Waste is a Local Issue: Product Stewardship in the Northwest

July 29, 2002Shirli Axelrod

Seattle Public Utilities

Should elected officials vote on prices before products go to market?

• Public Utility rates must be approved by vote of elected bodies; no option to “drop” non-cost effective services, such as to those who can’t pay.

• Garbage, sewer, stormwater, safe drinking water service delivery mandatory and enforced.

Sound Business Practice:Reduce Risks and Costs

• Should taxpayers and utility ratepayers further subsidize manufacturers for the impacts from their wastes?

• Should product prices reflect the costs of production and disposal?

• Who is in the best position to choose ways to eliminate or reduce producers’ costs?

Who can prevent waste?

• Solid waste facilities and stormwater drainage pipes receive discarded materials – that can pollute, – that could have market value if recovered, and – whose recovery reduces environmental damage

such as from greenhouse gas emissions.

• Manufacturers, not Solid Waste Agencies, are the source of (and market for) these materials.

Why Product Stewardship?

• Typical “solid waste” and “household hazardous waste” methods aren’t suitable for multi-material products

• High-volume/short useful life as consumer goods, but their durable constituents (metal, plastic, glass) should be recovered for manufacturing feedstocks.

Mixed Municipal Solid Waste Transfer Site

Typical recyclables are homogeneous materials, suitable for bulk handling and mechanical sorting.

Unloading at Solid Waste Landfill

Household Hazardous Waste Facility

How Much Are You Willing to Pay for Someone Else’s Waste?

• “Ratepayer Fatigue” - public rejecting costs of public services.

• Existing taxes and rates rolled back, bans on new taxes in Washington, by recent Statewide voter initiatives/referenda.

• County parks closed or sold, Seattle libraries on furlough in August, bus and ferry routes cut.

Product Stewardship at Seattle Public Utilities

• Product stewardship is one of our primary Comprehensive Solid Waste Management strategies (1998 Comp. Plan, “On the Path to Sustainability”).

• Environmental Purchasing Citywide Policy, SPU staffing for multi-departmental teams.

Seattle Activities, continued:

• Sustainaible Builidng Program - Silver LEED for new construction and major remodels.

• Water conservation, stormwater pollution prevention, and solid waste reduction technical assistance for commercial customers.

• Seattle is a founding member of the Northwest Product Stewardship Council

Northwest Product Stewardship Council

• “Working together to integrate product stewardship into the policy and economic structures of the Pacific Northwest.”

• Set up in 2000; held a national conference on “Products and the Environment”

• Steering Committee and funding from several Oregon and Washington government agencies.

Work Program for Northwest Product Stewardship Council:

• Selected product and process topics, as well as general outreach and information.

• Priority topics: – Packaging waste reduction (grocery, apparel)

– Tires

– Electronics

– Medical industry work group

– Mercury work group

Product Stewardship Activities at WA State Dept. of Ecology

• Staff Task Force coordinating major programs.

• Ecology staff participate in– PSI (Coalition member; Steering Council) – NEPSI (State government representative)– WEPSI (Organizing Committee member)– SWANA (PS sub-committee; SWANA

adopted a PS Policy)– ASTSWMO (Chair of PS Committee)– NWPSC (Steering Committee)

WA Dept of Ecology, continued:

• EPP: incorporating product stewardship into state procurement contracts, notably end-of-life management.

• “BEYOND WASTE PROJECT” http://www.ecy.wa.gov/beyondwaste/ to develop strategic plans for properly handling hazardous and solid wastes. Plans are likely to include steps to reduce waste in the design, manufacturing, distribution, and use and disposal processes of products.

How Can You Get Involved?

• Keep electronics out of the garbage; local businesses can collect products for re-use and recycling.

• Institute Green Purchasing in your jurisdiction or company.

• Join regional and national dialogues with manufacturers, retailers, recyclers, etc.

• Monitor and offer input on legislative and regulatory activities.

Shirli AxelrodSeattle Public Utilities710 Second AvenueSeattle, WA 98104

phone: 206-684-7804E-Mail: shirli.axelrod@ci.seattle.wa.us