[Substantive Change as of November 2019: Further clarified/expanded materials disposed to include Bulky Waste; Modified Tier 1 & Tier 2 point sub-totals to reflect the updated allocation; Added C&D option for the Industry requirements; Modified the MSW diversion requirement for the Industry requirements and also includes Bulky Waste.

Non-Reciprocal

Intent:

Drive to the best environmental solutions for materials managed (generated, disposed, and processed) by local governments.

Local Government Requirements

Develop a plan—following either the Tier 1 OR Tier 2 approach—where the program is designed to produce the highest and best environmental result based on life-cycle thinking principles. The comprehensive plan can be a Sustainable Materials Management (SMM), Zero Waste, Closed Loop, Circular Economy, or comparable plan.

Tier 1 (10 points)

Develop a comprehensive 10-year (at a minimum) SMM, Zero Waste, Closed Loop, Circular Economy, or comparable plan that includes provisions for periodic updates to reflect new opportunities or significant legislative changes.

• Prepare a comprehensive waste characterization study (WCS) for materials handled within the local government jurisdiction following the requirements of SMMP Credit: Regular Waste Characterization and Source Reduction Programs.
• Conduct material-specific analysis for all material categories identified in the WCS that prioritizes policies and programs that provide the greatest environmental benefit. The analysis should assess environmental elements of the material categories, as well as social and economic elements of the material categories.
• Minimally, the assessment^[1] should include:
  • Evaluating and documenting
    • All GHGs, criteria air pollutants hazardous air pollutants, and biogenic emissions emitted from disposal facilities and sites
    • The number of people impacted within a given radius and the demographics and health disparities of the impacted population
    • Jobs generated
  • Evaluating and quantifying the externalized costs of
    • The health impacts of pollution on impacted communities
    • Environmental and social impacts disposal facilities and sites from air emissions
    • Production and disposal
  • Assessing social and economic components.

• The Plan will list and propose actions for at least the top 10 materials that result in the largest environmental benefit, or improvement, based on the current version of the EPA WARM model analysis using the methodology outlined in the Certification Manual.
• The Plan will also require keeping track of how all materials identified in the WCS are being:
  • Generated: (Tons of Disposal + Waste-to-Energy + composting/digestion + recycling)
  • Reduced: The Plan will include per-capita waste reduction goals over at least 10 years from the Base Year at the start of the program.
    • Achieve reduction in per capita waste disposal (MSW + Bulky Waste + C&D):
      • 5 points for 6.0 lbs./person disposal
      • +3 points for 5.85 lbs./person
      • +2 points for 5.7 lbs./person
    • List the strategies, policies, programs and projects being considered to achieve these goals.

[1] Assessment should not account for waste diverted from landfills to waste to energy and thermal conversion facilities.

Tier 2 (19 points)

• Conduct the comprehensive SMM analysis and develop policy program solutions described in Tier 1 based on analysis using a lifecycle assessment tool, such as MEBCalc, or equivalent, instead of EPA WARM. Use the baseline assumptions described in the Certification Manual.
  • Achieve reduction in per capita waste disposal (MSW + Bulky Waste + C&D):
    • 8 points for 6.0/person disposal
    • +6 points for 5.85/person
    • +5 points for 5.7 lbs./person

Industry Requirements

Develop a sustainable materials management (SMM) or equivalent (e.g. Zero Waste, Closed Loop, Circular Economy) business and/or strategic plan that supports the achievement of the goals of the SMMP Prerequisite, where the program is designed to optimize the efficiency and the best environmental and social result based on life-cycle thinking principles.

Tier 1 (10 points)

Develop a set of comprehensive long-term economically, socially and environmentally sustainable corporate goals for the company that includes provisions for periodic updates to reflect new opportunities.

• Support the development of and/or utilize a comprehensive waste characterization study (WCS) for materials handled within the Company’s service area, or the territory of the jurisdiction seeking SWEEP⁺ Certification where the Company does business. The WCS should comply with the requirements of SMMP Credit: Regular Waste Characterization and Source Reduction Programs.
• Operational sustainability and value chains
• Conduct material-specific analysis for all material categories identified in the WCS that prioritizes policies and programs that provide the greatest environmental benefit. The analysis should assess environmental elements of the material categories, as well as social and economic elements of the material categories.
  • Minimally, the analysis should include:
    • All GHGs, criteria air pollutants, hazardous air pollutants, and biogenic emissions emitted from disposal facilities and sites
    • The number of people impacted within a given radius and the demographics and health disparities of the impacted population
    • Jobs generated
  • Evaluate and quantify the externalized costs of:
    • The health impacts of pollution on impacted communities
    • Environmental and social impacts of air emissions from disposal facilities and sites
    • Production and disposal
  • As well as social and economic components.
  • Assessment should not account for waste diverted from landfills to waste to energy and thermal conversion facilities.
  • The Plan will list and propose actions for at least the top 10 materials that result in the largest environmental benefit, based on the current version of the EPA WARM model analysis using the methodology outlined in the Certification Manual.
• The Plan will also require keeping track of how all materials identified in the WCS are being:
  • Generated: (Tons of Disposal/waste to energy + composting/digestion + recycling)
  • Reduced: The Plan will include per-capita waste reduction goals over at least 10 years from the Base Year at the start of the program.
• Achieve reduction in per capita waste disposal:

• List the strategies, policies, programs and projects being considered to achieve these goals.

Tier 2 (19 points)

• Conduct the comprehensive SMM analysis and develop policy program solution described in Tier 1 based on analysis using a lifecycle assessment tool, such as MEBCalc, or equivalent, instead of EPA WARM. Use the baseline assumptions described in the Certification Manual.

• List the strategies, policies, programs and projects being considered to achieve these goals.

Potential Strategies:

• A Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) framework is the principal guiding concept for the SWEEP+ standard, but Local Governments and Companies may consider Zero Waste plans as the most environmentally, socially and economically beneficial option. In all cases, organizations seeking Certification should conduct an analysis to show the benefits of the plan.
• Educate and engage the community in looking at how materials are wasted, especially food.
• Consider landfill material bans (e.g. green waste as ADC) or source reduction bans or fees (e.g. on single-use bags, straws, polystyrene)
• Look at prevention as a low-cost, high leverage strategy.
  • Research from Oregon demonstrates that food waste prevention shows a 6-7x better environmental benefit than post consumption processing.