligible to apply included: States (including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands), local, Tribal, interstate, and intrastate government agencies and instrumentalities; and Non-profit organizations that are not 501(c)(4) organizations that lobby, including non-profit educational institutions and non-profit hospitals. Individuals and for-profit organizations are not eligible.

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (247.43 KB)
• Slides for Supporting Anaerobic Digestion in Communities: Request for Applications Webinar (pdf) (2.24 MB)

Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Prioritization Tools: Sustainability Insights at a Glance

This webinar introduces EPA’s SMM Prioritization Tools. These life cycle-based tools offer a starting place for governments, trade associations, NGOs, companies, small enterprises, and other organizations to establish priorities for environmental improvement, focus their limited financial and human resources where action could offer greater holistic benefit, and consider key industries for collaboration. Currently there are two tools: A National Tool and an Organization Tool. The National Tool provides a big picture view of sustainability in the United States for those with a national focus, such as government, trade associations and NGOs. The Organizational Tool provides quick sustainability snapshots for organizations such as companies, small enterprises and their sustainability and procurement staff.

The SMM Prioritization Tools generate dynamic charts that present over 10 million data points from a fully transparent, open and freely available life cycle model created by EPA. These charts provide insights across more than 20 environmental, social and economic indicators for over 390 categories of goods and services in the United States. They can be a great starting point when developing sustainability initiatives. All data used by the Tools are publicly available.

Jarrod Bridge, U.S. EPA ORCR

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (169.52 KB)
• SMM Prioritization Tools: Sustainability Insights at a Glance (pdf) (3.17 MB) Jarrod Bridge's presentation slides

sustainable materials management, recycling

After Disaster: Deconstruction, Rebuilding and Resilience Lessons from Hurricanes Katrina and Irene

This webinar explored lessons learned from two innovative post-hurricane deconstruction projects following Hurricanes Katrina and Irene. Both projects found opportunities to build a more resilient future by reducing disaster debris, creating jobs, and rebuilding the community. These lessons can inform pre-disaster and resilience planning as well as recovery efforts.

When people are displaced by natural disasters or choose to move out of harm’s way, they often leave behind their homes. Currently, many buildings with extensive damage, including damage from high winds, rain or flooding, are demolished, sending materials to landfills. During this webinar, speakers presented about the disaster recovery projects using resource conservation approaches. Instead of landfilling these buildings, they have deconstructed the damaged structures and reused the materials to build resilient floodplain parks and new buildings outside of vulnerable areas.

Brad Guy, Associate of the American Institute of Architects

Preston Browning, Salvage Works

Tobiah Horton, Rutgers University, Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• After Disaster - Deconstruction, Rebuilding and Resilience Lessons from Hurricanes Katrina and Irene (pdf) (13.25 MB)
  Presentation slides for all speakers

built environment, construction and demolition debris, recycling, materials management

Facts and Figures 2017—Assessing Trends in Materials Generation, Recycling, Composting, Combustion with Energy Recovery and Landfilling in the United States

This webinar presents the latest information about trends in U.S. materials generation, recycling, composting, combustion with energy recovery and landfilling as described in EPA’s recently released Advancing Sustainable Materials Management (SMM): Facts and Figures 2017 report. The report also includes data on construction and demolition debris generation, as well as economic indicators and trend data such as jobs, recycling and commodity values, and tipping fees. The report presents new data for both the years 2016 and 2017.

Kent Foerster, U.S. EPA ORCR

Swarupa Ganguli, U.S. EPA ORCR

Hope Pillsbury, U.S. EPA ORCR

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (153.66 KB)
• Facts and Figures 2017—Assessing Trends in Materials Generation, Recycling, Composting, Combustion with Energy Recovery and Landfilling in the United States (pdf) (2.6 MB) Presentation slides

Safe Packaging and Transportation of Lithium Batteries for recycling: What You Need to Know

Lithium batteries are key to our modern connected world, from our cellphones and computers to our cars (and not just electric cars) and have an increasing role in storing electricity for the electric grid. But, used lithium batteries aren’t exactly like the used alkaline or lead acid batteries that many are used to working with. Because of the battery’s level of charge and the materials that are inside of it, special preparation is needed when shipping these batteries to a refurbisher or recycler. On this webinar participants will learn how to prevent, reduce or eliminate risks of fire or explosions from the improper packaging, marking, labeling, or recycling of lithium batteries.

This SMM webinar will be hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and led by a subject matter expert from the Hazardous Materials Safety Assistance Team under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). The webinar will focus on the safe transportation of lithium batteries for recycling and the applicable regulations that must be followed by battery shippers. It is designed for individuals in the battery recycling industry who need a working knowledge of the regulations, or who provide training to their employees on the applicable regulations. They will include an overview on the latest regulatory requirements on proper lithium battery packaging, marking, and labeling and as well as a basic understanding of how to apply the Hazardous Materials Regulations.

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Safe Packaging and Transportation of Lithium Batteries: What You Need to Know (pdf) (239.79 KB)
  Introductory Slides
• Lithium Battery Recycling and Reuse Slides (pdf) (8.8 MB) U.S. DOT presentation slides

From Pen & Paper to Artificial Technology -- 21st Century Methods for Measuring Excess Food

Got leftovers? In food loss prevention and recovery, the first ingredient is to measure our excess food, whether in a restaurant kitchen, cafeteria or at home. During this webinar the value and benefits of calculating your organization’s excess, surplus and leftover food & beverage was discussed. Participants also learned methods of excess food measurement, such as counting leftovers with a reliable pen and paper, using an excel-based spreadsheet to generate your food loss data, or harnessing 21st century artificial technology to automate quantifiable measurement results. This webinar supports the national Winning on Reducing Food Waste Federal Interagency Strategy, Priority Area 3: Improve Coordination and Guidance on Food Loss and Waste Measurement.

Max Mlinar, Phood Solutions Inc.

Jay Kahn, Central Michigan University

Doug Bradley, SAVOR…Chicago

Gina Sears, Winnow

Laura Smith, Boulder Valley School District

André Villaseñor, U.S. EPA

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• From Pen & Paper to Artificial Technology -- 21st Century Methods for Measuring Excess Food (pdf) (538.45 KB)
  Introductory Slides
• Full Slides: From Pen & Paper to Artificial Technology: 21st Century Methods for Measuring Excess Food (pdf) (2.2 MB)
• Boulder Valley School District's presentation slides (pdf) (6.69 MB)
• Central Michigan University Presentation (pdf) (3.49 MB)
• Phood's presentation slides (pdf) (2.24 MB)
• Savor...Chicago presentation slides (pdf) (2.22 MB)
• Winnow presentation slides (pdf) (8.46 MB)

Recycling and Resource Recovery as a Tool for Regional Economic Development

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries 2019 Economic Impact Study (PDF)(8.06 MB) estimated that the United States scrap recycling sector contributes $110B to overall economic activity. Could this figure could be more than doubled if the full value of the U.S. recyclable waste stream was captured? According to EPA’s Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2015 Fact Sheet, the United States is only capturing 34.7 percent (including composting) of the 75 percent of total recyclable material found within our municipal solid waste.

During this webinar we will explore the mission of the Upcyclers Network, a newly formed non-governmental organization whose mission is to support the growth of the “waste as a resource” industry and unlock the value of recirculating recycled, recovered, and discarded material back into our economy. In addition, two public sector experts will share their perspectives on the importance of framing resource recovery as an economic development strategy and what tools and policies are needed to best capture the full potential of the United States waste stream.

Gina Lee, Upcyclers Network

Steve Lautze, Founding President, CA Association of Recycling Market Development Zones

Will Sagar, Southeast Recycling Development Council

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Recycling and Resource Recovery as a Tool for Regional Economic Development (pdf) (215.36 KB) Introductory Slides
• Tools and Techniques for Recycling Market Development (pdf) (1.97 MB)
  Steve Lautze's Presentation Slides
• Recycling as a Driver for Regional Economic Development (pdf) (3.57 MB)
  Will Sager's Presentation Slides
• Upcyclers Network - Where Others See Waste, We See Opportunity (pdf) (1.02 MB)
  Gina Lee's Presentation Slides

Electronic Waste Generation and Management and the Cost of Digitalization to the Environment

Over the last three years, EPA has consulted with the Consumer Technology Association, the Staples Sustainable Innovation Lab and Dr. Callie Babbitt from the Rochester Institute of Technology to develop, design and implement research to explore the impacts of electronics across their life cycle. In this webinar, Dr. Babbitt presented the results of this study by sharing the major trends in electronic waste generation and management and the implications for sustainable materials management.

This presentation describes the changing trends in electronic-product consumption and waste generation, and how these trends influence economic, social and environmental issues surrounding material extraction, production, use and disposal. Particular emphasis was put on emerging technologies and their reliance on critical minerals such as cobalt, lithium and rare earth elements.

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (283.13 KB)
• Sustainable Material Management and Consumer Technology (pdf) (2.61 MB) Callie W. Babbitt's presentation slides

Oregon’s Wasted Food Strategy: Highlights of current work, recent research and next steps

The U.S. EPA estimates that more food reaches landfills and incinerators than any other single material in our everyday trash, constituting 22 percent of discarded municipal solid waste. This webinar provided an overview of Oregon’s progress in implementing its Strategic Plan for Preventing the Wasting of Food. Participants in this webinar learned about: Oregon’s recently completed research documenting the amount of food waste generated by Oregon households and the reasons Oregonians waste food; case studies looking at best practices for reducing food waste in commercial food service; and the results of a life-cycle assessment of food rescue methods specific to Oregon; Oregon’s efforts to reduce food waste, including activities funded through Oregon’s Materials Management grant program; the Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) partnership with the Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association; and the development of a West Coast initiative to engage grocers in a voluntary agreement to work together to develop industry-wide approaches to reduce wasted food; and Oregon’s next steps, including new research to develop values-based messaging and an associated campaign targeting Oregon residents and new policy direction based on the work accomplished thus far.

David Allaway, Senior Policy Analyst, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Relevant Resources:

• Strategy for Preventing the Wasting of Food
  • Oregon Wasted Food Study: Households Case Studies
  • Oregon Wasted Food Study: Institutional and Commercial Sector Case Studies
• Wasted Food Wasted Money Campaign
• Food Waste Stops with Me

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (336.2 KB)
• Oregon's Wasted Food Strategy: Highlights of current work, recent research and next steps (pdf) (4.42 MB) Oregon Department of Environmental Quality's presentation slides

Shining the Light on Solar Panel Recycling: A Status Update

The solar energy market has grown significantly in the past few years. With the increasing number of solar panels being sold and installed in the United States each year, solar panels are ending up in the waste stream as well. While solar panel recycling is not yet widespread in the United States, organizations are busy laying the important groundwork to build the necessary collection, management and recycling systems.

This webinar covers the basics of the solar panel technology design and explores the impact of these solar panels on the waste management and recycling systems of today. It also includes insights into efforts by state governments to address solar panels in the waste stream and the trends they are seeing.

Garvin Heath, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Evelyn Butler, Solar Energy Industries Association

Jennifer Martin, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center University of Illinois

Casey Hines, Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (258.71 KB)
• PV Modules End of Life Management Setting the Stage (pdf) (1.73 MB)
  Garvin Heath's presentation slides
• A Survey of U.S. Policies and Initiatives (pdf) (499.01 KB) Garvin Heath's additional webinar presentation slides
• PV End-of-Life Management (pdf) (1.67 MB) Evelyn Butler's presentation slides
• State Considerations for Solar Energy End-of-Life Management (pdf) (5.29 MB)
  Jennifer Martin's presentation slides
• Environmentally Responsible Solutions: Solar Panel Recycling (pdf) (665.37 KB) Casey Hines' webinar presentation slides

Construction and Demolition Materials Markets: Identifying Opportunities Regionally and Locally

Construction and demolition (C&D) material comprise a significant portion of the national waste stream, and reuse and recycling of this material can generate economic opportunity when recovered and returned to the local economy. A better understanding of materials available regionally and locally may help businesses create better long-term plans and goals for utilizing this material. Local governments and the communities they serve can also benefit from this information when there is a growing interest in enacting policies that prioritize material reuse and recycling over landfilling.

Delta Institute has been exploring the potential volume, value, and end markets for building materials available for recycling and reuse in the Midwest, and opportunities on a local scale in St. Louis, MO where the city and other organizations have shown a growing interest in deconstruction as an option for blight removal.

In partnership with Delta Institute and the St. Louis Development Corporation, Eric Schwarz, deconstruction practitioner and director of the St. Louis based materials warehouse Refab, has been working to grow deconstruction and building material reuse efforts in St. Louis. In winter 2019, Refab was awarded the first publicly funded deconstruction to occur in the St. Louis, a 30,000 sq. ft. warehouse built prior to 1890.

Participants on this webinar will come away with a better understanding of the available construction and demolition materials recycling and reuse end use markets, methodologies and strategies for planning and implementing deconstruction and building material reuse programs, and more information about the exciting work taking place in St. Louis.

Martin Brown and Megan Walton, Delta Institute

Eric Schwarz, Refab

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (354.7 KB)
• C&D Materials Markets: Identifying Opportunities Regionally & Locally (pdf) (3.36 MB) Delta Institute's presentation slides
• REFAB - Deconstruction + Reemployment (pdf) (1.1 MB)
  Eric Schwarz's presentation slides

Introduction to EPA’s Planning for Natural Disaster Debris Guidance

Natural disasters challenge communities every year and are expected to increase in frequency and intensity. In addition to addressing the loss of homes, lives, and power from natural disasters, communities are tasked with the difficult job of managing large amounts of natural disaster debris that may be generated. Debris may damage necessary infrastructure, block access to roads, and pose threats to human health and the environment. Cleaning it up can be time-consuming and costly, and recovery is not complete until all debris has been managed.

To assist communities (including cities, counties, states, tribes) in planning for debris management before a natural disaster occurs, EPA’s Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery updated its Planning for Natural Disaster Debris Guidance. Pre-incident planning can significantly aid decision-making during a response and enhance a community's resiliency. Pre-incident planning can also help communities recover faster, spend less money on cleanup and debris/waste management, and use fewer resources to rebuild and recover. This webinar provides an overview of the guidance and highlight lessons learned and best practices.

Melissa Kaps, U.S. EPA ORCR

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (170.8 KB)
• Introduction to EPA's Planning for Natural Disaster Debris Guidance (pdf) (2.15 MB) Melissa Kaps' presentation slides

Utility Green Tariff Programs in the U.S.: Overview and Opportunities for Cost Savings

Federal agencies may want to procure renewable energy from an off-site generator. Green tariffs allow large utility customers in traditionally regulated states to procure renewable energy from their utility through a special tariff for energy from a specific renewable energy project, typically through a long-term contract. Some of these green tariffs provide customers with cost savings. The webinar will explain how these tariffs are structured, how to evaluate cost savings potential and what agencies need to consider when examining this purchasing option.

Jenny Heeter, Senior Energy Analyst National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Christopher Kent, Green Power Partnership Office of Air

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Webinar Transcript (pdf) (172.82 KB)
• Introduction: Utility Green Tariff Programs in the U.S. (pdf) (767.02 KB)
• Presentation: The Green Power Partnership by Chris Kent (pdf) (398.04 KB)
  Christopher Kent's presentation slides

• Utility Green Tariff Programs in the U.S.: Overview and Opportunities for Cost Savings (pdf) (913 KB)
  National Renewable Energy Laboratory's presentation slides

Evaluating the Environmental Impacts of Global Materials Use

There is growing recognition that the current global use of resources and materials to meet human needs may lead to potential environmental, economic and social challenges. Two international organizations that look at materials use and associated environmental impacts, the International Resource Panel (IRP; launched by the United Nations Environment) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), released reports in 2019 to further investigate and understand trends in and potential consequences of global materials use.

The IRP’s Global Resource Outlook 2019 developed an analysis and model to better understand the impacts of our growing resource use, presenting projections for scenarios where resource efficiency and sustainable production and consumption policies and approaches are used to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation.

The OECD’s Global Material Resources Outlook to 2060 presents global projections of materials use and their environmental consequences, providing a quantitative outlook to 2060 at the global, sectoral and regional levels for 61 different materials, including biomass resources, fossil fuels, metals and non-metallic minerals, as well as primary and secondary materials.

This webinar features presenters who represent the U.S. EPA, the IRP, and the OECD. U.S. EPA provides an introduction of these reports, as well as a brief summary of U.S. EPA’s work with these organizations. Dr. Bruno Oberle provides insights on work of the International Resource Panel, which consists of scientists skilled in resource management issues whose reports distill scientific, technical and socio-economic findings around global resource use. Finally, Ruben Bibas provides a presentation on the work by the OECD, which is a forum where 36-member countries work together to share experiences and seek solutions to common problems.

Kathleen Salyer, U.S. EPA ORCR

Bruno Oberle, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Ruben Bibas,
Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (287.23 KB)
• Global Resources Outlook 2019 (pdf) (19.84 MB) Bruno Oberle's presentation slides
• Global Materials Resources Outlook to 2060 (pdf) (7.45 MB) Ruben Bibas' presentation slides

EPA’s Waste Reduction Model (WARM) version 15

Have you ever wanted to calculate the environmental impact of your organization’s waste management practices? Have you considered making a change in how you manage your waste stream, but are unsure what the environmental impact may be? Do you have sustainability goals, but are unsure how your current waste management plan feeds into the broader goals? These are the types of questions EPA’s Waste Reduction Model (WARM) can help you answer.

U.S. EPA Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery coordinates national efforts for hazardous and non-hazardous waste management. The approach to non-hazardous waste management is within the office’s Sustainable Materials Management framework, where EPA works with stakeholders to limit the environmental impact of material use throughout the life cycle. One important aspect of limiting the environmental impacts is the measurement of those impacts.

WARM has been publicly available since 1998. During that time, significant improvements have been made to the tool, including the addition of new management practices and material categories. During the webinar, EPA will provide some historical background, highlight the release of WARM version 15 and walk through a practical example. Two additions in WARM version 15 are an update of the electronics category (from “personal computers” to multiple electronics categories) and estimates of the economic impact of diverting material from the landfill, which draws on EPA’s Recycling Economic Information Report and other sources.

Slides:

• Presentation Slides (pdf) (1.02 MB)

Federal Procurement of Sustainable Photovoltaics (PV): Sustainability Leadership Standard for PV Modules and Inverters

Is your federal facility looking to install photovoltaic (PV) solar panels? Or are you planning to upgrade your current PV system? In this webinar, you’ll learn about a new American National Standard Institute dubbed Sustainability Leadership Standard for PV Modules. Federal facilities and Federal Green Challenge participants will get an overview of what is covered in the standard and how federal procurement rules & incentives can leverage it to ensure sustainable PV modules and inverter procurement.

Featured speaker: Garvin Heath, Ph.D. and Senior Scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Dr. Heath specializes in the analysis of environmental impacts of energy systems – renewable and conventional, electricity and fuels. Using the tools of life cycle assessment, air quality modeling and sustainability analysis, he has led research that has been published in Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and international benchmark reports (IPCC, UNEP). For the last 6 years he has led the International Energy Agency’s Photovoltaic Power Systems Task 12 (Sustainability).

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Presentation Slides (pdf) (1.69 MB)

Preventing Food Waste Upstream - a Source Reduction Approach Part III

The top tier of EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy is source reduction: reduce the volume of surplus food generated. Businesses and organizations can learn to effectively prevent wasted food by taking source reduction steps such as inventorying supplies, changing meal prep and buying less. Preventing wasted food provides the greatest potential for cost savings and resource conservation relative to the other Food Recovery Hierarchy activities. Because source reduction can be challenging to understand, quantify and implement, in this webinar (the third in a series) speakers described the definition of source reduction, and examples of award-winning cases at a restaurant, state park and county correctional facility that prevent wasted food at the source. View the first part and second part of the series.

Kelsey Davis, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

Scott Ferguson, The Forge at Montgomery Bell State Park

J. Cody Lillstrom, Boulder County Resource Conservation Division Boulder County Jail

Timothy Oliveira, Boulder County Jail and Boulder County Sheriff’s Office

André Villaseñor, U.S. EPA Region 9

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (718.04 KB)
• Preventing Food Waste Upstream - a Source Reduction Approach Part III (pdf) (1.68 MB)
  Andre Villasenor's presentation slides
• Source Reduction and other Food Recovery Challenge Efforts (pdf) (3.61 MB)
  Kelsey Davis' presentation slides
• The Forge at Montgomery Bell Source Reduction (pdf) (2.23 MB)
  Scott Ferguson's presentation slides
• Boulder County Source Reduction at the Boulder County Jail (pdf) (2.13 MB)
  J. Cody Lillstrom and Timothy Oliveira's presentation slides

State and Local Organic Bans: Implementation Planning, Lessons Learned and Updates

The state of Vermont and the commonwealth Massachusetts both implemented regulations in 2014 to promote food recovery and to decrease the disposal of food scraps in municipal solid waste. Vermont’s Universal Recycling Law (Act 148) set a time line for food scrap diversion, beginning on July 1, 2014. Massachusetts implemented the Commercial Food Waste Disposal Ban on October 1, 2014.

Metro, the regional government for the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area, recently adopted a policy that requires food-generating businesses to separate food scraps from garbage. The new code language requires the largest food service businesses to separate their food scraps from other garbage starting in 2020 and smaller food service businesses will be phased into the policy over the following three years.

What is the progress to date for both Vermont and Massachusetts, including jobs created, food recovery infrastructure and takeaways from their programs? How has Metro prepared before the implementation date? What metrics are they using to drive food scrap recovery? This webinar featured presenters from state and local government who are at the forefront of organics recovery policy at the state and local level.

John Fischer, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

Josh Kelly, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation

Holly Stirnkorb, Metro

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (282.66 KB)
• Massachusetts Food Waste Reduction Update (pdf) (378.62 KB) John Fischer's presentation slides
• Universal Recycling - Vermont's Recycling and Composting Initiative (pdf) (15.98 MB) Josh Kelly's presentation slides
• Plan Before the Ban, Evaluate to Get it Straight (pdf) (2.03 MB) Holly Stirnkorb's presentation slides

The Disaster Debris Recovery Tool: Materials Management for Debris Planning and Emergency Response

U.S. EPA Region 5’s Disaster Debris Recovery Tool (DDRT) promotes the proper recovery, recycling and disposal of disaster debris for emergency planners and responders at the federal, state, tribal and local levels. The scope of the tool can also reach beyond disasters to include green site remediation and materials management technical assistance.

The DDRT maps location and contact information of over 6,000 facilities including composters, demolition contractors, transfer stations, landfills, and facilities recycling construction and demolition materials, electronics, household hazardous waste, metals, tires and vehicles.

This webinar features presenters from Region 5 and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Region 5 introduces the history, purpose and a provide a demonstration of the tool. DDRT users from Millie Lacs Band and Region 5 explain their experience using the tool in both a disaster debris planning and response perspective.

Camille Lukey, U.S. EPA Region 5

Lucy Stanfield, U.S. EPA Region 5

Monte Fronk, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe

Brandon Pursel, U.S. EPA Region 5

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (330.56 KB)
• EPA Disaster Debris Recovery Tool (pdf) (6.5 MB) Presentation slides for all speakers

Regional Cooperation to Harmonize Recycling Programs: Tools and Tips

You have probably heard someone say "recycling is confusing." Why are materials accepted in one community, but not in another, even when those communities are right next to each other? Are the materials being processed at the same Materials Recovery Facility (MRF)? What materials do belong in the curbside recycling program?

The Recycling Partnership worked with the City of Milwaukee and the surrounding Waukesha County to develop harmonized recycling communication tools, using the same graphics, the same materials accepted in the recycling cart and the same communications strategy. This effort demonstrated that when regional recycling efforts are coordinated and complementary, program participants are less confused and less likely to throw something in the cart that doesn't belong there. Eliminating contamination from the bin is critical in today's recycling markets.

Check out this webinar to learn how these Wisconsin communities partnered with their State environmental officials, their MRF and their haulers to coordinate their recycling efforts. Learn how to use the free and easy-to-use tools to make it happen in your region or community.

Dylan de Thomas, The Recycling Partnership

Elizabeth Schussler, The Recycling Partnership

Rick Meyers, City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works

Analiese Smith, Waukesha County

Benjamin Pedigo, Rumpke Waste & Recycling

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (301.99 KB)
• Regional Cooperation to Harmonize Recycling Programs - Tools and Tips (pdf) (7.21 MB)

Green Energy Can Save Your Federal Facility Greenbacks

Can your federal facility go green and save money? With the cost of solar energy declining, more federal facilities can add on-site solar for less than the cost of grid-based electricity. Learn how a team from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and EPA’s Region 9 office can provide project implementation assistance. The team is called the Affordable Power Infrastructure Partnership (APIP).

APIP assists federal agencies to explore the potential for on-site renewable energy projects and supports agencies through the project implementation process. APIP was recognized by the White House as a GreenGov Spotlight Communities Program in 2013, and received a Federal Energy and Water Management award in 2017.

In 2015, APIP helped eight federal facilities in northern California and Nevada acquire 4.5 MW of on-site solar energy at a fixed (i.e., no price escalation) cost per kilowatt-hour that was below their then-current cost of grid-based electricity. Some of those facilities are anticipated to satisfy 100% of their electricity needs from their solar systems, and some systems include battery storage to maximize cost savings.

In this webinar, you’ll learn about: The FGC within the context of the Energy target area;
An overview of the APIP; APIP support and benefits offered to federal facilities; The U.S. Forest Service’s perspective, which recently added on-site solar to its R5 HQ building; and Q&A.

The speakers are from EPA, DOE’s FEMP, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the US Forest Service.

Rachel Shepherd, Program Lead Federal Energy Management Program

Renee Jewell, Procurement Analyst/Program Manager U.S. Forest Service

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• FGC Webinar Presentation: Green Energy Can Save You Greenbacks - Affordable Power Infrastructure Partnership (pdf) (2.47 MB)
• FGC Webinar Presentation: Green Energy Can Save - Forest Service (pdf) (2.37 MB)
  Renee Jewell's presentation slides.

Preventing Food Waste Upstream: A Source Reduction Approach - Part II

The top tier of EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy is source reduction, which is reducing the volume of surplus food generated before it becomes a waste to manage. Businesses and organizations can learn to effectively prevent wasted food by taking source reduction steps, such as inventorying supplies, changing processes and buying less. Looking through a Sustainable Materials Management lens, preventing wasted food provides the greatest potential for cost savings and resource conservation relative to the other Food Recovery Hierarchy activities, as demonstrated by the U.S. EPA Waste Reduction Model (WARM). Because source reduction can be challenging to understand, quantify and implement, in this webinar, you will learn about the definition of source reduction, and examples of successful cases of a supermarket, college and elementary school that prevent wasted food at the source. You can find Part 1 of the series here.

Janet Whited, San Diego Unified School District

Pat Ianotti, Price Chopper

Julianne Stelmaszyk, Boston College

André Villaseñor, U.S. EPA, Region 9

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Preventing Food Waste Upstream: A Source Reduction Approach Part II (pdf) (1.45 MB) André Villaseñor's presentation slides
• Love Food Not Waste (pdf) (2.13 MB) Janet Whited's presentation slides
• Source Reduction (pdf) (2.52 MB) Pat Ianotti's presentation slides
• Upstream Food Waste Prevention at Boston College (pdf) (3.79 MB)
  Julianne Stelmaszyk's presentation slides

Assessing Trends in Materials Generation, Recycling, Composting, Combustion with Energy Recovery and Landfilling in the United States

This webinar presented information about trends in U.S. materials generation, recycling, composting, combustion with energy recovery and landfilling as described in EPA’s Advancing Sustainable Materials Management (SMM): Facts and Figures 2015 report. The report also included data on construction and demolition debris generation, as well as economic indicators and trend data such as jobs, recycling and commodity values, and tipping fees. In addition to highlighting the latest information contained in the report, this webinar also described EPA’s transition to presenting the data in a web-based format.

Swarupa Ganguli, U.S. EPA ORCR

Drew Sullivan, U.S. EPA ORCR

Hope Pillsbury, U.S. EPA ORCR

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (291.97 KB)
• Facts and Figures 2015 Presentation Slides (pdf) (2.41 MB)

Sustainability in the Built Environment: Why Materials Matter

The built environment touches all aspects of our lives, encompassing the buildings we live in, the distribution systems that provide us with water and electricity, and the roads, bridges, and transportation systems we use to get from place to place. Creating all these spaces and systems requires enormous quantities of materials. As competition for natural resources continues to intensify due to global population and economic growth, the availability of materials will be subject to increased uncertainty. The webinar introduced the importance of using and reusing materials in the most productive and sustainable way over their entire life cycles to help address the material and resource needs in the built environment.

Kathrina Simonen, Director, Carbon Leadership Forum

Dr. Suzanne Boxman, U.S. EPA ORCR

Joe Connell, Interim Executive Director, Building Material Reuse Association

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Carbon Leadership Forum (pdf) (1.96 MB)
  Kate Simonen's presentation slides
• Sustainability in the Built Environment: Why Materials Matter (pdf) (1.68 MB) Suzie Boxman's presentation slides
• Deconstruction & Reuse: Aligning with Sustainable Materials Management (pdf) (6.45 MB) Joe Connell's presentation slides

Pay-as-You Throw Best Management Practices and Success Programs

Pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) trash collection programs (also referred to as unit-based pricing and Save Money and Reduce Trash (SMART), among others) create a direct economic incentive to recycle more and to generate less waste. This webinar 1) describes PAYT programs and other policies that may help increase recycling, and 2) shares examples of implementation at the local level.

The Carton Council in collaboration with governments, sorting facilities and recyclers have worked to provide 60% of all U.S. households access to carton recycling and provide policy tools. 

The Town of Natick, Massachusetts has a mature pay-per-bag program that was implemented in 2004. The Town expanded their blue bag program in 2017 to include new curbside pink bag recycling program for clothing and a variety of household goods. 

The City of Longmont, Colorado launched a new pay-as-you throw program in April, 2017 that offers variable rates for three trash cart sizes to their residents, as well as curbside recycling and compost pickup. 

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (216.73 KB)
• PAYT Best Practices and Success Stories (pdf) (2 MB)
• Pay As You Throw (pdf) (1.18 MB)
• Trash vs. Truth: a Pay-As-You-Throw Story (pdf) (23.17 MB)

Supporting Monarch Butterflies as Pollinators - A New Mapping Tool and Case Study

Pollinators are a key part of the economy and vital to the production of many of our favorite foods. In 2014 federal facilities were directed to help reverse pollinator losses and restore populations for this crucial group of animals. Since receiving this direction many federal facilities have been working to increase their pollinator habitat and reporting their successes to the FGC. This webinar will help facilities focus on increasing the amount of milkweed available for monarchs though the use of new mapping tools and a case study from a federal facility that has increased the amount of milkweed on its landscape.

Dr. Abigail Derby Lewis, Senior Conservation Ecologist and Project Manager Field Museum in Chicago

Peter Van Dyke, Langley Research Center National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• FGC Webinar: Supporting Monarch Butterflies as Pollinators (pdf) (402.55 KB)
• FGC Webinar: Conservation Design for Monarchs in Developed Areas (pdf) (4.48 MB)
• FGC Webinar: Pollinator Habitat on a Tight Budget (pdf) (5.18 MB)

Introducing the U.S. EPA Excess Food Opportunities Map (version 1.0)

In this webinar, EPA announced a new resource in the fight against food loss and waste: the Excess Food Opportunities Map. This national, interactive map can help you save money, feed people, and keep food out of landfills. Version 1.0 of the map identified more than 500,000 potential generators of excess food (e.g. correctional facilities, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, hospitality industry, food manufacturers and processors, and food wholesalers and distributors) and estimated generation quantities, as well as over 4,000 potential recipients of excess food (e.g. anaerobic digestion and composting facilities, food banks).

The map can help users identify: potential sources of food for rescue; potential feedstocks for compost and anaerobic digestion; potential infrastructure gaps for managing excess food; and
alternatives to sending food to landfill.

The map is intended to give users the tools to understand the potential magnitude of excess food in their communities, and help make connections between generators and recipients such that more food is diverted from landfills and put toward more beneficial uses.

This demonstration of Version 1.0 of the map and discussion of methodology was accompanied by a presentation about how this data can be used at the community level.

Melissa Pennington, U.S. EPA Region 3

Claudia Fabiano, U.S. EPA ORCR

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (199.04 KB)
• U.S. EPA Excess Food Opportunities Map (pdf) (2.82 MB)
• EPA Excess Food Opportunities Map: Using the Data (pdf) (1.53 MB)

Business Innovations in Reducing Food Loss and Waste

Reducing food loss and waste is an important issue in the United States and around the world. In support of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, which establishes a target to halve food waste and reduce food loss by 2030, the G7 countries have committed to facilitate the exchange of best practices and lessons learned in reducing food waste as part of the G7 Alliance on Resource Efficiency. EPA is kicking off the U.S. contribution to this effort with a webinar highlighting the actions of three United States Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions that are leading the way in helping the United States reach its 50 percent food loss and waste reduction goal. Speakers from each company will share best practices, tools, and resources they have created to prevent food from going to waste, and will address how shifts in company culture have changed operations as well as the critical role measurement of food waste plays in achieving their goals.

Kathleen Salyer, U.S. EPA ORCR

Gail Tavill, Vice President of R&D Sustainability, Nutrition and Process Engineering at Conagra Brands

Nell Fry, Senior Manager of Sustainability Field Support for Sodexo North America’s Office of Corporate Responsibility

Christine Gallagher, Manager of Environmental Sustainability for Retail Business Services, LLC, an Ahold Delhaize USA company

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (542.58 KB)
• EPA Sustainable Materials Management Web Academy: Business Innovations in Reducing Food Loss and Waste (pdf) (897.06 KB)
• Ahold Delhaize: Turning Food Waste into Energy (pdf) (1.06 MB)
• Conagra Brands' Approach to Leveraging the Food Recovery Hierarchy: It's only 'waste' if WE waste it (pdf) (1.65 MB)
• Sodexo's Global Waste Strategy (pdf) (1.3 MB)

Deconstruction and Building Materials Reuse: Innovations and Opportunities

Deconstruction of structures in the built environment is a systematic disassembly process that facilitates material separation and maximizes the market value of recovered materials. This disassembly process minimizes damage to the generated materials and increases their potential for salvage and reuse. Deconstruction can be conducted on whole buildings instead of demolition or during renovations. Deconstruction and building materials reuse policies and projects conserve resources, including finite, old-growth forest resources, divert demolition debris from disposal and advance the highest and best end-of-life uses of building materials while also creating job training and green job opportunities. The webinar will explore the success of Portland’s model deconstruction policies and insights from a successful deconstruction and reuse leader.

Shawn Wood, Construction Waste Specialist, Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, Portland, Oregon

Nicole Tai, President GreenLynx, Board Member Reuse Alliance, Founder Bay Area Deconstruction Policy Group

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (357.52 KB)
• Deconstruction and Building Materials Reuse - Innovations and Opportunities (pdf) (35.09 MB)
• Deconstruction Program - City of Portland, Oregon (pdf) (6.94 MB)

From Fires to Floods and Everything In Between: How Federal Facilities Can Thrive in an Era of Billion Dollar Weather Events

California’s most destructive wildfire in history. Puerto Rico’s devastating hurricane. Oklahoma’s terrifying tornadoes. According to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in 2017 the U.S. experienced 16 weather disasters each with losses totaling $306 billion, a new U.S. record shattering the previous 2005 record of $215 billion.

This webinar includes: an insider’s view of NOAA’s U.S. 2017 Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters report, Federal Green Challenge participants discussing federal facilities and operations that have been subject to costly weather disasters including Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, firestorms in California, a five-foot blizzard in Pennsylvania, Hurricane Harvey in Texas, and monster tornadoes in Oklahoma. Our brave speakers describe the damage done and their efforts to resiliently rebuild and serve the American people in a new era.

Adam Smith, National Centers for Environmental Information, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Arleen Vera-Perez, Sustainability Specialist, and Carlos A. Cruz-Gonzalez, Chief for the Environmental Regulatory Section and Operations Control Center at Veterans Affairs Caribbean Health Care System in Puerto Rico

Stanton Florea, Fire Information Officer U.S. Forest Service

Michael Robie, Property Manager General Services Administration

Leenette Wilke, Building Manager General Services Administration

Sheila Dimick, Supervisory Property Manager General Service Administration

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (717.02 KB)
• Federal Green Challenge Webinar Presentation: U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters of 2017 (pdf) (4.91 MB)
  Adam Smith's presentation slides
• Federal Green Challenge Webinar Presentation: Hurricane Maria - Healthcare Resiliency Amidst a Major Natural Disaster (pdf) (5.17 MB)
  Arleen Vera-Perez and Carlos A. Cruz-Gonzalez's presentation slides
• Federal Green Challenge Webinar Presentation: California Wildfires (pdf) (1.28 MB)
  Stanton Florea's presentation slides
• Federal Green Challenge Webinar Presentation: GSA's Erie Federal Courthouse (pdf) (782.13 KB)
  Michael Robie's presentation slides
• Federal Green Challenge Webinar Presentation: Hurricane Harvey (pdf) (2.76 MB)
  Leenette Wilke's presentation slides
• Federal Green Challenge Presentation: From Fire to Floods and Everything in Between (pdf) (7.63 MB)
  Sheila Dimick's presentation slides

Management Challenges for Lithium Batteries at Electronics Recyclers

Lithium batteries are becoming more prevalent in American homes and businesses as battery-containing electronic devices like laptops, tablets, smartphones and headphones become integral to our daily lives. As these devices become smaller, thinner and more portable, the batteries in them are beginning to present new challenges to electronics recyclers who need to be able to remove them in order to repair and refurbish products or recover valuable materials from them. This webinar will be presented as a panel discussion on the problems electronics recyclers are facing, recommended best practices for removal and transportation of lithium batteries from electronics and suggestions for how manufacturers and recyclers can work together to solve this problem. This webinar is a follow up to the March 22 webinar on problems presented by lithium batteries at materials recovery facilities (MRFs).

Craig Boswell, HOBI International, Inc.

George Kerchner, PRBA - The Rechargeable Battery Association

Kevin Leary, U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration

Neil Peters-Michaud, Cascade Asset Management

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (2.49 MB)
• The Recycling Partnership (pdf) (1.57 MB)

An Introduction to Lithium Batteries and the Challenges that they Pose to the Waste and Recycling Industry

Lithium batteries are becoming more prevalent in American homes and businesses as electronic devices become smaller, more portable and more essential to our daily lives. These batteries are also new to the waste management system and present new challenges to solid waste managers and recyclers alike. This webinar covered the basics of lithium batteries, the impacts to the waste management industry, and information on lithium battery recycling.

Jeffrey Spangenberger, Argonne National Laboratory

Michael Timpane, Resource Recycling Systems

Carl Smith, Call2Recycle

Elizabeth Schussler, The Recycling Partnership

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (337.08 KB)
• Introduction to Lithium Ion Batteries (pdf) (1.17 MB) Jeff Spangenberger's presentation slides
• Lithium Ion Batteries in the Solid Waste System - SBWMA MRF Survey (pdf) (2.02 MB) Michael R. Timpane's presentation slides
• Safe Battery Collection & Recycling (pdf) (1.9 MB) Carl E. Smith's presentation slides
• The Recycling Partnership - Together, transforming recycling for good (pdf) (1.6 MB) Elizabeth Schussler's presentation slides

Simplifying Sustainable Purchasing Through Guidelines and Standards

This FGC webinar covered EPA’s effort to simplify green purchasing through recommendations of specifications, standards, and ecolabels. EPA’s work in this area is intended to help federal purchasers identify and procure environmentally sustainable products and services.

Jenna Larkin, Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics

Steven Birchfield, Field Operations Supervisor Prince George's County Organics Composting Facility

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• FGC Webinar Presentation: Simplifying Sustainable Purchasing (pdf) (2.6 MB) Jenna Larkin's presentation slides
• FGC Webinar Presentation: Composting Food Scraps (pdf) (2.25 MB) Steven Birchfield's presentation slides

Recycling Market Update

Starting in 2018, China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection will prohibit the importation of scrap materials, including some grades of recovered paper and plastic. What is the impact to date on U.S. markets of import bans?

In this webinar, Jerry Powell, founder and editor of Resource Recycling, Inc., provides an update on the status of recycling markets, such as those for paper, plastics, metals and other commodities. He looks at the potential impact of import bans on scrap, including unsorted paper and mixed plastics, and shares likely responses and events throughout the rest of the year.

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (185.31 KB)
• Recycling Market Update Slides (pdf) (1.38 MB) Jerry Powell's presentation slides

Quality Matters: Free Resources to Support Plastic Recycling Programs

As recycling programs grow and change, one key tenet stays the same: Quality Matters! With new parameters being set through market demand and new policies to reduce imported material contamination, this mantra is more important than ever. This webinar focuses on new and updated materials and tools that support overall plastic recycling and examples of implementation at the municipal level.

Tonya Randell, More Recycling and technical support for the Wrap Recycling Action Program (WRAP)

Sarah Lindsay, Public Outreach Manager for American Chemistry Council's Plastics Division

Annie White, Washington DC’s Department of Public Works’ Office of Waste Diversion

Marilynn Cruz-Aponte, Director of Public Works in the Town of East Hartford, Connecticut

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• Introductory Slides (pdf) (557.16 KB)
• Quality Matters! Resources for Plastics Recycling Slides (pdf) (7.07 MB) Tonya Randell and Sarah Lindsay's presentation slides
• DC Recycling Outreach Slides (pdf) (3.71 MB) Annie White's presentation slides
• WRAP East Hartford Case Study Slides (pdf) (1.43 MB) Marilynn Cruz-Aponte's presentation slides

Making it Easier to Buy Greener Products/Services | Final Reporting of Fiscal Year 2017 Data

Jennifer Hazelman, GSA’s Green Product Compilation Program Manager and Michael Bloom, High-Performance Buildings Program Advisor, in GSA’s Office of Federal High-Performance Buildings present on a number of changes, additions and restructuring that have occurred in the Sustainable Facility Tool, the Green Product Compilation, their Environmental Programs pages, and areas that clarify requirements for purchasing of environmental products and services.

Rob Guillemin demonstrates how to report your FY2017 Federal Green Challenge Data using Re-TRAC Connect, an online database used by Federal Green Challenge member facilities to report energy consumption, waste generation and materials management, water usage, transportation, electronics management, and green purchasing.

Michael Bloom, Sustainability and Green Program Advisor General Services Administration

Jennifer Hazelman, Sustainability Branch General Services Administration

Rob Guillemin, Federal Green Challenge Regional Coordinator

Chris Newman, Federal Green Challenge Regional Coordinator

Marlene RedDoor, Federal Green Challenge National Coordinator

Video:

• Access a recording of the webinar.

Slides:

• FGC Webinar Presentation: Making it Easier to Buy Greener Products and Services, and Final FGC Data Reporting (pdf) (2.77 MB) Presentation slides

Technology Innovation - Reducing Food Going to Waste

Technology is changing the way we live, work and communicate, and it is also affecting food loss and waste. As we strive toward the national goal to reduce food loss and waste by 50 percent by the year 2030, this webinar had three EPA Food Recovery Challenge Endorsers showcase their technology solutions.

Cheryl Kollin, Community Food Rescue

Justin Block, Feeding America

Ricky Ashenfelter, Spoiler Alert

Video:

• Technology Innovation - Reducing Food Going to Waste

Slides:

• SMM Web Academy Webinar, Technology Innovation - Reducing Food Going to Waste (pdf) (248.96 KB)
• Help Feed More & Waste Less in Montgomery County (pdf) (2.67 MB)
  Cheryl Kollin's webinar slide presentation
• MealConnect (pdf) (1.28 MB)
  Justin Block's webinar slide presentation
• How emerging technologies can support food recovery & waste diversion (pdf)& (3.45 MB)
  Ricky Ashenfelter's webinar slide presentation

Driving Building Performance for Successful Participation in the Federal Green Challenge

Learn how the U.S. General Services Administration Region 2 program works to improve building performance at over 60 major facilities federal in a simplified reporting process. Topics also included best practices for implementing Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings (EO 13693), such as DOE Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPC) and waste diversion issues and methods.

Slides:

• Building Performance & Federal Green Challenge (pdf) (3.49 MB)

Preventing Food Waste Upstream: A Source Reduction Approach

The top tier of EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy is source reduction, which is reducing the volume of surplus food generated. Source Reduction can be challenging to understand, quantify and implement. Businesses and organizations can learn to effectively prevent wasted food by taking source reduction steps such as inventorying supplies, changing processes and buying less. Looking through a Sustainable Materials Management lens, preventing wasted food provides the greatest potential for cost savings and resource conservation relative to the other Food Recovery Hierarchy activities, as demonstrated by the U.S. EPA Waste Reduction Model. This webinar will introduce progressive examples from a state agency and the business community that prevent wasted food at the source.

David Allaway, Senior Policy Analyst, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Materials Management Program

Stephanie Barger, Director of Market Transformation & Development, TRUE Zero Waste Programs – U.S. Green Building Council

Brian Balukonis, Solid Waste Process Owner, Raytheon Company

Marc Wincott, District Manager, Eurest Thompson Hospitality

André Villaseñor, Sustainable Management of Food Coordinator, U.S. EPA

Video:

• Preventing Food Waste Upstream: A Source Reduction Approach

Slides:

• Preventing Food Waste Upstream: A Source Reduction Approach, Andre Villasenor's presentation slides (pdf) (2.14 MB)
• Preventing the Wasting of Food, David Allaway's presentation slides (pdf) (1.67 MB)
• True, Stephanie Barger's presentation slides (pdf) (2.59 MB)
• Raytheon's Food Recovery Challenge Partnership, Brian Balukonis' presentation slides (pdf) (1.04 MB)
• EPA Food Recovery & Sustainability, Marc Wincott's presentation slides (pdf) (1.14 MB)

Celebrating America Recycles Day by Sharing Success Stories: Reusing and Recycling as part of Greener Cleaning Efforts Lead to Big Successes

Hear and see how two federal facilities have successfully improved the operations by adopting greener practices that include reuse and recycling.

Catherine Hurley, the Sustainability Program Manager of Argonne National Laboratory, shares the lab's Clean Sweep program that was responsible for an 800% improvement in the recycling rate by removing, reusing and recycling unneeded materials and equipment from lab's storage areas.

Lorena Nelson, the Custodial Supervisor at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, National Park Service, shares her experience and the benefits of greening the National Lakeshore through the use of greener cleaners and other eco-efficient practices.

Catherine Hurley, Sustainability Program Manager of Argonne National Laboratory

Lorena Nelson, Custodial Supervisor National Park Service

Slides:

• FGC Webinar: Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of America Recycles Day by Sharing Success Stories (pdf) (10.86 MB, 11/15/2017)

China's Green Sword: Impacts to State and Local Governments

In a July 18, 2017, filing with the World Trade Organization (WTO), China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection announced that the country will prohibit the importation of some grades of recovered paper and plastic by the end of 2017. The WTO filing highlights the Chinese government’s efforts to clamp down on the quality of recovered material imports into the country.

What is the impact of this filing, since China is a primary destination for materials from U.S. material recovery facilities? Join this webinar where we will discuss the impact of this “Green Sword” to State and Local Governments. Join industry experts from the Solid Waste Association of America (SWANA), the National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA) and CalRecycle to discuss the impacts and upcoming deadline.

David Biderman, Executive Director, Solid Waste Association of North America

Anne Germain, Director, Waste and Recycling Technology, National Waste & Recycling Association

Zoe Heller, Assistant Director for Policy Development, California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery

Video:

• China’s Green Sword: Impacts to State and Local Governments

Slides:

• Intro Slides for China's Green Sword: Impacts to State and Local Governments (pdf) (357.64 KB)
• David Biderman's Slides (pdf) (1.52 MB)
• Anne Germain's slides (pdf) (416.52 KB)
• Zoe Heller's Slides (pdf) (465.43 KB)

Tracking and Reporting Environmental Results at Federal Facilities: A Review of Energy Star’s Portfolio Manager and Re-TRAC

This Federal Green Challenge webinar discussed two ways to track and report facility environmental data.

Caterina Hatcher from EPA’s Energy Star program reviewed Portfolio Manager, a powerful online tool that many federal facilities use to measure energy, water and waste quantities.

Rob Guillemin from EPA’s Federal Green Challenge Program demonstrated how to use Re-TRAC Connect, an online database used by Federal Green Challenge member facilities to report energy consumption, waste generation, water usage, transportation, electronics management, and green purchasing.

Caterina Hatcher, Energy Star National Manager

Rob Guillemin, Federal Green Challenge Regional Coordinator

Slides:

• FGC Webinar Presentation: EPA's ENERGY STAR Resources: Portfolio Manager and More (pdf) (2.72 MB, 10/26/2017)
• FGC Webinar Presentation: Step by Step Guide to Re-TRAC Connect (pdf) (1.62 MB, 10/26/2017)

The ABC’s of K-12 Food Waste Reduction: Start with the Guide to Conducting Student Food Waste Audits

We can reduce food loss and waste throughout the food system, and significant reductions can happen at institutions, such as schools. Students and schools can find opportunities and participate in actions that reduce waste and ensure nutritious food ends up feeding people, not landfills by taking a closer look at what’s being thrown away at their location.

In April 2017, EPA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the University of Arkansas finalized the Guide to Conducting Student Food Waste Audits: A Resource for Schools. The guide presents information for students, and those who work in schools, on the value of conducting an audit, how to perform the audit itself, and what to do with the data collected. It also includes a number of food waste prevention ideas.

This webinar will introduce participants to the guide and share examples from schools that have used to the guide to meet their waste reduction goals.

Melissa Terry, Researcher, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas

Lori De La Cruz, Sustainability Coordinator at Mountain View College, Dallas, Texas

Esau Milenthal, Ex-executive chef at Hutto Independent School District, Hutto, Texas

Video:

• The ABC’s of K-12 Food Waste Reduction - Start with the Guide to Conducting Student Food Waste Audits

Slides:

• Intro Slides for the ABC’s of K-12 Food Waste Reduction: Start with the Guide to Conducting Student Food Waste Audits (pdf) (516.75 KB)
• Growing Healthy Communities: School-based Community Food Security and Food Recovery Partnerships (pdf) (1.57 MB)
  Melissa Terry slide presentation
• What’ s food got to do with it? (pdf) (6.24 MB)
  Lori De La Cruz slide presentation
• Food Waste Audit (pdf) (562.41 KB)
  Esau Milenthal slide presentation

How to Lead by Example in Sustainable Operations (Part 1): Overview for New and Renewing Federal Agencies

Learn how to join with successful sustainable federal facilities to participate in the EPA's Federal Green Challenge in these overviews, including updates for FY18. Presentation by four of our top performing and award earning participants describing their pathways to Federal Green Challenge success. Plus, case studies in success from FGC participants.

Caroline S. Barber, Environmental Management System and Pollution Prevention Coordinator Department of Energy

Peter Pohlot, Pollution Prevention Coordinator Department of Energy

George Johnson, Green Environmental Management Systems Coordinator VA Minneapolis Health Care System

Molly Hatfield, Sustainability Program Analyst Department of Energy

Slides:

• FGC Webinar Presentation: East Tennessee Technology Park (pdf) (337.94 KB, 09/20/2017)
• FGC Webinar Presentation: Bonneville Power Administration Sustainability Program (pdf) (3.46 MB, 07/12/2017)
• FGC Webinar Presentation: Minneapolis VA Medical Center (pdf) (3.96 MB, 07/12/2017)
• FGC Webinar Presentation: Federal Agencies Leading by Example (pdf) (2.11 MB, 07/12/2017)

Results and Local Examples of Nationwide Public Service Campaign to Reduce Wasted Food

It’s been over a year since the launch of Save The Food - a nationwide public service campaign to reduce wasted food.

Households make up a significant portion of the percentage of food that goes to waste across the United States. Preventing that waste from occurring in the first place is one of the most cost effective ways to address wasted food.

The Natural Resources Defense Council has teamed up with the Ad Council - the non-profit arm of the U.S. advertising industry that brought you Smokey Bear and Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk – to help change people’s behavior and waste less food. How is Save The Food going and where is it headed?

This webinar will give a look into campaign activities and results thus far, upcoming campaign materials that you can use, and practical examples from partners on how they are leveraging the campaign on a local level.

JoAnne Berkenkamp, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

Hilary Landa, The Advertising Council
Rachelle Reeder, The Advertising Council

Jenny Kedward, Dakota County, MN

Barbara Hamilton, San Diego Food System Alliance

Video:

• Results and Local Examples of Nationwide Public Service Campaign to Reduce Wasted Food

Slides:

• Results and Local Examples of Nationwide Public Service Campaign to Reduce Wasted Food (pdf) (399.39 KB)
  SMM webinar introductory slides
• Save the Food: Results and Local Examples of Nationwide Public Service Campaign to Reduce Wasted Food (pdf) (164.42 MB)

2016 State of the Curbside Report: "Public Action" Stars of Recycling

In its inaugural State of Curbside Report, The Recycling Partnership identified key attributes of the highest-performing cities (those collecting more than 400 pounds per household, per year) for recovering recyclables curbside in the U.S. One common attribute that the cities shared was that each community had some sort of public action to support recycling.

What is a "public action?" It's a term that refers to a trigger or tool that a local government implements to influence curbside recycling collection. Examples of this can include: Having a licensing agreement or franchise that mandates recycling collection be provided with garbage collection; Delivering a container to every home in the community and mandating automatic collection; and Other action or policy that supports recycling and includes it in every household's service.

In this webinar, The Recycling Partnership shared details and data from its far-ranging State of Curbside Report. Representatives of three high-performing cities -- Florence, Alabama; Madison, Wisconsin; and Portland, Oregon -- shared how their communities brought recycling to its residents in a way that makes them public action stars of recycling.

Dylan de Thomas, The Recycling Partnership

Rachel Mansell, City of Florence (Alabama) Solid Waste, Street, and Recycle Department

George Dreckmann (retired) and Bryan Johnson, City of Madison (Wisconsin) Streets Division

Pete Chism-Winfield, Materials and Waste Specialist, City of Portland (Oregon) Bureau of Planning and Sustainability

Video:

• 2016 State of the Curbside Report: "Public Action" Stars of Recycling.

Slides:

• 2016 State of Curbside Report: "Public Action" Stars of Recycling (pdf) (412.02 KB)
• Dylan de Thomas Slides- How does public action support recycling? (pdf) (3.04 MB)
• Rachel Mansell Slides - City of Florence (pdf) (1.66 MB)
• George Dreckmann and Bryan Johnson Slides - City of Madison (pdf) (1.01 MB)
• Pete Chism-Winfield Slides - City of Portland (pdf) (633.19 KB)

Food Recovery: Sustainable Food Management Best Practices and Resources for Federal Agencies

In this webinar, U.S. EPA gives an overview of federal food services and presentation of resources and opportunities for federal agencies to manage food and food services sustainably. Nell Fry speaks about SODEXO’s principles of sustainable food management and best practices instituted. And Carrie Calvert discusses Feeding America’s organizational components and demonstrate the online tool that locates food recovery/donation organizations throughout the U.S.

Marlene RedDoor, Federal Green Challenge National Coordinator Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery

Nell Fry, SODEXO Office of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, EPA Food Recovery Challenge participant

Carrie Calvert, Director of Tax and Commodity Policy at Feeding America

Video:

• View the Webinar

Slides:

• FGC Webinar: Sustainable Food Management Best Practices and Resources for Federal Agencies (pdf) (1.54 MB, 05/24/2017)
• FGC Webinar: Corporate Responsibility at SODEXO (pdf) (879.62 KB, 05/24/2017)
• FGC Webinar: Feeding America (pdf) (4.14 MB, 05/24/2017)

Materials Footprint of the Consumer Electronics Ecosystem

An innovative collaboration between the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), the Staples Sustainable Innovation Lab and the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) completed a comprehensive analysis to determine the material footprint of consumer technology being used in U.S. households from 1990 to 2015. Phase One of this study focused on 21 of the most common consumer technologies during this time frame including televisions, phones, computers, monitors, and various entertainment devices.

The materials consumed, those held in stock and those that are entering the waste stream and available for recycling, were quantified using a material flows analysis approach. The analysis looked at products, weights and key materials consumed. One key finding was that while the number and type of products sold have increased, the net material consumption has declined to levels not experienced since the early 1990s. These finding are significant from a sustainable materials management perspective and the implications for future recycling needs and technology development.

Mark Buckley, Staples, Inc.

Callie Babbitt, Golisano Institute for Sustainability at Rochester Institute of Technology

Walter Alcorn, Consumer Technology Association

Video:

• Materials Footprint of the Consumer Electronics Ecosystem.

Slides:

• Materials Footprint of the Consumer Electronics Ecosystem (pdf) (213.52 KB)
  SMM webinar introductory slides
• Webinar Slides by Walter Alcorn (pdf) (578.81 KB)
• Creating a Sustainable Materials Management Model for Consumer Technology - Slides by Dr. Callie Babbitt (pdf) (1.86 MB)
• Webinar Slides by Mark Buckley (pdf) (165 KB)

Food Recovery Opportunities for Federal Facilities' Food Services

"Food recovery," which includes practices such as the purchase of less food, donation of edible food and composting, can significantly reduce waste to landfills. The presentations available on this page will outline why federal food purchasing matters, how to include food recovery into strategic planning and food service contracts and leases, and provide examples of how federal and concessioner partnerships successfully contribute to food recovery.

Marlene RedDoor, Federal Green Challenge National Coordinator Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery

Darby Hoover, Senior Resource Specialist, and JoAnne Berkenkamp, Senior Advocate, Food and Agriculture Program, Natural Resources Defense Council

Dorian Foster, Nutrition and Food Services Department in San Antonio, Texas

Video:

• View the Webinar

Slides:

• Food Recovery for Federal Facilities: Opportunities for Sustainable Acquisition & Materials Management Workgroup (pdf)(3.03 MB, April 12, 2017)
• Waste Not, Want Not (pdf)(1.02 MB, April 12, 2017)
• Federal Food Recovery Opportunities and Planning to Meet EO13693 Objectives (pdf) (1.36 MB, 09/24/2015)