Wasteshed Programs for a 2% Recovery Rate Credit

Waste Prevention Assessments

(OAR 340-090-0045(1)(E)): Local governments will conduct waste prevention assessments of their operations, or provide waste prevention assessments for businesses and institutions and document any waste prevention measures implemented

What is a Waste Prevention Assessment?

A Waste Prevention Assessment is an analysis of a business’s processes and material flow to find out if materials are used efficiently. The assessment looks for opportunities to prevent or reduce the amounts of material used and waste generated. The information gathered is then used to identify waste prevention opportunities.

A good 2% Waste Prevention Assessment program will accomplish the following:

• A majority of the local governments within the wasteshed have either
  • conducted waste prevention assessments of their own offices and operations, or
  • promoted and provided waste prevention assessments to local businesses and institutions.
• An overall plan describing how many offices/businesses will be assessed, and the implemented recommendations measured, within the reporting time.
• The results of the implemented waste prevention recommendations are measured, documented and submitted with the 2% application.
• Assessments are performed by trained employees of the local government or of the participant, or by hired specialists.

How to Perform a Waste Prevention Assessment

Different methods for assessing material use and waste generation are useful for gathering different kinds of information. It is generally most effective to combine two or more methods. For example, in the following scenario four different methods are used:

"Goal: to eliminate/reduce materials used in the employee cafeteria. A facility walk-through showed us that nearly all of the cardboard was being separated for recycling, so we relied on hauler records to determine the cardboard volume. Since we could see that most of the waste in the trash cans in the cafeteria dining room was paper cups and plates, we checked purchasing records to learn how many of these items were used and how much they cost. Finally, we conducted a waste sort on the kitchen trash to identify what was left and if it could be further reduced or composted."

A very helpful tool is the "Resource Efficiency Tool Kit", produced by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. See below under "Resources".

Step 1: Get Organized

• Develop or obtain checklists to use during the assessment. For examples, download a Facility Walk Through form or a Waste Sort Form from the Commercial Waste Reduction Clearinghouse web site.
• Collect background information about the organization/type of business such as square footage, number of employees. Look for existing case studies.
• Assessments of large manufacturing plants usually require professional expertise. Check with the OSU Extension Services’ Industrial Assessment Center. See under "Referrals to Existing Programs" below.
• Develop a series of questions to guide your initial phone conversation with the business to make sure you collect the critical information.
• Determine an appropriate time of week/month/year to conduct assessment. Pick a time when normal amounts of waste are being generated (not off-season or around Christmas) and when trash and recycling containers are full.
• Explain the waste prevention assessment process to your contact at the business BEFORE you arrive.
• Clarify confidentiality issues with the business.
• Coordinate with other departments or organizations that conduct inspections or assessments (health dept., fire dept., etc.) when appropriate.

Step 2: Collect the Information

• Ask Questions:
  • Develop a list of probing and open-ended questions (understand the business’s processes):
    • What are they currently doing to prevent waste?
    • What materials do they purchase, process, ship and dispose of?
    • What materials are passed onto the customer that could be eliminated?
    • Who provides waste removal and recycling services?
• Listen:
  • Restate what they said.
  • Ask for clarification/details about their responses/comments.
• Look/See:
  • Pay attention – you are a detective who is looking for clues to the mystery of waste!
  • Look at the waste & recycling containers, compactor, shipping/receiving area, internal trash containers, manufacturing/processing floor, reproduction room – anywhere there is activity that may generate materials.
• Take notes:
  • What did you see, hear, observe?
  • What are they doing/not doing to reduce waste?
  • Who else could you talk to that would have useful information?
  • Can you call them within the next few days?
  • Use forms to capture this information.
• Pictures/Slides:
  • Ask permission to bring a camera.
  • Use photos of dumpster, recycling bins, receiving area, etc. as part of your report or presentation to the business.
• TIPS:
  • Remember, you are a visitor and need to see things from the business’s point of view as well as your point of view.
  • Provide them with useful information at the time of the assessment; include a packet of information on waste prevention and local contacts.
  • Be positive about their current efforts, even if they are minimal; build on what they are doing rather than suggesting that their current efforts are misdirected or futile.
  • Try to find out what their particular area of interest is and emphasize that in your assessment and recommendations.

Step 3: Organize the Collected Information

• Develop a report of the information you collected.
• Call the business to "fill in the blanks" or clarify information you collected. Do this within a week of your visit.

Step 4: Evaluate the Collected Information

• Identify the major material purchases and compare those to the major components of the waste stream.
• Identify opportunities for waste prevention, reuse, recycling and buy recycled.

Step 5: Develop Written Recommendations for the Business

• Based on your assessment, develop specific recommendations for the business.
• Include recommendations on prevention, reuse, composting, recycling and buy recycled.
• Make recommendations realistic and specific enough for the business to take action. Include estimates of how much the business can save when they implement them. See Participant Tools for more information.
• Include short, medium and long-range waste reduction recommendations in your waste assessment report.
• Emphasize the importance of establishing baseline information and documenting the results of the implemented measures.
• Present your report to the business.

Step 6: Follow-up with the Business

• Allow time for the business to take action, maybe three months, sometimes longer.
• Conduct regular follow-up phone calls to determine progress, get their feedback and offer additional assistance.

Step 7: Measure the Results

• If recommendations are implemented, measure the impact and compare with baseline data.

Resources

• The Resource Efficiency Tool Kit, Participant Tools, produced by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Available by calling Cameron Oster at 503-229-5409, or within Oregon 1-800-452-4011 x5409 or . Also available online.
• "Beyond the Bin: Saving Resources, Saving Money," a brochure by DEQ. Available by calling 503-229-5913, or within Oregon 1-800-452-4011 x5913.
• "Spotlight on Waste Prevention" (530-K-95-002) gives practical suggestions for businesses, consumers, and community organizations. Available at no charge from the EPA at 1-800-424-9346. EPA web site: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/reduce/prevent/spotlght.pdf.
• California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB)
  • Waste Prevention World, Developing Skills to Conduct Waste Assessments for Businesses, and
  • "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - It’s Good Business! A Guide for California Businesses", April 1994, Publication # 500-94-004 of the CIWMB, and
  • "Establishing a Waste Reduction Program at Work". It comes with Instructor (Training) Manual and a Participant’s Manual. Available at: www.ciwmb.ca.gov/bizwaste/Assess.htm

Referrals to Existing Programs

The following people have provided waste prevention assessments to local government offices, businesses and institutions:

• Alex Cuyler, City of Eugene, 541-682-6830
• Kristin Reese, Hood River GreenSmart Program, 541-386-2000
• Melissa Toney, Recycling Team of Central Oregon, 541-388-3638
• Susan Ziolko, Clackamas County, 503-650-3248
• OSU Extension Services, Industrial Assessment Center. Contact Greg Wheeler at 541-737-2515.

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