MINIMIZING SOLID WASTE 1/ 60 © Copyright Training 4 Today 2001 Published by EnviroWin Software LLC MINIMIZING SOLID WASTE CUSTOMIZED ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING

MINIMIZING SOLID WASTE 1/ 60 © Copyright Training 4 Today 2001 Published by EnviroWin Software LLC

MINIMIZING SOLID WASTE

CUSTOMIZED ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING


INSTRUCTOR

Insert Instructor Name Here


Discuss the Benefits of Minimizing Solid Waste.

Discuss How to Start a Solid Waste Minimization Program.

Discuss How to do a Solid Waste Assessment.

Discuss the 8 Waste Prevention Strategies.

Discuss How to Develop and Implement an Action Plan.

Discuss How to Monitor, Measure and Evaluate Your Program.

Discuss Examples of Solid Waste Minimization.

Discuss Use of Contractors.

OBJECTIVES


Understand the Benefits of Minimizing Solid Waste.

Understand How to Start a Solid Waste Minimization Program.

Understand How to do a Solid Waste Assessment.

Understand the 8 Waste Prevention Strategies.

Be Familiar With How to Develop and Implement an Action Plan.

Understand How to Monitor, Measure and Evaluate Your Program.

Understand Examples of Solid Waste Minimization.

GOALS


BACKGROUND

In 1996, U.S. residents, businesses, and institutions produced more than 209 million tons of solid waste, which is approximately 4.3 pounds of waste per person per day, up from 2.7 pounds per person per day in 1960.

Only twenty-seven percent is recovered and recycled or composted, 17 percent is burned at combustion facilities, and the remaining 55 percent is disposed of in landfills.


Supervisors

Facility Engineers

Maintenance Personnel

Department Managers

Building Occupants

Process Specialists

Environmental and Safety Committees

LEARNERS


The goal of this course is to provide supervisors with the tools implement a solid waste minimization program. It recommends practical, actions that can be carried out by facility management, maintenance personnel and building occupants. The course will help you to integrate good solid waste minimization management activities into your existing organization and identify which of your staff have the necessary skills to carry out those activities.

OVERVIEW


WHAT THIS COURSE DOES NOT DO

The course is not intended to provide information on how to minimize every solid waste stream. These specialties required training beyond the intended scope of this course. Where this expertise is needed, outside assistance should be solicited.


FEDERAL LAWS

RCRA addresses both hazardous waste and solid waste.

- Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA)

Pollution Prevention Act


FEDERAL REGULATIONS

Pertinent Regulations: There are no federal solid waste minimization

requirements States have direct regulatory authority to require solid

waste minimization There are two federal regulations which are useful to

consult when developing a solid waste minimization program:

40 CFR Part 256 – Guidelines for Development and Implementation of State Solid Waste Management Plans

40 CFR Part 243 – Guidelines for the Storage and Collection of Residential, Commercial, and Institutional Solid Waste


WHAT IS MINIMIZING SOLID WASTE?

Minimizing solid waste, also known as waste prevention or source reduction is the design,purchase, manufacture, or use of products and materials to reduce the amount or toxicity of solid waste generated It is not recycling, although these two solid waste management strategies are often confused with each other Recycling is an effective way to manage waste materials once they have been generated; minimizing solid waste actually reduces the amount of material used and therefore the amount discarded


BENEFITS

There are at least five benefits for minimizing solid waste:

1. Economic

2. Environmental

3. Employee Morale

4. Corporate Image

5. Compliance


BENEFITS

Economic

Potential economic advantages of waste prevention include: Reduced waste disposal fees Savings in materials and supply costs Revenues from marketing reusable materials Savings from more efficient work practices


BENEFITS

Environmental

The environmental benefits include:

Reduced energy consumption

Reduced pollution

Conservation of natural resources

Extension of valuable landfill capacity


BENEFITS

Employee Morale Employees morale improves when they see the company taking steps to reduce waste This heightened morale could increase employee enthusiasm, productivity and more waste prevention measures


BENEFITS

Corporate Image When customers and the surrounding neighborhoods see that the company is environmentally conscious, it creates a favorable image of the company

An enhanced corporate image might attract customers

Surveys show that more and more consumers consider a firm's environmental record when making purchasing decisions


BENEFITS

Compliance

Reducing solid waste can also mean compliance with local or state solid waste regulations

Some communities also restrict the amount or types of waste accepted at solid waste management facilities

By implementing an aggressive waste prevention program, your business can help ensure compliance with these requirements


STARTING A WASTE PREVENTION PROGRAM

A successful program needs to begin with the following elements: Top-down support Program leadership Waste minimization team Waste minimization company policy Goal setting Employee involvement



Top-down support Essential to have top management support before beginning a solid waste minimization program Try to relate the waste reduction program to other successful innovations within the company Have some specific action items in mind for which you’d like permission to pursue Be sure to request staff time to work on the program



Strong leadership A knowledgeable and motivated leader should be appointed to oversee the waste prevention team This person will act as a liaison between management, employees, and the waste prevention team Consider appointing the waste disposal or operations manager or an employee who already has championed internal waste prevention or recycling efforts



Waste minimization team An in-house waste reduction team or task force is a group of employees responsible for planning, implementing, and maintaining the program The team approach helps to coordinate different departments, provides a structure for communication, and spreads the work load among more people It also avoids potential personality issues such as animosity toward individuals or between departments The size of the team will vary The team leader or waste reduction coordinator will serve as the primary point of contact with management, should have strong leadership and planning skills and be enthusiastic about waste reduction



Waste minimization company policy One of the first tasks of the team should be the drafting of a company waste minimization policy Formulating an institutional policy statement may help the team to build a sense of shared vision Its adoption by top management demonstrates support and commitment The policy statement becomes an important communication tool throughout the organization It’s a good idea to draft the policy statement early in the process of developing the waste reduction program Once top management has approved the policy statement, it should be circulated through the company



Goal-setting Perform a waste assessment to collect data on the company's current waste collection and disposal procedures and on the types and amounts of waste produced From this baseline information, realistic, measurable goals can be set to waste prevention These goals might include collecting revenues from the exchange of materials, enhancing the company's corporate image, or reducing inefficiencies in operations


SAMPLE GOALS

Sample Reduction Goals Reducing office paper waste by implementing a policy to duplex all draft reports, and by making training manuals and personnel information available electronically Improving product design to use less materials Reducing all forms of packaging waste: Redesigning packaging to eliminate excess material Working with customers to design and implement a packaging return program Switching to reusable transport containers Purchasing products, such as food items, in bulk


SAMPLE GOALS

Sample Reuse Goals Reusing corrugated moving boxes internally Reusing office furniture and supplies, such as interoffice envelopes and file folders Using durable towels, tablecloths, napkins, dishes, cups, and glasses Using incoming packaging materials for outgoing shipments


SAMPLE GOALS

Donate and Exchange Donating unwanted supplies to local schools or nonprofit organizations Donating cafeteria food scraps for use as animal feed Advertising surplus and reusable items through a commercial materials exchange Donating excess building materials to local low-income housing developers



Employee involvement Keep employees apprised of the program and actively encourage their participation To emphasize the program's high priority, begin with an announcement from the head of the company After explaining the benefits and goals of the program, ask for support with implementation Employees also might have valuable suggestions Consider offering incentive awards to employees most committed to waste prevention


SOLID WASTE ASSESSMENT

Solid waste assessments begin with a facility walk-through This step gives an overview of the entire materials flow and helps to identify potential opportunities for waste reduction Timing is an important consideration for your waste assessment: time of the work day; time of the week (before or after garbage collection); and even time of the year (Peak work periods generate more materials.)



* Office & administration areas * Work stations* Break rooms/cafeterias * Classrooms* Rest rooms * Public waiting areas* Locker rooms * Conference rooms* Copy and printing areas * Stock rooms* Materials storage areas * Shipping/receiving * Garages/machine service * Parts assembly * Manufacturing/production areas * Mail rooms * Food prep/service areas * Service departments* Custodial/maintenance areas * Data processing * Recreational areas * Laundry rooms* Guest rooms * Closets



Materials with waste prevention, reduction, or reuse potential: * Disposable products * Shipping containers * Junk mail * Copier paper * Wood * File folders * Food * Toner cartridges * Pallets * Fax cover sheets * Packaging * Individual copies of magazines/newspapers



Materials that could be recycled: Corrugated cardboard Metals Plastics Paper Glass

Materials that could be composted: Yard waste Food



Purchasing records Purchasing records provide information from the very beginning of the materials flow Useful for quantifying materials which are handled entirely within the facility To be usable, records must be in a form which can be reviewed fairly easily: ideally, a printout showing totals of consistent items If you have to hunt through separate invoices for a large variety of different products this method may be more trouble than it is worth



Production records Production records are usually thought of in terms of manufacturing, but they are found in other types of businesses Often they are part of cost control systems, which offer excellent opportunities to integrate the waste reduction program into the company Production records are also useful for projecting quantities of wastes directly tied to level of production



Hauler records Hauler records provide information from the very end of the materials flow, as materials leave the facility either as trash or recyclables Note that the numbers from trash hauler records are the “bottom line” when all components of the waste are quantified Hauler numbers for recyclables represent only the portion of those materials which have been separated from the trash



Waste sorts Waste sorts are often referred to as “dumpster diving” A waste sort conducted at the generation point often yields information that leads to waste reduction ideas A facility-wide waste sort works best in a smaller operation, as it is difficult to get an accurate sample in a large and complex facility This type of waste sort gives a “snapshot” look at all components of the waste at the very end of the materials flow


WASTE PREVENTION STRATEGIES

1. USING OR MANUFACTURING MINIMAL OR REUSABLE PACKAGING Over one-third of the total amount of municipal solid waste generated in the United States is packaging Start at the source by encouraging suppliers to offer products with reduced or minimal packaging Choose products that come in reusable packaging or that are offered in bulk quantities also are options Companies can examine packaging used for their own products,as well, to determine whether it is possible to ship merchandise in returnable or reusable containers or to use fewer layers of packaging materials



2. USING AND MAINTAINING DURABLE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES Consider quality and durability Superior-performance products are often a worthwhile investment These items stay out of the waste stream longer, the higher initial costs might be offset further by lower maintenance, disposal, and replacement costs Regular maintenance schedules for machines also will help extend their useful lives



3. REUSING PRODUCTS AND SUPPLIES Many common items are designed to be used more than once Reuse can help extend the lives of products and supplies, thereby reducing costs Reuse is often one of the simplest and most inexpensive waste prevention strategies For many businesses, it is worthwhile to perform a company-wide inventory of products and supplies that potentially can be reused By identifying these materials, businesses can take advantage of a host of waste prevention opportunities within their companies



4. REDUCING THE USE OF HAZARDOUS COMPONENTS Companies also can reduce waste toxicity by substituting products with nonhazardous or less hazardous components for certain items Many products used by graphics and maintenance departments are available with fewer or no hazardous components Suppliers can help direct companies to these products Often, nonhazardous substitutes are not only available, they also might perform better and save money over the long term



5. USING SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS MORE EFFICIENTLY In addition to offering savings in purchasing and disposal costs, some waste prevention strategies also can help companies streamline their operations By focusing more employee time on the business at hand less time on generating waste, these changes not only reduce waste and conserve materials, but could increase productivity significantly



6. COMPOSTING YARD TRIMMINGS AT YOUR FACILITY Yard trimmings accounted for more than 18 percent of the total solid waste in the United States One approach to reduce this waste is "grasscycling"-leaving cut grass on the lawn instead of bagging it and shipping it to the landfill Composting is a natural process by which organic materials such as yard trimmings are allowed to decompose under controlled conditions Grasscycling and on-site composting are generally considered to be easy waste prevention efforts



7. EXCHANGING, SELLING, OR GIVING AWAY UNNEEDED GOODS OR MATERIALS Many companies participate exchange programs involving the trading, selling or giving away of goods or materials that otherwise would be thrown away Joining an exchange program is not only a great way to find new uses for unneeded materials, but is also can be cost-effective-even profitable Companies should also consider donating excess food, used furniture, and other materials to local organizations, such as homeless shelters, charities, or schools



8. ELIMINATING UNNECESSARY ITEMS. There may be a wide range of opportunities to reduce waste by eliminating the use of unnecessary materials and supplies These are items whose use has become routine, though they contribute little or nothing to your product service While eliminating the use of individual items might not result in tremendous savings, taken together, these measures can be an important part of your waste reduction program


DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING AN ACTION PLAN

Select a strategy for each specific waste stream and implement it into an action plan The action plan should meet a specific goals and it should be achievable and measurable The action plan should have specific duties assigned to personnel It should anticipate how it will impact operations Use timelines for each action There should be a cost analysis that includes cost and benefits There should be an evaluation plan



Integrating the program into routine operations and the “corporate culture” An on-going process that should be internalized as part of “the way we do things at our facility” Some ways of internalizing waste reduction include: Adjust and fine-tune each element of the program so that it runs smoothly Keep asking front line employees how the program can be made better Keep abreast of changes in the company Ensure that orientation or operating manuals incorporate new policies arising from your program



Keep people informed and involved in the program Keep top management informed of the progress of the solid waste minimization program Maintaining top management support requires good communication It also important to continue motivating and educating employees The key is to involve the people whose work will be affected by changes and to seek ways to make their work go more smoothly and efficiently



Efficient materials handling and storage Efficient materials handling and storage is essential to a successful program Space on loading docks, dumpster areas, and interior storage is seldom as plentiful as we might like It is helpful to use a “systems approach” when implementing a program Look at the movement of the material at every point and ask the questions: How can you minimize the number of times it is handled? How can collection be integrated into other functions?



Employee health and safety When materials are handled in new ways, careful attention should be given to any new hazards that may be created For example: Recyclables may have sharp edges Large containers may be too heavy to lift safely Fire regulations may affect storage of flammable recyclables Placement of containers and equipment must allow for adequate workspace and traffic flow Enlist the active participation of the health and safety officer from the start



Security and confidentiality Security and confidentiality issues may arise in a number of ways For example, purchasing records are useful for determining waste reduction strategies as we have seen, but in some companies may be off-limits to all but certain staff people Also some sensitive company documents should not be kept electronically only to avoid loss or wrongful distribution A systems approach to planning will help to take account of these various issues



Customer and supplier relations The waste reduction program can be a valuable asset to the company image Perhaps the most important consideration when informing customers and suppliers about the company’s environmental efforts is credibility It is better to understate than to overstate the company’s environmental track record Waste reduction may be part of the “total quality” image Cost-saving efficiencies can be presented as part of the company commitment to keep prices contained


MONITORING, MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION

Reasons Why Monitoring, Measurement and Evaluation are Important1. Employee commitment/participation will be greater when their ideas are heard and taken into account2. New management, a new administration, new ownership and new employees will ask questions and need training in the program3. Feedback on how how the program is working will help to maintain employee motivation 4. A method for periodic or ongoing monitoring will help you to identify unexpected problems or shortcomings in the program quickly so that you can take prompt, corrective actions


MONITORING, MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION

Measuring Quantity Start by determining how you want to measure results, in labor hours, in dollars, in pounds Look for ways to integrate waste reduction data measures into the workplace’s already-existing recordkeeping systems Be sure to ask frontline employees who you may rely on for monitoring or recording data for their advice Monitoring Quality The numbers alone won’t give you all the information Spot reality checks and eye estimates Set aside a time at regular staff meetings to hear how employees feel about how the waste reduction program


EXAMPLES

Reducing Paper Use Use both sides of the page Make double-sided photocopies Print only the number of copies necessary Route one hard copy to several readers Use electronic mail or bulletin boards for sending and receiving information Use smaller fonts to save space Make notepads from scrap paper


EXAMPLES

Reduce Packaging and Shipping Materials Eliminate unnecessary layers of packaging Investigate other reusable packaging, such as boxes Reuse received boxes and packaging for outgoing shipments Shred or crumple waste paper for use as packing material instead of buying plastic “peanuts”


EXAMPLES

Wooden Pallets Use only multi-use pallets Close the loop with supplier to have them pick-up pallets Close the loop with your customers to pick-up pallets If pallets break, repair them If pallets are beyond repair, have pallets chipped to make mulch


EXAMPLES

Paper Towel Reduction Install roll paper towel dispensersInstall cloth towel dispensersInstall hot air dryersDon’t leave excess paper towels on sink counters


EXAMPLES

Maintenance and Housekeeping Switch to longer lasting, more energy efficient light bulbs Purchase cleaning products with nontoxic contents in large reusable containers Encourage suppliers and request that they consider the feasibility of reducing the amount of packaging they use Install reusable air filters in facility heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems Compost or simply leave grass clippings on the lawns


Remember, You Control Your Facility or Area!

Review Procedures With Them Before Starting the

Job!

Ensure They Are Properly Trained!

Determine Their Environmental Compliance Record!

Determine Who Is in Charge of Their People!

Determine How They Will Affect Your Facility’s

Environmental Compliance!

TIPS FOR USING CONTRACTORS


ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL SOLID WASTE MINIMIZATION PROGRAM

1. DETAILED WRITTEN SOLID WASTE MINIMIZATION

GUIDELINES.

2. DETAILED WRITTEN SOLID WASTE BEST MANAGEMENT

PRACTICES.

3. EXTENSIVE EMPLOYEE TRAINING PROGRAMS

4. PERIODIC REINFORCEMENT OF TRAINING

5. SUFFICIENT DISCIPLINE REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION

6. PERIODIC FOLLOW-UP


THE IMPORTANCE OF A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT

“I would ask all of us to remember that protecting our environment is about protecting where we live and how we live. Let us join together to protect our health, our economy, and our communities -- so all of us and our children and our grandchildren can enjoy a healthy and a prosperous life.”

Carol Browner Former EPA Administrator

Documents

MINIMIZING SOLID WASTE 1/ 60 © Copyright Training 4 Today 2001 Published by EnviroWin Software LLC MINIMIZING SOLID WASTE CUSTOMIZED ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING