What the Waste Stream Tells Us about Opportunities for Producer Responsibility

Tuesday, February 9th, 9:30 a.m.- 11:00 a.m. - Product Stewardship

Kurt Hulse, Senior Associate, Cascadia Consulting Group

Certain materials found in disposed waste represent ripe opportunities for waste reduction through producer-responsibility measures such as take-back programs, alternate packaging methods, and alternate manufacturing methods. We examine information about the nature and prevalence of these materials through examination of waste characterization data from studies conducted throughout the United States. Although no single study represents a comprehensive source of information about potential targeted materials, it is possible to identify common trends from studies conducted in diverse locations. Individual studies also provide particular insights into the disposal of certain materials.

Examples of materials that may be high-priority targets for producer-responsibility policies include expanded polystyrene used in packaging; single-use food service items made from polystyrene foam and other plastics; specific types of beverage containers (e.g., water bottles, alcoholic beverage containers, other deposit containers); consumer electronics; plastic grocery and merchandise bags; plastic packaging (as opposed to plastic products); carpet and carpet padding; recyclable commercial and industrial packaging film; short-lived paper products such as magazines, catalogues, and phone books; and durable plastic items such as toys and furniture. To identify materials to target and describe their prevalence in disposed waste, this presentation will draw conclusions from studies conducted in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, New York, Delaware, and Connecticut.