Recycling Market Development Success Stories

Southern States Waste Management Coalition Recycling Market Development Success Stories January 1993 Southern States Energy Board 3091 Governors Lake Drive, Suite 400 Norcross, Georgia 30071 (404) 242-7712 (404) 242-0421 fax Table of Contents Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Arkansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Kentucky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Louisiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Mississippi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Missouri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 North Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Oklahoma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Puerto Rico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 South Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Tennessee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 West Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Executive Summary The Southern States Waste Management Coalition is pleased to present Recycling Market Development Success Stories to the governors and legislators of the southern states. This document was prepared in response to numerous comments from member states regarding the need to stimulate the demand for recycled and recyclable materials. Without demand-side economics in play, effective recycling programs would fall by the wayside. SSWMC asked each of the 16 gubernatorial appointees to contribute success stories about how their states created and stimulated markets for recycled and recyclable materials. Some ideas were as simple as publishing end-user directories, or as complex as implementing procurement mandates. Each state provided their own description of their successful programs, whether they were just in the formative stage or had been fully implemented. The information is arranged by state, and contains as much detail as was provided. Those southern states which are not included either did not respond to our request for information, or felt they did not have any successful market development programs. A few states contributed unsuccessful programs as well. SSWMC hopes that by sharing successes and in some cases, failures, each state can get ideas about what is working elsewhere in the southern region. 1 Southern States Waste Management Coalition Recycling Market Development Success Stories Alabama Alabama has three groups which exist or are being organized, and which deal with the issues of creating markets for products manufactured from recycled materials. 1) Alabama Recycling Coalition: a group of local, state, and industry officials organizing to address solid waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting issues. 2) Southeast Recycling Market Coalition: an organization which operates the Recyclers Market Exchange for the eight southeastern states. 3) Alabama Recycling Market Development Council: a council set up to facilitate the development and expansion of markets for recovered materials in Alabama. The creation of this council is a part of the pending “Solid Waste Management Act,” which is currently before the Alabama legislature. The state expects the activities of these three groups to be coordinated with those of SSWMC in order to avoid duplicative work and to ensure consistent policy. Alabama Recycling List - March 1991 This is the “Alabama Department of Environmental Management Recycling Directory,” which contains a list of in-state processors and recyclers. Listings in the ADEM Recycling Directory are arranged according to county and type of waste/recyclable material. The information was collected in-house at ADEM from many sources, but may not be exhaustive since recycling firms continually go in and out of business, move locations and change the materials which they collect for recycling. ADEM updates the list in-house, but also suggests that the list be supplemented by current listings in the Yellow Pages under headings such as “Waste Paper,” “Scrap Metal,” “Aluminum Waste,” “Recycling Centers” and “Rendering Companies.” 2 Procurement Recycling Guide This guide lists vendors for specific commodities of recyclable material. The guide provides the name, address, and telephone number of vendors for specific commodity listings and subcategory listings. The three main headings of commodity listings and their subcategories are: 1) Paper Products (computer and office paper, envelopes, newsprint, printing and writing paper, tissues, towels and napkins); 2) General Commodities (carpet, equipment and oil cleanup supplies, filters, furniture, lumber-building materials, office supplies, plastics, printing, ribbons, toner cartridges, traffic controls); and 3) Recycling Equipment (antifreeze, balers, can crushers, containers, crushers, industrial grinders, recycling centers, recycler conveyor systems, shredders, vehicles, trailers). It’s anticipated that this guide will be revised and updated from time to time with additional products and sources included. The guide was developed to facilitate the implementation of Alabama Act No. 90-564 which requires programs for waste reduction and collection of recyclable materials and Joint Resolution No. 110, which “urges all state funded operations and programs to complement their recycling program.” It’s designed to be an easy reference for source of supply information about recycled products and recycled equipment. The guide was prepared by the Division of Purchasing of the State of Alabama, Department of Finance, through a joint voluntary program with ADEM. The Southeast Recyclers Market Exchange The Southeast Recyclers Market Exchange works as a market referral service. It’s an on-line database of buyers of recyclable materials, including processors and dealers, brokers, manufacturers, and end users who buy residential, commercial and industrial recovered materials in the southeast. Inquiries are made according to material and locale. Alabama uses the Southeast Recyclers Market Exchange extensively, since Alabama has no staff or budget for recycling market development. The Recyclers Market Exchange presently serves the Southeast Recycling Market Council (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee), resulting from a cooperative agreement with EPA Region IV and local governments and dealer processors. The service helps local governments to 3 collect recyclable materials and to find the best buyers for their products. Local governments may contact the exchange by phone or fax. Initially, there’s no charge for use of the service to local governments, but there will be a nominal charge implemented at a later date. Once there’s a rate structure in place, consultants will be able to utilize the services of the Market Exchange. Arkansas Arkansas Marketing Board for Recyclables, which was created by Act 749 of 1991, is the organization responsible for dealing with issues of creating markets for products manufactured from recyclable materials. The Arkansas Recycling Market Directory The Arkansas Recycling Market Directory is a directory of existing markets in Arkansas. The directory is distributed to courthouses, city halls, solid waste management districts, county offices and public libraries. Future plans call for quarterly updates to be provided and an electronic bulletin board to be utilized for the timely delivery of market information. The Arkansas Recycling Market Directory was created through the efforts of the Arkansas Marketing Board for Recyclables. Inventory of Existing Recycling Collection Programs The Inventory of Existing Recycling Collection Programs contains a list of existing in-state recycling collection programs, including public, profit, and non-profit programs. This information will be useful for determining the volume and type of material needed for various markets. The Inventory is presently in its formative stages and is being prepared by staff members of the Arkansas Marketing Board for Recyclables. Share Data With Other States The staff of the Arkansas Marketing Board for Recyclables has been working with counterparts in other states in an effort to share data regarding existing markets and to identify areas of mutual interest which might be appropriate for multistate efforts toward market development. 4 Match Producers of Special Waste with Users of Special Waste The staff of the Arkansas Marketing Board for Recyclables matches industries with special wastes to potential users of those wastes. For example, matches have been made between a plastic mini-blind maker to a plastic regrinder and a manufacturer of a polyethylene/polyester absorbent material to a plastic lumber maker. Establish a Relationship with the Scrap Tire Council The staff of the Arkansas Marketing Board for Recyclables established an evolving relationship with the Scrap Tire Council, and has done the following to assist with the development of the market for recycled scrap tires: 1) Secured studies of emissions tests that have been conducted when tire derived fuel (TDF) is used as a portion of an existing fuel base. These studies have been presented to potential users of TDF, some of which have expressed an interest in learning more. TDF has the near term potential for impacting scrap tire volume. 2) Witnessed a demonstration of tire patches, made from recycled steel-belted radials, in an effort to help create markets for a recycling company specializing in scrap tires. The company, Davis Recycling in Little Rock, ultimately obtained a vendor number and will be selling the tire patches, together with a rubber door mat, to Wal-Mart buyers. Scrap Tires Used As Tire Derived Fuel An Arkansas paper mill has now demonstrated the ability to utilize some 3.4 million tires per year as tire derived fuel (TDF). Test burns have shown that the company can meet all existing emission limits while using TDF as a small percentage of their fuel requirements. The Air Division of the Department of Pollution Control and Ecology is revising existing permits to allow the use of TDF. There is one supplier of TDF operating in the state with a second supplier expected to be on line by February 1, 1993. 5 Barriers and Possible Solutions to Market Development of Recycled Materials Barriers Arkansas identified the following barriers to market development of recycled materials: (i) the false belief that markets do not exist (ii) transportation (iii) quality of material (iv) quantity of material (v) preparation (vi) price. Solutions (i) The following solution has been posed to overcome the barrier of transportation: The Recycling Division of the Arkansas Department of Pollution Control and Energy (ADPC&E) will provide technical assistance to collectors and will coordinate transportation for recycling programs in various service delivery areas in order to achieve maximum efficiency for transportation. (ii) State officials are continuing to work on solutions to the other barriers mentioned above. Industry Progress With Recycling 1) Secondary Fiber: Two paper mills in Arkansas invested $20 million in new facilities to use secondary fiber. One paper mill has made it a corporate priority to expand its use of recycled fiber. This increase in the use of secondary fiber means Arkansas will have the capacity to use 560 thousand tons of secondary fiber each year. 2) Consumer Plastic: Several processors in Arkansas accept and process post consumer plastic. 3) Glass: The Arkansas Glass Container Plant in Jonesboro has expanded. The expansion impacts local recycling programs favorably since the company, in order to get all the clear cullet they need, accepts green and amber cullet. The 6 colored material is not used in Jonesboro, but is moved to other glass plants outside Arkansas where it can be used. The company pays current market price plus a freight allowance for clear glass, and freight allowance only for amber and green glass. The result of the company accepting and paying to transport green and amber cullet is that a potential annual demand for 20 million pounds of clear cullet is created, and colored cullet is moved to other markets where it will be useful. 4) State Purchasing: The Arkansas Purchasing Office has made “Buy Recycled” a primary focus. While the legislation passed in 1991 set goals of the purchase of recycled content paper, the Purchasing Office has constantly exceeded the goal. There is also a cooperative purchasing arrangement whereby local governments can take advantage of state contracts. This provides the local governments with the opportunity to take advantage of high-volume contracts and gives access to recycled content paper products at good prices. The Purchasing Office goes beyond the purchase of paper products with its “Buy Recycled” initiative and is always looking for the opportunities to buy other products with recycled content. Florida Florida Procurement Program The Florida statute includes requirements for the review and revision of procurement procedures and bid specifications to eliminate discrimination against products and materials with recycled content. The statute is also intended to ensure that state and local governments purchase recycled materials and products “to the maximum extent economically and technically feasible.” The program focuses primarily on paper because it is the product with the highest potential to contain recovered materials. Major paper purchases under the program include xerographic paper, hand toweling, toilet and facial tissues and paper napkins, post-it notes, multi-part forms, pads and folders. Two hundred and fifty items with recycled content are on state term contracts. Total estimated dollar volume is approximately $12,500,000. The Department of Management Services intends to add additional commodities with recycled content to state term contracts. The state is collecting data on retreaded 7 tires, rerefined oil, air conditioning filters, carpet, plasticware and packaging as potential additions to the contract list. A bid for remanufactured laser printer cartridges is currently being evaluated by the Division of Purchasing to establish a contract for government use. The concept of “Market Driven Initiatives” or “Recycling Business Ventures” is being reviewed. Ventures to encourage the collection and recycling of automotive batteries and antifreeze, coupled with the procurement of these commodities, are planned for this fiscal year. Directory of Dealer/Processors and Industrial Users of Recyclable Materials in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi The Directory of Dealer/Processors and Industrial Users of Recyclable Materials was compiled in 1990 by the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation (DER). The directory lists the dealers and processors of recyclable materials in three separate formats: alphabetically, by county (alphabetically within), and by material (alphabetically within). The materials used by each dealer or processor are listed by general category. The categories of materials are ferrous metals, nonferrous metals, paper, glass, plastic and rubber. The type of support service offered by each dealer or processor is also listed by general category. The categories of support services are pickup service, container rental/lease/sales, equipment rental/lease/sales, advisory services and brokerage. The directory contains a list of entries within each of the abovementioned formats. Each entry contains the name, address and telephone number of the processor or dealer, the name of a contact person within the company, and the materials used and services provided by the processor or dealer. The information which is contained in the directory was obtained by the DER through two months of telephone interviews. Governor’s Recycling Markets Advisory Committee (RMAC) In recognition of the important role of marketing in the recycling process, the state of Florida has taken an aggressive approach to the development of materials markets. In August 1991, the Recycling Markets Advisory Committee was established by Executive Order 91-208 issued by Governor Lawton Chiles. This 50-member committee, which included six state agency directors, state representatives and other participants drawn from the recycling industry, academia, local government and environmental organizations, was co-chaired by the secretary of the Department of Environmental 8 Regulation, Carol Browner, and the secretary of the Department of Commerce, Greg Farmer. The committee was charged with responsibility to review the status of markets for Florida’s recyclables, as well as products made from recycled materials, and to develop strategies for addressing obstacles being encountered. In addition, the committee was required to propose solutions to any problems in the manufacturing of products made from Florida recyclable materials, and guidelines for the development of effective markets for products with recycled content. The committee was further required to make recommendations to the Governor, Cabinet and Legislature for the 1992 legislative session on short and long-term steps which could be taken by Florida to improve markets for Florida-generated recyclables; and to provide ongoing advice, direction and support for Florida’s recycling program to enhance markets for Florida recyclable materials. The committee met during the latter part of 1991. During its first meeting, focus was on identification of factors which hindered market development of each targeted commodity: paper, glass, metals, and plastics; and marketing potential. Status of four categories of recycled paper was examined. These were old newsprint (ONP), old corrugated cardboard (OCC), printing/writing paper and mixed grades. It was found that in Florida, 42 percent of ONP, 65 percent of OCC, and relatively low volumes of printing/writing and mixed waste paper were being diverted from the waste stream. Principal obstacles to paper recycling identified by the committee were high collection costs, limited markets for recovered materials, and lack of uniform specifications for certain grades. A number of positive factors were identified in the marketplace, including increasing capacity of papermills in the region, increased consumer demand for printing/writing recycled paper, and avoidance of waste disposal costs. Obstacles to market development for recycled commodities were then examined by five work groups. These were regulations, capital and financing, product demand, transportation and product quality assurance. Recyclers Markets Implementation Group The Recyclers Markets Implementation Group was formed for the purpose of studying the ways in which interagency cooperation can facilitate development of the recycled market. The group is composed of representatives of several state agencies. 9 Compost Markets The Florida Department of Environmental Regulation has met with representatives of Keep America Beautiful, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Institute of Food and Agricultural Services, some Water Management Districts, and Procter and Gamble Company, to discuss the marketing of compost. There are plans for a larger meeting which will be attended by representatives of the potential users of composted material. In addition, research shall be conducted in an effort to answer some of the concerns connected with potential compost markets. Georgia Georgia Recycling Market Development Council (GRMDC) is the group which deals with programs implemented for the market development of recyclable materials. GRMDC has, in its two years of existence (1991, 1992), considered three basic areas regarding recycling market development: 1) education 2) procurement; and 3) scrap tires. Activities of the GRMDC have centered around legislation, beginning with the 1990 Georgia Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Act which established the Council. Also, legislation such as HB 36 in 1991 and HB 1385 in 1992 dealing with procurement and scrap tires respectively, have marked the beginnings of recycling market development in Georgia. The Council will continue this type of effort and others over the coming years. Kentucky The following three programs have been regarded as the most successful, relative to the market development of recyclable materials over the past two years (1991, 1992): 10 Kentucky Recycling Brokerage Authority (KRBA) The Kentucky Recycling Brokerage Authority (KRBA) is a public corporation comprised of state government officials, elected municipal and county government officials, environmentalists and industry representatives. It was established by the passage of SB 2 during the 1991 Special Session of the Kentucky General Assembly, as part of Kentucky’s Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Act. The KRBA is located within the Kentucky Economic Development Cabinet and is responsible for furthering the efforts of local governments to develop reliable markets for their recyclables. The KRBA will provide a number of services to participants, including: (1) Cooperative Marketing of Recyclables: KRBA will develop and manage marketing programs to include the following materials: aluminum cans, steel cans, plastic, newsprint, corrugated cardboard and glass. KRBA staff will work with end-users of selected materials to negotiate contracts for the sale of goods. The marketing program will also include assistance with transportation and distribution of materials. (2) Market Development: KRBA, through its position in the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, will work to develop additional markets for recycled goods. This development will involve attracting new industry and assisting existing industry to utilize recyclable feed stocks. New market development will include both conventional and alternative recyclable products. (3) Training and Educational Programs: KRBA staff will work with recycling facility personnel on product preparation to meet end-user needs. KRBA will also conduct training seminars and prepare information bulletins on various aspects of recycling. (4) Technical Assistance: KRBA staff, in cooperation with the Kentucky Division of Waste Management, will provide technical assistance developing, implementing, or expanding a recycling program. Staff are also available to meet and discuss particular questions or concerns. (5) Newsletter: When in full operation, KRBA will publish a quarterly newsletter which will contain current market information, recycling program news, current technology information, committee reports and dates of upcoming seminars. 11 (6) Record Management: KRBA will maintain records on the amount of materials moved from each community, manage and process all supporting documentation with end users, arrange for shipment of processed materials, and receive and distribute all revenues. Additionally, as a community or business participant with the KRBA develops programs for the collection and processing of materials, the KRBA staff can assist with technical advice on the purchase of the equipment necessary to process recyclables to meet end-user specifications. Assistance may also be available to arrange for processing of materials at regional distribution centers. Once materials have been processed, the community or business participant would simply contact KRBA to arrange for the movement of materials to market. KRBA will also perform market research to identify Kentucky industries that need recycled materials; assist with training and education for local recycling center and solid waste facility personnel; participate in contract negotiations with potential end users on behalf of local governments; provide market information on pricing and program details to local governments; and provide administrative services necessary for the KRBA’s success, including contract details, invoicing, quality assurance provisions and disbursements. Legislation Various amendments have been made to the Kentucky state procurement policy, as established by Kentucky’s Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Act, adopting minimum recycled material content standards for the procurement of materials by state agencies. Kentucky was recently recognized by the National Association of State Purchasing Officials for being the, number one state government in the nation for the percentage of recycled printing and writing paper it buys, namely, 100 percent. Incentives for Recycling Various recycling incentives, including tax credits and exemptions, low-interest loan financing, and dedicated economic development bond goals, are offered as part of the state’s effort to encourage recycling. 12 Barriers to Market Development of Recycled Materials Many factors contribute to making it difficult to obtain a market for recycled materials: (i) smaller communities often lack the volume of materials to directly deal with the end-users of secondary materials; (ii) rural communities often are located far away from the industrial users of recyclable materials, which tend to be located near urban areas where the supply of materials is greater. Hence, transportation costs make the collection of materials prohibitive in some rural areas. Other barriers include: (iii) lack of processing equipment; (iv) limited storage space; (v) lack of experienced personnel. Louisiana Statewide Recycling Awareness Program The statewide recycling awareness program in Louisiana began in 1990. Presently, the program exists within 90 percent of the parishes. In each parish, there is a recycling planner, who is responsible for planning, collecting and purchasing recyclable materials. The program is funded by the state, through an overcharge in the price of oil, but has needed additional funds for implementation. The program has successfully educated the public regarding the merits and benefits of recycling. Approximately $2.7 million have been awarded throughout the state to local government. The efforts of the program has resulted in an estimated energy savings of 17,000 trillion BTU’s. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has submitted additional proposals to the Department of Natural Resources for a continuation of this program with the intent of moving from the educational phase into full implementation phase. 13 Market Development The state funded a position with the Department of Economic Development whose sole responsibility is to find markets for products made from recycled materials. DEQ has contributed assistance to the Louisiana State University, Institute for Recycled Materials, with a waste exchange project as one of the results. The opening of a new plastics recycling facility in Alexandria has been negotiated and is in the developmental stages. Newspaper publishers have committed to using recycling content in their publications, moving to an eventual content/usage rate of 40 percent recycled content. Legislation Solid Waste Management Plan On June 11, 1992, the Louisiana Legislature issued Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 75 to the Louisiana DEQ, mandating the agency to develop a Statewide Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP). The SWMP is based on a “regionalization” of parishes, a concept aimed at addressing landfill availability, waste minimization and the waste management costs. The interim report was delivered to the legislature on October 1, 1992, with the final report due on March 1, 1993. Waste Tire Program Louisiana has instituted a waste tire program, the purpose of which is to divert tires from landfills to beneficial use type applications. The program is funded by a $2.00 fee imposed on the purchase of all new tires. The existing regulations that have been in place since January, 1992, are currently being revised in response to new legislation that was passed subsequent to the introduction of the regulations. Solid Waste Regulations have been drafted and are expected to be finalized early this year. These regulations will bring the state into compliance with the Federal Subtitle D requirements. 14 Recycling Directory The Recycling Directory is broken down by parish, cross referenced by a product chart which lists the location of recycling centers, the name of companies which manufacture and distribute recycled equipment, and the names of relevant organizations and publications. Local Government Progress While any cities, towns, municipalities and parishes throughout the state began aggressive recycling programs, one stands out. The City of Alexandria was awarded first place in the National Recycling Awards, sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Mayors for the best new recycling program for a city with a population under 50,000 this past year. Mississippi Mississippi has implemented one program for the market development of recyclable material over the past two years (1991-1992) and has not had enough experience with it to determine if it is successful or not. The program is the creation of the Mississippi Recycling Market Development Council. The following information concerns the structure and responsibilities of the Council, and shall be repealed on January 31, 1996. Structure: The Mississippi Recycling Market Development Council has 14 members which include five members which represent the paper, glass, aluminum, plastic, and ferrous and nonferrous metal industries, and trade associations which are active in recycling; one member representing a statewide chartered public interest group; one member who is an elected city official; one member who is an elected member of a county governing authority; one member designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; one member designated by the President of the Senate; one member appointed by the Governor representing the private recycling industry; and one representative each from the Department of Finance and Administration, the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Economic and Community Development. Responsibilities: The Council has the responsibility to determine what actions, if any, are needed to facilitate the development and expansion of markets for materials 15 and products recovered from solid waste in the state and to prepare a report with recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature. The report is due on January 1, 1993, and shall include, at a minimum, the following: a) a description and analysis of the state’s existing recycling industry, the types and estimated amounts of recovered materials being separated or reprocessed; b) an analysis of the projected long-term capacity of existing markets to absorb materials generated by source separation, recovery or recycling programs; c) an analysis of potential markets in the state, in other states or in foreign countries for source-separated or recovered materials or products from the state; d) an analysis of institutional, economic and technical barriers to the use of source-separated or recovered materials or products; e) recommendations for actions which may be taken to increase demand for source-separated or recovered materials or products; f) recommendations for actions which may be taken to increase the incentives for private individuals and for business and industry to source-separate and recover materials; g) recommendations on categories of materials which should be source-separated and recovered in the state, given existing and potential markets for such materials; h) recommendations for a public education program to be implemented by the Department of Environmental Quality to provide information to the public and to business and industry on the benefits of source separation, recovery and recycling and on the availability of those materials or products; i) a study of methods for source separation, recycling and disposal of household waste; j) a study of packaging reduction. The Council, following its initial report, is required to submit to the Governor and Legislature, by the end of each calendar year, an annual report on recycling activities within the state which shall, at a minimum, include the following: a) any necessary revisions; b) an analysis of changes which have occurred with markets for recovered materials since the last report; c) any other recommendations to facilitate the development of markets for source-separated and recovered materials in the state. Missouri Market Development Program This program was created in 1992 as a result of Senate Bill 530, the 1990 revision of solid waste law. The legislature appropriates $1 million annually from the Solid Waste Management Fund and is administered by the Environmental Improvement and 16 Energy Resources Authority (EIERA) in coordination with the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Economic Development. Initial efforts of the program in 1992 centered on providing financial assistance to businesses, communities and organizations that could collect, process, manufacture or market products made from recovered materials. Last spring, over 300 applications for financial assistance were requested and 120 completed applications were received seeking over $11 million in funding. The Market Development Steering Committee, composed of representatives from EIERA, DED and DNR, selected a short list of 24 applications totaling close to $950,000 in requested assistance. During negotiations with the applicants over the summer, several either withdrew their request of were eliminated from consideration. Currently, 17 businesses, individuals or organizations statewide have received nearly $700,000 in financial assistance for a variety of projects. A public/private coalition of business and government leaders is being developed to direct the activities of the Missouri Market Development Program. Besides providing direct financial assistance to the recycling infrastructure, the program offers the following services to the state: 1) technical assistance to collectors, processors, manufacturers and other users of recovered materials; 2) educational programs and materials to encourage Missourians to request, buy and use products made from recovered materials; 3) development of a computerized database of markets and materials on a local, regional, state and national basis; and 4) coordination of market development activities among neighboring states and nationally, as well as recycling activities by various state departments and agencies. Recycling Implementation Plan - Market Development The Department of Economic Development shall utilize existing state community recycling efforts to develop new markets for recycled materials by encouraging existing 17 manufacturers to include recycled materials in their production processes, and by seeking to attract new industrial users of recovered materials. To encourage community recycling programs, the department will explore the possibility of using Neighborhood Assistance Program tax credits for establishment of community-based recycling centers and include a recycling plan as part of the Missouri Certified Cities certification program. To promote the development of new markets in Missouri for recycled materials, the department will explore the application of the new jobs/investment tax credit program for investments made by companies to modify their production processes to include recycled materials, to purchase equipment needed for recycling and to begin new enterprises that use recycled materials. The state also will use existing financing programs for new and existing manufacturers involved in resource recovery, materials conversion, or manufacture of products using a high percentage of recovered materials. The state also will develop informational databases to assist Missouri manufacturers in locating sources of secondary materials and/or markets for these materials. The Missouri Product Finder will be expanded to include listings of recycling centers, to provide more information on what by-products are available from Missouri manufacturers, and to develop a list of Missouri manufacturers that currently use or could use secondary materials in their production processes. Procurement Program The Missouri procurement program was spawned by state legislation which requires agencies of the state to purchase products which contain recovered recyclable materials, provided the products have a price and quality comparable to products made from virgin materials. The law applies to the purchase and use of recycled paper, recycled (refined) motor oil, and other materials. The statute specifies goals for the percentage of recycled content of paper. In 1990, over two million dollars worth of paper products made with recovered recyclable material were purchased. The recovered material content for all but two of the products was 50 percent. In addition, 45 percent of the motor oil purchased by the state garage was refined. State agencies have purchased trash can liners made from 25 percent recycled goods, containers and packaging “peanuts.” 18 In the future, Missouri may increase the purchase of recycled paper products, plastic lumber products, compost (as a substitute for peat moss), and carpet. Additionally, the state’s Division of Purchasing and Materials Management is hoping to set up a paper consortium for the purchase of fine paper and other recycled products. The intention here is to increase purchasing power of the member states. Recycling Centers In 1971, Missouri maintained 11 collection centers for recycling. The number of recycling centers increased to 350 in 1991. Recyclable materials are recovered in the recycling centers, and are then made into marketable products. Missouri has set aside one million dollars in its annual budget for the development of local markets for products made from materials recovered in recycling centers throughout the state (see above). North Carolina The following analysis of the market development of recycled materials in North Carolina is taken from a report entitled Development of a Strategic Plan for the Marketing of Recyclables in North Carolina Project: Assessment of the Recyclable Materials Markets and Market System in North Carolina: Final Report April 1, 1991. Legislation SB 111 is the legislative basis for market development of recyclable materials in North Carolina. Methods for Creating Markets for Recyclable Materials The state of North Carolina has made it a goal to increase end-user demand for mixed glass, used tires, green glass, construction/demolition debris, mixed paper and low grade textiles and other recyclable material for which there is limited demand. The following list outlines the various methods, considered or employed by the state, to increase the market development of recyclables: 1) Studies on the development of markets for recyclable materials. 19 North Carolina has compiled a report, entitled Development of a Strategic Plan for the Marketing of Recyclable Materials in North Carolina Project: Assessment of the Recyclable Materials Markets and Market System in North Carolina, Final Report, April 1, 1991. The final report contains detailed descriptions of the markets for recyclable materials. The report defines certain recyclable materials (glass, paper, metals, plastics, rubber, biomass, petroleum, construction waste, textiles, chemicals), and for each material provides a description of the market structure and the markets serving North Carolina for that material, thereby increasing participation. In addition, the report contains a general sketch of market development information. 2) Replace virgin feedstock with recycled materials. 3) Develop new products exclusively from recyclable materials that presently have little end-use demand. 4) Demonstration Projects including: a) North Carolina State University/North Carolina Department Transportation’s three-year study on the use of rubberized asphalt; of b) North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service/North Carolina Department of Environmental Health and Natural Resources Solid Waste Section’s composting studies; c) North Carolina Department of Agriculture and North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service’s animal bedding from newsprint studies; d) NCDEHNR Business/Industry Development Division’s efforts to recruit businesses that use recyclable materials in their product manufacture; e) NCDECD International Trade Division’s work with companies to export recyclable materials overseas; f) NCDECD Commerce Finance Center’s inclusion in its programs of low cost financing to manufacturers of products using recyclable materials through Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs); 20 g) North Carolina Department of Administration State Surplus Division’s selling states government’s surplus recyclables; h) North Carolina Association of County Commissioners’ organizing the collection and transport of waste materials that could be used on highway construction; and i) Tire capping with reclaimed rubber by one of North Carolina’s largest retreading firms (permission has been granted to begin testing in this area). 5) Information Sharing: a) Office of Waste Reduction (OWR) Recycler Database and SEWE offer manufacturers of products an information resource enabling them to buy recyclable material. 6) Matching sellers with buyers: a) Several trade associations will help link buyers and sellers of material and are working with member companies to develop material acceptance specifications. 7) Tracking and imitating out-of-state markets for particular recyclable materials: a) mixed glass and asphalt - mixed glass has been used as aggregate in road construction; b) mixed paper - a Belgium firm is marketing insulating fiber board made from mixed paper and wheat straw; c) construction waste - in Canada, Ontario Multi-Material Recycling, Inc. (OMRI) founded a gypsum board recycling plant which uses a significant amount of Southern Ontario’s construction waste to manufacture wallboard; d) wood - in Canada, OMRI founded a wood recycling activity; e) mixed plastics - a relatively new process allows manufacturers to produce plastic lumber from mixed plastic containers. A Statesville, North Carolina firm is one of six such manufacturers in the United States; and 21 f) crumb rubber - crumb rubber from tires is used for manufacturing a variety of rubber mat products. North Carolina hopes to use these manufacturing processes as a guide to encourage the development of similar processes with the state. 8) State Agency assistance with market development: a) In order to coordinate the market development efforts among various state agencies, the primary focus will be on understanding the economic development process, which is central to the market development process. Primary responsibility for development activities lies with NCDEHNR and NCDED, and these two agencies are in the process of defining their specific roles. 9) Consensus-building dialogue among the major players: a) The state of North Carolina has recognized the need for a consensus-building dialogue among entities with an interest in developing markets for recyclable materials. Officials are hoping that state government, local governments, trade associations, and individual recycling businesses instrumental in market development are all working together toward a common goal. In an effort to implement a consensus-building dialogue in North Carolina, models in other states have been considered: a) Maryland’s Department of Environment, Department of Economic Development, and Department of Employment coordinate efforts to assist firms with setting up facilities within the state; b) Missouri created an interagency forum to discuss how to develop and expand the state recycling industry through meetings between the Office of Administration, Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Improvement, Energy Resources Authority and the Department of Economic Development; c) Georgia and Tennessee have initiated market development councils composed of public and private sector representatives. These councils have the responsibility of recommending policy and projects that would stimulate 22 market development. Georgia’s council will oversee the implementation of approved initiatives; d) Virginia has hired market development coordinators to orchestrate programs that are implemented through state and local governments, private industries and with other states in the region. Activities of the market development coordinators include monitoring of recyclables statewide material supply; technical assistance via telephone and workshops; legislation; maintenance of the recycling industry database; giving advice to community and economic development departments, aiding market development initiatives of individual agencies. 10) Interstate cooperation to encourage recycling markets: a) Almost 50 percent of the states participate in interstate cooperation to encourage recycling markets. Cooperation takes the form of multi-government procurement and jointly supported Research and Development. 11) Ensure adequate funding for the development of markets: a) The success of North Carolina’s development of market opportunities for recyclable materials depends on financial cooperation from both the public and private sectors. Financing initiatives of the state of North Carolina include the following: a) The Commerce Finance Center, NCDECD, provides low cost financing, which includes loans to manufacturers of products made from recyclable materials, to assist such industries with renovating the manufacturing building or buying recycling equipment. Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs) make such financing possible; b) The Energy Division, NCDECD, funds and administers waste-to-energy, solid waste and market development of recyclable materials projects. Current projects include the strategic plan (see first paragraph of the materials for North Carolina market development), and a project to convert old newsprint into animal bedding. Planned initiatives include administration of a regional 23 processing and recycling facility demonstration project, a waste tire utilization project and a series of workshops on marketing recyclable materials. c) The Office of Waste Reduction, NCDEHNR, sponsors Pollution Prevention Program Challenge Grants targeted to companies that want to create demonstration projects in solid, hazardous and industrial waste. In 1990, a total of $125,000 in grants was allotted, with individual grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000. Approved projects receive matching funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis up to $15,000. Since 1985, 84 projects have been funded, totaling more than $960,000 in pollution prevention and waste reduction efforts. d) The Office of Waste Reduction, NCDEHNR, administers the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund, a grant vehicle funded through collection of the Scrap Tire Disposal Fee and an initial $300,000 disbursement from the General Assembly. This fund is used to sponsor demonstration projects. To date, $120,000 has been awarded to six first round winners. There are programs for education, a mixed waste paper study, the Western Carolina regional materials recovery and marketing system (a 31 county regional planning, policy and implementation program) and the Watauga County animal bedding from newsprint study. The focus of the grants will shift, based on the fund’s advisory committee choice. The budget for the grants is expected to grow, based on the expansion of the Scrap Tire Disposal Fee contribution. e) The Solid Waste Section, NCDEHNR, administers the Recycling and Resource Recovery Equipment and Facilities Tax Credit Program which was initiated January 1, 1976. It gives special tax treatment to individuals and corporations that purchase resource recovery or recycling equipment, or that construct facilities for resource recovery or recycling. While approximately 200 tax certifications were issued in 1989 alone, the tax credit is not aggressively marketed by the agency. f) The Solid Waste Management Loan Program was created in 1989 to provide low interest loans to local governments for solid waste management projects. The Solid Waste Section develops rules and ranks projects for their eligibility, while the Capital Projects Financing Agency in the Office of State Treasurer executes the financial transactions. Additional funds have not been appropriated. 24 Non-state funded financing initiatives in North Carolina include: a) The North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center provides grants that will be used by the Kerr-Tarr COGs for a proposed regional recycling project. The project will entail the construction of a landfill and an adjacent recycling center. These facilities will serve a five-county area. A site for the landfill and center was scheduled to be identified by March 1991. Construction of the recycling center is planned to be completed by the end of the summer. The grants will be used to hire engineering consultants to provide advice for collection and processing of recyclable materials. The effect of the aforementioned financial measures is positive, but more programs and initiatives for the development of material supply systems and markets is deemed necessary. 12)Recycling Coordinators Training Program: a) This program was initiated by the North Carolina Recycling Association (NCRA), which solicits funds and has received financial contributions from the North Carolina Soft Drink Association, the National Soft Drink Association, and the Office of Waste Reduction, each of which contributed $25,000. The goal of the program is to educate 140 people—county coordinators, municipal government employees and anyone else who would like to attend, listed in order of priority—between early Fall 1991 and December 1992; Barriers and Possible Solutions to Market Development of Recycled Materials 1) Barrier: Supply and Recovery Local governments are relatively new at establishing recovery efforts. Solution: (i) Some counties have used financial incentives and disincentives to encourage private haulers to recycle rather than disposing of potential recyclables. Examples include raising tipping fees and using diversion credits. (ii) Organized material recovery programs in the state are increasing in number. 25 2) Barrier: Processing (i) The difficulty and cost of removing contaminants is a barrier to the effective marketing of recycled materials. This is especially true for materials which have a low market value and for those which are not traditionally recovered, such as construction/demolition debris. (ii) Contamination of potential recyclables. The presence of food wastes, trash and incompatible material (ex. pyrex mixed with container glass), can lead to processing complications and/or contribute to end-use rejection of large shipments of materials. (iii) The use of specialized or toxic formulations in the manufacture of certain products has complicated material separation. Some metals contain unnecessary toxins that make them impossible to recycle because of the health risk. White goods may contain PCB-laden capacitors. Freon in cars and refrigerators is an emerging problem. Textiles and plastics have been specialized to the point where some are virtual house blends, rendering them non-recyclable except to the original manufacturer. Materials which pose the biggest challenge for the separation and cleaning are plastics, glass, paper, textiles, antifreeze and conglomerate materials. Solutions: Solutions for processing barriers are organized according to material (i) Plastic - Council for Solid Waste Solutions funds separation technology research; Society of Plastics created a voluntary coding system for plastic containers; the Council’s Center for Plastic Recycling Research is developing and licensing PET separation technology, as well as a process for reclaiming resin. (ii) Glass - the Council is developing an automatic sorting line and is working on an optics method for sorting color. (iii) General - the Office of Waste Reduction (NCDEHNR) and some of the larger trade associations are encouraging the advancement of processing technology at the local level. 3) Barrier: Transportation Costs 26 High transportation costs are a major barrier to cost-effective shipping of recyclable materials from generator to processor to end-user. Transportation may be financially prohibitive for generators or recycling companies located in rural, low-volume areas. Solution: Densify recyclable materials for cost effective transport to intermediate and end-user markets. Densification is especially useful as a solution when the recyclable is a bulky material, such as plastic containers, film, steel/tin cans, and old corrugated containers. 4) Barrier: Low Population and Lack of Infrastructure In general, the rural characteristics of low population and lack of infrastructure act as a barrier to efficient recovery processing and transportation of recyclable materials, hence affecting the supply of recyclable material. Oklahoma The following two programs have been regarded as the most successful, relative to the market development of recyclable materials over the past two years (1991, 1992). Recycling Industry Council The Oklahoma Department of Commerce works with the Oklahoma State Department of Health on a special project to develop markets for recycled materials. The Department of Commerce staff provides direct business assistance to the recycling industry, prioritizing projects which expand or improve markets for recycled materials. The effort revolves around a recycling industry council composed of representatives of the state’s industries which utilize recovered materials. A key activity for 1993 will be a recycled products expo combined with a state recycling conference. Examples of recent market development include the addition of a new paper machine at Fort Howard’s tissue mill, a major expansion of Weyerhauser’s kraft mill, and the recent construction by Phillips Petroleum of a plant to recover plastics. Catalog of Recycled Products Available Through Oklahoma State Contracts This catalog was produced by the Department of Central Services with the assistance of the Oklahoma State Department of Health, and is consistent with the 27 1992 law amending 74 O.S. 1991, Section 85.51 et seq., in which the legislature encourages agencies to buy products made of recycled materials. Recycled products include envelopes; tissue products (facial tissue, napkins, paper towels, toilet paper); laser printer toner cartridges; and office supplies (tape, adding machine, steno books, covers, binders, folders with fasteners, ruled pads, post-it note pads, scratch and telephone pads). For each product, the catalog contains a list of prices, vendors and corresponding state contract titles, numbers and descriptions. The guide is arranged such that its page numbers refer to page numbers in actual contracts. It also contains ordering information for each product. Legislation: The Oklahoma Waste Tire Recycling Act The basis for the Oklahoma State Department of Health’s Waste Tire Management Program is the Oklahoma Waste Tire Recycling Act, which was created to provide funding to facilitate tire processing for extraction of useful materials for recycling, reuse, or energy recovery. In Oklahoma, waste tires are considered solid waste until the form of the tire has been altered to facilitate recycling, or the tire is used beneficially for a specific purpose such as erosion control. One of the primary concerns related to waste tire disposal in Oklahoma is that tires in their whole form are not readily acceptable for landfill disposal due to their tendency to “float”. This reduces the disposal options available to producers of waste tires, and is partially responsible for the proliferation of illegal waste tire dumps with their associated vector control and fire problems. The Waste Tire Recycling Act established a waste tire recycling fee of one dollar ($1.00) per tire to be assessed at the time any new tire for use on automobiles or on light trucks with a laden weight of ten thousand (10,000) pounds or less is sold by a wholesale or retail dealer not for resale. This money is remitted to an ”indemnity fund“. Reimbursement from the “indemnity fund” is specifically available for allocation to facilities which are permitted as solid waste disposal sites, in accordance with the Oklahoma Waste Management Act. The rationale for the fee is that each time a new tire is sold, a waste tire is produced and therefore adds to the waste tire disposal issue. A small percentage of tires in the state are not disposed of, but resold as used tires or are used in retreading or 28 recapping operations. Retreaded or recapped tires do not have the $1.00 waste tire recycling fee assessed against them when they are resold since they are not “new tires” as specified in the waste tire act. Waste tire facilities are eligible for compensation at a rate of up to $.50 per tire from the indemnity fund for each tire that their facility processes if they meet the specified criteria. The facilities are eligible for additional compensation at a rate of $.35 per tire for the collection and transportation of waste tires, if the requisite criteria are met. The Oklahoma State Department of Health is responsible for the review and certification of applications by permitted facilities for reimbursements from the indemnity fund on a quarterly basis. The facilities are reimbursed on the processed weight of the tires with 18.7 pounds of processed material being considered the equivalent of one tire. Market Development for Scrap Tire and Rubber Products The Waste Tire Act requires that waste tire facilities process tires in a manner which renders the tires available for recycling reuse or energy recovery. The act also requires that permitted facilities develop markets for the processed tire material they produce within three years after the issuance of their permit to continue to be eligible for reimbursement from the Waste Tire Recycling Indemnity Fund. The combined effort of these two requirements has stimulated the interest of tire processing facilities in the state to develop markets for their tire derived materials, the facilities are allowed to maintain the confidence of their potential markets but the majority of the markets currently being developed appear to be for tire derived fuel. Success of the Implementation of the Waste Tire Act Through the month of August, 1991 there have been 4,080,171 waste tires processed and made available for recycling processes. The State of Oklahoma has remitted a total of $2,685,662 through the month of August, 1991 for the processing of waste tires. Directory of Recycling Businesses The Oklahoma State Department of Health maintains an inventory of recycling businesses in the state. The information is updated annually, presenting data on each business, the types of materials handled, and any special requirements. 29 Cherokee County Public Education Program, Litter Enforcement and Buy Recycled Program Cherokee County has undertaken a public education program to address the issues of water pollution and other problems arising from promiscuous dumping of solid waste. Due to the education program, many illegal dumps have been cleaned up by volunteer groups. Enforcement of the litter law of Cherokee County is supported by the County District Attorney, who is willing to take action against violators when a warning letter does not resolve the situation. Cherokee County has also implemented a buy recycled policy. Oklahoma Public Awareness Campaign A Public Awareness Campaign has been recommended whereby the objectives would be to educate the public that to really recycle, it is necessary to purchase recycled products, to teach that finding a market means having large quantities of clean products, and to encourage state agencies to purchase, whenever possible, items containing recycled products. In order to promote the objectives of the Public Awareness Campaign, several methods have been suggested. These methods include the creation of a state recycling logo; production and distribution of a recycling bumper stickers with the state logo; promotion of the Catalog of Recycled Products to be used by agency buyers when purchasing items; a partnership with industry to produce and run television and radio advertisements about buying it back Commercials would possibly feature office paper—Envision tissue product, glass containers, plastic, and corrugated boxes. Barriers and Possible Solutions to Market Development of Recyclable Materials 1) Barrier: Funding for Rural Areas Local and county governments do not have easy access to capital which is necessary for the development of modern systems of integrated waste management. Solution: Revolving Fund Established by the State Legislature 30 The Governor will ask the legislature to create a revolving fund which provides low or no interest loans for the capitalization of rural collection systems and regional transfer stations. 2) Barrier: Expensive Equipment The equipment which is required for processing recyclable materials and for preparing materials for composting is very expensive. Solution: Revolving Fund The governor will use the oil overcharge program to create a revolving fund which provides no interest loans and grants to local governments and to non-profit public service organizations for the capitalization of recycling and composting equipment. 3) Barrier: Waste Removal and Disposal Costs Waste removal and disposal costs function as a barrier to the development of an effective program to recycle waste generated from state government operations. The budget centers which incur the cost of waste management and realize the benefits of recycling are not always the same budget centers which fund the state recycling effort. There is also a lack of money to fund a recycling staff. Solution: Agency Surcharge and Fee Assessment The Governor will direct each agency of the state and budget center which incurs costs for waste removal and disposal to remit a modest surcharge (1%-5%) based on their garbage bill, to the Department of Central Services. Agencies which do not directly pay for waste disposal will be assessed according to what the landlord must pay for disposal services. The Department will use the money exclusively for the operation of a state agency recycling program. Puerto Rico The Solid Waste Authority has been working with two programs to help the development of recycling markets in the island. Both programs are briefly described. 31 Directory of Existing Markets on the Island In 1991, a plan was developed to collect information to create a comprehensive directory of existing markets in the island. The information collected includes the name of the company, materials accepted, street address, phone and contact persons. The directory has been distributed in the community, industry, commerce and government to facilitate the identification of the markets available for their recycling programs. The markets benefit with a gradual increase of recovered materials that is available to increase their operation and the establishment of new markets. Legislation: Executive Order 1990-43 In September 1990, the Governor of Puerto Rico approved Executive Order 1990-43, to promote the development of recycling programs in government agencies. A work plan of four phases was developed: i) Make contact with agencies to identify the coordinator of the program. ii) Offer a training program to coordinators about how to implement the program. iii) Offer technical assistance about specific problems, inspection visits for evaluation and assistance in the development of educational sessions. iv) Compile progress reports, evaluations and recommendations. There are over 25 agencies participating actively with over 890,000 pounds of paper recovered this year. South Carolina Various stages of recycling can be witnessed in South Carolina, from communities with sophisticated collection and processing systems to counties with no recycling program put into place. However, there are currently several projects underway that will assist in promoting future market development for recyclables in our state. Recycling Market Development Council Appointed by the Governor, the members of the council began meeting in June 1992 to identify and recommend policies to promote market development for 32 recyclables in South Carolina. The council is charged with providing an annual report to the Governors and General Assembly that outlines the various issues affecting recycling markets in the state. Since August, the council has been working on a report to be submitted in February 1993, that shows the current status of recycling markets for glass, plastics, paper, lead-acid batteries, tires, used oil, and scrap metal. In addition, the report provides information about any barriers that exist for these items and offers recommendations to foster further market developments. Recycling Markets Directory The South Carolina Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling has compiled a comprehensive list of South Carolina markets for recyclable materials. The list is provided to state and local governments, solid waste professionals, the general public and other interested parties. The directory is updated quarterly to maintain as current information as possible in this dynamic field. Recycling Markets Database The South Carolina Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling is developing an interactive database to provide information on recycling markets throughout the southeast region. In addition to information compiled by the office, the database will also provide access to EnviroSouth, Recyclers Trade Network and SWICH. Interested parties can call the office’s toll-free information number, 1-800-768-7348, to find out more about the recycling market information. Barriers to Market Development of Recycled Materials The major difficulties in market development occur in more rural areas where population figures are smaller and people live further distances away from each other making curbside economically unfeasible. The volumes are not large enough to sustain steady markets for collected materials. Another deterrent to successful programs is an unwillingness among some local governments to work with neighboring communities or counties to create larger volumes of materials. Improved communications is the key to realizing successful recycling in many areas throughout South Carolina. 33 Tennessee Office of Cooperative Marketing for Recyclables The Office of Cooperative Marketing for Recyclables is part of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Solid Waste Assistance (DEC, SWA). The Office facilitates the market development of recycled materials in the following manner: (i) maintains a directory of recycling programs, whether the program is public, private, profit, or nonprofit; (ii) maintains a directory of regional buyers, including material specification and prices; (iii) tracks, on a quarterly basis, volumes and types of materials available in recycling centers for use as feedstock by end-users; (iv) provides market research and development; (v) provides technical assistance in the design and implementation of recycling programs upon request and through regional workshops. Topics are to include processing facility, equipment, collection , and material handling needs; (vi) distributes quarterly market bulletins to local government offices, recycling centers and educators; and (vii) matches local governments with community programs for recycling. The duties of the Office of Cooperative Marketing for Recyclables are set forth in the 1991 Solid Waste Management Act, Tennessee Code Annotated Section 68-211-826. Information Clearinghouse Tennessee DEC, SWA functions as an information clearinghouse for materials containing recycled content and their sources. 34 Texas Texas Corporate Recycling Council (TCRC) The Texas Corporate Recycling Council (TCRC) is a partnership between the public and private sectors which was developed, in part, to promote the creation of stable markets for industrial waste and post-consumer waste and to further the development of recycling in conjunction with the economy. The council is composed of a director and coordinator for the council, for market development and for market support, as well as an office manager and a local liaison. One of the methods by which the council operates is to develop local corporate recycling councils throughout Texas. In 1991, the first three local councils were established, and in 1992, 12 local councils were established. The current objectives and strategies of the TCRC for market development include the following: 1) New Council Development In an effort to address the business market, the TCRC plans to expand the development of local councils. Local councils are envisioned in geographic areas with high-waste landfills, with lack of access to curbside recycling, with low business activity in recycling markets and with an interest in recycling. 2) On-Line Data Base Services The TCRC plans to develop and install an Electronic Bulletin Board Service (BBS) or a computerized data base service which would be a source of information on recycling products and issues. The information would be available to the TCRC and to all of the local councils. 3) Speakers Bureau The TCRC plans to develop a list of individuals who are knowledgeable and would be available to speak at conferences and meetings on specific recycling issues. The list would be made available to all of the councils. 4) Video Library The TCRC plans to provide local council members with a library of the latest videos available on recycling issues and integrated solid waste management. This can be achieved through a cooperative effort among the TCRC, corporations, universities, the Texas Water Commissioner and the Texas Department of Health. 35 5) News Releases In an effort to address the media, the TCRC will prepare generic news releases which will be continuously updated. The news releases will focus on specific recycling issues, and would be based on market development data supplied by local councils. The news releases will also be used in speeches of the commissioner and deputy, in ReUse and in other General Land Office Publications. 6) Literature/News Service The TCRC will develop and maintain a recycling library which will contain an assortment of news articles, literature, and brochures on recycling issues and products, and a listing of informative periodicals and books. The library and news service is for the benefit of local councils. 7) Tradeshows and Conferences In an effort to address the market of manufacturers, sellers and buyers of post-consumer and post-industrial waste products, general buyers and professionals, the TCRC will help organize local tradeshows and conferences to be held on an annual basis. 8) ReUse Newsletter The TCRC publishes ReUse, which is a quarterly newsletter distributed to all local council members and their constituents. The ReUse newsletter contains articles on new business developments, new local council formation, and recycling issues. 9) 1-800-FOR-TCRC (367-8272) In an effort to address any interested individual or organization located within the state of Texas, an easy access 1-800 phone number was put into use in 1992. The easy access number assists with any inquiries concerning the TCRC and/or other recycling issues or products. All business cards, brochures and informational literature of the TCRC will have this phone number listed. 10) Economic Development The TCRC will provide information on the technologic and economic feasibility of establishing or expanding a recycling business within the state of Texas. 11) Inter-Agency Coordination The TCRC plans to coordinate all activities with the agency Buy Recycled Campaign and to provide links to other state agencies which are crucial to recycling, such as the 36 Texas Water Commission, the General Services Commission, the Texas General Land Office and the Texas Department of Commerce. Virginia The Department of Waste Management has responsibility for overseeing the Commonwealth’s recycling efforts. The Department’s current market development initiatives for both recyclable and recycled materials include: (1) An information list of all local government and regional authority recycling collection programs in Virginia. The list is updated annually and includes information about the number of households served, the types of materials collected, the type of collection service offered, the location of drop-off centers, and the name, address, and telephone number of the program coordinator. (2) A database of private sector recycling collection drop-off centers, processors, brokers and end-users located in Virginia or surrounding states. A hard copy of the database is published each quarter. The listings are verified by the Department of Waste Management. Each listing includes information about the materials handled, and an address and telephone number. The listings are grouped by Virginia’s Planning District Commission regions. (3) A full-time Department employee dedicated to market development/assistance. This staff person provides market consultation with parties in the start-up or expansion phases of their recycling collection programs. Additional assistance is provided on a case-by-case basis for persons with unique or hard-to-recycle materials. This position is also responsible for certifying eligible equipment for the Commonwealth’s income tax credit for the purchase of recycling equipment. (4) The Department conducts local and regional workshops on recycling markets. Past workshops have centered on providing information to local government officials about how the recycling marketplace operates. At these workshops, representatives from private recycling processors and end-use manufacturing companies served as guest speakers to discuss the issues and product specifications of the materials their companies process. Future workshops will focus on procurement of finished products that contain recycled material. (5) The Department participates in the Virginia Department of General Services annual conference for public and private procurement officers. The Department serves as a 37 guest speaker and sponsors a display of the recycled-content products purchases by state and local government agencies. (6) The Department manages a grant program with funds collected through three litter taxes. Every local government is eligible for an annual direct grant and the monies may be used for both their litter prevention and recycling programs. Appalachian Regional Recycling Coalition In 1991, the Department of Waste Management was awarded a grant by the Appalachian Regional Commission to develop a recycling infrastructure program in the Appalachian region of Virginia, an area which comprises six planning districts and over 20 counties. The $100,000 grant contract consists of a two-year three part project: a study to develop a region-wide recyclable material marketing business plan, a cooperative marketing program among all the participating local government, and a yard waste composting demonstration project. The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) is also participating in the project and will be conducting the composting demonstration. The Department of Waste Management is serving as project coordinator. The project began in September of 1991, and concluded in October of 1992. The project is intended to demonstrate how predominately rural communities can develop more effective recycling programs through cooperative marketing arrangements. A measure of the project’s success will be the ability of the participating local governments to satisfy state mandated recycling rates. After the project began, a second grant was awarded by the Appalachian Regional Commission to fund a related project. This project is designed to further develop the regional resources for recycling and to establish an educational/training program for the participating communities. West Virginia North Central West Virginia Recycling Cooperative (NCWVRC) NCWVRC is a nonprofit entity formed for the purpose of cooperatively marketing recyclables in a nine county area of northern West Virginia. The area served by the Cooperative is predominantly rural, with a total population of 309,768 (1990 census figures), and economically depressed. Each county has its own unique situation 38 regarding current recycling efforts, therefore, the NCWVRC proposes to consolidate those efforts, with a total budget of $35,000. A three phase plan has been developed to organize and implement a cooperative marketing program to serve this area. Phase I will focus on training Recycling Cooperative members, hiring staff and creating a quality assurance program to ensure that recycled materials meet the standard of quality necessary for market success. The Quality Assurance program will be an ongoing project which is implemented during all three phases of the marketing program, and is anticipated to involve senior citizens who are employed as monitors of collection bins. The state of West Virginia has made large grants to assist with the transportation and processing of recycled materials from the rural and economically depressed area in which the Cooperative operates. Phase II will involve the establishment of an extensive record keeping process, the procurement of bins and sites for collection, the continuation of market development, and the formulation of a transportation plan. The first goal of Phase II is to set up the NCWVRC office and devise a sound record keeping system. Figures will be kept as to (i) the total amount diverted, by weight, from the waste stream, for each material, site and county; (ii) the total amount diverted, by volume, from the waste stream, for each material, site and county; (iii) the percentage of participation by county, region, and city sites vs. rural sites. The second goal of Phase II will be to procure several collection bins for each county and suitable sites for the bins. In addition, NCWVRC will continue market development to assure the Cooperative is receiving the optimal contracts for each of the recyclables. Once all of the contracts are in place, the Cooperative will be accepting bids for the processing of the materials based on the specifications provided by the markets. Phase II also involves the formulation of a transportation plan to assist in transporting recyclable materials from the collection bins to the processor. However, this is a foreseeably difficult task because of the rural nature of the region. Phase III focuses on implementing the collection and processing of recyclables. The grant money provided by EPA region 3 would be utilized to set up the co-marketing infrastructure and additional grant money would be obtained through grants by the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources to assist with transporting and processing recyclables. NCWVRC will attempt to enlist and organize community organizations and individuals to “adopt a bin.” This program is to be implemented prior to the onset of collection and will help decrease the number of paid monitors, increase public awareness and aid in the quality assurance process. NCWVRC will begin the collection process, having counties join as participants when they are able to begin 39 collection. NCWVRC will process high quality recycled materials, transport them to market, and issue a monthly progress report. The Solid Waste Reporter The Solid Waste Reporter is a monthly publication which contains articles about solid waste management events throughout the state. Articles may include such things as a synopsis of recent solid waste legislation; a briefing of conferences held on the topic of solid waste management; a list of the officers and directors of the Association of West Virginia Solid Waste Authorities; an abstract of a report concerning the relative impact on the environment between paper and plastic, coupled with a toll-free number which one can call to receive a copy of the report; an advertisement for an employment opening with the West Virginia Solid Waste Management Board, together with a phone number to call for a copy of the job description; a list of dates and locations of meetings by the Association of West Virginia Solid Waste Authority; excerpts from essay contests on the subject of solid waste management; description of successful solid waste management programs which have been implemented. The Solid Waste Reporter is published by the West Virginia University Extension Service, with the cooperative effort of the West Virginia Solid Waste Management Board and the Association of West Virginia Solid Waste Authorities. Ravenswood Curbside Program The citizens of Ravenwood have, for three years, been working toward an integrated approach to solid waste problems. The program and its history are described in the Solid Waste Reporter, November-December 1991 edition: In 1988, the town of Ravenswood received a federal grant to begin a curbside recycling program for aluminum, bi-metal, paper, glass and plastic, one of the state’s first such programs. A baler was leased by local officials for the town maintenance building, and has been constantly running since its arrival. Yard Waste: After the holidays, 175 Christmas trees were brought in for recycling, transported and put through the city chipper. As a result of the success of this project, the city council passed an ordinance which prohibited yard waste from going in the weekly garbage collection and required that yard waste be picked up on a designated day. A community compost/mulching area was created, giving citizens the opportunity 40 to obtain free mulch for their landscapes or gardens. From May through September 1991, the yard waste collected totaled 115.5 tons. Cardboard: The town next pulled cardboard from the waste stream, by notifying merchants of daily pick-up of noncontaminated cardboard and breaking down boxes to prepare them for the baler. Alternatively, broken-down cardboard could be put out with one’s recyclables. According to Bill Ritchie, the mayor of Ravenswood and former West Virginia Commissioner of Highways, the cardboard recycling alone functions to keep 25 compactor trucks per month form making the 20-mile round trip to the county landfill. Cardboard is baled and shipped to a broker in Ohio. From December 1989 to September 1991, the town collected 698,570 pounds of cardboard. Aluminum: From December 1989 to September 1991, the town collected 11,271 pounds of aluminum. Bi-metal: From December 1989 to September 1991, the town collected 2,160 pounds of bi-metal. Paper: From December 1989 to September 1991, the town collected 64,000 pounds of paper. Plastic: From December 1989 to September 1991, the town collected 38,641 pounds of plastic. Glass: From December 1989 to September 1991, the town collected 90,957 pounds of glass. Newsprint: The town lost its market for recycled newsprint and does not currently collect that product. The town of Ravenswood has not made a profit from its recycling efforts, nor has it broken even. However, town officials are not troubled because when the number of waste disposal sites rises, as is anticipated, the town will save some money. Sixth Grade Essay Competition: “Let’s Go Recycling” Over 2,000 West Virginia 6th graders and their teachers participated in this essay competition. Entries were received from schools in 43 counties and state judges selected the best essays in each of the eight Regional Education Service Agencies 41 (RESAs). Students were to address the question “How would you convince someone who is not recycling to start recycling?” The essay competition has been conducted annually for three years. The competition is a joint effort between the West Virginia Department of Education and the West Virginia University Extension Service. 42