2Sustain

The EPA estimates that Americans generate almost 2.5 million tons of used electronics each year. But, are we throwing away equipment that’s in perfect working order?

New research from the UK suggests that in many cases, we are.

A recent study conducted by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) revealed that nearly one-quarter of the electrical and electronic equipment routinely thrown away by consumers could be reused. What’s more, the researchers found that there is the potential to generate significant resale value from the repair, refurbishment and open market resale of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

WRAP estimates that each year consumers in the UK take 348,000 tonnes of WEEE to recycling sites, while another 149,000 tonnes gather in bulky waste collections. WRAP’s research found that: (more…)

PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America division announced last week that its Casa Grande, Arizona, manufacturing facility has reached “near net zero.”

The company’s “near net zero” vision was to transform an existing facility so that it would be as far off the grid as possible, running primarily on renewable energy sources and recycled water, while producing nearly zero landfill waste.

In order to achieve this goal, Frito-Lay invested in and implemented a combination of technologies.

For instance, the Casa Grande facility now generates two-thirds of all energy used from renewable sources.  For example, five separate and distinct solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, installed throughout the property, produce nearly 10 million kilowatt-hours (KWHs) of electrical power. (Two solar fields of single axis tracking PV systems with more than 18,000 solar panels were installed on 36 acres of the facility’s agriculture property. The three additional PV fields include a dual axis tracking system, a single axis covered parking lot and 10 sterling engine dual axis tracking systems.)

In addition, the company is working toward: (more…)

US bottle and can recycling rates are lagging. Of the 224 billion beverage containers sold annually, Americans recycle only a mere 29 percent by weight. The remainder is thrown in landfills or incinerated –a huge waste of natural resources.

Fortunately, several major US beverage brands now appear willing to support efforts to reverse that trend.

A new report, Waste & Opportunity: U.S. Beverage Container Recycling Scorecard and Report, from shareholder advocacy group As You Sow, concludes that leading beverage companies are showing both steady, incremental progress on source reduction and a new willingness to support laws making producers financially responsible for collection and recycling of post?consumer beverage packaging.

The report is As You Sow’s third review of the beverage industry since 2006, and the efforts to promote Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mandates are new –at least in the US.

“The major development since our last survey has been the willingness of leading beverage companies to consider new legislative mandates requiring them to take responsibility for their post?consumer packaging,” said Conrad Mac?Kerron, Senior Director of As You Sow’s Corporate Social Responsibility Program. “Many beverage and consumer packaged goods companies pay fees in other countries to finance recovery of their packaging. It’s significant that companies are finally acknowledging the need to take responsibility in the US as well.”

Here are a few other key findings: (more…)

Last week, Supervalu announced that it will transition 40 more stores to zero waste operations during the company’s current fiscal year, which ends on February 29, 2012.

Supervalu, which is among the country’s largest grocery chains, operates about 4300 stores, with approximately 140,000 employees and annual sales of some $38 billion. The company gained recognition last November when it became the first retailer to achieve zero waste classification at two of its Albertsons grocery stores. The success of the pilot zero waste program at the two stores in Santa Barbara, CA, convinced management to expand the initiative this year.

To achieve zero waste recognition, stores must divert at least 90 percent of all waste from landfills — a feat accomplished through increased associate engagement, as well as through adoption of these specific initiatives: (more…)

Last week, Kohl’s Department Stores released its first annual corporate sustainability report.

The report, available at www.kohlsgreenscene.com, includes updates on the company’s primary environmental strategies: (more…)