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”.