Sustainable materials management policies refer to a broad array of regulatory and policy measures aimed at minimizing solid waste generation, improving the performance of solid waste collection, processing, and recovery practices, and/or minimizing environmental, economic, and/or social impacts across the lifecycle of products. SWEEP focuses on sustainable materials management practices related specifically to solid waste.
Sample sustainable materials management policy practices:
- Adoption of incentive oriented programs & policies, such as pay-as-you-throw
- Carbon footprint reduction policy
- Implementation of incentive-based recycling
- Environmentally preferable product procurement policy
- Implementation of local mandatory recycling policy
- Enforcement of statewide mandatory recycling policy
- Enforcement of statewide landfill ban(s)