The Great Transition to Materials Management Resource Recycling Conference September 16, 2014 Ed Boisson, Principal Boisson Consulting What is sustainable materials management? Are market trends advancing SMM goals? What are the implications for the recycling industry? Definitions and Context Integrated Waste Management •  •  •  •  •  Reduce Reuse Recycle Energy Landfill Sustainable Materials Management •  Waste is a Resource •  Consider All Lifecycle Impacts •  Sustainable Practices to Nurture Economy, Environment and Community Management Graphic Adapted From West Coast Climate and Materials Management Forum http://westcoastclimateforum.com/ A Tale of Two GHG Inventories U.S. Conventional Sector-Based GHG Inventory (2006) Residential Building 5% Agriculture 8% Waste 2% Electrical Power Industry 33% Commericial Building 6% U.S. Systems-Based GHG Inventory (2006) Industry 19% Transportation 27% Source: U.S. Inventory of GHG Emissions and Sinks : 1990-2006 (US EPA, 2008) Materials Management 42% Provision of Goods 29% Provision of Food 13% Building HVAC & Lighting 25% Passenger Transport 24% Infrastructur e 1% Appliances & Devices 8% Source: Opportunities to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions through Materials and Land Management Practices. U.S. EPA. Some Trends Growing U.S. Materials Consumption (Excludes Fuel) Matos, G. (2012) Use of Raw Materials in the United States From 1900 Through 2010. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Dematerialization (And Still-Increasing Primary Resource Use) Average Aluminum Can Weight (oz) 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 0.1 Source: Aluminum Association (U.S.) Source: European Aluminum Association Increasing Quantity of Discards (?) MSW Generation Scenarios 600,000,000 High Projection Based on 1.25 ton/cap (Extrapolated from 1960-2010 Trend) 500,000,000 Tons per Year 400,000,000 Mid Projection Based on 0.81 ton/cap (2010 Level) 300,000,000 Low Projection Based on 0.48 ton/cap (1960 Level) 200,000,000 Historic Trend 100,000,000 0 1960 1970 Population 180 million 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 308 million 2030 2040 2050 2060 420 Million Source: Based on US EPA MSW Generation and Census Population Data Changing Composition of “MSW” 300 250 200 Millions of Short Tons Generated 150 100 50 0 1960 Source: U.S. EPA 1970 1980 1990 2000 Paper and Paperboard Glass Ferrous Aluminum Other Nonferrous Plastics Rubber and Leather Textiles Wood Organics Other 2010 Product Innovation – Internet Services and Electronic Gadgets Source: US EPA, Electronics Waste Management in the United States Through 2009 Disrupted: Newspaper Industry; ONP Recycling 25000 20000 1,000 Tons 15000 10000 5000 0 ONP Use at U.S. Paper/Board Mills Exports Total Newsprint Supply As Presented on Carpe Diem, the Blog Site of Dr. Mark J. Perry ONP Use at U.S. Molded Pulp Mills Total Recovery Source: American Forest & Paper Association Materials Innovation - Bio-Plastics § Promise: §  §  §  §  True “Biological or Technical Nutrients” Make From Renewable Organics Favorable LCA, Eliminate Toxins Versatile Manufacturing Characteristics § Peril: §  §  §  §  §  Wrong Applications – Degrading Material Value Proliferation of Disparate New Polymers Disrupt Established Recycling Systems Growing for Food vs. Materials? Poor LCA/Rely on Petroleum-Based Agriculture? Implications and Conclusions What to Expect? §  Change. Transformational Change, Over Time. §  Industry Opportunities and Disruption §  Progress in SMM (But at What Pace?) The future always comes too fast, and in the wrong order. -- Alvin Toffler What to Do? Where to Start? § Define and Promote the SMM Framework §  Goals and Roles §  Metrics and Information/Data Systems §  Dialog and Collaboration §  IWM Still Makes Sense §  Resilient, Efficient Local Systems §  Quality Materials Meeting Specs §  Outreach & Education §  Shift Focus §  §  §  §  §  Markets Matter - Transcend Diversion Mania! Leverage Service Contracts Accelerate Reduce/Reuse/Refurbish Strategies Prepare SMM Market Profiles Cross-Stream Communication EXAMPLES è US EPA, The Road Ahead è Oregon DEQ, 2050 Vision è West Coast Forum on Climate and Materials Mgt è USZWBC’s Zero Waste Business Certification è The Natural Step è SPC – How2Recycle Label è Closed Loop Fund è CSV’s Recycling Partnership Initiative è APR’s Rigid Plastics Initiative è Renew Connect’s Retrac Data Gathering System è Incentive-Based Recycling IWM Contracts è Upstream’s Advocacy More Ideas… § Designers, Manufacturers and Brand Owners §  Bold Voluntary Stewardship Initiatives §  Product Testing and Certification §  Awards and Recognition §  Retailers and Consumers §  Product Labeling and Education §  Sharing Economy §  Policy Needs §  Codify SMM Framework and Goals §  Incentives for LCA Design and Best Practices §  Embrace While Transcending Recycling §  Collaborate and Innovate! EXAMPLES è APR’s Champions for Change Program è SPC’s COMPASS Initiative è Cradle-to-Cradle Certification è Wal-Mart Scorecard è Coca-Cola’s Plant Bottle è Tetra Pak’s Embrace Renewables Campaign è West Coast Forum’s Sustainable Consumption Webinar Series è Sharing Economy: Ebay, Ifixit, Snapgoods, Etc. è CA SB 32 – GHG Policy Driving Recycling è CA, WA, ME Green Chemistry Policies è EPA Sustainable Agriculture Dialog Shift Happens! Current Practices Sustainable Materials Management Diversion Rate Recycled/Renewable Resource Use Rate Material Utilization Longevity LCA Impacts – Energy, GHG, Toxics, Etc. A Ton is a Ton All Tons Are Not Created Equal Market Development Drive Any Use of Discarded Materials Drive Highest & Best Use Reuse, Remanufacturing, Disassembly, Recycling Services Not Products Message to Designers Don’t Rock the Boat – Avoid Non-Recyclable Changes Design to Nurture - Optimize LCA Profile Message to Consumers Buy-Recycled Buy Selectively; Share; Sustainable Purchasing Goals and Metrics Our Sustainable Materials Management Future: Circular Economy or Diversion Mania? Questions? Ed Boisson 415-499-0919 [email protected]