Intent:
Reduce waste generation and disposal through programs that encourage reuse.
Requirements:
Develop and adopt a policy to promote product and material reuse. The policy should allow or facilitate most of the following or equivalent programs:
- Partnerships with Food Rescue Groups
- Partnerships with local reuse organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, and Goodwill.
- Promote citizen or industry repair programs and infrastructure through “tool libraries,” “repair cafes,” corporate events (e.g. Patagonia repair bus), etc
- Adopt building deconstruction policies, codes or ordinances
- Support for and development of material exchanges
- Promoting backyard composting with subsidized bins, education and other support.
- Programs to eliminate or reduce usage of products,
- Partnership with companies that handle hard-to-recycle items
- Programs to eliminate or reduce usage of products, e.g.
- Bag bans or taxes/promotion or distribution of reusable bags
- Water bottle refilling stations in public places
- Procurement programs that emphasize and reward source reduction
- Life Cycle assessment
- Funding for source reduction programs
- Training and education programs about source reduction
- Support for and development of material exchanges
- Developing “On demand” programs for consumer items in service establishment, such as straws in restaurants
- Promoting backyard composting with subsidized bins, education and other support.
- Offer and promote no-cost regular business waste assessment/audit with recommendations for “right-sizing”.