In conjunction with source reduction, reuse, and composting, the recycling of valuable materials is essential to a sustainable environmental, energy, and economic future.
• Recycling is resource management, not waste management.
• Materials recovery is the preferred management option for all residential,
commercial, and industrial discards.
Recycling is a shared responsibility and requires citizen engagement.
• Recycling requires the participation and collaboration of all stakeholders –
citizens and consumers, raw materials providers, product manufacturers, product
distributors and retailers, providers of recycling infrastructure, and all levels of
government.
• Recycling programs must be accessible and convenient for all residential,
business and institutional settings.
Recycling goals must be clear, achievable, and measurable.
• The foundation of successful recycling policy and programs is accurate and
unbiased information.
• Stakeholders should develop a uniform system for measuring discards, recycling
and composting, and waste disposal.
• Stakeholders should establish customized and achievable recycled content
goals.
• Recycling stakeholders must support development and dissemination of sound,
scientifically based, and balanced educational material that informs citizens on
the need for recycling and re-engages consumers in the recycling process.
Products and packaging must be designed to take into account and address environmental impact.
• Products must be designed, manufactured, packaged, distributed, managed,
and used to optimize the continuing value and recovery of the used materials
and minimize the environmental and climate impact throughout the life cycle of
the product.
• Manufacturers should develop and support programs that optimize the recovery
of post-consumer and post-industrial materials.
• Product and package environmental claims and labeling programs should be
standardized, accurate, enforceable, and useful for consumers.
Successful recycling requires equitable economic policies.
• The cost and value of recycling, in comparison to alternative management
options and waste disposal, must be transparent to consumers and take into
account sustainable development measures for resource depreciation (land
and natural resources), energy savings, and environmental impact.
• Government policies and programs for management of discards must not favor
virgin materials use and waste disposal over materials management by source
reduction, re-use, recycling, and composting.
• Government tax policies must provide direct and in-direct incentives for recycled materials utilization, new recycling technologies, and infrastructure
development.
• Recycled materials must have access to free and global markets for
commodities.
Think globally, act locally.
• Taking into account regional and local differences, state and local collection
policies and programs should utilize practices that optimize participation rates,
cost-effectiveness, direct incentives, and energy efficiency.
• Local governments must have sufficient means, tools, and the necessary
authority to implement successful residential, commercial, and institutional
recycling programs.