Each and every citizen can make a tremendous positive impact on our communities and workplaces through recycling programs. By rising to the Challenge, we can and will produce less waste, recycle more, buy more recycled content products, and conserve energy and our natural resources to benefit our children and future generations.

The goal of the National Recycling Challenge is to increase the national recycling rate from 27 percent to 35 percent. Commitments are being made to make this goal a reality. These commitments span six action areas. These action areas are:

Improve Efficiency In Recycling:

Reduce the cost of recycling for your organization or community.

Bolster Community and Economic Development Through Recycling:

Start or expand recycling-related jobs programs, re-use programs, and innovative recycling financing programs.

Bring Forward Innovations in Recycling Through New Technologies, Products, Policies or Building Practices:

Increase sales or production of a recycled content product, increase recycling rates for your community/organization, use recycled content for the new products for a building, or recycle your construction and demolition project materials.

Promote Designs for Recycling:

Design a product or process which increases recycling or product recyclability.

Close the Recycling Loop:

Buy recycled content products, manufacture recycled content products, or become a steward of your product.

Champion Outreach and Education for Recycling:

Conduct training on recycling and/or buying recycled to increase green purchasing.

Washington, DC -- Vice President Gore today announced a major initiative to broaden the commitment to recycling in all sectors of the economy.

"Americans across the country are increasingly concerned about the impacts that more landfills and waste hauling will have on their communities in the future," the Vice President said. "This means that recycling is everybody's business."

"Working together, Americans have increased recycling by nearly 70 percent in six years," Vice President Gore said. "Today, there is even more that we can do. I am challenging everyone in our communities and all sectors of the economy to join with us in new partnerships to promote recycling and to buy and use recycled products."

This initiative, the National Recycling Challenge, was announced as part of America Recycles Day on November 15. Through this challenge, the Clinton Administration will work with industry, businesses, universities, and other institutions to strengthen their commitment to a national recycling effort.

Vice President Gore was the Honorary Chair of this day's events, and the new initiative furthers an executive order that President Clinton issued this past September, directing Federal Agencies to strengthen and expand their recycling efforts.

Federal agencies will be among the first to meet the challenge with new commitments to the purchase of recycled products. The Departments of Interior and Justice, for example, announced today that their entire vehicle fleets will now use only re-refined oil, reducing demands for oil as well as greenhouse gas emissions generated in the refining process.

"I challenge every American to step forward and contribute to this important national effort," Vice President Gore said. "By bringing new partners to the recycling efforts of businesses and families across the Nation, we will better protect our natural resources, improve our quality of life, and strengthen our economy."

Commitments have been made by:

The White House Task Force on Recycling gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the Defense Logistics Agency and The Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled to the creation of this publication.

In order for recycling to work, municipalities and companies must continually find ways to drive costs out of their systems and improve the quantity of recovered materials. We must continually strive to improve the efficiency of all recycling operations. Our goal is to make recycling even more economically and environmentally sound.

Another 1,000

Among other factors, the City of Ann Arbor's 91 percent participation rate in curbside recycling has led the City to achieve a 52 percent diversion rate. The outstanding curbside recycling program collects 23 different commodities, including household batteries, used motor oil, oil filters, textiles, and pots and pans. Ann Arbor's city-wide multi-family recycling collection covers 24,000 units, over half the city population. Furthermore, the City of Ann Arbor has developed state-of-the-art composting, material recovery, and transfer facilities, and exceeds Federal procurement guidelines for post consumer recycled paper.

The City of Ann Arbor commits to increase the amount of commercial recyclables collected by 50 tons, the amount of material collected at the drop-off station by 200 tons, the quantity of recyclables collected and the volume compostables processed by 500 tons, and the total amount of recyclables delivered to the Material Recovery Facility from all sources by 1,000 tons.

More, More, and More

The City of Burbank diverts 58.3 percent of its waste stream, achieving the State of California's mandated 50 percent waste reduction rate at least two years ahead of schedule. Its used oil center collects over 33,000 gallons of used oil and antifreeze a year. In addition to being recognized for outstanding achievement and innovation in resource conservation, best paper recycling award, best urban program, and other recycling achievements by state and national recycling organizations, the City of Burbank has also been the recipient of three national "best education program" awards.

For the Challenge, the City of Burbank has made three commitments to increase its efficiency in recycling. The first is a commitment to increase the number of multi-family and small businesses recycling by 10 percent. The second is a commitment to improve the quantity and quality of recyclable materials by maximizing trip loads and minimizing contamination. And the third is a commitment to add textiles to its drop-off program.

Pass the Antifreeze

The City of Dover, NH reduced residential trash generation from 10,500 tons to 4,100 tons in 1998 as a result of a commercial user fee program called "Bag & Tag". Dover was able to collect nearly 3.5 tons of material from single- and multi-family residences in 1999.

The City of Dover will exchange 450 gallons of used antifreeze from residents for new recycled antifreeze, free of charge. In addition, the City of Dover will collect 1,200 computer units for recycling and donate them to a local business for remanufacturing. Dover also will introduce a food waste compost program that should divert up to 400 additional tons of recyclable material. And, Dover plans to introduce recycling of gypsum wallboard and shingles.

Old Clothes/New Uses

The City of Falls Church, VA with a residential waste diversion rate of 67 percent, has been a national leader in recycling. Falls Church reduced trash collection from twice to once weekly, cut the number of trash crew members from ten to seven, collects a wide variety of recyclable materials, and has year-round yard trimmings collection. Use of Recycling Block Captains enhances community involvement. This group, the cornerstone of the City's education program, has over 100 citizen volunteers.

In response to the National Recycling Challenge, the City of Falls Church has established semi-annual Clothing and Textiles Reuse/Recycling as part of its regular program. Nationally, only 12 percent of used clothing and textiles find their way into reuse programs, with the other 88 percent ending up in incinerators and landfills. The materials that are collected will be sold to a contractor primarily for reuse. Materials that cannot be reused will be recycled into carpet backing, car seat and dashboard stuffing, and other useful products. Expected annual revenues of $1,000 to $2,000 will be used to help defray the costs of publicity and to support other Falls Church City recycling projects. In addition, as part of its OPERATION EarthWatch program, Falls Church will award 100 percent recycled tee-shirts to elementary students in recognition of their recycling, reuse, and conservation efforts.

Moving Toward Zero Waste

The Los Angeles City Facilities Recycling Program (CFRP) oversees recycling at 525 City-owned and City-leased facilities. In 1996 and 1997, waste diversion increased by 32.7 percent and 19 percent, respectively. Its network of 120 City Department Recycling Coordinators catalyzes employee participation from 36,000 City employees in all 525 City facilities. The City of Los Angeles not only diverts material from the waste stream, but also creates markets for recycled materials as well.

In 1997-1998, the City spent $34 million on a diverse list of recycled content products and conducted 60 buy-recycled workshops citywide to raise awareness about the City's Recycled Products Purchasing Ordinance, the 10 percent Price Preference Ordinance, the Mayor's Buy Recycled Challenge, and the buy-recycled bid and contract language. Closed loop purchasing of paper and plastic products -- like mail envelopes and recycling bins--is being implemented though a city policy requiring suppliers to source their recycled feedstock from city contract recyclers. The City of Los Angeles has won five state and national awards for its employee education and training, procurement, reuse, waste prevention, and recycling programs.

For the Challenge, the City of Los Angeles will adopt a Zero Waste policy. A pilot program at a major City facility will be authorized to reduce trash by 10 tons per year, divert an additional seven tons from landfills, and redirect 650 custodial labor hours. A net gain of $14,000 over the first year of implementation is expected. The pilot program will expand to at least 40 similar high-rise multi-use facilities after the turn of the century.

Los Angeles also will incorporate recycling requirements into its special events permitting process. Larger events are expected to collect up to 120 tons of recyclables. In addition, the City will begin recycling in its Convention Center, which will divert an estimated 100 tons of recyclables from the waste stream each year.

Additionally, the City of Los Angeles will expand its program to recycle construction, demolition and landclearing materials generated by all 500 City building projects and private sector developments. As part of this effort, 25 major developments (with more than 20,000 square feet of residential or commercial construction) will be identified and assisted in recycling CDL materials and using recycled-content products, per EPA and local procurement guidelines.

The Squeeze

Madison, WI became the first city to start curbside recycling when it began collecting newspapers in 1968. Since then, the City of Madison has engaged over 97 percent of its residents to separate 18 items from their garbage and divert over 51 percent of its waste stream from the landfill. In 1999, Madison's solid waste diversion rate was 52.3 percent.

As part of its Challenge commitment, Madison added five compacting recycling trucks to its fleet to improve collection efficiency. The compacting trucks will remain on route all day, allowing the city to handle the projected population growth (600-800 households/year) through the year 2020 without expanding its fleet. Madison plans to convert its entire fleet of 12 trucks to compacting trucks by 2004.

In 1999, Madison began collecting computer equipment for recycling. After just one year of Madison's "Sustainable Lifestyle Campaign", the City exceeded its goal to decrease waste generation by participating households by 25 percent in the first year of the program! The participating households reduced their solid waste generation an average of 395 pounds, a 39 percent decrease.

Small Business, Big Numbers

The City and County of San Francisco, California have reduced their waste stream by more than one-third through recycling, including diverting more than 62,000 tons a year through a comprehensive curbside program which accepts more than 14 different kinds of recyclables. The recycling program has awarded more than $10 million in grants to community based organizations and businesses for recycling, buying recycled, and waste prevention projects.

The City and County of San Francisco commit to add more than 6,600 small businesses to the small business curbside recycling program. In addition, the City and County of San Francisco commit to institute a mixed paper recycling program in 130 City facilities with approximately 17,000 employees, and implement comprehensive recycling and recycled product procurement programs for all 65 government departments.

5% Less Cost

The City of Bellevue, WA has achieved the State of Washington's highest single family recycling rate -- an astounding 61 percent. Furthermore, 97 percent of multi-family residences in Bellevue recycle an average of 21.1 pounds of materials per unit each month, contributing to a 24 percent multi-family recycling rate -- one of the highest in the State. In addition, the City of Bellevue has established an innovative Closed Loop Oil Recycling and Education Program (CLOREP) that facilitates private sector motor oil and oil filter collection from the general public, and promotes re-refined oil to retailers, the public, and fleets. Bellevue's outstanding recycling program has been the recipient of state and national awards for recycling innovations, information and education programs, best government and volunteer recycling program, multi-family recycling, closed-loop recycling, and over-all solid waste program.

The City of Bellevue commits to reducing the cost of recycling for the community by lowering the monthly multi-family recycling service fee by 5 percent. In addition to reducing costs, the City of Bellevue commits to increasing recovery rates by working to achieve a 65 percent single-family recycling rate by the end of 2000, and to increase the multi-family recycling rate to 25 percent by the end of 1999.

To the Max

Palo Alto, CA started recycling in 1971 and has received more than 15 state and national awards since 1983. Today, Palo Alto's curbside recycling program collects 30 commodities, including oil filters, batteries, and used motor oil. The City's 80 percent participation rate contributes to the City's outstanding 52 percent waste diversion rate. The City has adopted several policies to support its recycling efforts. A procurement policy favors recycled content products. Construction and demolition policies require asphalt and concrete to be recycled, while demolition project permits require the submission of waste management and recycling plans. Composting in Palo Alto started as early as 1977 and today, its facility processes 17,000 tons of yard trimmings each year. Palo Alto's recycling program also features school recycling programs, commercial recycling programs, and a variable rate waste collection fee structure.

In support of the National Recycling Challenge, the City of Palo Alto commits to maximize its recovery from the waste stream while minimizing operating costs. In the year 2000, the City will expand its curbside collection program to a wider variety of paper and plastics and improve recycling at special City-side events.. The City will reduce the composting processing time for yard trimmings, upgrade recycling equipment, simplify collection by changing from source-separate to co-mingled collection where possible, and obtain local approval to add mixed paper and high density polyethylene (number 2) plastic to the residential curbside collection program. The City's long range plans include studying ways to improve construction and demolition debris recycling, expand commercial composting, and create a recycling education center for the community.

A Green Lab

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is achieving impressive recycling results, with thousands of tons of paper products and automotive materials recycled yearly. Building on these accomplishments, DOE is striving to make more advances in the areas of pollution prevention, affirmative procurement, and recycling.

The Department's National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) will become a "model" site and share the lessons learned and best practices with others to further augment efficiency in recycling across federal government, industry, and local communities. Using 14 recycling collection points on the campus, with designated recycling coordinators responsible for each of the collection points, NREL currently recycles paper, containers, and aluminum cans. The NREL web site contains a "Recycling" home page to inform employees about recycling progress. In addition, NREL currently purchases only recycled content paper and toner cartridges.

NREL commits to increasing the quantities and types of materials recycled, build on existing public/private partnerships, and furnish procurement representatives and suppliers with recycling vendor contact information. On January 31, 2000, NREL convened "NREL Sustainability Vision, Goals and Strategies," a one-day internal conference to establish future sustainability goals for each building. Included agenda topics were capital requests, operating budgets for sustainability, energy use, recycling, and transportation.

Paperless

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has long been committed to recycling activities. The agency purchases 30 percent recycled content copier paper. Contract clauses instruct contractors to use two-sided copying. The agency's internal web site provides information on recycling activities.

NSF's long-term Challenge commitment is to establish an efficient, streamlined paperless environment. The agency plans to have a web-based proposal and award system fully implemented for all awards, from program announcement to award closeout, by October 2000. This system will enable NSF to process competitive proposals submitted electronically through the entire proposal and award/declination process without generating paper within NSF. NSF is well on the way to achieving this goal. The agency set an interim goal of receiving 25 percent of contract proposals electronically for FY99 and far exceeded that goal by receiving 60 percent of proposals electronically during FY99.

Stepping up to the Challenge

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is achieving dramatic recycling success. Early in 1995, an internal goal of increasing recycling by 50 percent was achieved several years early, when recycling increased by 59 percent. In addition, the amount of solid waste disposed was decreased by 23 percent over the same time period.

Being a results oriented agency, DoD has stepped up to the plate for the Challenge and committed that by the end of FY05, the diversion rate for non-hazardous solid waste will be greater than 40 percent, while ensuring that integrated non-hazardous solid waste management programs provide an economic benefit when compared with disposal using landfilling and incineration alone.

DoD challenged all of its agencies to work toward this goal. Due to expansion of the program to include construction and demolition debris, initial progress data are not yet in; however, DoD is very optimistic that good progress is being made toward the FY05 goal.

Using Local Resources

The Naval Security Group Activity Northwest has recycled more than 3 million pounds of material since 1990. The program includes drop-off igloo containers in housing and barracks areas, curb-side collection of recyclables, recycling of expended brass shells from the base firing range, and recycling of other scrap metal. The NSGA also purchases recycled content products.

In order to increase recycling efficiency, the recycling program was moved from the Supply Department into the Public Works Department, and recycling was privatized in late 1998. The Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA) collects recyclables at curbside on the base as well as from the City of Chesapeake, VA, and take those recyclables directly to Tidewater Fiber, a local MRF with whom SPSA contracts.

Solid waste contracts require waste haulers to transport collected trash and recyclable materials to SPSA and the Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) Plant, where recyclables are separated from solid waste. By using co-collection of trash and recyclables, the program increased its recycling potential from under 50 percent to close to 100 percent. Additionally, the RDF Plant provides fuel to operate the Naval Shipyard Steam Power Plant. This conserves valuable landfill space and enables the Navy to save $1 million in energy costs annually.

Partners and Integration

Since 1991, the recycling program at the University of Virginia (UVA) has steadily grown to divert 3,100 tons of material annually. With a recycling rate of 30 percent and plans to increase to 50 percent, the University has increased the types of items collected and expanded operations while in the meantime providing ease and convenience for the University community. The program has re-engineered systems to have better efficiencies and economies of scale. Collection and processing has been automated to increase market value. UVA's reuse of medical supply program, MERC, has generated more than 100 tons of materials for third world countries and clinics.

In response to the National Recycling Challenge, the University of Virginia will establish working arrangements with other large institutions throughout the state (George Mason, Virginia Tech, James Madison, and Virginia Commonwealth) to integrate their systems to improve markets, standardize employee job functions and collection methods, and reduce costs. In addition, UVA will implement a food waste composting program in conjunction with its leaf and yard trimmings composting and will develop an event recycling system for diverting waste from certain university ceremonies.

Small in Size Only

The College of Wooster, OH is a small liberal arts school of 1700 students but boasts one of the best recycling programs among small Ohio colleges. The College's recycling program began in 1990 through student volunteer efforts as a result of a senior independent study project. Today, 15 students and a full-time coordinator work for the program, collecting 22 items for recycling, including clothing and furniture for reuse. In addition to traditional recyclables, the College collect such innovative items as computers, 6-pack rings, batteries, and 35 mm film canisters. In the first 11 months of the 1999-00 school year alone, the program recycled more than 290,000 pounds of materials and generated more than $4,000 in revenue. The College also makes use of the Resident Assistants and Resident Directors, offering them the opportunity to learn about recycling by volunteering for a recycling run.

The College of Wooster commits to expand its recycling program through innovative practices and policies. The College will expand its Resident Assistants program from 17 RAs to 30. It partnered with Wayne County Environmental Services to provide local drop off locations within the City of Wooster, including an on-campus site, to provide local recycling opportunities. This created an outlet for faculty, staff, and local residents to drop off their containers, magazines, newspapers, and corrugated. The College recycling program also is assisting students at Ohio State University's Agricultural Technical Institute to gain approval of a campus recycling proposal and plans to partner with Wayne College on a recycling program, as well.

Increasing Efficiency

Berea College, KY has increased its recycling output by almost 400 percent since 1992 and today enjoys a 30 percent waste diversion rate. A recent waste audit helped waste management officials to identify opportunities to improve its recycling program.

Based on the audit results, Berea College commits to increase its recycling efficiency for the National Recycling Challenge. The Berea College will increase collection of recyclables by upgrading its solid waste and recycling equipment by July 1, 1999. Electric Club-Cars to pick up recyclables from 50 campus facilities via sidewalks, and 1-2 bailers to increase the collection capacity for paper and cardboard will be the first investments. Berea College also commits to expand the current food waste composting program by 400 percent. In addition, Berea College commits to implement a campus paper reduction program, including a mass mailing policy that restricts the level of mass mailings, double-sided copying, and increased use of electronic communication. Berea College also commits to establishing a Construction and Demolition recycling and reuse program and installing more outdoor recycling receptacles.

More Recycling

Last year, Virginia Tech Recycling collected approximately 1,600 tons of recyclables, received more than $30,000 in revenues from these recyclables, and saved $35,000 in landfill disposal fees. After close examination of in-house solid waste collection, Virginia Tech eliminated one solid waste collection route, at no loss of service to campus, and shifted two permanent staff positions to recycling, at an annual cost savings of $17,800. A yard trimmings composting facility, established through cooperation between Virginia Tech Recycling and Virginia Tech Grounds Department, annually processes approximately 366 tons of leaves and brush, which are returned to campus as mulch or soil amendment. Virginia Tech recycling has been instrumental to the planning for and continued success of the $3 million Montgomery Regional Solid Waste Authority's Recycling Center, the largest publically-owned facility in the Commonwealth of Virginia, which processes 5,600 tons of recyclables annually.

In response to the National Recycling Challenge, Virginia Tech Recycling has committed to improve collection totals for aluminum cans by 15 percent to 24 tons annually; 15 percent for sorted white ledger paper by 15 percent to 182 tons annually; and for corrugated cardboard by 20 percent to 255 tons annually. In addition, Virginia Tech intends to increase its diversion rate by expanding and improving its yard trimmings composting facility to include an additional 1.5 acres for leaf and grass composting, purchasing self-propelled windrow turner, and expanding cooperation with local municipalities.

Virginia Tech Recycling also commits to increase the efficiency of both solid waste and corrugated cardboard routes through purchases of winch, rear load collection containers and a new paper truck.

New Business Recycling

Waste Cap of Massachusetts, a partnership between Massachusetts businesses and the Department of Environmental Protection, is a nonprofit organization created to help businesses in Massachusetts reduce and recycle non-hazardous solid waste. Waste Cap has helped over 2,500 Massachusetts companies make waste reduction and recycling a regular part of their business practices. In 1998, 22 office buildings competing in a Waste Cap sponsored contest recycled 2,236 tons of material in three months and achieved impressive recycling rates of up to 76 percent per building. Waste Cap has also conducted 108 site visits to Massachusetts companies and institutions resulting in significant increases in types and quantities of materials recycled.

For the Challenge, Waste Cap commits to create recycling cooperatives to help small businesses find efficient and cost-effective recycling programs. In addition, Waste Cap commits to recruit 50 new businesses to start recycling through a recycling cooperative.

Electrifying Recycling

Southern California Edison is the second-largest electric utility in the U.S., with a total generating capacity of 14,000 megawatts and assets exceeding $18 billion. It provides electricity to a 50,000 square-mile region covering central, coastal, and southern California and containing more than 11 million people. Edison began it's Waste-Not recycling program in 1993 and recycles paper, toner cartridges, corrugated, aluminum, metal, wood, carpet, construction materials, glass, plastic and other materials. In 1999, Edison recycled 85 percent of all of the solid waste materials that it handled. Edison also donated used office materials and furnishings to over 200 California charitable organizations and schools, offered significant consumer incentive programs to recycle old refrigerators and washing machines, built an artificial reef off the coast of California with recycled concrete, recycled green waste, and provided nursery stock to support forestlands in the Sierras.

For the National Recycling Challenge, Southern California Edison will work to improve the efficiency of its recycling programs by reducing the number of recycling methods used and developing a company recycling standard by the end of 2000. Edison's goal is to improve it's recycling record, while reducing solid waste management expenses and providing accurate and timely reporting. The new process may include information technology adaptations, physical facility and contractual process changes, strategic sourcing partner development, educational and employee developmental improvements, materials market development and budget/funding changes. Edison will work through its public affairs managers to share the recycling model. It also plans to promote recycling by providing community and employee training about recycling.