"Innovations" Case Studies: Government Facilities

Understanding the Rules for Recycling

• Background
• Understanding the Rules for Recycling
  • Local Agencies
  • State Agencies
  • Federal Agencies
• Assisting Governmental Agencies
  • State Agency Recycling Program
  • WasteWise Program
  • Federal Facilities Compliance Program
  • National Office Paper Recycling Project

Background

Most of the attention focused on recycling and waste reduction under the Integrated Waste Management Act (AB 939, Sher, Chapter 1095, Statutes of 1989 as amended [IWMA]) has been on addressing the residential and commercial waste streams. However, government facilities can contribute significantly to a local jurisdiction’s waste stream.

According to the statewide waste characterization study by the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB), public administration facilities disposed of approximately 0.4 tons per employee in 1999. That amounted to 278,112 tons per year, representing approximately 1.6 percent of the commercial waste stream. The largest waste types were:

• Leaves and grass (16.1 percent).
• Food (9.8 percent).
• Concrete (7 percent).
• White paper (6.5 percent).
• Old newsprint (5.5 percent).
• Lumber (5 percent).
• Old corrugated cardboard 4.6 percent).
• Film plastic (4.4 percent).

A variety of government facilities may be located within a jurisdiction, including the following:

• City/county government offices.
• State government offices.
• Federal government offices.
• CALTRANS facilities and road projects.
• School districts (K–12).
• Colleges and universities.
• Military bases.
• Local, regional, State, and national parks and recreation areas.
• State and federal prisons.

Following are two key components in addressing waste reduction at government facilities:

• Implementing waste prevention, recycling, and composting programs for materials generated at government facilities.
• Purchasing environmentally preferable products, including those that contain recycled content.

Back to Top

Understanding the Rules for Recycling

The biggest challenge for communities addressing waste prevention and recycling at government facilities is their lack of power to regulate the actions of State and federal agencies. Understanding the rules that apply at each level and educating facility managers about their responsibilities is important when addressing recycling issues.

Local Agencies

Recycling policies vary among local governments. In most cases, the city council or board of supervisors has passed a recycling policy that mandates certain types of in-house recycling programs. Sacramento County recently implemented a recycling ordinance that requires all private haulers to achieve at least 30 percent diversion. The ordinance also covers county facilities, including the county’s two transfer stations.

One key challenge for local governments is implementing recycling programs for community service districts (CSD). CSDs and other special districts are often formed in unincorporated areas and have their own governing body. As a result, CSDs are not under the direct control of a city or county agency. Chapter 764, Statutes of 1999 (AB 75, Strom-Martin) requires CSDs to report to jurisdictions on their programs and tonnages. While the provision doesn’t require CSDs to comply with the IWMA requirements, it does provide information on the activities of CSDs to cities and counties. The local jurisdictions can include this information in their annual reports.

State Agencies

AB 75, implemented in 1999, mandates that State agencies comply with IWMA diversion requirements. Public Resources Code (PRC) sections 42920–42928 contain the following requirements:

• Requires each State agency to develop an integrated waste management plan. State agencies may prepare their own plan or use the model plan developed by the CIWMB.
• Requires each State agency and each large State facility (individual California State University campuses, community colleges, prisons) to divert 25 percent of its waste by 2002 and 50 percent by 2004.
• Requires each State agency to appoint a recycling coordinator.
• Requires State agencies to provide adequate areas for recycling in State-owned and leased buildings.
• Requires State agencies to report annually on program implementation and diversion rates.

“Agency” includes every State office, department, board, commission, or other agency of the State. In addition to the requirements of AB 75, the following policies and statutes address State agency recycling:

• Executive Order W-7-91 requires California State agencies to buy recycled products and set up recycling programs for recyclable materials, where feasible, and requires the CIWMB to assist in these efforts.
• Public Contract Code (PCC) sections 12164.5–12167.1 require the CIWMB to implement and maintain a recycling plan for the Legislature and all State-owned and leased buildings and provide for the recycling of office paper, corrugated cardboard, newsprint, beverage containers, waste oil, and any other recyclable material generated in sufficient quantity.
• PCC section 12165 (d) prohibits establishment of a recycling program by any State office, agency, or its employees without CIWMB approval.
• PCC section 12167.1 requires State agencies and institutions to report quantities of materials collected for recycling to the CIWMB.
• PRC sections 42560–42562 require the CIWMB to initiate a high-grade white office paper recovery assistance program for California State offices by providing training materials and recycling containers, identifying markets for collected materials, and negotiating contracts with local secondary material brokers.

California State Administration Manual Chapter 1990 informs employees at State facilities of CIWMB policies and procedures regarding the prevention of solid waste generation. It also describes the reuse or recycling of solid waste as an alternative, along with related State agency and individual State facility responsibilities.

The CIWMB is responsible for overseeing AB 75 implementation and assisting State agencies in the development of their programs (see State Agency Recycling Program).

Federal Agencies

On October 20, 1993, President Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 12873, “Federal Acquisition, Recycling and Waste Prevention.” On September 14, 1998, President Clinton signed Executive Order 13101, which strengthened the implementation and enforcement of recycling requirements. Although the executive orders primarily addressed the purchase of recycled products, the orders also established policies for the development of recycling programs. Order 13101 includes the following provisions:

• Requires each agency to include recycling provisions in the acquisition of all leased space and in the construction of new federal buildings.
• Requires each agency to initiate a recycling program that is compatible with State and local recycling requirements.
• Allows executive agencies to retain a share of proceeds from the sale of recycled materials.
• Requires each agency to establish goals for both waste prevention and recycling and to report on progress in its annual report.

“Agency” includes all executive agencies as defined in U.S. Code Title 5, Part 1, Chapter 1, section 105, including the Department of Defense. The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE) is responsible for overseeing the implementation of recycling and procurement programs at federal agencies.

Back to Top

Assisting Governmental Agencies

A variety of programs are available to assist governmental agencies in reducing waste and purchasing recycled products.

State Agency Recycling Program

The CIWMB State Organization Facility Assistance (SOFA) section administers a comprehensive program that implements waste prevention, reuse, and recycling programs at State-owned and leased buildings and facilities. These include offices, prisons, youth authority facilities, developmental centers, hospitals, maintenance facilities, and parks. The mission of the SOFA is to coordinate comprehensive recycling and other waste reduction programs at State facilities by:

• Managing State recycling contracts.
• Training and advising State employees and recycling coordinators.
• Acting as a liaison between State facilities and recyclers.
• Providing recycling information, supplies, and equipment.
• Gathering and reporting data on materials collected for recycling.

As part of its efforts, the SOFA section administers the Project Recycle program. Through Project Recycle, the State develops contracts for the collection of recyclable materials for certain geographic areas. These contracts are signed on behalf of all State agencies.

WasteWise Program

WasteWise is a free voluntary program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) through which organizations eliminate costly municipal solid waste. This saves them money, and it helps the environment. The program includes the following:

• Helpline. A toll-free helpline is staffed by WasteWi$e information specialists who can answer both general program questions and specific technical questions on solid waste reduction.
• Assistance. WasteWise representatives help partners establish their goals, assist them in completing their annual reporting forms, and provide technical assistance.
• Public awareness. U.S. EPA draws attention to the WasteWise program and individual partner accomplishments through a variety of activities.
• Awards program. U.S. EPA recognizes outstanding achievements of its partners and presents “Partner of the Year” awards within several categories, including business, government, and educational sectors.
• Program forums. In addition to the national forum, U.S. EPA sponsors regional forums to recognize the waste reduction efforts of existing partners and to welcome new partners.
• Case studies. U.S. EPA recognizes the efforts of individual WasteWise partners by featuring their waste reduction successes in the form of case studies.

Federal Facilities Compliance Program

Located in the cross-media division, this program of U.S. EPA-Region 9 ensures that federal agencies and their facilities take actions necessary to prevent, control, and abate environmental pollution. The program’s approach to federal facilities emphasizes outreach and training, compliance assistance and enforcement, and strengthened partnerships, such as the following:

• Conferences, workshops, and training programs designed to assist federal facilities.
• Compliance assistance through environmental management reviews and pollution prevention assessments.
• Partnership activities to identify and recognize environmental excellence within federal facilities.

National Office Paper Recycling Project

The National Office Paper Recycling Project is a nonprofit partnership of public and private sector organizations. Its goal is to maximize office paper recycling and to minimize waste. Managed under the auspices of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, this unique public/private partnership has set a goal, endorsed by the President, to recycle 65 percent of all office paper. Currently, about 47 percent of office paper is being recycled. Since offices purchase most of the nation’s paper, the increase from 47 percent to 65 percent would make a significant contribution toward improving the environment.

The project’s primary emphasis is the Recycling At Work campaign. This campaign is designed to not only increase office paper recycling rates, but to encompass all forms of office recycling. The project includes Clean Your Files Day and the Recycling At Work awards program.

Back to Top | Innovations Home | Next Section

Last updated: October 26, 2007