What Local Governments Can Do To Encourage Product Stewardship

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What Local Governments Can Do To Encourage
Product Stewardship

• Sego Jackson
• Snohomish County, WA
• NERC November 7, 2001

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Roles

• State sets standards.
• Local government plans, implements and provides
  services.
• Traditionally responsible for end of life
  management.
• Costs generally borne by local governments/ratepay
  ers.

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Many Local Governments...

• In the USA
• 50 states
• 3,067 counties
• 1,078 cities gt 25,000 population
• 11,097 places gt 2,500 population

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These Assumptions Concern Us

• Existing collection/disposal systems are
  appropriate and adequate to handle material.
• Local government will figure it out.
• Local government/ratepayers will pay for it.

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Problems

• New multi-material waste streams contain toxins,
  are hard to recycle, and drive up costs to local
  governments/ratepayers.
• Existing solid waste system provides no price
  feedback to manufacturers to minimize toxins and
  waste, conserve resources and reduce end-of-life
  costs.
• Existing solid waste system does not put
  responsibility back on those responsible for and
  able to deal with the problem.
• Therefore, costs will continue to rise ratepayer
  fatigue.
• Therefore, environmental goals will not be met.

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More Problems

• Solid waste system is not a good match for
  recovery for highest use or dealing with
  hazardous materials.
• Moderate Risk Waste facilities are not a good
  match for keeping costs down.

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Are Solid Waste Facilities Appropriate?

• Transfer Stations, Landfills, Drop-Boxes
• lack of covered areas, floor space
• dusty, moist
• overcrowded
• big machines moving fast
• dump and run
• staff not used to handling fragile items

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Crowded, Busy Stations
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Dump and Run Limited Floor Space
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Dusty and Moist
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Limited Covered Areas
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Are MRW Facilities Appropriate?

• Moderate Risk Waste Facilities
• pesticides, mercury, dangerous fluids...
• very high cost/square foot
• lack of facilities
• lack of floor space
• overspecialized staff and facility?
• perception

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Expensive Too Specialized
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Are Public Collection Events Appropriate?

• Who has them?
• Are they convenient?
• Are they expensive?

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Collection Events
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A Different System Needed

• Provides feedback loop to producers.
• Protects quality/value of material.
• Appropriate care in handling.
• Appropriate level of staff training.
• Accessible and convenient to all.
• How accessible?
• As easy to use as it is easy to buy a computer.

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Proper Collection

• Should be collected in manner that protects
  highest value (reuse).
• Would you put your personal laptop through system
  and plan to use it again?
• Should be collected in a manner that protects
  human and environmental health.
• No breakage, no spills, no fugitive material.

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What We Want...

• Electronics out of the waste system.
• Issues dealt with upstream.
• Electronics end-of-life management that is
  environmentally sound and provides effective
  feedback loop.
• Producers, retailers and customers to take
  primary responsibility.

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What Does That Mean for Our Current Work?

• Think Product Stewardship in all of our
  programs!!
• How does this work in a
• product stewardship system?

 
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Collection Activities

• Dont do same old government-pays-all program.
• Assist in setting up private sector services.
• Partner with manufacturers and retailers.
• Think and speak interim program.

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Collection Activities

• Document information and costs.
• Use NEPSI Data Workgroup data protocol and forms.
• Consider tracking by brand.
• How would you charge for reimbursement?

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Do the Right Thing From the Start

• Environmentally Preferable Procurement Policies.
• Fact Sheets
• www.materials4future.org
• www.productstewardship.net
• Require vendors to take-back equipment
  end-of-life.
• Discontinue inappropriate disposal methods.

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Educate, Coordinate and Get Involved

• Join the Product Stewardship Institute
• Coordinate with other Govs.
• Use shared product stewardship principles
• Contact
• Scott Cassel
• www.productstewardshipinstitute.com
• Phone [phone]

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Get Involved

•  
• Follow and support the
• National Electronics Product Stewardship
  Initiative
• htpp//www.nepsi.org
•  
• Follow and support regional product stewardship
  initiatives, such as
• Western Electronics Product Stewardship
  Initiative
• http//www.recyclingadvocates.org/wepsi

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Begin Policy Education and Development

• Set the stage for supporting future legislation.
• Policymakers bulletins and updates.
• Product Stewardship resolutions.

www.productstewardship.net
www.productstewardshipinstitute.com
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