Calculating the Emissions Impact of Recycling

In 2009 the EPA introduced the concept of Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) which looks at the entire lifecycle of goods and products, not just end-of-life materials management. Waste Management has recently applied these principles to measure the greenhouse gas emissions impact of the solid waste and recycling industry.

When the principles of SMM were applied to the materials handled by the solid waste and recycling industry, analysts at Waste Management found that their old way of thinking needed to change to focus more on the overall environmental impacts of their operations. This led them to develop a unique model that identifies the cost per ton of carbon emissions reduction for various solid waste and recycling services.

In the first of a two-part series, this one-hour webcast will provide insight into how corporate and urban sustainability leaders can understand the carbon impacts of their own waste reduction and recycling efforts. You’ll learn:

• The role of lifecycle thinking when developing and evaluating materials management goals
• Where to focus limited resources to realize the greatest environmental return
• How to take actions to to ensure that your goals reflect true environmental improvements

Speakers:
Susan Robinson, Senior Public Affairs Director, Waste Management
Rob Hallenbeck,  Venturing Analyst, Waste Management
Elisabeth Resek, Chief of Municipal Source Reduction, EPA