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EPA’s Resource Conservation Challenge & Organics Projects

EPA’s Resource Conservation Challenge & Organics Projects. David Iacono, P.E. PROP Composting Training Dec 6, 2006. Overview. EPA’s Resource Conservation Challenge 4 focus areas Organics components EPA/Regional Activities Questions.

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EPA’s Resource Conservation Challenge & Organics Projects

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  1. EPA’s Resource Conservation Challenge & Organics Projects David Iacono, P.E. PROP Composting Training Dec 6, 2006

  2. Overview • EPA’s Resource Conservation Challenge • 4 focus areas • Organics components • EPA/Regional Activities • Questions

  3. Unfinished Business of RCRA(Resource Conservation & Recovery Act) • Hazardous waste Nonhazardous waste • Regulations Voluntary programs • “Cradle to grave” “Cradle to cradle”

  4. What is the Resource Conservation Challenge? EPA’s Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC) is a national effort to find more flexible, yet protective ways to conserve natural resources and energy. www.epa.gov/rcc

  5. Framework for the RCC • Voluntary, non-regulated projects • Partnering with state/local govts, federal facilities, industry and others • R3 has created a Municipal Solid Waste Team with its States

  6. RCC Goals • Conservation of energy/resources • Prevention of pollution and promoting of reuse and recycling of materials • Reduction of toxic chemicals through product substitution

  7. MSW Management in US How MSW is Managed: Land Disposal 54.3% Combustion 13.6% Recovery 32.1% (EPA data)

  8. Total MSW Generation

  9. Beneficial Use of Secondary Materials Priority and Toxic Chemical Reduction Green Initiatives – Electronics Municipal Solid Waste Recycling 4 National RCC Priorities

  10. RCC National Priority Area:Beneficial Use of Secondary Materials

  11. Beneficial Use of Secondary Materials • Definition: Use or reuse of a material that would otherwise become waste • Use instead of virgin materials • Coal Combustion Byproducts • Foundry Sands • Construction & Demolition Debris

  12. RCC National Priority Area:Priority and Toxic Chemical Reduction

  13. National Partnership For Environmental Priorities (NPEP) • Goal: Achieve 10% reduction of 31 priority chemicals by 2008 • Sector Strategies • Naphthalene • Lead • Mercury (Implement the Mercury Challenge) • Petroleum • Federal Facilities

  14. NPEP Recognition Events Baldwin Hardware

  15. RCC National Priority Area:Green Initiatives-Electronics

  16. Electronics Programs • Reduce/Eliminate higher risk materials at the source • Plug-In To eCycling • EPEAT • Federal Electronics Challenge

  17. RCC National Priority Area:Municipal Solid Waste Recycling

  18. Specific Municipal Solid Waste Goals of the RCC: By 2008: • Increase the national recycling rate to 35%(32% in ’05) • Maintain the national average MSW generation rate <4.5 lbs/person/day

  19. EPA Region 3/States Municipal Solid Waste Team • Focused on waste streams with greatest additional diversion potential: • Food: 12% of solid waste stream (26 million tons destined for landfills each year) • Paper: 34% of the solid waste stream

  20. Reduce/Recover Surplus Food Food facts: • almost half of US food goes to waste (50M tons & $100B in value) • < 3% food waste is recovered

  21. Surplus Food Hierarchy

  22. EPA Region 3 Municipal Solid Waste Team • Primary Functions: • Network Promotion/Outreach EPA R3/State MSW Team 2) Grant Initiatives Special Projects w measurable results 3) Showcasing of State/local program successes

  23. Region 3/State Activities • Promote networking • MACREDO/ILSR • Organics Summits • Beltsville MD, 11/30/06 • Spring 2007 in PA, details TBD • Others • Urban Recycling Conference, 2007

  24. Region 3/State Activities • EPA Project Grants • <$60K per year on average • Available to nonprofits/govt • Examples: • $5k to Philabundance for food waste diversion to feed hungry • Funds for recycling education at community level • Grants to MACREDO for network support, program tools, research, etc. • Funds to USDA for in-vessel composter

  25. Region 3/State Activities • Projects: • Midatlantic Food & Paper Waste Diversion Team • Targeting largest waste generators • Seeking diversion accomplishments Examples: • Partnering w Trammell Crowe property managers • Partnering w Aramark (U Penn) • GIS plotting of PA composters? • RecycleMania challenge for colleges

  26. Region 3/State Activities • Competition among colleges & universities to collect most recyclables over a 10-week period • Jan 28, 07 to April 7, 07 • “Keystone Cup” challenge from Villanova for PA schools www.recyclemaniacs.org Some 2005 participants: Bucknell University Carnegie Mellon Chestnut Hill College Dickinson College Juniata College Millersville University Old Dominion University Villanova University

  27. Region 3 Resources • Region 3 composting facility directory • Technical support • Recognition from EPA • State & network contacts www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/solidwastecomposting.htm Interested in working with EPA?

  28. Contacts • EPA Region 3 Municipal Solid Waste Program: • www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/solidwaste.htm • David Iacono, iacono.david@epa.gov 215-814-3231 • Donna McGowan, mcgowan.donna@epa.gov 215-814-5197 Questions?

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