March 2009

Update

Resource Conservation Challenge
Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands 

Region 9: 

EBMUD develops food waste 

technology. See page 7.

Region 10: 

Region 10 develops 

solutions to contamination 

in commingled recycling 

systems. See page 6.

Region 8: 

Cheyenne River Sioux 

Tribe removes chemicals 

from its schools. See

page 24.

Region 2: 

NJ’s Montclair State 

implements comprehensive 

green construction and 

operations. See page 16.

Region 1: 

Middlebury College builds a 

sustainable campus with use of 

Certified Green Wood. See page 16.

Region 3: 

Mid-Atlantic Green Highways 

Partnership increases the use 

of recycled materials in 

roadways. See page 18.

Region 4:

Delta Airlines diverts 175 tons 

from landfills through its recycling 

program. See page 5.

Region 7:

Kansas City, MO develops 

a Climate Protection Plan. 

See page 8.

Region 5:

DTE Energy 

increases industrial 

materials recycling.

See page 19.

Region 6: 

Remington Arms increases 

lead recycling at Arkansas 

plant. See page 23.

Representative Success Stories by EPA Region
Table of Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Municipal Solid Waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Green Initiatives—Electronics and Green Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Industrial Materials Recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Priority and Toxic Chemicals Reduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Moving Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

RCC Tools, Education and Outreach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
1 2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 

Resource

Conservation 

Challenge: 

Developing Solutions Today

Today more than ever before, Americans are recognizing that the way 

we use energy and produce goods affects the global environment. The 

production and use of materials and goods consumes energy, generates 

greenhouse gases (GHGs), and uses the Earth’s diminishing resources. In 

order to achieve the goals of minimizing climate change and reducing the 

amount of toxics in our environment, we must develop comprehensive, 

effective materials management strategies.
2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 2

In response to these challenges, EPA launched 

the Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC) in 

2002. The RCC promotes resource conservation 

and pollution prevention by creating awareness 

of effective resource management strategies 

and providing publicity, resources, and information to public and private organizations seeking to 

better manage materials. The RCC responds with 

renewed urgency to the Congressional charge 

in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 

(RCRA) and in the Pollution Prevention Act that 

encourage EPA to develop new ways to encourage 

resource conservation.

This RCC Update describes the benefits of the 

RCC partnership programs, provides a snapshot 

of notable partnership accomplishments during 

2007 and 2008, and references tools and educational materials developed by EPA. This Update is 

designed to challenge partners to continue to build 

on the practices, tools, and innovative approaches 

that support a sustainable materials management 

strategy for future generations.

Through the RCC, EPA’s Office of Resource 

Conservation and Recovery and the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics provide a framework 

of proven, cost-efficient strategies to conserve 

energy, to reduce GHGs emissions, and to reduce 

the amount of toxic chemicals in our environment.

These strategies target four specific areas: 

•	 Municipal Solid Waste Reduction, Reuse, 

and Recycling; 

•	 Green Initiatives (Electronics and Green 

Building); 

•	 Industrial Materials Recycling; and, 

•	 Priority/Toxic Chemicals Reduction.

EPA’s partners—which include states, tribes, local 

governments, businesses, industry, non-profit 

organizations, and academia—have joined the RCC 

to demonstrate that product stewardship, resource 

conservation, GHG reduction, and energy conservation can be achieved through better management 

of materials and waste.

Confronting the challenges presented by climate 

change will require a comprehensive strategy 

involving multiple sectors of society. Each of the 

groups that participate in the RCC has a leadership 

role to play. The RCC presents a near term opportunity to address the challenges of climate change 

and resource conservation. Government at all levels 

can inform, educate, provide tools, and use its 

purchasing power to point to sustainable materials 

management practices. Businesses and industry 

can make energy and resource conservation a 

central part of their business decisions. Consumers can consider the impact of their choices both 

when they buy products and during the end-of-life 

management of products.
Municipal Solid Waste

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle—Progress to Date 

and the Mission for the Future

Through its focus on municipal solid waste (MSW), the RCC promotes 

product stewardship, resource conservation, and energy savings, all 

of which lead to GHG reductions. EPA is working with states, local 

governments, and corporate leaders to increase the US recycling rate 

above current levels and reduce the amount of MSW Americans generate.

Through the RCC, EPA and its partners can increase opportunities for 

recycling, improve the efficiency of manufacturing processes, and reduce 

the amount of materials used in products.

3 2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 
In 2007, the US recycled 33.4 percent of its MSW.

By recycling this waste instead of throwing it away, 

more than 193 million metric tons of carbon dioxide 

equivalent (MTCO2E) emissions were avoided; this 

amount is equal to more than 20 percent of US 

industrial GHG emissions from fossil fuel combustion. The energy conservation benefits of MSW 

recycling in 2007 equaled 1.3 quadrillion British 

Thermal Units (BTUs), equal to about 13 percent 

of US residential site energy consumption over 

the same time period. In addition, MSW recycling 

reduces the environmental impacts resulting from 

virgin material extraction, transport, and processing (including impacts to land and water, as well as 

toxic releases to the environment).

A number of economists believe that MSW recycling is a more cost-effective strategy for energy 

conservation and GHG emission reduction than 

other approaches such as commercial energy 

efficiency, wind power, and solar power.

1, 2 By taking 

advantage of the wide-spread recycling collection 

and processing infrastructure in the US, increasing recovery rates would make recycling an even 

more cost-effective energy and climate strategy 

by increasing benefits realized per dollar invested 

through increased economies of scale. For example, 

increasing the national MSW recycling rate by five 

percent would not require additional significant 

infrastructure investments and would result in additional avoided emissions of approximately 9 million 

MTCO2E at little additional cost.

The following success stories showcase how EPA 

and its partners are putting forward-thinking materials management practices to work to reduce waste 

and GHG emissions.

2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 4

Food Scraps

12.5%

Other

3.2%

Paper

32.7%

Glass

5.3%

Metals

8.2%

Plastics

12.1%

Rubber, Leather,

and Textiles

7.6%

Wood

5.6%

Yard Trimmings

12.8%

Management of MSW in the United States, 2007

Total MSW recycling (million tons)

Percent of generation recycled

Total MSW recycling Percent recycling

1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2007

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

MSW Recycling Rates, 1960 to 2007 MSW Recycling Rates, 1960 to 2007

Total MSW Generation in US by 

Material in 2007

1 Pathways to a Low-Carbon Economy Version 2 of the Global Greenhouse Gas Abatement Cost Curve, McKinsey & Co., January 2009, 

http://globalghgcostcurve.bymckinsey.com/

2 Recycling and Climate Change, by Lisa Skumatz, Skumatz Economic Research Associates, Inc, published in Resource Recycling, October, 2008.
5 2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 

WasteWise Members Take 

Recycling in New Directions

WasteWise is celebrating its fourteenth year as EPA’s flagship partnership program to reduce MSW 

generated by businesses, organizations, and communities. The program has grown 

to include over 2,100 partners and endorsers from 

every state, representing nearly 50 industry and 

government sectors. To date, WasteWise partners 

have recycled or prevented the creation of nearly 

50 million tons of waste. By eliminating more 

than 12 million tons of waste in 2007, WasteWise 

partners avoided GHG emissions equal to those 

created by more than four million passenger 

vehicles in a year. By expanding WasteWise to 

include companies from different sectors of the 

economy, EPA is developing an RCC infrastructure that better enables materials to be reduced, 

reused, and recycled.

US Postal Service Makes a 

Business Case for Recycling

The United States Postal Service (USPS), a WasteWise Hall of Fame member and winner of multiple 

WasteWise awards, launched two major recycling 

initiatives in 2007 and 2008. USPS recruited all 

80 postal service districts as WasteWise partners, 

resulting in 12,000 new facilities participating in the 

program. The partners reported nearly 211,000 tons 

of solid waste reduced or recycled. The recycling 

efforts alone generated $7.5 million for the USPS in 

2007 from sales of recovered materials.

To build on the success of their existing recycling 

program, in October 2008 USPS launched a new 

campaign called Read, Respond, Recycle to help 

recycle mail from the more than 15 million post 

office boxes in the US. Each box receives roughly 

184 pounds of mail a year; the Post Office estimates that as much as 40 percent of that mail can 

be discarded on the spot in post office lobbies 

when convenient disposal is available. A 40 percent 

collection rate in post office lobbies across the 

US would result in the recycling of an additional 

552,000 tons of material. The Post Office is making 

it easier for millions of Americans to recycle through 

their conveniently located containers in more than 

4,000 participating post offices around the country.

Airline Gets Employees 

Involved in Recycling

Airports and the airline industry generate significant 

amounts of waste—as much as 1.28 pounds per 

passenger per flight. Nationwide, this amounts to 

over 400,000 tons of trash generated at more than 

500 airports annually.

3

 The RCC is encouraging the 

airline industry to minimize waste and recycle at 

terminals, office spaces, shops, restaurants, and 

on aircrafts by making airports one of the targeted 

Recycle on the Go locations.

Delta Airlines has found creative ways to engage its 

employees in recycling on board domestic flights.

The employees at the Delta Air Lines operation 

in Atlanta, Georgia are making an important 

contribution to the company’s recycling efforts.

On June 1, 2007, Delta Air Lines implemented an 

A 40 percent collection rate 

in Post Office lobbies across 

the US would result in the 

recycling of an additional 

552,000 tons of material.

3 Trash Landings; Natural Resources Defense Council, December 2006
2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 6

in-flight recycling program for all domestic flights 

into Atlanta. Delta promoted the education of 

flight attendants and flight crews through signs in 

attendant lounges, electronic updates, shift briefings, monthly statistics, and senior management 

endorsement. In addition, Delta distributed information through emails, voicemails, and story boards, 

and it developed new operating procedures. To 

encourage passengers to take part, Delta used an 

in-flight video showing passengers how to sort 

their recyclables for on board collection. The airline 

reported that the recycling program diverted almost 

175 tons of materials from landfills, avoiding nearly 

$80,000 in landfill costs and generating almost 

$115,000 in recycling revenues, $80,000 of which 

was donated to Habitat for Humanity. As a result 

of its extensive employee education and outreach 

efforts, Delta won the WasteWise Gold Achievement Award for Employee Education in 2008.

Solutions to Contamination 

in Single-Stream Recycling 

Systems

Single-stream, or commingled, recycling collection systems are growing in popularity across 

the country. These systems can be convenient 

for customers, but higher contamination levels in 

single-stream collections can result in decreased 

recyclability of materials. To address this issue, EPA’s 

Region 10 launched the Contamination in Commingled Recycling Systems Standards & Guidelines 

Initiative in 2007. This initiative brought together city 

and county officials from Washington and Oregon, 

manufacturers, mills, non-governmental organizations, and collectors to develop new guidelines for 

materials recovery facilities and tools to educate 

local governments about contamination solutions.

The guidelines they generated defined acceptable 

contamination levels, set goals to decrease cross 

contamination, established common terminology, 

and developed an evaluation protocol.

The Initiative is expected to increase recycled 

material yields in current commingled systems 

by approximately seven percent over three years.

It is estimated that this seven percent increase 

in recycled material yields will result in an additional 325,000 tons of recycled material over 

3 years, avoiding emissions of approximately 

963,000 MTCO2E, comparable to the annual GHG 

emissions from more than 176,000 passenger 

vehicles. This is only the beginning of what can 

be accomplished as these practices are expanded 

across the country. Washington and Oregon are in 

the process of implementing these recommendations to serve as a model for communities across 

the United States. The complete standards and 

guidelines are available online at: http://yosemite.

epa.gov/R10/homepage.nsf/topics/ccrs.

West Coast Forum Connects 

Climate Change and Waste

In 2008, EPA Regions 9 and 10 jointly launched 

the West Coast Forum on Climate Change, 

Waste Prevention and Recovery and Disposal.

The Forum served to highlight the importance of 

materials management as it affects GHG emissions and energy conservation and to encourage 

effective materials management strategies, such 

as Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, as an integral part of 

the West Coast climate change strategy. Discussions centered around three Web-based training 

sessions, or Webinars, which allowed stakeholders to participate in the Forum from their office 

or home computers, reducing the environmental 

impact of the Forum.

The three Webinars drew over 400 people each, 

with discussion sessions held after each Webinar.

The topics included an overview of how waste 

prevention, recycling and materials management 

can play critical roles in a climate change strategy; 

a session on landfills; and a session on accounting 

methods and protocols. As a result of the Forum, 

EPA is collaborating with the State of California 

Visit the Recycle on the Go Web site, www.epa.gov/recycleonthego, 

for more airport recycling success stories, as well as tools and 

resources for launching an airport recycling program.
7 2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 

to develop protocols to account for the benefits 

of waste reduction and recycling in the Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory protocol, which is 

currently under development. These protocols are 

designed to help states develop climate change 

strategies.

To address the need for continued communication, 

workgroups were formed to focus on topics including: incorporating materials management benefits 

in climate change strategies; accounting and 

inventory methodologies; and prioritizing materials 

and materials management actions for immediate implementation. The Webinars continue to be 

accessible online in both audio and transcribed 

format. This collaborative effort will continue to 

generate additional tools and resources to address 

the focus areas in 2009. (www.epa.gov/region10/

westcoastclimate)

Tribal Nations Embracing 

the RCC 

The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota has 

a history of accomplishments with the RCC. In 

2007 their Grand Casino located in Hinckley, Minn.

recycled:

•	 926,000 pounds of food waste

•	 184,000 pounds of cardboard

•	 39,000 pounds of grease

•	 16,295 feet of fluorescent lamps

Building on this success, the Mille Lacs joined 

EPA’s National Partnership for Environmental 

Priorities in 2008, setting ambitious goals to collect 

and recycle mercury throughout their reservation.

Tribal employees can also bring their own mercury 

containing devices to a central collection location at 

the casino. The tribe has a vested cultural interest 

in preventing mercury from contaminating the environment, as Mille Lacs Lake is a primary source of 

fish, a major food source for the Band members on 

the reservation.

New Options for 

Organic Wastes—Building 

an Infrastructure across 

the Nation

While food waste accounts for 31 million tons 

annually—12.5 percent of the total MSW stream 

in the US—only three percent of this waste is 

currently recycled. When food scraps are disposed 

of in landfills or incinerated, communities lose the 

opportunity to recover the food for donation or to 

recycle it into compost. Using compost in horticultural or agricultural applications increases water 

retention and decreases demand for fertilizers 

and pesticides. Colleges and universities, farms, 

composting facilities, municipalities and the hospitality industry are making progress toward building 

a robust food composting infrastructure across the 

United States. RCC partners are helping reduce the 

amount of food waste going to landfills and capturing the benefits of recovering food waste.

Wastewater Treatment Facility 

Develops Food Waste Technology

The East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) 

in Oakland, California has developed a technology 

that reduces GHG emissions, generates renewable 

electric power, and produces compost. EBMUD 

received a grant from EPA Region 9 to determine how food waste reacts when co-digested 

with sewage sludge in the anaerobic digesters at 

wastewater treatment facilities. By adding food 

waste from Bay Area restaurants, the facility saw a 

threefold increase in the amount of methane being 

produced in the digesters. The methane is then 

turned into electricity and used onsite. The facility 

anticipates digesting up to 200 tons of food waste 

per day. After the food waste is aerobically digested 

for energy recovery, the residual waste can be 

further composted and used as a valuable soil 

amendment. The anaerobic digesters also produce 

biogas, which can be used as an alternative energy 

source. The offset of this energy is equivalent to 

While food waste accounts for 12.5 percent of the total MSW 

stream in the US, or 31 million tons, only three percent of this 

waste is currently recycled.
2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 8

about 94,000 MTCO2E—equivalent to the annual 

GHG emissions of over 17,000 passenger vehicles.

By using anaerobic digesters, EBMUD reduces 

GHG emissions, diverts food waste from landfills, 

increases production of energy from alternative 

sources, and reduces costs through energy savings 

and decreased tipping fees.

GreenScapes Promotes 

Sustainable Garden Practices 

at US Botanic Garden Exhibit 

in Washington, D.C.

EPA’s GreenScapes 

program joined with the 

National Wildlife Federation (NWF) at the United 

States Botanic Garden’s (USBG) six month summer 

exhibition, One Planet—Ours! Sustainability for the 

22nd Century. EPA’s GreenScapes exhibit focused 

on sustainable landscaping and how to use environmentally-friendly practices to create a greener, 

healthier yard. The NWF and USBG are active 

GreenScapes participants, making cost-effective 

and environmentally friendly landscaping decisions.

More information on GreenScapes is available 

online at www.epa.gov/greenscapes.

Kansas City’s Climate 

Protection Plan

Since September 2006, Kansas City’s Climate 

Protection Plan Steering Committee has worked 

with City staff and approximately 100 volunteers 

to develop a Climate Protection Plan for Kansas 

City, Missouri. EPA Region 7 contributed to the 

development of the Climate Protection Plan by 

participating in the Solid Waste Workgroup and 

by providing information and Webinar support for 

Workgroup discussions. In July 2008, the Workgroup presented the City Council with a detailed 

Climate Plan, which was quickly adopted. The Plan 

emphasizes the substantial benefits that can be 

realized in Kansas City in terms of energy and financial savings, increased transportation choices, new 

business and employment opportunities, improved 

housing quality for residents, and healthier citizens.

Ambitious goals for solid waste reduction were 

adopted in the Climate Plan. Among these goals 

is the broad recommendation that the City “flip” 

the waste paradigm from its 80 percent landfill and 

20 percent diversion to 80 percent diverted by 2020.

Region 7 will continue to support the efforts 

of the community to implement the solid 

waste recommendations of the Climate 

Plan. The complete plan is available online at 

www.kcmo.org/manager.nsf/web/cpp.

The United States Botanic Garden’s One Planet—Ours! 

Sustainability for the 22nd Century exhibit in Washington, D.C.
Green InitiAtives: Electronics

and Green Buildings

Electronics: Accomplishments and What 

Remains to be Done

Electronic waste currently accounts for about two percent of MSW, 

but it’s a growing percentage of the waste stream. Electronic waste 

presents an enhanced opportunity to recover valuable materials that, 

when reused, reduce the environmental impact of the next generation 

of electronic products. Since the RCC’s inception, EPA has approached 

electronic waste from a life-cycle perspective; this point of view 

considers the environmental impact of a product during each phase of its 

life-cycle, including production, use, and end-of-life management. These 

considerations exemplify product stewardship.

9 2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 
The RCC’s goals for electronics are to: 

•	 Foster environmentally conscious design 

and manufacturing, including reducing or 

eliminating higher-risk materials (e.g., priority 

and toxic chemicals of national concern) in 

electronics products at the source; 

•	 Increase the purchasing and use of more environmentally sustainable electronics; and,

•	 Increase safe, environmentally sound reuse 

and recycling of used electronics.

These practices result in significant environmental 

and economic benefits. Adopting these practices 

avoids mining additional raw materials, minimizes 

the impact of extractive industries, reduces energy 

and resources used in manufacturing, and ensures 

the safe management of toxic components.

Through programs such as Plug-In To eCycling 

and the Federal Electronics Challenge, EPA works 

with industry, governments, retailers, and citizens 

to increase the rate of recycling and reuse of 

electronic equipment. These programs leverage 

existing infrastructure to make recycling and 

reuse more widely available. Our stakeholders are 

producing considerable environmental benefits.

In 2007, 414,000 tons of electronics—including 

TVs, computer products, and cell phones—were 

collected in the US for recycling. This resulted in 

reduced GHG emissions of 974,000 MTCO2E, 

equivalent to the annual GHG emissions of more 

than 178,000 passenger vehicles. The energy 

benefit of recycling these electronics was 18 trillion 

BTUs, equivalent to the energy content of more 

than 140 million gallons of gasoline.

Computer Models Earning 

EPEAT Gold Ratings Soar

Models of desktop computers, 

laptops, and monitors awarded the 

Electronics Product Environmental 

Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Gold Rating 

increased by 82 percent between 2007 and 2008, 

with 216 models gold-registered in November 

2008, compared to 38 in 2007. The Gold Rating 

represents the highest tier of environmental 

performance. EPEAT rates desktops, laptops and 

computer monitors on energy use, recyclability, 

resource efficiency, packaging, and other environmental attributes. Environmentally-friendly 

computers are awarded a bronze, silver, or gold 

rating. To date, EPA has awarded the EPEAT label 

to 979 models of desktop computers, laptops, 

and monitors. EPEAT is referenced in Executive 

Order 13423, which mandates federal agencies 

to purchase at least 95 percent EPEAT-registered 

products in relevant product categories. The federal 

government’s example and purchasing power has 

had an impact: since the Executive Order went 

into effect in January 2007, a growing number of 

states, municipalities, universities, corporations, 

and foreign governments have also adopted EPEAT 

to guide their purchasing decisions.

2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 10

EPA’s web site for electronics recycling, www.epa.gov/ecycling, 

has recent reports, frequently asked questions, and tools to find an 

electronics recycling program in your area.
11 2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 

EPA Responds to Electronics 

Baseline Study by Bolstering 

Electronics Recycling

A 2008 EPA report on the sale, use, and end-of-life 

management of selected electronics found that 

electronics recycling increased to 18 percent in 2007 

from a 15 percent annual recycling rate between 

1999 and 2005. The report, 2008 Electronic Waste 

Management in the United States, attributes 

some of the increase in electronics recycling to the 

development of mandatory collection and recycling 

programs in several states. The report also estimates that consumers are storing approximately 

235 million TVs, computer monitors, and other 

electronic equipment that they purchased between 

1980 and 2007.

The Baseline report and key findings are available at 

www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/materials/ecycling/

manage.htm.

EPA has developed new initiatives designed to take 

advantage of the opportunities presented by the 

increased prevalence of electronic waste. Efforts 

featured in this update, including the National TV 

Recycling Campaign and the Responsible Recycling 

(R2) standards, all seek to improve the end-of-life 

management of environmental products.

Taking up the Challenge of the 

DTV Transition

The Digital TV Transition will result in over-theair stations broadcasting signals only in a digital 

format. Currently, stations broadcast in both analog 

and digital formats. This change may prompt 

consumers to replace their existing televisions. EPA 

has issued the National TV Recycling Challenge to 

increase the collection and responsible recycling of 

televisions. Retailers and manufacturers that take 

up the Challenge will be developing convenient 

and environmentally responsible opportunities for 

consumers to recycle their televisions. The Challenge begins in January and lasts through 2009.

EPA will evaluate the results of the Challenge and 

recognize the most innovative, sustainable, and 

effective approach.

This PSA was used in Chicago and the surrounding area as a part of EPA’s cell phone recycling campaign.
2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 12

Give Your Cell Phone a New Life—

In English and Spanish

Recycling a cell 

phone reduces 

GHG emissions, 

saves energy, and conserves natural resources.

An estimated 100 to 130 million cell phones are 

no longer being used; many of them are sitting in 

storage. Many cell phone retailers, manufacturers, and service providers have ongoing collection 

programs where phones may be dropped off or 

mailed in, regardless of the age or brand. Despite 

these opportunities, only 10 percent of discarded 

cell phones were recycled in 2007. If Americans 

recycled 100 million phones, we would conserve 

enough energy to power nearly 20,000 US households for an entire year.

To increase public awareness of the ease and 

importance of cell phone recycling, EPA launched 

the Recycle Your Cell Phone. It’s An Easy Call.

Campaign. In 2008, EPA expanded its outreach to 

the Latino community, releasing a Spanish language 

campaign at the annual convention of the League 

of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). The 

campaign includes print public service announcements (PSAs) and a podcast in Spanish. It was 

also featured in EPA’s Green Scene in a video cast 

available in both English and Spanish on EPA’s 

multimedia page. All of these materials highlight the 

convenience of cell phone recycling as well as its 

environmental and social benefits.

The Chicago Transit Authority expanded the 

campaign by displaying EPA’s PSAs in many 

public transit locations, including major bus lines, 

rail cars, and depots. From late November 2008 

through January 2009, commuters and tourists 

were exposed to the cell phone recycling message.

As a result of seeing the PSAs, the WLS radio 

station created an audio announcement with EPA 

to spread the cell phone recycling message to its 

listeners throughout the Midwest.

New Guidelines Encourage Responsible 

Recycling of Electronics

The Responsible Recycling (R2) Practices for Use 

in Accredited Certification Programs for Electronics 

Recyclers was issued in October 2008 and is the 

product of an EPA-facilitated, multi-stakeholder 

group that has developed consensus-based responsible practices for recycling electronics. The practices are a set of guidelines intended to promote 

better environmental, worker safety, public health, 

and security practices for electronic recyclers. The 

R2 standards include general principles and specific 

practices for recyclers disassembling or reclaiming 

used electronics equipment, including electronics 

that are exported for refurbishment or recycling. As 

part of this program, EPA has agreed to help exporters of e-waste obtain documentation from foreign 

governments regarding the legality of import of 

various types of used electronics from the US.

With the guidelines in place, the multi-stakeholder 

workgroup is now focused on developing implementation plans for the R2 practices. The workgroup expects that the R2 practices will be implemented through certification programs involving 

The Green Scene for cell phone recycling is available in English 

and Spanish at www.epa.gov/multimedia/mm-video.htm, under 

solid waste. 

If Americans recycled the 100 million cell phones discarded each 

year, we would conserve enough energy to power nearly 20,000 US 

households for an entire year.
13 2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 

accredited bodies and third party audits. This will 

enable customers to readily recognize responsible 

recyclers in the marketplace.

The complete R2 Guide is available online at: 

www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/

ecycling/r2practices.htm

Hundreds of Thousands of 

Federal Facility Employees 

Involved in Electronic 

Stewardship

The Federal Electronics Challenge (FEC) helps 

participating federal agencies and facilities meet 

the electronics stewardship goals of Executive 

Order (EO) 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management.

The EO requires federal agencies and facilities to 

give preference to electronic products registered 

with EPEAT; install Energy Star® power management features on electronic equipment; extend the 

life of electronic equipment; and reuse and recycle 

electronic equipment at end-of-life, in an environmentally responsible manner.

The FEC has 207 federal facility partners, 

representing more than 660,000 employees.

In 2007, the facility partners took actions that 

conserved over 700 trillion BTUs of energy, almost 

138,000 metric tons of primary materials, such as 

plastics, and saved $18.2 million. These federal 

facilities are leading the way in environmental stewardship and saving taxpayer’s money.

Department of Energy Wins 

Top Honors for Electronics 

Recycling 

For the third year in a row, the Office of the Federal 

Environmental Executive (OFEE) challenged federal 

agencies and facilities to donate and recycle excess 

or surplus electronics. The Campaign ran from 

October 2007 to September 2008, and resulted 

in the reuse or recycling of more than nine million 

pounds of electronics. This year’s results greatly 

surpass the 2.4 million pounds reused or recycled 

during the 2006–2007 campaign. The top honors 

went to Department of Energy for reusing or recycling 2.2 million pounds of electronics. Full results, 

including a complete list of the award winners, 

are available on the Electronics Reuse and Recycling Campaign Web site at www2.ergWeb.com/

projects/errc/ResultsERRC.asp

With more than 200 federal facilities taking part in the Federal 

Electronics Challenge, the Challenge managed to conserve 

over 700 trillion BTU of energy, almost 138,000 metric tons of 

primary materials, and save $18.2 million in 2007.
2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 14

Green Building—Building for the Future

Green building activities under the RCC include recycling and reuse of construction 

and demolition (C&D) materials, as well as the recycling of industrial byproduct 

materials such as coal ash, foundry sand, and slags. Green building methods can be 

integrated into buildings at any stage, including design and construction, operations 

and maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction at the building’s end-of-life. Green 

building also recognizes that improved environmental performance can be best 

achieved by understanding the whole building and its impact on the occupants, its 

surroundings, and the greater environment.

Haworth, Inc’s new headquarters, above, incorporates lifecycle building techniques. 

The company won a Lifecycle Building Challenge award for the building design.
15 2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 

Designing green buildings to incorporate industrial 

materials, such as coal combustion products (CCP), 

slag cement, and foundry sand, and recycling the 

C&D materials generated from projects yields environmental, economic, and performance benefits.

Industrial materials are often less expensive than 

virgin materials, reducing material costs, and reusing 

or recycling C&D materials onsite can reduce hauling 

and disposal costs while saving energy and reducing 

GHG emissions. The following success stories put 

green building principles into action.

Innovators Create Green 

Buildings of Tomorrow 

In 2008, EPA Regions 4 and 9 co-led the second 

year of a national design competition to promote 

building material reuse concepts. The Lifecycle 

Building Challenge 2 (LBC2), a building design 

competition done in partnership with the American 

Institute of Architects, the Building Materials Reuse 

Association, West Coast Green, Southface, and 

the Collaborative for High Performance Schools, 

provides recognition for innovative building designs 

that promote easy disassembly and adaptation to 

conserve resources. With over 100 million tons of 

construction and demolition debris sent to landfills 

each year, Region 4 and Region 9 launched this 

competition to encourage students and architectural professionals to practice lifecycle building.

Lifecycle building strategies significantly improve 

the ease of material recovery and reuse, conserving 

valuable material resources and energy.

LBC2 selected students and professionals for 

awards in Building and Innovation categories.

The competition’s partners presented Outstanding Achievement Awards to the Best Residential, 

Best Greenhouse Gas Reduction, and Best School 

designs. The award-winning projects are designed 

for rapid assembly, disassembly, and redeployment, 

because the building components are connected 

without the use of welding, permanent fasteners, 

or wet connections.

Creative Building Renovation 

for Multiple Lifecycles

Designing buildings for adaptability and 

disassembly is materials management at its best.

Haworth, Inc.’s renovation of its corporate headquarters building in Holland, Michigan earned an 

award from LBC2 and set an example for others to 

follow. Inside the building and out, Haworth’s new 

headquarters is reducing the company’s environmental footprint by incorporating lifecycle design.

The renovation started by stripping the building to its 

metal skeleton and concrete structure. More than 

98 percent of the deconstructed materials were 

reused, recycled, or donated. Modular building materials replaced conventional construction materials 

such as drywall and ceiling ductwork. Movable 

walls, raised access flooring, and modular systems 

office furniture combine to reconfigure and adapt as 

necessary, minimizing future waste and potentially 

extending the building through multiple lifecycles.

Should renovation or repositioning of work areas 

within the building be necessary, walls, floors, and 

workstations can be reconfigured relatively quickly 

and with minimal waste and disruption, reducing 

future renovation costs.

Using EPA’s Waste Reduction Model (WARM), 

Haworth, Inc. calculated that they eliminated more 

than 21,000 MTCO2E during their renovation, 

which is equivalent to removing approximately 

3,850 passenger cars off the road for one year.

For more information, visit the Lifecycle Building Challenge 

Web site at www.lifecyclebuilding.org.
2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 16

Middlebury College 

Uses Green Certified 

Wood in Sustainable 

Design and Building

Institutions of higher learning can be leaders in 

creating a sustainable society by educating future 

generations and incorporating new ideas into 

campus design and operations. To this end, Middlebury College championed the establishment and 

rapid growth of a certified wood industry in Vermont.

Over the past five years, Middlebury has created 

demand by using nearly 200,000 board feet of 

green certified Vermont wood in campus construction projects. Middlebury has used green certified 

wood in Bicentennial Hall, in its science center, a 

residence hall, a dining hall, and a Recycling Center.

The library is the most recent construction project. In 

this project, the college awarded a contract for the 

manufacture of study carrels and stack ends from 

certified wood to an employee-owned woodworkers’ cooperative in an economically stressed area of 

the state. Through its support of sustainable building 

design and construction, Middlebury has educated 

professionals including local carpenters and architects about the importance of local economies and 

environmental quality while helping to establish a 

new industry in Vermont.

Montclair State University’s 

Environmental Stewardship 

Earns High Grades

New Jersey’s Montclair State University (MSU) 

is receiving high environmental grades for using 

some of the latest environmentally responsible 

and sustainable technologies and practices at 

its 246-acre campus. On June 17, 2008, MSU 

became the first educational institution to enter 

into a comprehensive construction and operation 

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with EPA 

Region 2. The agreement was signed at MSU’s 

new, LEED-certified University Hall, the largest 

academic building on campus.

MSU has taken on a wide variety of environmental 

challenges since the signature of the MOU, including:

•	 Increasing food waste recycling efforts; over 

45,000 pounds of food scraps have been 

recycled into high-quality compost and used 

for campus landscaping projects; 

•	 Expanding the use of renewable energy; 

currently MSU uses solar power and a 

co-generator plant that produced 80 million 

pounds of steam in 2008; and,

•	 Competing in the 2009 nation-wide 

RecycleMania challenge to reduce waste 

on campus.

MSU plans to make additional environmental 

improvements in the future, including: 

•	 Joining EPA’s WasteWise Program to reduce 

and recycle MSW;

•	 Joining the ENERGY STAR® Program to 

reduce energy usage by 10 percent; and,

•	 Incorporating LEED standards into the design 

of the new School of Business building.

Through the achievements reported here, MSU has 

demonstrated that cross-program environmental 

approaches, from bolstering infrastructure to student 

involvement, leads to comprehensive solutions.
17 2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 

Industrial Materials Recycling

Finding the Opportunities and 

Reaping the Benefits

Every year, US businesses generate hundreds of millions of tons of secondary 

industrial materials as byproducts from industrial processes, including coal 

ash, foundry sand, construction and demolition (C&D) materials, slags, and 

gypsum. Recycled industrial materials, such as coal combustion products 

(CCPs), foundry sand, and C&D debris have many of the same properties 

as, and in some cases perform better than, the virgin materials they replace.

Use of these materials as substitutes for raw materials in the development 

of the nation’s infrastructure, including roads, bridges, buildings, and water 

treatment facilities, can conserve resources, save energy, and significantly 

reduce GHG emissions.
2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 18

The RCC’s Industrial Materials Recycling (IMR) 

strategies and partnerships work across industrial 

sectors to identify and encourage the beneficial use 

for secondary materials. This results in:

•	 Reduced materials costs for the end user;

•	 Reduced disposal costs for the generator;

•	 Reduced energy demand; and,

•	 Reduced GHG emissions.

Use of coal fly ash, a coal combustion product 

(CCP), is one example of the environmental 

benefits of IMR. In 2007, 13.7 million tons of 

coal fly ash was used as a substitute for Portland 

cement in the manufacture of concrete. This 

material substitution resulted in energy savings 

of nearly 73 trillion BTUs, equivalent to the annual 

energy consumption of more than 676,000 households. Use of coal fly ash in concrete manufacture 

avoided emissions of 12.5 million MTCO2E, equivalent to the annual GHG emissions of 2.3 million 

passenger vehicles. In addition to the environmental benefits, using coal fly ash in cement can 

enhance the strength and durability of the end 

product. The following success stories demonstrate how IMR can be both good business and 

good for the environment.

The Mid-Atlantic Green 

Highway Partnership: 

Encouraging the Recycling 

and Reuse of Industrial 

Materials 

The Mid-Atlantic Green Highways Partnership 

(GHP), launched by EPA Region 3, is a collaborative 

network of industry, trade and environmental organizations, private sector groups, and government, 

working to incorporate environmental stewardship into all aspects of the highway development 

lifecycle. The Mid-Atlantic GHP continues to grow, 

with recycling and reusing industrial materials as in 

important component of its success.

Through collaborative partnerships among state 

environmental and transportation agencies, 

industry, and academia, the Mid-Atlantic GHP 

is encouraging the increased usage of recycled 

materials in roadway applications throughout 

the Mid-Atlantic Region. In 2008, West Virginia’s 

Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Transportation formed a committee to 

identify opportunities to foster reuse and recycling 

of industrial materials in the state. In 2009, the 

Virginia Department of Transportation and Department of Environmental Quality will continue to 

work together to develop demonstration projects 

that will incorporate reused or recycled materials 

(steel slag, coal ash, foundry sand, asphalt shingles, 

tires, compost, and recycled asphalt pavement) in 

various applications.

In 2007, 13.7 million tons of coal fly ash was used as a substitute 

for Portland cement, resulting in energy savings of nearly 73 trillion 

BTUs, equivalent to the annual energy consumption of more than 

676,000 households.

Photo on opposite page: The Dundas residence in Prescott, AZ was designed by architect Michael Frerking and constructed by 

P.M. Taylor Development. The project utilized fly ash in the cement and other IMR building techniques.
19 2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 

As the nation prepares to undertake thousands of 

new infrastructure projects, the Mid-Atlantic GHP 

will serve as a model for how the vast quantities of 

industrial byproducts generated annually can help 

meet the material needs of construction projects 

across the country.

C2P2 Partners Recycle Coal 

Combustion Products 

With 183 current partners, the 

Coal Combustion Products 

Partnership (C2P2) program is 

focused on increasing the beneficial use of CCPs 

throughout the United States. As a result of this 

partnership, in 2007, 13.7 million tons of coal 

fly ash were used as a supplementary cementitious material in place of Portland cement. The 

work of two C2P2 partners, the City of Denver and 

the Freight Pipeline Company, demonstrate the 

progress in increasing the beneficial use of CCPs.

Building a Green Concrete 

Policy in Denver

In 2007, the City of Denver partnered with the 

University of Colorado Denver (UCD) Sustainable 

Urban Infrastructure Program to develop an inventory of sources of GHG emissions in the city. The 

inventory looked at all the buildings and industries 

located in Denver and the city’s critical urban materials, such as water, fuel, cement in urban concrete, 

and food/packaging to establish a baseline for the 

city’s GHG emission levels. The inventory showed 

that the use of cement in concrete in construction 

contributed more than 2 percent to Denver’s GHG 

footprint, almost the same as the energy used in all 

city buildings, including Denver’s airport.

Working with the City of Denver, UCD investigated 

green concrete alternatives, evaluating the structural strength, durability, economic savings, and GHG 

mitigation of displacing 20 percent of cement in 

concrete with fly ash, and using recycled concrete 

in lieu of virgin aggregates. The fly ash concrete 

proved more durable than traditional concrete 

and resulted in up to 30 percent GHG emissions 

reductions when lifecycle impacts were calculated.

The green concrete was less expensive, too. As a 

result, the City of Denver passed an ordinance in 

November 2007 requiring the use of 20 percent 

fly ash concrete in Denver building projects. This 

ordinance serves as a model for other communities across the country and is expected to reduce 

carbon emissions equivalent to removing nearly 

10,000 cars from Denver roads each year. Their 

innovative efforts earned UCD and the City of 

Denver the 2008 C2P2 Partnership Award.

The Greenest Brick Paves the Way

The Freight Pipeline Company won the 2008 C2P2

Innovation Award for developing “The Greenest 

Brick,” an alternative to clay bricks. The Greenest 

Brick is made of 100 percent fly ash and helps 

address the large amount of fly ash disposed 

annually while greatly decreasing the amount of 

energy used and GHGs emitted during the manufacture of bricks. This new fly ash brick is as durable 

as traditional clay bricks and meets building specifications, but can be made using only 10 percent of 

the energy used in making clay bricks.

Energy Company Increases 

Industrial Materials Recycling

DTE Energy is reducing its own energy by using 

new demolition techniques on their surplus buildings. Instead of traditional demolition techniques, 

the company employed a deconstruction process 

that carefully dismantles structures and separates 

materials for recycling. Reuse and recycling efforts 

included transplanting landscape vegetation, 

reusing bricks, and recycling crushed aggregate 

and stone into road base. Using the deconstruction 

process, DTE was able to reuse or recycle 99.9 and 

98 percent of two buildings in Michigan. DTE recovered 11,500 tons of material from the two buildings 

for reuse, diverting it from disposal in a landfill.

The C2P2 web site explains the benefits of using coal combustion 

products and has case studies illustrating these benefits. 

www.epa.gov/C2P2
2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 20

The deconstruction process is cost-competitive 

with demolition; one of the Michigan buildings 

generated more than $35,000 due to the sale 

of recovered materials. DTE Energy’s reuse and 

recycling programs garnered the company the 

WasteWise 2008 Industrial Material Recycling Gold 

Achievement Award.

California Contractor Working 

and Building Green

Webcor Builders, a small general contractor for 

commercial construction, incorporates environmentally friendly practices into its day-to-day operations.

Webcor set a recycling goal of 90 percent for 2008, 

which led to recycling office paper and architectural 

drawings, buying recycled-content office supplies, 

reusing glasses and water pitchers instead of using 

disposable items, and recycling bottles and cans. At 

its project sites, Webcor reuses furniture from their 

trailers and all extra wood goes through a wood 

workshop to be fabricated into temporary equipment. In 2007, the company reused and recycled 

up to 95 percent of construction waste at five 

building projects. To ensure materials are reused 

before they are recycled, the company works 

closely with resource and charity groups, such as 

Sustainable Silicon Valley and Rebuilding Together.

The efforts at each building project helped to 

reduce energy use and avoid GHG emissions.

Webcor’s efforts in its daily operations go hand 

in hand with what they build: Webcor has built 

2 platinum, 11 gold, 5 silver, and 4 certified buildings under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

New York Mets Hit an 

Environmental Home Run

Displaying environmental leadership with encouragement from EPA Region 2, the Queens Ballpark 

Company, L.L.C., is building the New York Mets’ 

new stadium using some of the latest green 

technologies and practices. Region 2 and Queens 

Ballpark Company, L.L.C.’s cooperative approach 

was formalized with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), spelling out design, construction, 

and operational principles to ensure that the new 

ballpark, called Citi Field, meets high environmental 

standards and has a low carbon footprint.

In implementing the MOU, the company used an 

estimated three million pounds of coal combustion products during construction and more than 

11,000 tons of recycled steel. Other green practices and technologies include:

•	 Use of low-sulfur diesel construction vehicles, 

reducing the emission of CO2; 

•	 Installation of metered hands-free faucets, 

toilet flush-o-meters, and waterless urinals, 

which will conserve millions of gallons of 

water a year;

•	 An 11,500 square foot green roof;

•	 A well water and on-site storm retention basin 

for watering needs; and,

•	 Planting more than 1,000 drought resistant 

trees and shrubs.

Queens Ballpark Company, L.L.C. plans to continue 

to address the environmental challenges associated with operating a large public space once the 

park is open to fans by joining the WasteWise and 

Energy Star® programs.

The Greenest Brick, at left, is made of 100 percent fly ash and can be 

used in the same building applications as clay bricks.
Priority and Toxic Chemicals

Reduction

Creating a Safer Environment 

One Pound at a Time

Reducing the volume of hazardous chemicals in products and waste protects 

human health and the environment, and reduces or eliminates the need 

to manage the materials as hazardous. Reduction of hazardous chemicals 

also makes it easier and more affordable to recycle products. The RCC’s 

Priority and Toxic Chemicals reduction program is designed to reduce the 

use of priority chemicals—the most persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic 

chemicals used in everyday products that currently pose or could pose public 

health and environmental problems in the future. Through these efforts, 

EPA involves states, tribes, large and small businesses, federal agencies, 

schools, communities, and others in changing the way they use these 

chemicals. Chemical use can be reduced through product redesign, changes 

in manufacturing processes, commitments to change retail practices, or 

improving chemical management practices. Through the RCC, EPA and its 

partners are making the products that we buy and use safer, while saving 

money for manufacturers and consumers, and improving our environment.

21 2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 
2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 22

The following initiatives demonstrate how EPA 

and our partners are improving the environment 

by reducing, recycling, and eliminating priority 

and toxic chemicals from industrial processes and 

consumer products.

National Partnership for 

Environmental Priorities 

Better Environment. Better 

Neighbor. Better Business.

In October 2008, the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities 

(NPEP) celebrated its 6-year anniversary and the cumulative reduction of more than 9.2 million pounds of potentially 

hazardous chemicals since the program’s launch 

in 2002. The program continues to grow and has 

become a network of more than 215 partners 

committed to environmental leadership. In the 

2008 fiscal year alone, NPEP partners reduced the 

use of, or recycled, more than 5.6 million pounds 

of priority chemicals. The program’s broad reach is 

highlighted by the NPEP’s work with the US Navy, 

Con Edison, and Remington Arms Company.

US Navy Installs Amalgam Separators 

in Navy Dental Treatment Facilities and 

Reduces Mercury

The Naval Institute for Dental and Biomedical 

Research, in partnership with the Naval Facilities 

Engineering Command Atlantic and the Navy and 

Marine Corps Public Health Center, set an NPEP 

goal to install amalgam separation equipment in 

all US Navy dental treatment facilities upon joining 

NPEP in November 2003. The objective is to remove 

mercury-containing amalgam, or metal dental filling 

debris, from the rinse water used in dentists’ offices.

Amalgam separation equipment has been installed in 

over 121 dental treatment facilities, helping the Navy 

reduce mercury releases from these locations by 

over 96 percent. This effort contributed an estimated 

550 pounds of mercury reductions.

Con Edison Recovers and Recycles Lead

Con Edison delivers utility services—gas, electric, 

and steam—to over 3 million customers throughout 

New York City and Westchester County, N.Y. Con 

Edison has embarked on a multi-year project to 

remove underground utility cables and replace 

them with a lead-free alternative. Since September 

of 2007, this effort has eliminated more than 

Chemical Reductions in

Thousands of Pounds

Year

Annual Partner Reductions

6,000

5,000

4,000

3,000

2,000

1,000

0

2004

49

939

2005

1,280

2006

1,340

2007

5,664

2008

NPEP Annual Partner Reductions
23 2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 

3.7 million pounds of lead from use and potential 

release into the environment. Con Edison plans 

to expand this goal by removing additional utility 

cables in the 2009 fiscal year. Con Edison currently 

participates in numerous EPA partnership programs 

including WasteWise, SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride) 

Emission Reduction Partnership, and the Natural 

Gas STAR Program.

Remington Arms Company, Inc. 

Reduces Lead Sent to Landfill

The Remington Arms Company Lonoke Ammunition Plant in Lonoke, Ark. manufactures small arms 

ammunition for the sporting and law enforcement 

sectors. The Lonoke plant uses raw materials such 

as brass, copper, and lead to produce more than 

one billion rounds of ammunition annually.

Remington set a goal to reduce the amount of lead 

shipped off-site for disposal by 175,000 pounds. In 

2008, a total reduction of 235,571 pounds of lead 

was achieved. Remington worked with Region 6’s 

Priority Chemical Reduction team and the state 

of Arkansas to identify and implement this waste 

minimization project. This collaborative approach 

allowed resources to be managed more efficiently 

and the potential impacts to the environment to be 

reduced, all while saving Remington money. The 

reduction of landfilled lead was accomplished by 

increasing the quantity of lead recycled both on and 

off site. Manufacturing wastes were reused in the 

manufacturing process, and lead scraps that could 

not be reused or recovered on site were sent to 

a lead smelter for recovery and then sold back to 

Remington for reuse.

In 2008, 3.3 million pounds of lead were recycled 

on-site, reducing the amount of lead that needed to 

be purchased for ammunition production and resulting in a savings of more than $3.8 million. Furthermore, the reduced number of shipments to landfills 

resulted in additional savings for Remington while 

reducing the GHG emissions resulting from waste 

transportation of waste.

National Vehicle Mercury 

Switch Recovery Program

Vehicles are the most recycled consumer goods 

in America. Each year, the steel industry recycles 

more than 14 million tons of steel from old 

vehicles, many of which were manufactured before 

2003 when mercury switches were still installed 

in new cars. Most vehicles that have reached the 

end of their useful life are dismantled, stripped, 

flattened, shredded, and melted to make new 

steel. If mercury switches are not removed from 

retired vehicles, a significant amount of mercury 

can be released into the environment as air emissions. These air emissions are considered a primary 

source of mercury that poses a risk to human 

health and the environment.

As part of NPEP, The National Vehicle Mercury 

Switch Recovery Program (NVMSRP) celebrated the 

removal of the 1 millionth vehicle mercury switch 

in February 2008 in Conley, Ga. This milestone was 

achieved through a collaborative effort among EPA, 

automobile manufacturers, steel makers, scrap 

recyclers, automotive recyclers, states, and environmental groups. The NVMSRP provides dismantlers 

with information, materials, support, and incentives 

to remove mercury-containing switches from endof-life vehicles before they are crushed and sent to 

furnaces that recycle the steel.

The goal of the NVMSRP is to capture 

80 to 90 percent of available vehicle mercury 

switches by 2017. As of 2008, the NVMSRP 

consists of more than 7,000 participants who have 

recovered about 1.8 million mercury switches, 

which represent more than 2 tons of mercury 

prevented from entering the environment. To 

maintain the momentum of the NVMSRP, the 

program has raised the monetary incentive that 

automobile recyclers receive from $1 to $4 for each 

convenience lighting mercury switch they recover, 

and from $3 to $6 for antilock break assemblies 

that contain mercury switches.

In 2008, NPEP’s 215 partners reduced the use of or recycled more 

than 5.6 million pounds of priority chemicals.
2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 24

Balancing Wheels and the 

Environment

EPA estimates that 50 million pounds of lead per 

year are used for wheel weights in cars and light 

trucks. It is common for wheel weights to come off 

when a vehicle hits a pothole in the road or stops 

suddenly, which results in lead entering the environment. Lead-containing wheel weights also add 

lead into the environment as they move into the 

waste stream at the end of product life.

Tire companies, big box stores, and the government have joined together in an innovative partnership to put the brakes on the use of lead wheel 

weights. Through EPA’s National Lead-Free Wheel 

Weights Initiative, partners have agreed to phase-in 

the use of lead-free alternative wheel weights and 

significantly reduce the amount of lead released 

into the environment by 2011. EPA announced the 

initiative during the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix in 

Michigan in 2008. Eliminating lead wheel weights 

is a significant step toward reducing the overall 

amount of lead released into the environment 

across the nation.

Helping Schools Manage 

Outdated and Unused 

Chemicals 

The Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign (SC3) 

is creating tools to help schools and community 

partners start or improve their responsible chemical 

management programs. New tools include: 

Building Successful Programs To Address Chemical 

Risks In Schools: A Workbook With Templates, 

Tips, And Techniques To Build A Successful SC3 

Program; the SC3 Web site, which contains new 

content targeting future teachers and potential 

SC3 partners; and a green cleaning fact sheet, 

which helps schools practice responsible chemical 

management beyond the classroom.

SC3 is building a national network of government and industry partners who can offer schools 

an array of services, from conducting chemical 

inventories to training school personnel. At the first 

SC3 charter partner meeting in June 2008, the SC3 

community came together to share best practices 

and lessons learned, to discuss challenges, and 

to generate solutions. Future goals for SC3 and 

its partners include establishing an outreach 

program to college students who are training to be 

teachers to encourage them to view a responsible 

chemical management plan as a part of their duties.

(www.epa.gov/sc3)

Joint effort removes chemicals from 

South Dakota schools

In 2008, the SC3 partner network was put into 

action with a call for assistance from EPA Region 

8. When the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in Eagle 

Butte, S.D. recognized that they needed help to 

remove outdated, unneeded, and inappropriate 

chemicals from five schools, they contacted 

EPA Region 8. With the health of more than 

660 students in mind, a Partner Alert request for 

Although mercury switches like 

the one pictured here, are small, 

their prevalent use in automobiles 

poses a threat to human health 

and the environment.
25 2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 

assistance was put into the SC3 partner network, 

and Pollution Control Industries (PCI) offered to 

donate their services.

EPA collaborated with PCI and the Cheyenne River 

Sioux Tribe’s Environmental Protection Department 

to remove and properly dispose of the chemicals. A 

total of 1,515 pounds of chemicals were removed 

and properly disposed of, including neurotoxins, 

carcinogens, suspected carcinogens, strong 

oxidizers, and corrosive, caustic, toxic, ignitable, 

flammable, shock sensitive and potentially explosive chemicals.

NYDEC broadens the Mercury in Schools

program to include other chemicals

As part of their mission to make New York schools 

more environmentally-friendly, the New York 

Department of Environment and Conservation 

(NYDEC) expanded the reach of their existing 

successful Mercury in Schools program to include 

the responsible management of all chemicals in 

schools. As part of NYDEC’s educational outreach 

on chemical management, a chemical cleanout 

pilot project was held in April 2008 at four schools 

in two school districts.

NYDEC, along with Questar BOCES chemical 

hygiene staff, conducted walk-throughs at each 

school’s chemistry/biology labs and discovered 

many examples of poor chemical management.

A chemical inventory was conducted and chemical 

waste was earmarked for disposal. NYDEC 

then contracted with a hazardous waste hauler 

to lab pack and remove the waste chemicals 

from the schools. The cleanout resulted in about 

1,400 pounds of chemicals removed from the four 

participating schools. Recommendations were 

made to the schools’ administrators to improve 

their chemical management practices. A follow up 

walk-through was also conducted to evaluate the 

progress made on the NYDEC’s recommendations.

Lessons learned from the pilot project have been 

incorporated into the educational outreach NYDEC 

is conducting statewide at workshops targeting 

teachers, buildings and grounds crew, chemical 

hygiene officers, and school officials

Design for the Environment 

Finds Continuing Success in 

The Market

The Design for the Environment (DfE) 

Program works in partnership with a 

broad range of stakeholders to protect 

human health and the environment 

by encouraging the use of safer chemical alternatives and through use of its logo on safer products.

In 2008, DfE partnerships prevented the use of 

335 million pounds of chemicals of environmental 

and human health concern.

DfE multi-stakeholder, technically based partnerships have enabled entire industries to switch to 

safer chemicals. Based on a partnership with DfE, 

industry has moved to safer flame retardants, and 

reduced the use of lead in electronics. DfE Best 

Practices for Auto Refinishing reduced the use of 

asthmagens by over 500,000 pounds last year.

The DfE Safer Product Recognition Program allows 

safer products to carry the DfE label. The DfE mark 

enables consumers to quickly identify and choose 

products that can help protect the environment and 

are safer for families. When consumers see the 

DfE logo on a product it means that the DfE scientific review team has screened each ingredient for 

potential human health and environmental effects 

and that—based on currently available information, 

EPA predictive models, and expert judgment—the 

product contains only those ingredients that pose 

the least concern among chemicals in their class
2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 26

Moving Forward

The examples in this Update demonstrate the many ways in which EPA, 

states, tribes, and our private and public partners are implementing the RCC 

to create a sustainable materials management approach. Through effective 

partnerships and innovation, the RCC programs are charting a path towards 

greater resource conservation, energy savings, and GHG reductions.
27 2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 

EPA offers a variety of tools through the RCC to 

help individuals and organizations determine the 

environmental impacts of their purchasing, manufacturing, and waste management activities.

The Waste Reduction Model (WARM)

estimates the GHG and energy impacts of solid 

waste management decisions for 34 materials.

A streamlined life cycle model, WARM allows 

the user to measure the combined upstream and 

downstream benefits of source reduction, recycling, composting, combustion, and landfilling.

(www.epa.gov/warm)

The Electronic Product Environmental 

Assessment Tool (EPEAT) helps purchasers in 

the public and private sectors evaluate, compare, 

and select desktop computers, notebooks, and 

monitors based on their environmental attributes.

EPEAT also provides a clear and consistent set of 

performance criteria for the design of products 

and provides an opportunity for manufacturers 

to secure market recognition for efforts to 

reduce the environmental impact of its products.

(www.epeat.net)

The RCC Web Academy uses Web-based 

technology to provide information on the RCC to 

thousands of stakeholders across the country.

The Academy provides monthly MSW and recycling training to local, state, and federal agencies, 

non-profits, and industry stakeholders. Since its 

inception in 2007, the Academy has reached over 

2,100 individual users. The program reduces costs 

for the audience by decreasing travel needs and 

utilizing technology and equipment that is readily 

available, as well as reducing the environmental 

impacts associated with travel to training sites.

(www.epa.gov/rcc/Web-academy)

The Recycled Content (ReCon) Tool estimates 

the lifecycle, GHG, and energy impacts of purchasing or manufacturing certain materials. It also calculates the GHG and energy benefits of increasing 

the recycled content of specific materials.

(www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/waste/

calculators/ReCon_home.html) 

RCC Tools, Education and Outreach: 

Getting the Word Out

WasteWise Partnership support includes a 

customized WARM profile.
2009 Resource Conservation Challenge Update 28

The Office Carbon Footprint Tool estimates 

the GHG impacts of a wide variety of activities 

including transportation, purchasing, and waste 

management. This Excel-based tool allows officebased businesses to estimate the GHG emissions 

associated with their activities and gives suggestions to reduce the business’s carbon footprint.

(www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/wastewise/

carboncalc.htm)

The GreenScapes Calculators compare costs 

between products made of recycled materials 

and virgin materials, including asphalt, concrete, 

brick, lumber, and yard waste. The calculators can 

aid in the selection and implementation of more 

sustainable landscape design, construction, operations, and maintenance. (www.epa.gov/epawaste/

conserve/rrr/greenscapes/pubs.htm#cost)

The Industrial Materials Recycling Tools and 

Resources is a collection of references pertinent 

to the reuse and recycling of industrial materials. It 

includes fact sheets, guidance and technical documents, regulations, standards, sample contract 

language, and Web sites to help public, private, and 

government managers utilize industrial materials in 

their projects. (www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/

rrr/imr/index.htm)

The Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign 

(SC3) Toolkit provides schools and partners with 

resources to start chemical management programs 

and/or improve their chemical management 

practices. It includes fact sheets, guidance documents, and manuals that address a wide range of 

topics including lab safety, green cleaning, safety 

in art classes, and guidance for administrators. The 

SC3 Workbook, Building Successful Programs To 

Address Chemical Risks In Schools: A Workbook 

With Templates, Tips, And Techniques To Build A 

Successful SC3 Program, is a step-by-step guide 

which walks a person through the steps to develop 

and implement a chemical management program at 

their school as well as advice for potential partners 

who want to become involved in SC3 work. (www.

epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/sc3/index.htm)

The Municipal Government Toolkit, developed by EPA’s Region 4, provides local officials with 

information to evaluate, support, and expand their 

waste reduction programs. The MGTK presents 

a collection of economic data, sample legislation, 

waste reduction efforts, guidance resources, and 

case studies surrounding the impacts of recycling 

in the Southeast. Users can find information on 

key recycling topics, including starting a program, 

economic impacts, climate change aspects, and 

community benefits.

The MGTK complements the efforts of an EPA 

grant to the Southeast Recycling Development 

Council (SERDC), designed to demonstrate the 

positive economic impacts of recycling in the eight 

Region 4 states, encouraging municipal officials 

to support and fund recycling efforts in their 

communities. (www.epa.gov/Region4/waste/rcra/

mgtoolkit/index.html)

Tools for Local Government Recycling 

Programs is a collection of tools and information for local governments and community leaders 

seeking to create or maintain a residential recycling 

program, including economic information, outreach 

materials, and sector-based resources. (www.epa.

gov/epawaste/conserve/tools/localgov/index.htm)
Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery

EPA530-R-09-003

www.epa.gov/epawaste

March 2009

Limits on EPA and Partner Participation in the Resource Conservation Challenge. Please note that EPA does not endorse the purchase of 

products or services of any company or organization mentioned in this update. EPA is authorized to cooperate with private and public efforts to reduce 

the adverse effects of releasing solid wastes into the environment and to encourage recycling of industrial and commercial materials. The Resource Conservation 

Challenge (RCC) program is open to all companies and organizations that wish to join the Agency in this endeavor. Press releases and promotional materials may 

advise the public of the partners’ participation in the RCC program and identify any recognition awards that EPA provides to the partner. However, EPA is prohibited 

from endorsing the purchase or sale of specific commercial products or services. Our partners cannot create advertising that expressly or implicitly violates this prohibition and remain a partner with EPA. All commitments that EPA makes in this program are subject to the availability of appropriated funds. Neither the Agency nor its 

partners are under legally binding obligations to continue participation in the program.

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