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Waste Diversion Activities
In This Section
EPA is exceeding its federal waste diversion requirements through the following activities:
- Conducting recycling assessments at each major facility.
- Providing technical assistance to facilities.
- Implementing and adopting best practices at its regional offices and laboratories.
- Continuing to expand the waste reduction programs at EPA Headquarters (HQ) facilities.
- Conducting challenge programs to encourage facilities to strengthen waste diversion efforts further, including Think Beyond the Bin, an effort begun in fiscal year (FY) 2010 to exceed the 50 percent waste diversion rate required under Executive Order (EO) 13514 by expanding waste diversion efforts beyond traditional recycling practices.
Waste diversion efforts, initiatives, and best practices underway at EPA facilities are highlighted below.
Regional Offices
EPA regional offices use the following best practices to implement their waste diversion programs and work toward achieving their waste diversion goals:
- Composting
- Paper Use Reduction
- Reuse
- Regular “Clean-up Days”
- Other Source Reduction Activities
- Expanding Recycling Options
- Closing the Loop
- Education and Outreach
Laboratories
EPA laboratories use the following best practices to implement their waste diversion programs and work toward achieving their waste diversion goals:
- Composting
- Paper Use Reduction
- Reuse
- Other Source Reduction Activities
- Expanding Recycling Options
- Education and Outreach
Headquarters
EPA's HQ facilities in Washington, DC, and Arlington, Virginia, work to continuously improve recycling and other waste diversion practices. HQ facililties recycle a wide array of items:
- High grade paper, mixed paper, and newspaper
- Cardboard, including corrugated
- Phone books
- Bottles and cans
- Plastic/glass
- Aluminum cans
- Light bulbs
- Batteries
- Toner and inkjet cartridges
- "Technotrash"
- Single-use plastic shopping bags and other related film products bags
EPA employees find creative ways to reduce their waste, such as using a flowerpot (left) as a trash container instead of a traditional trash can (right), at EPA's Region 9 Laboratory in Manchester, Washington.
Under the theme “Bin There, Done That,” EPA created Slim Bin, the EPA recycling mascot, to motivate employees to continue recycling at events throughout the year. In the past, HQ has held a recycling competition on America Recycles Day and an employee electronics recycling event during Earth Day Week. In FY 2009, HQ achieved a 37 percent recycling rate, and it is continuing its efforts to decrease waste and improve employee participation in the program.
HQ's Potomac Yard office has led the way in advancing waste diversion through the efforts of its Green Team. Since 2007, the team has launched various initiatives such as a “bring your own” utensil, cloth napkins, and plate policy for luncheons, use of rechargeable batteries for computer mice and keyboards, and expanded office supply reuse. In 2010, Potomac Yard began a pilot project to collect and compost food scraps generated at the office. EPA is looking to replicate the sucess of Potomac Yard's Green Team by forming additional Green Teams at other HQ facilities.