Resource Conservation Challenge: 

Improving Recycling Nationwide 

Although Americans continue to reiterate our belief in the value of recycling, our recycling 

efforts seem to be leveling off, right when we need to do more. Recycling has environmental benefits at every stage in the life cycle of a consumer product—from the raw 

material that it’s made with, to the final method of disposal. Think about all the material 

value and the energy that we simply lose when we throw away products. When you discard a product, like an aluminum can, you lose the material outright. For example, it takes 

530,000 BTUs to put 1 ton of aluminum cans in a landfill. Recycling that same ton of aluminum saves that half million BTUs, which is equivalent to nearly 1,500 gallons of gas. So, 

you can see recycling not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also conserves 

energy and natural resources. 

The main goal of the Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC) is to change the way 

Americans think about waste—to see the value of a used material as a product or commodity, not a waste. We want you to realize your impact on the environment before you 

act—whether you’re reading today’s newspaper, eating lunch, grabbing a bottle of water, 

or mailing a package. All the materials we use, and actions we take, in our daily lives 

affect our environment. By committing ourselves to reduce more waste, to reuse and 

recycle more materials, to buy more recycled and recyclable products, and to reduce 

toxic chemicals in products and waste, we conserve energy and preserve natural 

resources. To this end, the RCC relies on voluntary partnerships to promote and encourage the reuse and recycling of materials. Our partners are getting positive economic 

rewards and environmental results that are moving us toward our 35 percent national 

recycling goal. 

Goal: 35 Percent National Recycling Rate 

The RCC is focusing on three broad municipal solid waste streams with high generation 

rates and significant potential for increased recovery or recycling: 

• Paper and paperboard 

• Food scraps and yard trimmings 

• Packaging and containers 

We are focusing on these materials generated at schools and office buildings, by landscapers and food services, and at “recycling on-the-go” venues, such as shopping 

centers. To help accomplish our goal, we are collaborating with partners, key stakeholders, and recognized experts to identify creative and innovative ways to increase recycling, 

change our disposal culture, and build an infrastructure to ensure sustainability. 

2 -Recycled/Recyclable. Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on 100% Postconsumer, Process Chlorine Free Paper 
Key to Achieving 35 Percent MSW Reduction


CATEGORY 2001 RECYCLING RATES 2008 RCC GOALS 

Paper and paperboard 36.7 million tons 44.1 million tons 

Food waste 0.7 million tons 1.28 million tons 

Yard trimmings 15.8 million tons 16.8 million tons 

Paper folding cartons 0.48 million tons 2 million tons 

Wood packaging 1.25 million tons 2 million tons 

Plastic wraps 0.17 million tons 0.5 million tons 

Beverage containers 2.93 million tons 4.36 million tons 

RCC Partnerships Address Solid Waste 

We’re working with states, local governments, national recycling organizations, recycling businesses, and others to provide more recycling opportunities everywhere. We’re collaborating with 

businesses and governments that offer the best opportunities for success. Examples of partnerships and initiatives include the following. 

•	 WasteWise. 

Our decade-plus WasteWise partnership now includes more than 1,300 corporations, 

government agencies, universities, hospitals, and others who are committed to reducing 

waste and conserving energy and resources. WasteWise provides technical assistance to 

help develop, implement, and measure partners’ waste reduction and recycling activities. 

Collectively, WasteWise partners have prevented nearly 5 millions tons of waste, which 

equates to removing more than 3 million passenger cars from the roads for one year. 

•	 GreenScapes Alliance. 

GreenScapes provides cost-efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for large-scale 

landscaping projects. Designed to help preserve natural resources and prevent waste and 

pollution, the partnership aims to create a unified influence over the reduction, reuse, and 

recycling of waste materials in large land use applications, such as brownfields, highways, 

or golf courses. By reducing, reusing, recycling, and rebuying recycled materials, partners 

help improve both the environment and their bottom line. A partner commits to measurable goals through efforts such as composting and mulching organic wastes and using 

native plants to reduce water and pesticide use. 

•	 America’s Marketplace Recycles! 

Several leading shopping centers nationwide participate in America’s Marketplace 

Recycles! partnership, which focuses on reduced packaging, resource management, buying recycled products, and educating consumers on the value of recycling. 

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•	 A Guide for Reducing Waste at Shopping Centers. 

Developed with the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), A Guide to Waste 

Reduction at Shopping Centers helps shopping centers prevent waste and improve recycling. It is used as an informal standard for ICSC to reward and publicly recognize 

innovative and successful waste prevention and recycling activities by retailers and shopping centers. 

•	 Donating Edible Food. 

We are working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop a guide for institutions 

that generate food waste. The guide will help them donate edible food or learn how to 

compost food waste. 

Resource Conservation Challenge 

The RCC challenges everyone to accept responsibility and rededicate themselves to conserving 

resources. Accepting responsibility for improving our environment means changing our habits, 

processes, and practices. Everyone has a role. Businesses, consumers, and governments work 

together to make changes that result in products designed to be more easily reused and recycled. 

Manufacturers can make products less toxic and more recyclable, and prevent and recycle waste. 

Individuals and businesses can change their buying and disposal habits, seeking less toxic products and recycling at every opportunity. For more information on the RCC, see <www.epa.gov/rcc> 

and the RCC Action Plan at <www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/action-plan/act-toc.htm>. 

Resources 

EPA’s Make a Difference Campaign (www.epa.gov/epaoswer/education/mad.htm) educates and 

engages middle school students in resource conservation and environmental protection by helping 

them make informed decisions in their day-to-day life. By providing tools and materials, and working with individual schools to host an environmental event, this campaign achieves measurable 

waste reduction results. 

America Recycles Day (www.americarecyclesday.org) is a national all-volunteer, non-profit organization that encourages Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products. Every year, America 

Recycles Day holds a national awareness event to promote the social, environmental, and economic benefits of buying recycled and recycling. 

National Recycling Coalition (NRC) (www.nrc-recycle.org) is dedicated to the advancement and 

improvement of recycling. A true coalition, NRC provides technical information, education, training, 

outreach, and advocacy service on recycling, source reduction, composting, and reuse. The 

4,000 members include recycling and environmental organizations; large and small businesses; 

federal, state and local governments; and individuals. 

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