Recycling

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Recycling

Background

The manufacture, distribution, and use of products – as well as management of the resulting waste – all result in greenhouse gas emissions. Waste prevention and recycling reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with these activities by reducing production of virgin materials, saving energy, and reducing emissions associated with waste management.

In the recycling process, collecting and processing secondary materials, manufacturing recycled-content products, and then purchasing recycled products creates a circle or loop that ensures the overall success and value of recycling.

Utility involvement in recycling can take the form of company recycling programs and/or support of regional or local public programs.

		*Collection and Processing*. Collecting recyclables varies from community to community, but there are four primary methods: curbside, drop-off centers, buy-back centers, and deposit/refund programs. Once collected, recyclables are sent to a materials recovery facility to be sorted and prepared into marketable commodities for manufacturing.
		*Manufacturing.* Once cleaned and separated, the recyclables are ready to undergo the second part of the recycling loop. More and more of today's products are being manufactured with total or partial recycled content. Common household items that contain recycled materials include newspapers and paper towels; aluminum, plastic, and glass soft drink containers; steel cans; and plastic laundry detergent bottles. Recycled materials also are used in innovative applications such as recovered glass in roadway asphalt ("glassphalt") or recovered plastic in carpeting, park benches, and pedestrian bridges.
		*Purchasing Recycled Products.* Purchasing recycled products completes the recycling loop. By "buying recycled," governments, as well as businesses and individual consumers, each play an important role in making the recycling process a success. As consumers demand more environmentally sound products, manufacturers will continue to meet that demand by producing high-quality recycled products.

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References, Sources, and Other Useful Data

Environmental Protection Agency, “Global Warming Publications: Waste Management”
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/ResourceCenterPublicationsWasteManagement.html

This website presents several publications and websites relating to waste management and the associated GHG implications.

Environmental Protection Agency, “Greenhouse Gas Emission Factors for Management of Selected Materials in Municipal Solid Waste”
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/UniqueKeyLookup/SHSU5BVP7P/$File/r99fina.pdf (text)
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/UniqueKeyLookup/SHSU5BVP63/$File/r99.pdf (slides)

These documents summarize methodology and findings of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Management of Selected Materials in Municipal Solid Waste report (EPA 530-R-98-013, Sept. 1998, 144 pages). Describes greenhouse gas sources and sinks associated with materials in the municipal solid waste stream and provides a table of emission factors for various waste management options.

Environmental Protection Agency, “Municipal Solid Waste”
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/index.htm

This Web site contains extensive information on MSW, including an overview of MSW management, key facts about the U.S. MSW stream, information on MSW source reduction, recycling, and composting, and links to the Web sites of major EPA MSW programs.

Environmental Protection Agency, “WasteWise: Preserving Resources, Preventing Waste”
http://www.epa.gov/wastewise/

WasteWise is a free, voluntary, EPA program helping U.S. organizations eliminate costly municipal solid waste, benefiting the bottom line and the environment.

U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, “Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program, Technical Assistance, Recycling Projects” (spreadsheet)
ftp://ftp.eia.doe.gov/pub/oiaf/1605/cdrom/excel/recycle2005.xls

This MS Excel spreadsheet is one of the tools offered in the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program (also known as the §1605(b) program), and assists in calculating emissions and reductions from recycling and source reduction. The spreadsheet pre-dates the revisions to the Voluntary Program announced in 2006.

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Website prepared for the Edison Electric Institute and the Electric Power Industry Climate Initiative		Prepared by Twenty-First Strategies, LLC. Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved. Last revised: September 20, 2008.