Business Recycling Plans and Policies

Challenges, Opportunities, and Tips

Local Government Challenges and Opportunities

Local governments may think many of these policies and mandates are difficult to adopt and implement. But most of these ideas will cost them little, if any, money. Instead, elected officials and top staff need to have open discussions with potentially affected parties. Officials could focus on the need to meet the State’s waste diversion mandate and the programs the city has invested in to meet its goals.

In this discussion, the city should also explore options under consideration to increase waste diversion in the commercial sector. Soliciting input from business leaders on those options may result in a surprising amount of support for the alternatives finally selected.

Portland, Oregon is a classic case of this process. The city worked for more than two years with the business sector to determine how to increase commercial recycling. The city considered building a central MRF and requiring all businesses in the city to use that facility. But the Portland businesses elected to plan and implement their own recycling programs--as a city requirement. That allowed businesses to realize significant cost savings.

Most of the tools highlighted in this case study have been used in some location to increase commercial recycling. The challenge in the future will be for local governments to combine several of these tools to create a more comprehensive commercial recycling program.

Tips for Replication

• Talk to business leaders first and review IWMA goals. Find out where you stand regarding compliance with the goals and note required diversion from the commercial sector.
• Review available waste reduction tools for businesses: information sharing, waste audits, technical assistance, incentives, policies, and mandates. Develop a menu of options that fit different needs and resources of businesses in your community.
• Talk to other communities about the tools they used, once you have narrowed your focus to one or two key approaches.
• View commercial recycling as a behavioral change requiring much repetition and reinforcement of the message. Don’t expect every business to change overnight.
• Incrementally add policies and mandates as necessary to address gaps in implementation.
• Focus on the largest generators (generally the top 20 percent of your businesses create 80 percent of your waste).
• Work with businesses in informal work groups to share information and resolve common problems.
• Target information, technical assistance, incentives, policies, and mandates differently than for materials targeted for diversion.

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Last updated: October 26, 2007