United States Environmental Protection Agency EPA530-N-94-006 December 1994 Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5305) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * WasteWise UPDATE * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CHARTER MEMBERS HONORED IN CEREMONY Over 280 of American's leading businesses were welcomed to EPA's WasteWise program at a kickoff ceremony at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, last July. Joining representatives from these charter companies were individuals from trade associations and the press. In all, over 200 attendees honored the charter members at the event. EPA Administrator Carol Browner, in her remarks at the ceremony, stated that "economic prosperity and environmental protection can--and must--go hand in hand." She emphasized that WasteWise gives businesses the flexibility to design waste prevention, recycling, and buy-recycled programs that make sense, offer real cost savings, and promise a big return for the environment. Testifying to the benefits that can be gained through WasteWise initiative were speakers Julia Chang Block, Group Executive Vice President of Bank of American, and William Blackburn, Vice president for Corporate Environmental Affairs of Baxter International. Block commented that the WasteWise initiative "can generate very real economic and environmental benefits." She said that one way Bank of America will realize these benefits is by reducing paper use throughout the organization. Bank of American aims to cut paper waste by 25 percent in the next two years by reducing the number and volume of forms, using electronic mail, and performing double-sided copying. Blackburn said his company, an international supplier of health care products, has already saved $24 million in 1993 by reducing packaging and other materials. Like many of the participating companies, Baxter International began waste reduction efforts prior to becoming a WasteWise member. Many of these companies plan to expand their current efforts under the initiative. Speakers at the ceremony also expressed satisfaction in the partnership approach exemplified by WasteWise. Browner said that WasteWise represents a new way for EPA and businesses to work together. "The Clinton Administration believes that we must move beyond one-size-fits- all environmental regulation," she added. Block remarked that the WasteWise collaboration "is government at its best." ======================================================================== Dear WasteWise Partner, Welcome to our first issue of the WasteWise Update. In July, EPA officially inaugurated the WasteWise program--a voluntary partnership between EPA and America's businesses to foster waste prevention, recycling, and buying or manufacturing recycled products. I am happy to report that at press time, over 340 companies have signed on to the initiative. To help companies achieve their waste reduction goals, EPA will be providing technical assistance to member companies, as well as recognition for their efforts. One way EPA will share information and ideas with WasteWise partners is through this newsletter. In this premier issues of the WasteWise Update, you will find highlights of our July ceremony honoring WasteWise charter members. This issue also shares some of the ambitious waste reduction goals established by WasteWise companies, and discusses the types of technical assistance that members have requested and which EPA plans to make available. In particular, please pay attention to the WasteWise Information Exchange Form, which requests your participation in the WasteWise peer exchange. This information exchange network, which is in the early stages of development, will link companies that want to share expertise in a certain area with those that are seeking such advice. This direct exchange of expertise among member companies is something that members have requested and which we see as an important service of the WasteWise program. Similarly, we see this newsletter as an ideal way for WasteWise partners to exchange information and real-life experiences. In this newsletter, we would like to present case studies and "how to" information that is valuable to you. If you have case studies or information to share, or suggestions for articles you would like to see in future issues of the WasteWise Update, please let us know by calling 1-800-EPA-WISE. ======================================================================== *** A WORD FROM OUR PARTNERS *** ************************************************************************ This WasteWise Update features spotlights waste reduction experiences and thoughts from WasteWise member companies. ************************************************************************ AETNA TAKES A SECOND LOOK AT WASTE REDUCTION When the invitation to join WasteWise arrived at our offices, our initial reaction was that there was little need for us to participate. Aetna, a financial service company, had implemented a number of activities to reduce waste in our organization. For example, we were already collecting white paper and newsprint for recycling. We were using reusable cups and napkins made from recycled content in our cafeterias. And communicating via electronic mail, rather than on paper, had become popular among employee. Best of all, many of these ventures had reduced costs while improving the services we provide. But then we took a second look at WasteWise--and at ourselves. The voluntary nature of the initiative was appealing. The EPA brochure on the initiative and other materials were self-explanatory, and the reporting requirements minimal. Although we had taken steps to reduce reuse, and recycle, we acknowledged that there was more we could do. Aetna signed on as a WasteWise charter member in April 1994. We then set up a team of volunteers to oversee our renewed effort. The team will assess our current waste-reducing and recycling initiatives; evaluate potential new initiatives; and create internal communications to monitor and share the results of the effort. The WasteWise materials provided by EPA as well as opportunities to learn from other companies are helping to facilitate the team's planning efforts. While team members represent company functions that are important to environmental projects (such as purchasing and facilities), all members are participating because they are interested in finding ways to better utilize resources throughout our organization. As this endeavor is in addition to their regular Aetna work, the team members' efforts need to offer them the reward of achieving results, as well as the opportunity to have some fun! What the WasteWise initiative means to Aetna is the ability to revitalize our current waste reduction program and to generate interest in new activities. It is with renewed vigor that we begin this venture with WasteWise. Reducing waste makes good business sense. Here's proof! DuPont's Environmentally Improved Packaging Program aims to reduce product packaging waste product packaging waste at least 50 percent by the year 2000. Of the 740 million pounds of packaging materials the company shipped in 1992, DuPont and its customers reused 180 million pounds of wood pallets, boxes, and other packaging materials. What's more, DuPont customers returned 50 million pounds of packaging to selected centers for recycling. All told, this program reduced the amount of waste that DuPont disposed of by 30 percent and saved more than $15 million in 1992! Martin Marietta has taken steps to cut waste in its facilities around the country. In 1988, its Internal Information Systems branch in Denver began a project to reduce waste from computer printouts. The company educated employees about the costs of printing and the benefits of online editing and other paper reduction techniques. In four years, the project avoided over 13 million sheets of printout paper with a cost savings in supplies of over $4 million. In several northeastern facilities, paper time cards and travel expense forms also have been eliminated, and the cafeterias at these plants now provide a five-cent discount on coffee when employees use their green, company-provided reusable mug. IN THE MARKET FOR RECYCLED PRODUCTS? Ever wonder where to buy fax paper with post-consumer content? Looking to purchase floor tiles made with recycled materials? If so, you're in luck. WasteWise is pleased to announce that a condensed version of the Recycled Products Guide will be delivered at no charge to member companies! In addition, the complete Guide is available at a 50 percent discount price of about $140 to WasteWise members. Published by American Recycling Market, Inc., the Guide provides over 4,000 listings of manufactures, distributors, and merchants of products containing recovered materials. The condenses version of the Guide contains a sampling of listings from the complete Guide. It will give readers a sense of diversity and quantity of recycled products available in various geographic locations, and should help you decide whether the full Guide would be of value to you. A special rate is also available for WasteWise members on Recycle Line-- an online computer network of information on recycled products and markets. The network is continuously updated and easily accessible by modem. RecycleLine users have access to the same recycled product information listed in the complete Guide, including more than 4,500 listings of products with recycled content, 700 different product classifications,and 1,100 regional merchants. In addition, RecycleLine includes a calendar of events to relating to recycling and recycled products, recycling markets and equipment, a resource library of relevant publications, news bulletins, and more. WasteWise Members will receive their free copy of the condensed Recycled Products Guide in the mail, along with ordering information for the complete version of the Guide and additional information on RecycleLine. ************************************************************************ WasteWise INFORMATION EXCHANGE In response to interest by WasteWise partners, EPA will set up a WasteWise "Peer Exchange" in which member companies can contact each other directly to share experiences on waste reduction programs. To participate in the Peer Exchange, identify up to five topic areas on which you would like to either share or receive more information. For each topic area, check the first line if your have information to SHARE with other WasteWise members; check the second line if you would like to RECEIVE information from other WasteWise companies. Once we receive your form we will contact you to help match you with one or more companies. We expect that the first exchanges will occur in March 1995. To participate in the first round of exchanges, please mail this form to EPA by February 15, 1995. WASTE PREVENTION Reducing Paper __ __Two-Sided Copying __ __Two-Sided Printing __ __Electronic Communication __ __Scrap Paper Reuse __ __Paper Distribution Reduction Reducing Packaging __ __Product Packaging __ __Transport Packaging __ __Other (please specify) Reducing Cafeteria/Food Service Waste __ __Food Scrap Reduction __ __Reusable Dishware __ __Other (please specify) On-Site Composting __ __Yard Trimmings __ __Food Scraps Materials/Equipment Reuse __ __Donations __ __Materials Exchange Reusable Supplies __ __Toner Cartridges __ __Binders/Folders __ __Refillables __ __Other (please specify) __ __Educating Employees on Waste Prevention __ __Corporate Policy Statements __ __Establishing a Waste Reduction Program/Team __ __Waste Prevention Measurements __ __Other (please specify) RECYCLING COLLECTION PROGRAMS Paper and Paperboard __ __High Grade White Paper __ __Low Grade Paper __ __Mixed (High and Low Grade) __ __Newspaper __ __Magazines __ __Corrugated Containers Plastics __ __PET __ __HDPE __ __Stretch Wrap and LDPE __ __Polystyrene __ __Other (please specify) Metals __ __Aluminum/Nonferrous __ __Ferrous __ __Glass Containers Off-Site Composting __ __Yard Trimmings __ __Food Scraps __ __Wood (e.g., pallets) __ __Textiles __ __Educating Employees on Recycling Collection Programs __ __Measuring Collected Materials __ __Other (please specify) BUYING RECYCLED PRODUCTS __ __Educating Employees on Recycled Products __ __Revising Product Specifications to Allow Recycled Content __ __Revising Purchasing Policies/Procedures to Emphasize Recycled Products __ __Addressing Real or Perceived Quality Issues About Recycled Products __ __Measuring Recycled Product Purchases ======================================================================== Information on specific recycled products that are available in your area can be found through a variety of sources. One such source is the Recycled Products Guide, which you'll receive information on soon. For other sources of information on recycled products, call the WasteWise Hotline at 1-800-EPA-WISE. ======================================================================== How would you prefer to exchange information? __ __By phone __ __In person (at my company's facility or another facility) Name____________________________________________________________________ Company_________________________________________________________________ Phone_________________________________Fax_______________________________ ************************************************************************ WasteWise TALLY To better meet the needs of member companies, EPA recently asked WasteWise charter members what technical assistance programs they would find most valuable. Technical assistance needs identified by 41 companies are listed below, along with the initial steps EPA is taking to address these needs. Seminars Almost all (93 percent) of the respondents would attend a WasteWise seminar that would offer (1) information on waste reduction alternatives and program implementation; and (2) an opportunity for members to share results, problems, and solutions. Companies liked the idea of seminars specific to their business sector. The WasteWise program will sponsor a series of workshops in the coming year with an emphasis on interactive sharing of "how-to" information among companies. Stay tuned! Peer Exchange (Benchmarking) Most companies (98 percent) expressed interest in providing or receiving assistance from other WasteWise companies. Many would prefer to share information over the phone rather than in person, though some companies would prefer on-site assistance. There is a form included in this newsletter to help EPA begin facilitating this type of exchange. Take a moment to fill it out--it will be worth the time. Publications and Tip Sheets Seventy-six percent of the respondents prefer shorter written pieces (3- 4 pages) over longer in-depth materials. More companies prefer information materials targeted to specific business sectors. EPA will develop a series of "tip sheets" on specific materials and waste reduction practices. On-Site Waste Assessments Just under half of the respondents expressed interest in on-site waste assessments at their facilities. Some would prefer to have an industry peer conduct the assessment, while others preferred a nonprofit organization. Sixty-one percent of the companies interested in on-site assessments are willing to share all or some assessment results with other companies. Electronic Bulletin Board (EBB) and Fax-Back Seventy-three respondents indicated that they would use an EBB if WasteWise were to establish one or link up with an existing EBB. The bulletin board would allow companies to (1) download materials; (2) send messages to companies or WasteWise staff; (3) obtain updates on WasteWise activities; and (4) hold conferences with other WasteWise members. Eighty-eight percent of the companies responding would also use a system that would automatically fax materials that companies selected from a menu of options chosen over the phone ("fax-back"). EPA plans to investigate different methods of communicating electronically with WasteWise members. We'll keep you posted on these efforts in future issues. Promotion When asked which media venues would be most valuable if EPA conducted program promotion centered around member companies, the first choice was local media coverage, followed by national media coverage. Public service announcements and articles in business and trade journals were the third choice. WasteWise PARTNERS AIM HIGH You might be wondering about the types of goals companies are establishing for WasteWise. Here is a sample of approved goals from member companies. In a future issue of this newsletter, we'll take an in-depth look at some of these goals and how companies are achieving them. Waste Prevention Goals * Print customer bills on both sides, with a goal to reduce total bill paper usage by 25 percent. * Wash operator vinyl gloves for reuse rather than discarding them. * Recondition air filters used in heavy equipment instead of discarding them and purchasing new ones. * Increase the repair and reuse of telecommunications equipment. * Use cafeteria food scraps for animal feed. * Shred nonrecyclable waste paper and use it as packing in outgoing shipments, eliminating the need to purchase new packing materials. * Purchase only reconditioned toner cartridges for printers and institute a program to return spent cartridges in exchange for reconditioned ones. * Leave grass clippings on lawns. Recycling Goals * Recycle portable rechargeable (NiCd) batteries. * Expand office paper recycling programs. * Initiate a plastic shrinkwrap recycling program. * Use old telephone directories as a feedstock for producing company billing envelopes. Buying or Manufacturing Recycled Products * Increase the amount of recycled fiber in office bond paper to 50 percent total recycled fiber and 15 percent postconsumer fiber. * Increase the postconsumer content of paper used in telephone directories. * Increase the purchase of retread tires. ************************************************************************ WasteWise BUSINESS SECTORS A diverse range of companies, large and small, have signed on to be WasteWise partners. About half are Fortune 500 or Service 500 companies. Here are some of the business sectors represented by WasteWise members. Aerospace Airlines Banking/Financial and Savings Beverages Building Materials Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Communications Computers/Office Equipment Consulting and Research Services Education Electronics and Electronics Equipment Entertainment Food and Grocer Stores Forest Products Furniture Hotels and Restaurants Industrial and Farm Equipment Insurance Medical Services Metals and Metal Products Mining/Crude Oil Production Motor Vehicles and Parts Petroleum Refining Printing and Publishing Retail Rubber and Plastic Products Scientific and Photographic Equipment Soaps and Cosmetics Textiles Toys and Sporting Goods Transportation Transportation Equipment Utilities Waste Management ************************************************************************ TIPS WasteWise is developing a series of "tip sheets" for members on specific waste reduction activities. The tip sheets will take a closer look at some effective ways to cut waste, with emphasis on the experiences of WasteWise partners. If you have experience or information on any of the following topics that you would like to contribute for use in one or more of the tip sheets, please call the WasteWise Hotline at 1-800-EPA-WISE * Reducing paper use. * Reducing waste in food service operations. * Finding a new home for used equipment and supplies. * Reducing transport packaging. * Measuring waste prevention.