Reuse Assistance Grant Progress Report

City of Modesto Reuse Assistance Grant Project
(Part 4: September 1, 2003 to March 1, 2004)

Project Description

The City of Modesto used their grant funds to develop a quarterly newsletter for all Modesto businesses to promote the reuse of various materials. Each newsletter highlighted reuse ideas about a particular material or product (e.g., food, office furnishings, etc.), as well as showcased businesses that are already successfully reusing their waste products. The newsletter also acted as a forum to further promote the City's Business Recycling Awards Program to encourage more businesses to think creatively about their waste reduction programs.

The City of Modesto was awarded two separate Reuse Assistance Grants totaling $24,059 to cover the costs of producing and mailing a business newsletter highlighting reuse and recycling options for waste stream materials. A portion of the newsletter was reserved to develop and promote a local business exchange program, Network Modesto! The newsletters were mailed to all businesses within a 50-mile radius that possessed a current City of Modesto business license.

A total of seven newsletters were produced and mailed during the grant cycle. Each newsletter highlighted a different waste stream materials: CRTs, office paper, packing materials, hazardous materials, water restrictions and storm drains, green building materials, and "Trashformation" art. Newsletters were mailed out in June, August, and December 2002, and February, May, August, and December 2003, for a total of 58,468 mailed pieces. Each newsletter averaged 8,352 mailings. In addition to direct mail, newsletters were made available to new businesses during the license application process and each one was posted on the City's Web site.

The steps required to accomplish their project are as follows:

Tasks 1.1-1.7: Newsletter #1
The first newsletter generated a strong response from the business community with regards to CRT recycling options and networking opportunities via the Network Modesto! column. The garbage companies reported a 102 percent increase in CRT recycling from businesses in the second half of 2002. Throughout 2003, CRT recycling rates for businesses soared. The garbage companies reported a 198 percent increase over 2002. The Network Modesto! column began slowly with five listings. However, the publication generated several calls seeking optional disposal contacts.

Tasks 2.1-2.7: Newsletter #2
The second newsletter focused on office paper and the results were very positive. Approximately 20 local businesses called the City to make further inquiries about office paper reuse and recycling options. However, there were no significant increases in recycling routes notes by the garbage companies as a result of the newsletter.

Tasks 3.1-3.7: Newsletter #3
The third newsletter focused on packing materials as it was published during the holiday season. Several reuse options were offered to businesses, especially for packing peanuts and other similar products. As a result, several businesses networked for reuse activities via the Network Modesto! column. This issue successful connected a local online mail order company with a candy store, as well as several other businesses for the packing materials.

Tasks 4.1-4.7: Newsletter #4
The fourth newsletter focused on hazardous materials. It, too, generated calls to the solid waste office as many small business owners were unaware there was a free recycling program available to them for much of their hazardous waste stream. The local county facility reuses or redistributes much of the collected materials back to the local citizens in a free monthly give away. Paint is sent to a recycler and mixed for graffiti abatement throughout the area.

Tasks 5.1-5.7: Newsletter #5
The fifth newsletter focused on water restrictions and storm drains. It encouraged businesses to reduce water waste and keep the environment clean by not allowing foreign materials into the storm drains near their business.

Tasks 6.1-6.7: Newsletter #6
The sixth newsletter focused on green building materials and promoted the local Habitat for Humanity. As with many other valley cities, Modesto is a fast growing community with a large volume of building projects in the works. Habitat for Humanity accepts new and used building material donations.

The local Habitat for Humanity confirmed they received over 20 phone calls as a direct response to the newsletter #6. The calls resulted in multiple partnerships with large and small contractors allowing them to donate their construction leftovers for reuse purposes by the organization. To further promote that idea, they recently opened their new "ReStore," a local reuse facility for construction and building materials. All unused donated materials are made available to the public; they are put on display and sold below market value to residents and businesses alike. They modeled their store after the successful shop in Ventura County, which diverts over 11,000 tons of materials from California landfills each year.

Each newsletter and the Network Modesto! listings were posted on their Web site. As new newsletters were made available, they were added to the site while the older ones also remained available. Real time Web page analysis reports indicate there were a total of 1,231 downloads to the newsletters and 425 downloads to the Network Modesto! pages. Interesting to note, it was Newsletter #4—Hazardous Materials, that generated the most Web site activity with 422 downloads followed by Newsletter #6—Green Building Materials, with 306 downloads.

The City believes each instance of Web page activity reflects the potential start of another business reuse or recycling partnership. If correct, the activity implies that approximately 19 percent of the City's licensed businesses are now partnered for reuse opportunities or have increased their recycling activities. This number does not take into account other partnerships forged strictly from the newsletter, without the aide of the Internet.

Throughout the grant cycle, staff also took the opportunity to educate businesses about the Network Modesto! column and related Web pages whenever possible. Solicitations for waste stream items and/or materials needed were made whenever possible, via phone calls, public outreach events, etc.

*Permission was obtained from grant recipient to publish project profile.

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Last updated: June 25, 2008