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Recommendation SW7: Plan for a stronger recycling system and technical nutrient cycle, including promoting local manufacturing with recycled feedstock.

Use a collaborative approach to enhance current recycling and begin a stronger technical recycling system for the future. One way to strengthen the current system is to focus on optimizing paper and other recycling from commercial and residential sources. State and local governments should be an easy starting point for this venture, followed eventually by all communities in the state that have the population and infrastructure to support enhanced recycling efforts.

The eventual aim is to design products for reuse and recycling in the technical closed-loop cycle (manufacture, reuse, and recovery). This must include projecting and planning for infrastructure needs to support increased recycling and reuse of technical materials. We need to expand local markets and recycling businesses, increase demand for products designed for recycling, and use incentives and price signals to increase recycling of technical cycle materials.

By making manufacturers more responsible for end-of-life management of their products, stewardship efforts play a key role in improving the technical recycling system. As part of extended producer responsibility efforts, explore shared funding mechanisms to collect materials and stimulate recycling.

An additional intent of this effort is to increase focus on re-manufacturing. Re-manufacturing means to repair or rebuild a used product into a new or different product, extending the useful life of the original product. This will not only help move us Beyond Waste, but will also create more green jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Milestone SW G: A strategy is in place for strengthening the technical nutrient cycle. This supports sustainable products, producer responsibility, and a sustainable economy. Action for developing the strategy may include:

• Develop maps of infrastructure, markets, and recyclable commodities flow.
• Develop incentives to promote local manufacturing using recycled feedstock. This could include addressing product versus waste issues.
• Consider financing mechanisms that will support increased collection and cradle-to-cradle use of commodities.
• Support product stewardship efforts for cradle-to-cradle use of materials in products.
• Create a “wasteshed” with the goal of diversifying our recyclable commodities markets and utilizing 75 percent of traditional recyclables in the region.
• Consider regional solutions to material reuse.
• Devote more attention to large generators of product waste (institutions, industries, etc).
• Work collaboratively with stakeholders to address challenging materials, such as glass, plastics, and bio-based plastics.

Milestone SW H: All state agencies and other governments recycle.

Milestone SW I: Statewide recycling is standard practice for commercial and residential generators, supported by efficient collection and increased infrastructure.

Links and Resources

• Beyond the Curb - Tracking the Commingled Residential Recyclables
• Access to Residential Recycling in Washington Map
• Waste Reduction and Recycling
• EPA Product Stewardship (Exit Ecology)
• Sustainability

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