Recycling: The Business Case

An article series: A Recycling or Contamination Crisis? Article #2

In early November 2016, the ZWA Blog article, A Recycling or Contamination Crisis, an article series, published with acclaimed respect and empowering readership. Overall, the response to the article is a "Thank You" for clarifying the obvious, explaining the current recycling scenario, and invoking the Power of Consumer Demand to create solutions.

The article's opening paragraph sets the tone for the big hauler perspective and responsibility for the current scenario:

Over the past year numerous mainstream media articles presented a national recycling crisis. In John Tierney's October 2015 New York Times article The Reign of Recycling, Waste Management (WM) CEO David Steiner is quoted, "If you believe recycling is good for the planet and that we need to do more of it, then there’s a crisis to confront."

Susan V. Collins
photo courtesy of CRI

Published to support the December 8 U.S. Zero Waste Business Council (USZWBC) | Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) Recycling: The Business Case webinar, the article was featured in webinar promotion.

Elemental Impact Founder Holly Elmore moderated and co-presented the powerful Recycling: The Business Case webinar with Container Recycling Institute President Susan Collins. The webinar explained the current scenario, how we got here, and effective paths to recycling PROFIT centers.

Current Scenario:

In her presentation, Susan opened with recycling's benefits beyond landfill diversion. According to UPSTREAM (formerly the Product Policy Institute) research, 44% of U.S. Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions are generated from products and packaging. In addition to the GHG emissions, manufacturing virgin products is energy intensive, depletes the Earth's resources, and damages fragile local eco-systems. From Susan's presentation:

In total, about 2.3 million American homes could have all their energy needs met (heating & cooling, cooking, utilities, etc.) with the amount of energy required to replace the beverage containers wasted in 2010.

Contributing to wasted beverage containers is the high contamination levels within single-stream recycling, often the only option available for municipalities and businesses. According to 2015 CRI research, on average 75% of recyclables collected in single-stream are recycled into new products; on average 25% of single-stream recycling is landfill destined due to contamination.

The following images from Susan's presentation clearly show the difference between glass separately collected via bottle bills (or other systems) and single-stream recycling glass:

Bottle Bill Collected Glass vs. Single-Stream Collected Glass

Many sustainability reports include collection stats versus actual recycled material stats. Thus, single-stream recycling inflates reported recycling rates and creates a false sense of accomplishment. In addition, high contamination rates understate the actual collection cost per ton. 

A proven municipal successful recycling system is dual-stream recycling: fiber (paper, cardboard) is collected separate from containers (metal, plastic & glass).

Kansas City consumer glass collection
photo courtesy of Susan Collins

It is important to follow the material and understand the final destination. WHY: 1> receive services paid for via hauling contracts and 2> reputation risk of false recycling reporting. For protection, Susan recommends material quality and actual recycling reporting provisions are included in hauler contracts.

Susan concluded her impressive presentation with examples of successful municipal recycling systems in the U.S. and abroad. For the City of Los Angeles, the newly launched program requires better material reporting and recycling facilities must be certified. An overall program emphasis: higher quality materials create better jobs locally.

Recycling PROFIT Centers

In her presentation, Holly focused on recycling PROFIT centers supported by success stories. While Susan included municipal recycling examples, Holly's focus was the corporate | organization arena.

The Path to a Recycling Business Model slide set the stage for Holly's presentation:

• Organization Culture | Top Management Buy-In.
• Material Baseline Assessment | Local Available Infrastructure.
• Clear Program Communication & Training.
• Reward & Promote Successes.
• Take Baby steps, lots & lots of baby steps.

Holly emphasized the list was not chronological and steps often intertwined.

Organization Culture | Top Management Buy-In

Corporate culture dictates acceptable and unacceptable behavior within daily operations. Ultimately, top management sets the overall corporate culture through policy, reward systems, and program support. Top management reports to the Board of Directors and shareholders and is the steward of the organization's bottom line. For top management's complete buy-in, a recycling program must improve the bottom-line or at the very least be cost-neutral.

In companies with an empowering culture, the organization's zero waste commitment is included in employee hiring and training processes. A Green Team is established with the team leader in a decision-making position, or at least with direct access to a decision-maker. Green Team participation is written into the employee's job description - VERY important at performance review time!

Piazza Produce Green Team
photo courtesy of Scott Lutocka

Successful Green Teams are comprised of members from across the organization's departments including operations, janitorial and administrative. The team meets on a regular basis and shares within their respective departments.

Employees experience inefficiencies within daily operations and are often the best avenue for waste reduction and recycling improvement ideas. It is important to encourage, recognize, and reward employees who contribute suggestions for program enhancement.

Supported by the organization's culture, employee perspectives shift from viewing operation by-products as "trash" to valuable material. In addition, clean material is perceived as a revenue generator while contaminated items are viewed as a business expense.

WE Consciousness is key to program success! Across the organization, employees must work in unison towards clearly defined, common goals. The Green Team establishes protocol and practices included in employee training and communicated via signage through out the facility.

... and WE Consciousness extends beyond the organization's boundaries. It is important to work as a team with suppliers, purveyors, waste | recycling haulers, and customers to minimize waste and maximize reuse and recycling. 

The WE Consciousness was introduced in the September 2012 ZWA Blog article, Zero Waste is a Team Sport. The May 2013 ZWA article, Zero Waste Success Requires WE Consciousness, chronicles the 2013 National Zero Waste Business Conference's impressive program.

Material Baseline Assessment | Program Parameters

Waste audit in-process
photo courtesy The Pitt News

One of the first action steps in crafting a recycling program is establishing the material baseline via a waste audit. Performed by the waste hauler or a third party contractor, an audit generally consists of spreading a waste compactor contents on a tarp to separate the recyclable material from the trash. 

It is important the Green Team attends the waste audit and documents it via video and still photos. If available, recruit top management to attend; they will see first-hand the cost of sending valuable material to the landfill. Remember: make the waste audit FUN to maximize effectiveness!

The waste audit will identify the recycling "easy wins:" 1> highest value material and 2> largest quantity of material type. 

Source-separated CLEAN material is the foundation of a recycling PROFIT center! For smaller generators, dual-stream recycling (containers separated from fiber) may work well as long material does NOT go to a single-stream recycling MRF.

A next step is to determine local end markets available for the material. In many cities, there are grass roots recycling companies who collect moderate amounts of source-separated material. Non-profits and government offices are an excellent resource for local recycling options. 

The following proven Program Parameters were presented:

Total Material Management Approach
- Entire material stream evaluated in one cost | revenue center.
- Materials with solid end markets (e.g. aluminum, mixed paper, certain plastics) subsidize more challenging streams generated in operations such as food waste and glass.

Metrics system 
-Important to track | report program financial, tonnage recycled and other successes.

Balers

- Key to on-site material source separation.
- Mini-balers are perfect for small to moderate generators. 

Clear Program Communication & Training

For success, clear concise communication supported by training is critical. Once the Green Team establishes the parties responsible for disposition, communication tools are crafted for the targeted audience. Internal signage may differ from signage designed for facility guests.

At most organizations multi-lingual signage supported with images, possibly with product samples, reaps strong benefits for intended disposition. In general, signage placed at eye level is most effective.

The following recycling bin best practices are well proven:

Ga Tech recycling center
photo courtesy Ga Tech

• Always place trash & recycling bins together.
• Use bins with holes that match the material collected.
• Place signage at eye level.
• Use material images to convey proper sorting.
• Strategically place recycling centers in high traffic areas.

NOTE: melted ice from fountain soft drinks and other beverages is a BIG contaminant in recycling streams where plastics & paper are together. To prevent water contamination, collect beverage containers separate from fiber. Where practical, include a disposable option for ice.

In general, higher volume material generation resides in the operations back-of-the-house. Once the material flow is determined, allocate a convenient space to create recycling centers for collection and baling. Clearly label large containers for their respective item collection. In addition, determine a space to store bales until sufficient quantity is accumulated to warrant a hauler pick-up.

Back-of-the-house bin & signage

For administrative offices, develop a program that involves active participation. Georgia Institute of Technology devised a three-bin desk system where the tiny black bin was designated for trash. While janitorial staff collects the recycling bin contents, the employee takes their trash to the closest copy room for landfill disposal. With this system, the employee is aware of the quantity, frequency and type of trash generated.

It is important to monitor recycling programs. Contamination notices are issued for "mistakes" and clean material is recognized.

Whether third party contracted or in-house, the janitorial staff is a critical program component. In general, janitorial staff are responsible for recycling | trash bins content disposal. Using WE Consciousness, it is imperative to educate, nurture and reward the staff to ensure proper disposition. If third party contracted, ensure recycling program parameters are included in the janitorial agreement upon renewal.

Clever, creative signage infiltrated with humor is most effective!

Reward & Promote Successes

As stated previously, it is important Green Team participation is written into formal position responsibilities and incorporated into performance review procedures. Internal recognition of Green Team membership and responsibilities through employee newsletters, memorandums or other effective methods garners fellow associate respect for members.

Scott Lutocka with Piazza
Produce Awards

Regular recycling lunch 'n learn sessions substantiate management's program commitment. In addition, the sessions are excellent times for employees to share ideas for fine-tuning the existing practices. When ideas segue into waste reduction or increased material recycling, reward the associate with recognition along with financial incentives (if appropriate.)

In addition to internal program promotion, share recycling tonnage and financial stats via press releases or other publicity vehicles. Encourage Green Team members to participate in local, regional and national conferences to educate on challenges, lessons learned and successes.  Apply for certifications and other awards that recognize the organization as a community leader. Beyond a huge employee morale boost, success stories inspire others to embark on their own recycling journey.

Most importantly:

Take Baby Steps

lots & lots of baby steps!

Recycling Success Cases

To validate recycling PROFIT centers are a feasible destination, Holly featured several USZWBC member programs.

Georgia Institute of Technology (Ga Tech)

The "AMAZING Cindy Jackson"
photo courtesy of Ga Tech

Thanks to the "AMAZING Cindy Jackson," Ga Tech never succumbed to single-stream recycling, despite immense pressure from their waste hauler and university management. Out of tremendous respect, Holly refers to her good friend as AMAZING in introductions and everyone agrees.

In fiscal year 2016, Ga Tech earned $60,000 on recyclable sales including cardboard, metals, office paper, plastics, glass, pallets, aluminum, and other less common items. The $60,000 does not take into account the cost-savings achieved by reduced landfill hauling and tipping charges. Overall, in 2016 Ga Tech recycled 3.7 million pounds of material, including 743,000 pounds of food waste collected for compost.

As mentioned in the Clear Program Communication & Training section, in 2012 Ga Tech augmented their award-winning program with administrative office desk side recycling.

Earth Friendly Products (EFP)

EFP employee garden 

Impressive: EFP's five U.S. plants are ZWFC at the platinum level!!! Under the direction of EFP Vice-President of Sustainability & Education Nadereh Afsharmanesh, employees work within a zero waste culture supported by top management. The results are incredible!

Using a hands-on approach, Nadereh nurtures the culture via monthly employee lunches with educational topics that extend beyond recycling to health, nutrition and joyful living. In the back of the Garden Grove, CA plant, EFP created a lovely garden area for employees to enjoy at lunch and during breaks. The garden is complete with fresh herbs, beautiful flowers and a living wall.

Employees share their ideas for further waste reduction and there is evidence throughout the plant: 

• Reused plastic jugs earmarked for toilet paper cardboard cores are on bathroom counter tops.
• Small bins for staples and pens, pencils & markers staged for upcycling are in the office supply area.
• Polystyrene packing peanuts are given to the local UPS Store for reuse.

TP core collection bin

EFP's zero waste commitment extends to their supply chain who must complete a sustainability checklist and explain any negative responses. Nadereh visits suppliers and educates them on how to set-up successful recycling systems.

Amidst soft commodity markets in 2015, EFP's recycling program earned a $21,600 profit. From 2011 - 2015, EFP earned a cumulative $318,000 profit on their recycling program, including $205,000 in revenue and $113,000 in reduced hauling costs.

Inside Supply Management's (ISM) October 2016 cover story, Full Circle: Supply management can play a key role in the circular economy, working with suppliers to eliminate waste and drive financial value, features EFP's impressive recycling program and supplier relationships. The ZWA Blog article, Zero waste moves from "best" to standard operating practices, includes an ISM article recap along with commentary.

Sierra Nevada Brewery (SNB)

In November 2013 SNB was awarded the FIRST Platinum ZWFC facility! The associated audit revealed SNB reused, re-purposed or recycled 99.8% of discards from operations. Key to SNB's success is material source-separation of cardboard, shrink wrap, glass, cans, bottles, paper, plastics, batteries, light tubes, computers, construction debris, and wood.

SNB clean plastic ready for baling
photo courtesy of SNB

SNB Sustainability Manager Cheri Chastain emphasizes "closing the loop" with the brewery, on-site pub and estate agriculture. In September 2010 SNB invested in a Hot Rot, a New Zealand in-vessel composting system, for the pub food waste and brewery organic by-products. In turn, the Hot Rot compost is used within the estate agriculture to grow food served in the pub and hops | barley for the brewery.

At SNB the recycling program is a strong profit center. In 2015, SNB recycled 5.9 million pounds of various materials (without spent grain) and earned $416,900 net profit, consisting of $41,800 in revenue, $33,000 in program costs and $408,100 in avoided costs.

Piazza Produce (PP)

Gold ZWFC PP earned $288,000 in recycling center profits during the soft 2015 commodity markets. As a USZWBC Board Member (now a GBCI Zero Waste Advisory Council member), PP Facility Manager Scott Lutocka shares his recycling wisdom across the nation at conferences and beyond.  A famous phrase from Scott's presentations:

“There’s Ca$h in Your Tra$h!” and “You don’t know what you don’t know (about the value in your waste stream)!”

Scott Lutocka at baler

According to Scott, several keys to creating a recycling PROFIT Center include:

• Clean source-separation of material.
• Teamwork across company department boundaries.
• Close working relationships with recycling partners. 

From program inception in 2006 through 2016, PP experienced total recycling, compost, & waste diversion savings of $1.75 Million Dollars!

To download Susan and Holly's comprehensive Recycling: The Business Case PPT presentations, visit the Ei Speaking Engagements page.

Conclusion

SNB clean cardboard bales
photo courtesy SNB

WM complains they are losing money on their self-invented single-stream recycling and there is a recycling crisis. Yet industry pioneers prove recycling PROFIT centers continue to thrive amidst the soft commodity markets. As reinforced by the above examples, several keys to success are a top management commitment at a foundation level, employee engagement across department boundaries, and source-separated, clean material ready for sale.

Though they may still have contracts with the big haulers for the small amount of remaining waste, the pioneers work with an array of local and regional companies to collect their material bales (or otherwise contained). It is important to note, at this juncture, the big haulers are NOT part of the recipe for profitable recycling programs.

Article #2 in the A Recycling or Contamination Crisis, ends with same empowering paragraph as Article #1:

It is time for the corporate community to exercise their power of consumer demand when it comes to materials management and resource recovery. Once industry leaders break the single-stream cycle, the big haulers will follow with crafting an alternative, effective system. Simple Economics 101 may prove the best pathway to fixing a broken recycling system riddled with contamination.

A Comparative Case Study: Plastic Film Recycling at Two Simon Malls

At the November 17 Annual Elemental Impact (Ei) Annual Partner Meeting, Tonya Randell with Moore Recycling Associates announced the Comparative Case Study: Plastic Film Recycling at Two Simon Malls release. Prepared by Ei on behalf of W.R.A.P. - Wrap Recycling Action Program, the case study chronicles the Charlotte plastic film recycling programs pioneered within the Sustainable Food Court Initiative (SFCI) - Shopping Mall Pilot. 

Initiated by members of the American Chemistry Council's Flexible Film Recycling Group in partnership with GreenBlue's Sustainable Packaging Coalition and The Association of Plastic Recyclers, W.R.A.P.'s purpose is to reinvigorate plastic film recycling. The goal is to double recycling to 2 billion tons by 2020.

In 2011 Ei Industry Experts & Pioneers embarked on a commercial plastic film recycling journey targeted at moderate generators where standard-sized bale assembly was not practical. Development of a city-wide plastic film recycling template was the intended destination. 

In the 2010 | 2011 time frame, plastic film generated at shopping malls skyrocketed due to shifts in garment packaging. Previously, garments were bulk packaged for retail sales. With significant increases in internet sales, manufacturers shifted to individual, clear plastic film garment packaging for shipping.

Doug Stoner, Louis & Matt at
first plastic film recycling meeting

With the introduction of commercial single-stream recycling - paper fibers, metals and other recyclable materials mixed together for the collection vehicle - the higher plastic film volume increased a mall's waste hauling expenses. Single-stream recycling is delivered to a MRF (materials recovery facility) where the material is separated via an integrated system of conveyor belts, optical sorting, blowers, and hand separation. Since it wraps around the sorting equipment, plastic film is considered a contaminant in single-stream recycling.

Yet plastic film is a valuable commodity when collected separately and baled for sale. Historically, plastic film rebates exceed OCC (old corrugated cardboard) by three to five times on a per pound basis. Thus, there is a strong business case for separated plastic film recycling at malls: film rebates and reduced landfill hauling | tipping charges more than offset program costs.

A strong Ei Team came together to create a shopping mall plastic film recycling program template. Ei Partner Louis Herrera of Novolex (then Hilex Poly) was the visionary who devised the overall plan. As a major plastic bag manufacturer, Novolex was eager to purchase the film as post-consumer recycled content for their bag production.

Ray is all smiles with his
Orwak baler

The mall plastic film recycling model centered around on-site baling. Ei Partner Mark Lanning of Orwak shared his expertise on setting up on-site baling systems. A baler manufacturer, Orwak offers a mini baler perfect for a small recycling center located in a mall's back-of-the-house.

Ei Industry Pioneer Simon Malls was eager to recycle the abundant film generated by their tenants. In addition to cost-savings incentives, major national tenants were pressuring Simon to recycle their plastic film. Then Simon Director of Waste & Recycling Matt Hupp worked closely with the Ei Team on program development.

A Charlotte Simon Mall, Concord Mills (CM) - the SFCI Shopping Center Pilot - was selected as the first mall plastic film recycling pilot. In addition to excellent mall logistics, CM General Manager Ray Soporowski was an industry veteran committed to sustainability and "doing the right thing." The stage was set!

First on the agenda was a visit to Simon's hometown Indianapolis for a tour | education of a typical Simon Mall. The following day Hilex Poly (now Novolex) hosted a tour of their plastic film recycling plant a couple hours south in North Vernon, IN.

The Ei Team @ Concord Mills

On the second tour, Matt, Louis and Ei Founder Holly Elmore traveled to Charlotte. The trio met with CM & SouthPark Mall management to assess the current plastic film status. SouthPark is a sister Simon Mall located within Mecklenburg County. During the second tour, Mecklenburg County Government joined forces with the Ei Team and provided a local support network.

In August 2012 the CM plastic film recycling pilot launched with ease, grace & celebration. The following month SouthPark launched their plastic film recycling program.

For the case study ROI (return on investment) analysis, CM and SouthPark 2015 calendar year program stats were used. At the Annual Ei Partner Meeting, Tonya brought several hard copies of the case study published three days earlier.

Ei's pioneering role in commercial plastic film recycling is documented on the Plastic Film Recycling website page. The Ei FB album, Source-Separated Materials Recycling: building a city-wide network, is a pictorial recap of the work-in-progress. Note the Plastic Film Recycling Template expanded to the Source-Separated Material Recycling Template.

Plastic film ready for the baler

The IMPACT Blog article, Ei 2016: Year of Recognition, chronicles the powerful 2016 Annual Ei Meeting and features Tonya's presentation on the case study and beyond.

With the Comparative Case Study: Plastic Film Recycling at Two Simon Malls* release, the Ei Team is ready to reconvene with W.R.A.P. and continue the profound work started with Simon Malls. The platform is built, the stage is set, and Ei is anxious to continue pioneering commercial plastic film recycling programs.

* The case study is available for download on the Ei Reference Materials and Tools and Plastic Film Recycling pages.

A Recycling or Contamination Crisis? an article series

Over the past year numerous mainstream media articles presented a national recycling crisis. In John Tierney's October 2015 New York Times article The Reign of Recycling, Waste Management (WM) CEO David Steiner is quoted, "If you believe recycling is good for the planet and that we need to do more of it, then there’s a crisis to confront."

Ei Chair Scott Seydel in front of a
MRF single-stream recycling delivery

Yet the crisis seems to revolve around WM's profitability within single-stream recycling systems. According to the September 2015 Fortune article The American recycling business is a mess: Can Big Waste fix it?, single-stream recycling is a sorting method WM pioneered in 2001. Under WM and other large waste hauler influence, single-stream recycling evolved into the only available option for curbside and corporate recycling programs in many municipalities.

In single-stream recycling, common recyclable materials - fiber (cardboard, paper), plastics, metals and glass - are placed in a single bin for later sorting at a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). Once sorted by type, material is baled for sale within the commodity market. Beginning around 2009 the big waste haulers started switching over to single-stream recycling as their offered service.

Unfortunately, contamination was rampant in single-stream recycling systems from its introduction. Contamination generally falls into three categories: 1> non-recyclable items 2> food & melted ice and 3> glass. 

In the beginning, many of the non-recyclable items in single-stream collection were due to lack of clear signage and consumer confusion. For example, bin signage may read "Plastics," rather than the specific accepted plastics. Thus, consumers include ALL plastics - lawn chairs, hoses etc. - in the single-stream bin.

Food waste on recyclable foodservice packaging is contamination. In addition to rendering the packaging unfit for recycling, the food waste may contaminate nearby material. Water (melted ice from fountain soft drinks and other beverages) causes paper to stick to plastics; the paper and plastic are impractical to separate in MRF sorting systems. Therefore, the plastic, along with the paper stuck to it, are deposited in the landfill-destined trash pile.

MRF separated glass - filled with
plastic & paper contamination

Most single-stream recycling is collected in packer trucks where the material is crushed for transportation. When crushed, glass breaks into small shards that contaminate the paper, plastics and metals in the load. Additionally, glass (essentially sand) causes significant wear and tear on hauling trucks and MRF sorting equipment.

In December 2009 the Container Recycling Institute (CRI) issued the comprehensive Understanding economic and environmental impacts of single-stream collection systems white paper. Within the paper, research findings forewarned of single-stream perils: single-stream recycling increases diversion from landfill rates yet decreases recycling rates due to contamination.

The U.S. EPA Sustainable Materials Management Web Academy presented the webinar, Single-Stream Recycling: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly, in July 2011. Within the webinar, the presenters address the effectiveness of a system designed for ease of collection. The ZWA Blog article, Single-Stream Recycling: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly, gives a synopsis of the informative webinar.

If contamination was rampant since launching, how did the waste haulers make the necessary profits to drive single-stream recycling to the predominant, often only, recycling option available for communities and corporations at-large?

2015 McCormick Place recycling bin
w/ clear signage, next to waste bin.

The answer is within commodity market pricing. As the recycling commodity markets regained strength from the 2008 pricing plummets, MRFs made profits even with significant contamination. Markets for contaminated material remained reasonably stable with China purchasing the strong majority of the "dirty material."

Large waste haulers often invested in their own MRFs to complement landfill investments. Thus, the hauler collected tipping fees from landfill-bound, contaminated MRF material.

A robust commodity market through mid-2014 masked the contamination flaws within single-stream recycling systems.

Beginning in mid-2014, recycling commodity market pricing started a downward spiral. At the same time China cut U.S. purchases significantly and demanded cleaner material. Contaminated material prices severely declined and in some instances the market disintegrated. Suddenly, contaminated material was perceived as an expensive program cost versus a system by-product. 

For larger generators, on-site source separation is best materials management practices and improves the bottom line. As noted in the ZWA Blog article, Zero waste moves from "best" to standard operating practices, the Piazza Produce source-separated material recycling program generated $288,000 of cost-savings in 2015; the program continued to improve the bottom line during soft recycling markets.

Separated material at the
S-SMRT Pilot

As a raw material in manufacturing operations, clean recyclable material retains value. When there are strong local markets, larger generators often circumvent the commodities market and sell directly to the manufacturer. The Elemental Impact (Ei) Source-Separated Materials Recycling Template (S-SRT) is grounded in clean material source-separation and direct, local sales to manufacturers. Committed to integrity, the S-SRT tagline is Contamination is a Mistake!

Thus, the recycling crisis touted by David Steiner in mainstream media is a contamination crisis.

As the first in a series, this article's purpose is to establish the contamination crisis scenario. Following articles will address available solutions to overhaul corporate recycling programs, whether at an individual location or for the municipality, into systems that make good business, community and environmental sense.

In general, the articles will address corporate recycling with little to no focus on curbside recycling. Intended topics include:

• Waste Prevention - working with the supply chain on transport packaging to eliminate trash packaging; ensuring no waste is created when products are sold to customers.
• WE Consciousness | Culture - ensuring organization employees work in unison toward common goals within a supportive corporate culture; includes working in partnership with the supply chain and customers.

  

  clear communication at
  an employee bulletin board

• Hauler | Generator Responsibility - taking responsibility for contamination within a recycling stream; using WE Consciousness, the hauler & customer work together to craft recycling programs that generate clean streams; culture plays a critical role.
• Clear Communication - educating employers and guests on proper placement for material and trash; includes clear, effective signage & best bin practices.
• Local Infrastructure - working with grass roots recycling companies on flexible programs unique to the local end markets; may attract new manufacturers to the local market if a significant volume of their raw material is generated within the community.

With a positive flavor, the articles will focus on success stories and how to engineer profitable recycling systems.

It is time for the corporate community to exercise their power of consumer demand when it comes to materials management and resource recovery. Once industry leaders break the single-stream cycle, the big haulers will follow with crafting an alternative, effective system. Simple Economics 101 may prove the best pathway to fixing a broken recycling system riddled with contamination.

Zero waste moves from "best" to standard operating practices

With recent industry developments, zero waste segues from "the green thing to do" into respected material management that makes good business and environmental sense. Veteran zero waste companies substantiate clean, contaminant-free material source-separated on-site improves the corporate bottom line, even in "soft" recycling markets.

USZWB Board & USGBC President
signing the official agreement

Further validating zero waste's prominent role in corporate material management, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced on October 5 they joined forces with the U.S. Zero Waste Business Council (USZWBC) to advance zero business practices. USZWBC will integrate into the global Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) community that drives sustainability across all sectors. 

GBCI will assume responsibility for the ongoing management and evolution of the Zero Waste Facility Certification (ZWFC) and Zero Waste Business Associate programs created by USZWBC. Zero waste principles will align with GBCI’s offerings. 

The ZWFC joins a family of prominent certifications administered by the GBCI: the PEER standard for power systems, the WELL building standard, the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES), Parksmart, EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiency) and the GRESB benchmark, which is used by institutional investors to improve the sustainability performance of the global property sector. 

As the home to LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - Certification, the USGBC is the recognized global standard for sustainable building design, construction, operations and maintenance.

The ZWA Blog article, USGBC Empowers Zero Waste Industry: USGBC & USZWBC join forces, details the monumental industry announcement.

Along with the USGBC, national trade associations are vehicles to educate the corporate community on the zero waste business value. In October two prominent industry trade associations - the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) and the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA) - published front cover zero waste articles in their October hard copy magazines.

Pallet Central:

Published by the NWPCA, Pallet Central features Zero Waste Makes Good Business & Environmental Sense as the September | October issue front cover story. Written by Elemental Impact Founder Holly Elmore on behalf of the USZWBC, the article is introductory in nature.

For zero waste success, two prime ingredients are necessary: 1> a culture shift from waste management to materials management and 2> a practical staged-in approach complete with education, clear signage, and employee engagement. Top management buy-in is critical to shifting corporate culture along with providing employee incentives and support. Quantifying, communicating and rewarding success builds strong enthusiasm and support for long-term zero waste program success.

A first step on the zero waste journey is a waste audit. An audit determines the baseline of current practices in-place as well as the quantity and type of materials generated at the facility. In addition, the audit reveals the "easy win" areas, which are perfect program starting points.

Throughout the article, the strong business case for zero waste is emphasized. For example, in 2015 Gold Level ZWFC Piazza Produce “sold” 733.8 tons of wood pallets (roughly 66,700 pallets) for approximately $163,500. In contrast, estimated landfill charges for the pallets were $65,700, including hauling and tipping fees.

USZWBC Board Member and Piazza Produce Facility Manager Scott Lutocka often says “There’s Ca$h in Your Tra$h!” and “You don’t know what you don’t know (about the value in your waste stream)!” … and Scott understands well the cash value of Piazza Produce trash! 

Scott by the hardworking
Piazza baler

In 2015 alone, the Piazza Produce zero waste program generated $288,034 in cost-savings. Since launching in 2005, Piazza Produce enjoyed a cumulative $1.56 million in bottom line improvements from successful zero waste practices. Even with the soft recycling markets, established corporate zero waste programs continue to produce cost-savings and improve the bottom line. 

Zero waste is a team sport! Product packaging, including manufacturing raw materials, is a significant contributor to landfill-destined items. By working in tandem with the supply chain, recyclable or reusable packaging may often replace "trash" packaging.

Platinum ZWFC at their five U.S. Plants, Earth Friendly Products (EFP) established a Supplier Code of Conduct including a sustainability questionnaire. Negative questionnaire answers require an explanation. With team spirit, EFP trains their suppliers on zero waste practices. EFP Vice-President of Sustainability and Education Nadereh Afsharmanesh visits vendor manufacturing plants to witness zero waste practices in-place and provide helpful recommendations.

As it closes, the article notes the pathway to zero waste success is well established with the pioneers open to sharing their lessons learned and proven practices implemented. USZWBC veteran members share experiences with those embarking on the zero waste journey. According to USZWBC Founder & Executive Director Stephanie Barger: 

“USZWBC is a solutions based organization and provides many resources for their members and the community to vet ideas and challenges. Our Advisory Board members can assist with working on solutions for individuals or an industry along with leading task forces or developing technical committees for more challenging long-term issues. Our resource library contains toolkits, case studies and other educational information.”

Inside Supply Management

While the Pallet Central article was introductory in nature, Inside Supply Management's (ISM) October cover story, Full Circle: Supply management can play a key role in the circular economy, working with suppliers to eliminate waste and drive financial value, delves into the broader spectrum inherent within the circular economy. ISM is the Institute for Supply Management's official industry publication.

Written by ISM Publications Coordinator Lisa Arnseth, the article is an excellent overview of zero waste's role within the circular economy along with specific examples. Dell Computers is a prime article feature with their impressive closed loop commitment. Jennifer Allison, Dell director of supply chain sustainability, emphasizes the importance of a systems approach with her quote:

“One of the most important things in understanding the circular economy is that we’re talking about systems — not just products, programs or initiatives. Looking at the whole system is when change begins to make a significant difference. Technology is a great tool for measuring and analyzing systems, understanding processes and identifying inefficiencies.”

EFP is another article feature. Using quotes and examples provided by Nadereh, the article gives examples of EFP's team work with their supply chain. Nadereh's hands-on approach with supply chain management is effective at preventing "trash" packaging.

Within the circular economy, the zero waste definition is beyond material management practices at a particular manufacturing or other facility. Waste inherent within delivered products is critical to achieving circular economy zero waste. If a product was manufactured in a wasteful facility, then the product brings intangible waste into the customer's operations. 

Working in tandem with their supply chain, EFP supports their zero waste demands with complimentary training. As mentioned in the Pallet Central article, Nadereh visits supplier operations to monitor material management systems in-place and offer assistance.

An industry leader, ISM published The Journey to a Zero Waste Supply Chain in March 2013 written by Ei Founder Holly Elmore. The ZWA Blog article, Supply Chain Critical to Zero Waste Success, gives an article overview along with examples from Subaru's operations.

Nadereh with recycling bins
on the plant floor

When researching the October article, Lisa reconnected with Holly for industry referrals and an in-depth interview. Emphasizing the team spirit approach to working with the supply chain, Holly says "“Remember, it’s about working in a partnership with suppliers, and not dictating changes. Go to the table with your suppliers and work together.”

The article copy flows from the big circular economy picture to specific details for implementing a successful zero waste program. Nadereh advises "“Look for small wins, and build on those foundations.”

As the article closes, the importance of corporate culture is emphasized with Holly's quote:

 “It’s a matter of corporate culture, stemming from the C-suite, the board of directors and the stockholders. Sustainability is a long-term commitment that requires, at times, short-term investments or temporary financial shortcomings. But in the long run, if it is done with integrity and committed planning with the right resources plugged in, the ROI will be there."

Global leaders like Dell are grounding the pathway to a future circular economy; national icons like Piazza Produce and EFP are substantiating the current economics inherent within strong materials management

With the USGBC and prominent trade associations embracing zero waste as a core business value, zero waste moves beyond best operating practices into standard operating practices. Stay tuned to witness how the powerful synergies flow into a "world without waste!"

USGBC Empowers Zero Waste Industry: USGBC & USZWBC join forces

This summer the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) stepped into Zero Waste WE Consciousness with an empowering announcement!

On July 1, 2016, the USGBC issued a LEED Interpretation allowing documentation for a facility certified by the U.S. Zero Waste Business Council (USZWBC) to stand in for several LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance (LEED O+M) prerequisites and credits. The USGBC's aim is to reduce the burden for buildings pursuing both certifications.

Now, if a building earned USZWBC Zero Waste Facility Certification (ZWFC) and the scope of the project (i.e., the project boundary) is the same as a project pursuing LEED O+M certification, the USZWBC certification can be used to document LEED credits, provided the corresponding USZWBC credit is earned. A scorecard for the ZWFC must be provided to demonstrate specific credit achievement.

As the home to LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - Certification, the USGBC is the recognized global standard for sustainable building design, construction, operations and maintenance.

The ZWA Blog article, USGBC Steps in Zero Waste WE Consciousness, announces the important industry achievement and defines WE Consciousness.

... and on October 5, 2016 the USGBC fully immerses in Zero Waste WE Consciousness with the following announcement: 

The USGBC and USZWBC are formally joining forces to advance zero waste business practices. USZWBC will be integrated into the global Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) community that drives sustainability across all sectors. GBCI will assume responsibility for the ongoing management and evolution of the ZWFC and Zero Waste Business Associate programs created by USZWBC, and the Zero Waste principles will be aligned with GBCI’s offerings.

Established in 2008, GBCI exclusively administers project certifications and professional credentials and certificates within the framework of the USGBC’s LEED green building rating systems. Through rigorous certification and credentialing standards, GBCI drives adoption of green business practices, which fosters global competitiveness and enhances environmental performance and human health benefits.

The USZWBC Board signing
USGBC documents
photo compliments UZWBC

“GBCI is taking another important step toward creating a holistic strategy for green business that began when the U.S. Green Business Council (USGBC) launched the LEED green building rating system 16 years ago,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president, GBCI, and COO, (USGBC). “By reducing and eliminating the volume and toxicity of waste and materials and aligning green rating systems, we are one step further in transforming the market to be more sustainable.”

The ZWFC joins a family of prominent certifications administered by the GBCI: the PEER standard for power systems, the WELL building standard, the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES), Parksmart, EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiency) and the GRESB benchmark, which is used by institutional investors to improve the sustainability performance of the global property sector. 

Since its 2012 inception, the USZWBC adopted the Zero Waste International Alliance's zero waste definition:

Zero Waste is a goal that is ethical, economical, efficient and visionary, guiding people to change their lifestyles and practices to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all discarded materials are designed to become resources for others to use. Zero Waste means designing and managing products and processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources and not burn or bury them. Implementing Zero Waste will eliminate all discharges to land, water or air that are a threat to planetary, human, animal or plant health.

Alignment with the USGBC | GBCI will propel zero waste success from its current material focus to encompass all discharges to land, water or air that are a threat to planetary, human, animal or plant health - a monumental leap forward towards a truly sustainable world!

When it launched in 2013, the ZWFC parameters aligned with credit requirements of LEED O+M. Thus, the USGBC | GBCI | USZWBC is a natural joining of forces with monumental industry implications. With USGBC support, zero waste is destined to move beyond best operating practices into standard operating practices.

Stephanie Barger, USZWBC Founder and Executive Director, confirms the sentiment: “USZWBC is so excited to join the GBCI family. By spearheading a comprehensive certification and training program, we have already made huge strides in shifting attitudes and behaviors of large and small companies to focus upstream with managing waste. With GBCI’s influence we will be able to further the integrity and credibility of Zero Waste and create a Zero Waste Economy for all!”

USGBC intends to honor current USZWBC memberships, sponsorships, and partnerships. As the USZWBC Official Media Partner, Elemental Impact is thrilled for the invigorated zero waste horizons. Time will reveal how the phenomenal potentials ground into powerful realities.