Archive - Feb 25, 2008

INFORM 120 Wall Street New York, NY 1005-4001 Phone: 212 361-2400 Fax: 212 361-2412 Environmental Defense 257 Park Avenue South New York, NY 10010 Phone: 212 505-2100 Fax: 212 505-2375 Reuse Development Organization Indianapolis, IN 46244 Phone: 317 631-5395 Fax: 317 631-5396

What are the 3 R's? 1. Reduce the amount and toxicity of trash you discard. 2. Reuse containers and products; repair what is broken or give it to someone who can repair it. 3. Recycle as much as possible, which includes buying products with recycled content. Reduce * Resource Conservation Challenge The Resource Conservation Challenge is EPA's national effort to conserve natural resources and energy by managing materials more efficiently.Waste prevention, or "source reduction," means consuming and throwing away less. It includes: * purchasing durable, long-lasting goods; * seeking products and packaging that are as free of toxics as possible;

Saves Natural Resources. Waste is not just created when consumers throw items away. Throughout the life cycle of a product-from extraction of raw materials to transportation to processing and manufacturing facilities to manufacture and use-waste is generated. Reusing items or making them with less material decreases waste dramatically. Ultimately, less materials will need to be recycled or sent to landfills or waste combustion facilities. Reduces Toxicity of Waste.

Source Reduction and Reuse Facts More than 55 million tons of MSW were source reduced in the United States in 2000, the lastest year for which these figures are available. Containers and packaging represented approximately 28 percent of the materials source reduced in 2000, in addition to nondurable goods (e.g., newspapers, clothing) at 17 percent, durable goods (e.g., appliances, furniture, tires) at 10 percent, and other MSW (e.g., yard trimmings, food scraps) at 45 percent. There are more than 6,000 reuse centers around the country, ranging from specialized programs for building materials or unneeded materials in schools to local programs such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army, according to the Reuse Development Organization.

During the past 35 years, the amount of waste each person creates has almost doubled from 2.7 to 4.4 pounds per day. The most effective way to stop this trend is by preventing waste in the first place. What Is Source Reduction? Source Reduction refers to any change in the design, manufacture, purchase, or use of materials or products (including packaging) to reduce their amount or toxicity before they become municipal solid waste. Source reduction also refers to the reuse of products or materials. Waste prevention, also know as "source reduction," is the practice of designing, manufacturing, purchasing, or using materials (such as products and packaging) in ways that reduce the amount or toxicity of trash created.