Module 1: Solid Waste Reduction

• Overview
• Gathering Information
• Identifying Opportunities
• Planning Your Program
• Program Implementation
• Resources

Identifying Opportunities

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Evaluating Opportunities

At the end of the exercise above, you will have identified a short list of options/activities to include in your waste reduction plan. The next step is to take a more detailed look at the options to ensure they are appropriate for your program. Worksheet F—Economic and Operational Feasibility leads the team through this evaluation process, including calculating likely startup and ongoing expenses and projected savings for each option.

If your building or property manager has not been involved in the process up to this point, now would be a good time to bring him or her in. When evaluating opportunities for waste reduction, financial considerations tend to come to the forefront. If certain options are to be implemented building-wide, the property manager is the one who makes that decision.

Before beginning the evaluation, remind the team of the waste management hierarchy (displaying it on a poster keeps it fresh in their minds).

Avoid, reduce, and reuse

Start with the options that avoid, reduce, and reuse. Remind the team that these proactive measures are preferred because there’s usually little or no additional cost associated with them —most involve simple behavioral changes.

For example, changes in purchasing habits can lead to dramatic reductions in waste. The team can work with your business’s purchasing officer to draft new purchasing guidelines that specify materials that have less packaging, are delivered in bulk, and contain recycled content for example. Module 2, Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP), contains extensive materials on environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP), sample contract language, and more. Using the federal government’s definition, environmentally preferable means “...products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose....” One example is using less-toxic cleaning products.

Once environmentally preferable products have been identified, they should be evaluated in terms of cost. Be sure to compare the new items to the old on the basis of long-term costs, rather than purchasing costs alone. For example, while benches made from recycled plastic may initially cost more than wooden, they can last up to four times longer and do not require maintenance. Reusable products may also cost more at the outset, but often save money over time by avoiding frequent purchases of single-use items. Using fewer disposables also equates to less waste and less time spent managing that waste.

Recycling

The most important consideration when planning a recycling program, and choosing which materials to target, is the availability for that material to be recycled in your area. Consult Fact Sheet 2, entitled Solid Waste Recyclers, or your local Yellow Pages (look under recycling) to identify recycling opportunities in your area. Also, the website Earth911 is an online tool that provides information on available recycling services in many regions. A list of questions to ask potential buyers of recyclers can be found in the third fact sheet, Questions to Ask Recyclers.

Be sure to consider the cost-effectiveness and potential operational needs of your recycling options. Some programs may require the purchase of specialized equipment such as compactors, balers, and storage or collection containers. Space must also be found for any needed equipment (such as on the loading dock). There might also be additional labor costs associated with collecting the recyclables. In some cases the recycler may charge a fee for removing the materials, and/or your janitorial contract may need to be renegotiated. In many cases, however, savings (through avoided disposal costs) and/or revenue (from the sale of recyclables) will offset these costs.

Composting and Grasscycling

If yard trimmings or other organic matter make up a large percentage of your waste, evaluate the feasibility of “grasscycling” or composting. Grasscycling involves leaving cut grass on the lawn where it will decompose and add nutrients to the lawn. A mulching mower will cut the grass into smaller pieces, allowing it to decompose more quickly. Your business will save time and money by not having to bag the clippings and pay for their disposal.

If your business has outdoor space available, you may be able to compost certain organics onsite. If your local municipal government operates a compost program, offsite composting may be a feasible option.

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