Reducing food waste this Thanksgiving

By Krista Kenner, communications manager, Bellingham Field Office

Food waste is the largest component of our country and state’s municipal solid waste going to landfills and incinerators. Even with careful planning and the best intentions, we often have unexpected surplus food. Landfills should be the last resort for extra food. Once in landfills, food breaks down to produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas which contributes to climate change.

The typical Thanksgiving plate, filled-to-the-brim with beautiful mounds of every kind of homemade goodness, probably doesn't do a lot of good for our national food waste trend. In fact, Americans purchase over 46 million turkeys at Thanksgiving. Given that we also throw away more than one-third of all edible turkey meat every year, we thought we’d share a few easy recipes to help you use those turkey leftovers. If you’re tired of the day-after-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich, try one of these options instead.

Turkey Stuffed Roasted Squash
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Halve an acorn squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds. Chop cooked turkey, sauté with onions and leftover stuffing in a little olive oil. Add cranberries and a touch of white wine. Put the mixture inside of the acorn squash and place in a baking dish. Add stock to the baking dish, cover tightly and roast until tender (40-60 minutes). 

Turkey Enchiladas
Cube leftover turkey, add to a large saucepan with 1 cup chicken broth, 1 cup cooked rice, 2 chopped plum tomatoes, 1 chopped onion, ½ cup canned chopped green chilies, ½ cup sour cream, ¼ cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives, and a sprinkle of cumin. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. When cool, place ½ cup of the turkey mixture in the center of 8-10 tortillas. Top each with a dollop of enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese. Roll up, pour remaining enchilada sauce on top, and bake in a greased baking dish for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Turkey Chili
Saute chopped onion, bell pepper and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic in a little olive oil in a large, heavy pot. Add 2 cups diced turkey and 2 tablespoons of chili powder, ½ teaspoon of cumin and ½ teaspoon of oregano. Cook briefly. Add 1 cup pinto beans (dry bulk beans are more eco-friendly than canned; simmer in water for about 1-2 hours to soften first), 2 cups of diced tomatoes with juice, and 2 cups of broth. Throw in an ounce of bittersweet chocolate to make it interesting. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

Donating food
Many options exist for donating edible food. Donating food can help support your community and fight hunger, while reducing impacts on climate change and water quality. While you can’t donate food that has been cooked or prepared at home to local food banks, you can drop off extra grains, dairy, meat, eggs, canned goods, and even fresh produce such as vegetables and fruits.

We put together a food donation fact sheet with information and options—including local resources—for donating food.

Other tips on reducing food waste

For additional ideas on how to reduce food waste this holiday season, please visit our Food Waste Prevention and Compost & Healthy Soil web pages.

Happy cooking and have a happy Thanksgiving!

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Recycling in Washington: How are we doing?

By Gretchen Newman, Lead Data Analyst, Waste 2 Resources

In a recent ECOconnect post, we talked about how food is the largest component of our garbage in Washington, at 17 percent (by weight) of what we throw in the trash. Wonder what makes up the rest of the trash? And how much are we recycling in Washington households and businesses?

Composting at the office turns would-be waste into valuable product

By Michelle Andrews, organics specialist, and Erika Holmes, communications

Food is the largest component of our garbage by weight, at 17 percent in Washington and 21 percent nationwide. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, about 40 percent of the food grown in the United States isn’t eaten. Meanwhile, about 15 percent of our population doesn’t know where their next meal will come from.

Ecology Youth Corps: Making a Difference One Piece of Litter at a Time

By Erika Holmes, communications manager, Waste 2 Resources

Drivers are urged to watch out for 248 teens with the Ecology Youth Corps (EYC) picking up litter along roadways across the state through mid-August.

EYC crews based out of the Department of Ecology’s northwest and eastern regional offices started working in late June. The central crew began July 1, and the southwest crew begins work July 7.

Since 1975, the Ecology Youth Corps (EYC) has hired over 12,000 teens ages 14 to 17 to clean roadsides and other illegal dump sites. Youths from all over Washington gain valuable job skills, teamwork experience, safety awareness and education about environmental topics.

As we gear up for this summer’s cleaning, we want to share why this program is more than just picking up litter. In the following video, three people who’ve been there share their rewarding experiences working on the EYC.

Rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot appreciating the EYC in The Seattle Times. 

Sir Picks-a-Lot (of litter up)

Anthony Ray, or Sir Mix-a-Lot as he’s more commonly called now, worked on an EYC crew in the late 1970s. After reaching rap fame, he shared his experience with The Seattle Times. He brings up an important misconception about teens working for the EYC. They definitely aren’t juvenile delinquents. The best part: the EYC taught him work ethic, something “a lot of cats my age didn't have.”

That work ethic is proven by the numbers, and EYC crews didn’t disappoint in 2013.

 

2013 litter cleanup results

Last summer, EYC crews worked 64,869 hours (totals include spring and fall median crews):

• Picking up 1,081,874 pounds of litter
• Recycling 116,673 pounds of litter collected
• Cleaning 5,952 miles of road
• Cleaning up 192 illegal dumps

How you can help EYC crews

Step 1: The easy part: don’t litter.

Step 2: Look out for crews picking up litter on the road this summer. Give them a break for safety, and inform others about the important service they provide.

Step 3: Engage with the EYC on social media. We’ll post pictures and statistics from the road tagged with #EYC4life and #IThinkYouDroppedThis.

• Were you in the EYC? Post your old pictures and stories from the road using #EYC4life.
• See something somebody shouldn’t have tossed? Snap a photo and tag it with #IThinkYouDroppedThis.

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After 39 years, the 1-800-RECYCLE Hotline has joined the social revolution!

by Michelle Payne, outreach & education, Waste 2 Resources Program

The Washington Department of Ecology invites you to join our Facebook page for the 1-800-RECYCLE Hotline! Please visit our page, “like” us, and “share” it with your Facebook friends. You'll find Green Tips on Tuesday, Shout Outs on Wednesday, Throwback Thursday, Trivia on Friday, and other interesting recycling information.

Throwback Thursday? Yeah, we do that.

Check out the 1-800-RECYCLE Hotline Facebook page to:

• Post recycling questions and receive answers.
• Locate recycling facilities and events.
• Learn ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
• Share innovative recycling ideas.

If you know of a useful recycling website, facility, or special collection event that we don’t have listed, please share it on our Facebook page. We want to learn from you, too!

What is the 1-800-RECYCLE Hotline?

The 1-800-RECYCLE team maintains a database of more than 1,500 recycling facilities to link the public with recycling opportunities available in Washington. We hope that through our use of social media, we will increase that number as we connect with new potential recyclers.

The hotline phone service remains a vital part of 1-800-RECYCLE and the E-Cycle program. You can still dial 1-800-RECYCLE and talk to a real person between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday (except holidays). You can also email us at 1800recycle@ecy.wa.gov.

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Re-use Center saves money and resources

By Tina Simcich, Green Purchasing, Waste 2 Resource Program

Need some binder clips? Looking for office organizing supplies? Want file labels NOW?!

At Ecology’s Lacey building, you can quickly find these items and more just an elevator ride away. Instead of purchasing new products, staff and agency purchasing coordinators often find what they need in the Re-use Center. Our new video takes you on a journey to the “treasure trove” organized by shipping and receiving warehouse staff.



The Re-use Center a quick way to restock supply rooms at no cost. "I find something our program needs each time I go down there. Usually, I check the Re-use Center for an item before placing a purchase request. I think it’s a pretty cool place, and sometimes I find supplies are in packaging that isn’t even opened," Purchasing Coordinator Divina Clark remarked about her experience.

Ecology saves money by avoiding the purchase of new items. Reuse also means avoiding the hassle of putting in a purchasing order and takes a load off of Ecology’s busy staff.

Many agencies and businesses are seeking to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, wastes and other environmental impacts through a focus on sustainable consumption, including source reduction. Source reduction minimizes the quantity and toxicity of materials that later need to be disposed. Re-use can be a big part of source reduction as each file folder, stapler or calculator can be used by several staff until its functional life is over.

The Benefits of Re-use 

• Eliminates the cost of and shipping fees for new products.
• Reduces waste that is sent to landfills.
• Reduces the costs and waste of new product packaging.
• Reduces staff time to process purchase orders.
• Reduces toxics and greenhouse gases associated with the lifecycle of new products.

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2012 Washington Solid Waste Highlights

By Ellen Caywood, Environmental Planner, Waste 2 Resources Program

Washington’s waste management system relies on partnerships among state and local governments and the private sector. State law requires the Department of Ecology to develop regulations for solid waste handling and disposal facilities, and a state plan for managing and reducing waste.

To track progress, Ecology compiles an annual report of solid waste disposal and recycling trends in Washington. The report also tracks moderate risk waste trends, and what Ecology is doing to reduce the use and impacts of toxic substances.

Top Tidbits

We invite you to learn more in the 22nd Annual Solid Waste Status Report but want to share a quick list of tidbits:

• E-Cycle surpassed 200 million pounds of electronics recycled in the first five years! Learn more in Chapter 2.
• Learn about ways to recover nutrients and fuels from organic materials – composting, anaerobic digesters, and more in Chapter 2.
• Reducing toxic threats by preventing uses or releases in the first place is the smartest, cheapest, and healthiest approach. Learn about Ecology’s efforts in Chapter 2.
• What is the status of local solid and hazardous waste plans? How can I be involved in updating these plans? See Chapter 2 for details.
• In spite of continued budget reductions for litter pickup programs, over four million pounds of litter was collected in 2012 by the Ecology Youth Corps, local partners through the Community Litter Collection Program, and the Departments of Correction and Natural Resources. Details in Chapter 3.
• The 2012 statewide recycling rate was 50 percent. Find out which materials are included and the benefits of recycling in Chapter 4.
• In 2012, over 23 million pounds of hazardous waste was collected, and 84 percent was recycled, reused or used for energy recovery. Find out what types of wastes and details by county in Chapter 5.

Find all this and much, much more in the 22nd Annual Solid Waste Status Report!

Please contact Ellen Caywood for more information (360-407-6132).

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New facility turns garbage gas to green energy

By Erika Holmes, communications manager, Waste 2 Resources Program

The 304th Street Landfill in Graham has a new addition that helps address climate change by creating energy from waste. BioFuels Washington, working in partnership with Pierce County Recycling, Composting and Disposal, or Land Recovery, Inc. (LRI), built a new facility that converts LRI’s landfill gas into electricity. Turning waste into usable resources is a goal of the Washington Department of Ecology’s Waste 2 Resources Program. Along with Governor Inslee, our staff congratulated BioFuels Washington’s and LRI’s efforts at the ribbon-cutting ceremony in February.

Photo courtesy of Governor Inslee's Flickr page.

Working with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, Ecology provided engineering assistance to the project by reviewing plans to ensure they met state laws and would result in a quality facility. We also participated in Pierce County’s study to assess whether it would be more economically effective to remove food waste for composting or to leave it in and capture the gas produced for energy.

Benefits

• Converting landfill gas to energy reduces greenhouse gas emissions by offsetting the need to burn fossil fuels to produce the same amount of power.
• Increasing the available electric power supply, instead of burning off energy in landfill flares, uses a resource that was previously wasted.
• Landfill-gas-to-energy represents another way to put organic waste in Washington to good use, along with composting and anaerobic digesters.

How landfill-gas-to-energy works

Many landfills use flares to burn off gas created by bacteria during anaerobic decomposition of food and other organic wastes. Landfill gas is around half methane and half carbon dioxide, and it must be used or burned off to control explosive hazards.

Instead of burning off gas, the first phase of the BioFuels Washington facility converts around 1,600 standard cubic feet per minute of landfill gas to electricity. This phase uses about 50 percent of the gas currently generated at the 304th Street Landfill by preparing it to fuel three on-site engine/generator sets for a total of 4.5 megawatts of power production, or enough to power 3,000 average homes per year. The electricity is sold to Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and fed into PSE’s distribution system. LRI continues to flare the balance of the gas generated in the landfill.

Future plans

The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the beginning of the first of three planned phases in this project. Converting landfill gas to electricity is Phase 1A, and 1B will add the ability to convert landfill gas to compressed natural gas. Phases 2 and 3 will increase capacity to produce more electricity and compressed natural gas.

If all phases are completed, BioFuels Washington expects to produce up to 15.0 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 10,000 homes per year! Alternately, they could provide compressed natural gas to power more than 1,000 vehicles driving 25,000 miles per year.

For more information on reducing waste in Washington, please visit Ecology’s website or contact Erika Holmes at 360-407-6149. More photos of the ribbon-cutting ceremony are available on Governor Inslee's Flickr page.

If you have questions about this project, you can contact Frank Mazanec with BioFuels Energy LLC at (760) 944-4572 or Jody Snyder with Waste Connections at (253) 927-6810.

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"E-waste" - What do you do with it?

By Miles Kuntz, E-Cycle Washington Program, Lacey

Since E-Cycle Washington began five years ago, over 212 million pounds of electronics - equal to the weight of 383 fully loaded 787 Dreamliner jets - were recycled. That kept nearly 14 million pounds of lead alone out of landfills! The Department of Ecology estimates that 915,000 TVs, computers and monitors were recycled in 2013 through E-Cycle Washington.

Click image to enlarge.

E-cycling not only recycles valuable materials within our electronics, but it also assures that toxic components like lead, cadmium, arsenic and brominated flame retardants are managed responsibly and kept out of the environment – and our food chain. The Department of Ecology oversees the E-Cycle Washington program to ensure hazardous components are safely managed and to maximize recycling of all materials.

What is e-waste?

E-waste (or electronic waste) is consumer electronics that no longer work or are just outdated and unwanted. It includes computers, other office equipment, TVs, mobile phones, entertainment devices and more.

But these devices are only "e-waste" if you throw them in the trash. Electronics are full of valuable materials like copper, aluminum, glass and even plastics that you can recycle.

Don't trash it; E-Cycle at a location near you!

Washington’s free, statewide E-Cycle program provides convenient collection sites for computers (including tablets), monitors, e-readers, portable DVD players and TVs. By state law, the E-Cycle program is paid for by the manufacturers of these devices.

There are 335 free E-Cycle drop-off sites spread throughout the state with at least one in every county. You can find the one nearest you by searching EcycleWashington.org or calling 1-800-RECYCLE.

Some common electronics, such as cell phones and printers, are not currently in the E-Cycle program, but a few larger electronics retailers take these and other electronics for free through their own recycling programs. Check with local retailers like Best Buy and Staples to see if you can recycle your cell phones, printers and other items with them.

If you have any questions about E-Cycle Washington, contact Miles.Kuntz@ecy.wa.gov, (360) 407-7157, or Christine.Haun@ecy.wa.gov, (360) 407-6107.

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Gross out: Potty bombs on the rise

Dustin Terpening, communication manager, Bellingham Field Office

Two thumbs down for nasty potty bombs and their stench.

I have to admit that on the rare occasion while driving I have seriously considered relieving myself in a plastic bottle. Like when I’ve been stuck in traffic or on a long road trip and a restroom just wasn’t readily available.

Yet, I’ve never been able to bring myself to do it. Logistically, it’s a difficult task to pull off cleanly. For me, there’s just too much risk involved.

What’s amazing to me, though, is just how many people do choose a plastic container over a restroom while driving.

Case in point: There’s an exit off I-90 where potty bombs are particularly prolific. Exit 47, westbound, to be specific, as you come down off Snoqualmie Pass, towards Seattle.

What is a potty bomb?

Potty bomb: any kind of container filled with pee or poop and tossed to the side of the highway.

Gross, right?

During one recent visit to the exit, Peter Christiansen with Ecology said he found approximately 50 fresh puddles and 75 bottles.

“The puddles were likely from truckers emptying their bottles to prepare for continued use,” he said.

“And they all were fresh,” Peter added. “The ammonia smell (or you could just say stench) rising from the pavement was an insult to the nostrils. It just about knocks you backwards.”

Peter says he counted more than 100 trucks swinging through the exit in the 90 minutes he was there. What’s interesting, though, is that more than three quarters of those trucks never stopped when they saw him there with his truck, crew and flashing yellow lights.

“They got off and then right back on,” he said. “Why would they do that? Why exit but then never stop?”

Peter believes they intended to toss a potty bomb. But they didn’t want to get caught. So they kept going.

“Many truckers don’t even stop when they exit,” Peter explained. “They’re slowing down just enough to toss a bottle out the window and keep going. What’s strange is that most of the bottles, at this exit, end up on the right side of the ramp.”

“Think about that for a second,” Peter said. “The driver’s seat is on the left side of the vehicle, but the bottles are on the right side of the ramp. Are truckers really tossing their business out the passenger window? I sure hope they’re a good shot. What happens if they miss? Splashback?”

Why this exit?

“We believe it’s because it’s a pretty easy exit to get on and off,” Peter answers. “It’s isolated and quiet. Truckers can slow down just long enough to toss their business out the window and then get right back on the highway. It costs them very little in time, and that is the major reason we think truckers do what they do. Not excusing it, but time is money.”

This isn't the only exit

This isn’t the only place where we find potty bombs. They’re most commonly found at truck weigh stations, exit ramps with truck stops, and chain-up areas.

A litter pick-up crew in King County found 73 bottles at one time at the northbound I-5 weigh station off exit 141. An Eastern Washington litter crew once found a spot with more than 200 bottles.

On a recent trip down I-5, Peter said he saw an estimated 100 plastic bottles scattered along the entrance to I-5 from the weigh station in Federal Way. Even at 60 mph the bottles were highly visible. Peter calls it an example of truckers stopping to get their trucks weighed, but not getting out to get rid of their “load.”

Tens of thousands of potty bombs

Peter believes it’s a safe estimate that tens of thousands of potty bombs fly onto Washington’s roadsides each year. Compared to the overall amount of litter, that’s not significant. But ask our crews and other people like adopt-a-highway volunteers: It’s probably some of the nastiest litter out there.

Potty bombs:
Poop bucket and pee bottle.

“Can you imagine finding a bucket of poop along the highway?” Peter exclaims. “Talk about disgusting. And, yes, we find buckets half full of poop.”


“At the I-90 exit, we’ve found a lawn chair with hole cut out of the seat,” Peter said. “I guess that would make it easier to do your business. It was probably left behind from a hunter’s camp… but still, bleh.”

“Here’s the real kicker: The problem seems to have grown exponentially,” Peter said. “While we don’t have empirical data to back up that statement, we can tell you anecdotally it’s gotten substantially worse since 2004.”

Litter funding is down

Unfortunately, there is no money for litter prevention or enforcement. Ecology used to do both. Litter pickup funding is down more than 40 percent.

Just in case you were wondering, Exit 47 is only 7 miles from a truck stop, complete with all conveniences. Need we say? Including restrooms.

Thank you litter crews

I’d like to take a moment to thank all the crews who shouldn’t have to pick up this nasty litter, but are out there helping keeping our highways clean: Adopt a Highway volunteers, Washington State Department of Transportation, Washington State Department of Corrections, and our own Ecology crews.

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E-Cycle Washington reduces waste and helps manage clutter

Elisa Sparkman, Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction Program
I suppose I could find a tiny bit of silver lining to the huge winter storm that affected Western Washington in January. The storage shed in my back yard caved in from snow weight and broken branches. And though the repair has been a pain, the past few months have forced me to finally purge some major clutter.

If I am honest, I would probably not have done this any time soon… or ever. Over the course of the repairs, I made plenty of trips to the local transfer station. With what I can only describe as a mini-museum of obsolete electronics, I became a frequent participant in E-Cycle Washington, a free electronics recycling program that is overseen by Department of Ecology (Ecology). As an Ecology employee, it is really nice to experience firsthand how an agency-run program helps reduce waste in the statewide community.

It’s been three years since E-Cycle Washington began. E-Cycle Washington is a product stewardship program. Product stewardship is an environmental management strategy that directs all those involved in the design, production, sale and use of a product to take responsibility for minimizing the product's impact to human health and the natural environment throughout the life of the product.

Since 2009, E-Cycle has collected over 140 million pounds of covered electronics.

E-Cycle Washington is a manufacturer funded program that is managed by the manufacturers through an independent party, the Washington Materials Management and Financing Authority, overseen by the state and is free to consumers. Since the program began three years ago, 140 million pounds of electronics (TVs, computers and monitors) have been collected, with almost all of this recycled. That is a lot of waste kept out of our landfills! In 2009, there was still 64 million pounds of electronics (all types) thrown in landfills. This shows that consumer participation is the key ingredient for success.

Programs like E-Cycle Washington pave the way for product stewardship programs for other materials and products. Ecology is working with producers of fluorescent lights on a product stewardship program for mercury containing lights, which will be available starting in January 2013.

Product stewardship programs are ways that we, as humans, can take an active role in managing the amount of waste and toxic chemicals on our planet and help pave the way for a more efficient future. And they can help us make more space in our storage sheds!

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E-Cycle Washington – the free, convenient and responsible way to e-cycle

by Miles Kuntz, E-Cycle Washington, Ecology Waste 2 Resources Program

E-Cycle Washington may sound like a program for bike riders, but it’s not. In fact, it’s for everyone. E-Cycle Washington is a free electronics recycling program overseen by the Department of Ecology. Electronics manufacturers fund the program; no state tax dollars are used. Ecology oversees E-Cycle Washington to ensure that electronics are recycled responsibly and safely.

Under this program, the following can recycle electronic products at no charge:

• Individuals
  
• Households
  
• Small businesses
  
• Schools and school districts
  
• Small governments
  
• Charities
  
• Special purpose districts

(For details on how those on the above list are defined, go to this link: Who can recycle with E-Cycle Washington?)

To find a free E-Cycle Washington drop-off site in your area (there are more than 290 statewide), go to http://www.ecyclewashington.org/. Be sure to look for businesses on the list that feature E-Cycle Washington’s green plug logo next to their name. They’re the only ones registered with the program.

Consumers can recycle certain electronics for free through other means, but be wary. Free recycling does not always mean responsible recycling. It’s important to recycle responsibly because electronics contain toxic materials that can pollute soil, water and air if mishandled.

E-Cycle Washington currently accepts the following products:

• Televisions
  
• Computers
  
• Computer monitors
  
• Portable or laptop computers, including “tablet computers”
  
• e-readers (also called e-book readers)

At this time, computer peripherals such as keyboards, mice and printers are not accepted by the program.

E-Cycle Washington has been recycling electronics for more than three years now. To date, more than 126 million pounds have been collected through our statewide network of collection sites. Each year’s total has surpassed the previous one.

Education and promotion are keys to the success of any recycling program, even a free one. Some of the efforts so far to promote E-Cycle Washington include:

• Most retailers provide e-cycling information on the receipt when you buy a computer, monitor, TV or e-reader.
  
• Radio ads sponsored by the manufacturers have blanketed the state the past two years.
  
• A number of public utilities have included inserts in their monthly bills.
  
• Local governments promote the program.
  
• Newspapers have reported on the program, including announcing the achievement of the 100-million-pound collection mark last summer.

So now you know what to do with your unwanted or outdated electronics! E-Cycle is free and convenient. And it’s important for the environment. Electronic products contain toxics like lead and mercury, as well as valuable resources like copper and other metals that don’t belong in our landfills.

Look for the E-Cycle Washington logo and recycle!

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Product stewardship is responsible 21st century "waste" management

by Kara Steward, Waste 2 Resources Program

The E-Cycle Program collects and recycles televisions, monitors, and computers.

Do you ever wonder how local governments ended up responsible for waste management? A century ago, crowding and waste in industrial cities gave rise to repeated disease epidemics. Fear of these epidemics created political support for public investment in sanitation infrastructure.

Clean water and sewerage came first, and later, at the beginning of the 20th century, collection and disposal of municipal refuse. Cities took on waste disposal responsibilities.

But at the beginning of the 20th century, municipal refuse was different than it is today. It was mostly coal ash and food scraps, with a small proportion of simple manufactured products like paper and glass. Today, 71 percent of our waste is products and packaging, some containing toxic components. Garbage has changed significantly over the last 100 years, but our waste management system has not. *

Today, local governments and ratepayers fund the collection, recycling, and disposal of increasing amounts of packaging and products. Some call this “welfare for waste.” Others view it as financially unsustainable, especially in these economic times. There are better ways to manage resources and reduce waste.

Future waste management system

Product stewardship (also called Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR) is the way of the future for our waste management system. Product stewardship is a policy that requires those who design, market and use products and packaging to share responsibility for end-of-life management of those materials.

Product stewardship programs require:

• Producers to finance the take-back and recycling of their product and encourages product redesign to minimize wastes and toxics.
• Consumers to properly use and dispose of the product.
• Governments to set standards and enforce the laws.

In other words, if you design it, produce it, sell it, or use it -- you have a role to play in the responsibility for the impact on the health and environment for the product’s full life cycle.

Washington’s product stewardship programs

Washington State has two product stewardship laws – for electronics and mercury lights. When it started in 2009, the E-Cycle Washington program was an immediate success. This summer we will reach the 100,000,000 pound milestone for computers, monitors, and televisions recycled through E-Cycle Washington.

Since 2009, E-Cycle has collected almost 100 million pounds of covered electronics.

The stewardship program for mercury-containing lights is under development, and will be in place by January of 2013. The 2011 legislative session included four product stewardship bills: carpet, medical sharps, pharmaceuticals, and adjusting and adding more products to the E-Cycle law.

Product stewardship programs positively affect local government budgets. In 2009, Snohomish County saved $550,000 in collection, hauling and processing costs for electronics. Additionally, county residents have 15 drop-off options, not just the three operated by the county.

Product stewardship leads to less waste, less toxics, provides more sustainable funding, and establishes important feedback loops. It is a key component of the state’s solid and hazardous waste plan, “Beyond Waste.”

For more information on Product Stewardship

• W2R’s Product Stewardship definitions, policy, and principles
• E-Cycle Washington
• Mercury Lights Product Stewardship
• North West Product Stewardship Council
• Product Stewardship Institute
• Product Policy Institute

* Credit for the above analysis goes to the Product Policy Institute; http://www.productpolicy.org/content/history-waste

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Cash Awards Available for Sustainable School Projects

By Alissa Ferrell, School Award Coordinator, Waste 2 Resources Program

It’s time for public and private school around the state to apply for the 2011 Terry Husseman Sustainable School Awards!

Garfield Middle School (Whitman County) students used their award to monitor the Palouse River, using scientific techniques to measure the health of the ecosystem. Gatewood Elementary (King County) diverted more than 20,000 pounds of compostable waste and significantly increased recycling rates since receiving their award. And Neah Bay Elementary (Clallam County) students reduced plastic bag use by using their award to purchase reusable shopping bags adorned with the school mascot for students and staff.

The awards promote sustainability and reward school efforts to reduce waste and increase environmental curricula. Ecology gives awards to schools for implementing activities such as recycling, environmentally preferable purchasing, organic gardening, composting, resource conservation, and more. All K-12 schools in Washington are eligible to apply.

Awards are presented in three categories:

• Seed Awards fund start-up costs for programs promoting waste reduction, recycling, and sustainability both within the school and in the community.
  
  
• Sustainable School Awards recognize ongoing efforts to maintain and expand programs that focus on waste reduction, recycling, and sustainability.
  
  
• Creative Environmental Curriculum Awards recognize original curricula that introduce students, teachers, staff, and administrators to the concepts of waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and sustainability. Ecology supports curricula that inspire a sense of environmental stewardship in the students.

Applications are due at the Department of Ecology, 300 Desmond Drive SE, Lacey, WA 98503 no later than 5:00 pm on Feb. 28, 2011.

We expect to distribute close to $30,000 for the 2011 award cycle. Awards range from $100-$5,000. Award recipients are recognized at a ceremony on the Capitol Campus in May. Learn more about the program or get application materials.

Here’s what some of our recent award winners have done:

Creston School, Lincoln County — 2010 Seed Award $3,150

“The year (2010) has been very productive already with regards to recycling at Creston School. First, we purchased a metal storage building to organize and protect our collected materials. Next, the shop class built a recycle pick-up bin with wheels so the Creston Environmental Sustainability Program (CRESP) crew can efficiently collect materials weekly. The class also has constructed a large bin to house cardboard until we take it to the recycle company. Our lunchroom milk distributor has donated the use of 25 bins to assist the classrooms in sorting white paper to assist the CRESP crew.

We have established a shared relationship with the local recycling company to lower the number of trips into Spokane to deliver materials. This will save us 50% of the number of trips which amounts to 150 miles round trip times 20 trips, or 3,000 miles per year. It also provides the local recycler with materials they can accumulate and sell to recycle brokers. This is a win-win situation for everyone.

"We will begin accepting recycle materials from the community of Creston on December 1, 2010 which will increase the volume of collected materials significantly. We are, however, up to the challenge. Overall, the year has picked up where we left off last June and the level of excitement is growing." — Earl Hill



Creston students receive their award from Ecology Director, Ted Sturdevant, at the ceremony on May 21, 2010.

Garfield Middle School, Whitman County — 2010 Environmental Curriculum Award $750

Garfield Middle School received an award for their water quality and ecosystem-based curriculum. Students monitor the Palouse River utilizing various scientific techniques and parameters that measure the health of the ecosystem including flora and fauna. Seventh and eighth grade students gain hands-on experience in data collection, observations, and analyses. This program creates student awareness of the importance of maintaining a healthy environment and communicating concerns with appropriate organizations.

“The project, which started several years ago, is an ongoing project testing the quality of water, as well as flow rate of the Palouse River. They gather information 4-5 times a year, and then the students compare the results of each test from year to year.” — Phil Weagraff



Eighth Grade students from Garfield-Palouse Middle School refine their skills at testing the water quality of the Palouse River in Elberton, WA.

Gatewood Elementary, King County — 2010 Sustainable School Award $500

Gatewood began diverting cafeteria wastes for composting and recycling in 2007 and since then has diverted over 20,000 pounds of compostable waste and significantly increased recycling rates. In addition, Gatewood is working on other programs related to environmentally friendly procurement, including less toxic cleaning products, less toxic white board markers, and hopes to begin procuring recycled content paper.

“With an additional 60 students over last years' headcount, Gatewood has had to ramp up a bit on our compost and recycling sorting in the cafeteria. We are using three to four bio-based composting bags of food waste each day (as compared to two to three last year)” We have been able to purchase more bags with award funds.

In the area of environmentally preferable purchasing, we purchased non-toxic, refillable white board markers for a few classrooms as a pilot program. Students use these during individual slate work, often with 24 students simultaneously, and it has dramatically reduced the odor in the classroom. “The new markers are fabulous in that they have almost no odor, and if they do dry out, we simply refill them. Several other teachers would like to get these markers for their classrooms as well.” — Michelle Gaither

Cape Horn-Skye Elementary, Clark County — 2009 Seed Award $1,302

This award allowed students to purchase a composter bin, educational materials, and supplies. They partnered with knowledgeable representatives from Clark County Solid Waste and the Master Gardener programs for educational assistance.

“In the fall, students and teachers collected leaves from our campus and students also brought leaves from home. We put them in plastic bags to use later in the winter/spring when brown matter is scarce. Fourth and fifth grade teachers and students are the leaders in our school for the composting project. Each day, they collect apple cores, lettuce, etc. from K-5 classes and students take turns putting food scraps and leaves into the composter.” — Mary Lou Woody



Students learn about composting from the county’s organics specialist, Gregg Hayward.



Fifth Graders placing leaves into their compost bin.



Gregg explains how the compost bin works.

Neah Bay Elementary, Clallam County — 2009 Seed Award $1,200

Students reduced plastic bag use by purchasing reusable shopping bags adorned with the school mascot for student and staff use. The school also collaborated with the Makah Environmental Division and Port Angeles Public Works to give each classroom a presentation on Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling in early December. Helen Freilich from Port Angeles Public Works emphasized the importance of reducing the amount of waste that students produce. She encouraged students to reuse and recycle products where possible. At the end of the presentation, Mrs. Murner, Neah Bay Elementary Principal, presented the students with the reusable bags with their Thunderbird mascot.

“…[S]tudents and staff will be using these bags at the local grocery store, ‘Washburn’s,’ instead of plastic bags. This will be one way that Neah Bay Elementary students will begin their journey to reduce, reuse and recycle.” — Alice Murner



Neah Bay Elementary students posing with their reusable bags.

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Grant Funding Available for Environmental Public Involvement

By Alissa Ferrell and Jason Alberich, Public Participation Grant Officers, Waste 2 Resources Program

Students look for ingested plastic waste in seagull boluses (regurgitated waste)



Students conduct study of plastic waste washed up on the beach

Do you feel like public involvement in environmental issues is lacking? Do you find that funding for environmental education and outreach is scarce? Well, perhaps Ecology’s Public Participation Grant program can help.

Public Participation Grants competitively provide funding to not-for-profit public interest organizations and citizen groups. The grants encourage public involvement in monitoring contaminated site cleanup, waste reduction, and pollution prevention activities. They provide an opportunity for the public to have a voice and become directly involved in solving the state’s environmental problems.

The application period for the 2011-2013 Public Participation Grant cycle is now open.
A few examples of education and outreach projects that grant applicants might want to consider are:

• Protecting Puget Sound.


• Promoting recycling and reuse.


• Preventing the use of toxic chemicals in and around the home.


• Raising awareness and use of green building materials, methods, and services.


• Increasing the recovery of organic materials for beneficial uses.


• Sustainable living practices.

The projects must provide substantial and measurable public benefit to Washington residents through education and outreach.

Applications are due at the Department of Ecology, 300 Desmond Drive SE, Lacey, WA 98503 no later than 5:00 pm on Jan. 6, 2011.

We expect to have just over $1.8 million available for the 2011-2013 funding cycle. Public Participation Grants can fund up to $120,000 for a project. There is no requirement for matching funds. Selected applicants must complete their projects between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2013.

Visit our website to learn more about the program or get application materials.

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Enhanced Resources on Ecology’s Green Building Web Site

Low VOC paints and sealants inside a strawbale home in Spokane, WA.

On top of a construction and demolition landfill.

The Green Building Group at the Department of Ecology offers technical assistance and educational resources to Washington residents and businesses interested in green building strategies. Sustainable, or green, building isn’t a new idea, but the movement has experienced unprecedented growth and development in recent years.

More and more people have been ”connecting the dots” between the toxic materials used in construction and indoor air quality, between a large home garbage bin and rising mountains of waste, and between costly utility bills and poor home insulation. More and more people are now trying to incorporate green features in their construction, demolition and remodeling projects to do their part in reducing the environmental and health impacts.

In response to the growing interest and questions, we have re-developed our green building Web site. We’ve streamlined the site’s navigation, making it user-friendly, and enhanced it with new, up-to-date information and resources. We hope that it now provides the tools that the Washington residents need to take action.

The updated Green Building Web site features the following sections:

Green Building Basics - Components of a green building; green building statistics in Washington State.

Certification and Regulations - Green building and product certification programs; Washington State Law on High Performance Buildings.

Case Studies - Links to residential and commercial case study databases.

Homeowner Resources - Homeowner incentives; brochures on elements of a green remodel.

Builder Resources - Educational resources, incentives available to builders, and appraisal information.

Alternatives to Waste - How to avoid and reduce waste generated by construction, demolition, and remodel projects.

Ecology Assistance - Ecology services: eco-charrette facilitation, grants, environmentally preferred purchasing, assistance to local governments, interagency cooperation, and some Washington green building organizations.

Contact Us – Meet the Green Building Group at Ecology.