1. Recycling is Smart Business
Linda Mangione
Presented to:
Business Owners in the United States

2. Overview Audience Introduction Expected learning objectives
What is recycling?
Why is recycling important?
Benefits of Recycling
Environmental Pollution - landfills
What items can be recycled?
U.S. Business Firms
Your role as a business owner
Waste Reduction Tips
Impact of recycling
Recycling Resources
3 easy steps to recycling!
Thank you
References
Hi everyone, thank you all for attending this presentation about recycling, here is our overview. I will discuss the audience, your expected learning objectives, what recycling is, the importance of recycling and the benefits. I will also provide information about environmental pollution and landfills. I will discuss your role as business owner and list tips on waste reduction, the impact of recycling and recycling resources will be listed.

3. Audience Targeting Business Owners of: All firms (non-employer)
All firms (employers)
We are targeting this presentation today to all business owners of non-employer (firms with no payroll) and employers (firms with payroll).

4. Introduction
The purpose of this presentation is to educate you the business owner about recycling and how your role as business owner is key in reducing waste in your communities.
This presentation is intended for business owners in the United States. The purpose of this presentation is to educate business owners about recycling and how your role as business owner is key in eliminating waste in your communities.

5. Expected Learning Objectives
What is recycling?
Why is recycling important?
What items can your business recycle?
Environmental pollution
Your role – what can you do?
Recycling resources you can use
Today we are going to learn what recycling is, why it is important. I will also provide you what items can be recycled. Environmental pollution is a environmental health problem and I will discuss this and what you can do to reduce environmental pollution. Finally, I will list recycling resources.

6. What is recycling?
As defined by the World Health Organization, recycling is a term embracing the recovery and reuse of scrap or waste material for manufacturing or other purposes(WHO, 2009).
Reference: World Health Organization (2009). Annexe 7
Glossary of terms commonly used in HCWM. Retrieved July 1, Available from
What is recycling? It has been defined by the World Health Organization as a term embracing the recovery and reuse of scrap or waste material for manufacturing or other purposes.

7. Why is recycling important?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recycling diverted nearly 72 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 2003, up from 34 million tons in 1990 – doubling in just 10 years (EPA, 2009).
Reference: United States Environmental Health Agency (2009). Is recycling worthwhile? Retrieved July 1, Available from
Why is it important to recycle? According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recycling diverted nearly 72 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 2003, up from 34 million tons in 1990 – doubling in just 10 years!

8. Benefits of recycling
Protects and expands U.S. manufacturing jobs and increases U.S. competitiveness in the global marketplace. 
Reduces the need for landfilling and incineration. 
Saves energy and prevents pollution caused by the extraction and processing of virgin materials and the manufacture of products using virgin materials.
Decreases emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change. 
Conserves natural resources such as timber, water, and minerals. 
Helps sustain the environment for future generations. 
Reference: United States Environmental Health Agency (2009). Is recycling worthwhile? Retrieved July 1, Available from
There are the many benefits of recycling and these are the top six benefits: protects and expands U.S. manufacturing job which makes us more globally competitive, reduces landfiils, saves energy and prevents pollution, decreases emissions which contribute to global climate changes, conserves our natural resources, and helps sustain the environment for future generations.

9. Environmental Pollution
While landfill space is plentiful on the national level, some areas of the United States, particularly the heavily populated East Coast, have less landfill capacity and higher landfill costs (EPA, 2009).  Recycling just makes sense.
Waste is a problem in the United States and is costly. The Environmental Protection Agency notes that while landfill space is plentiful on the national level, some areas of the United States, particularly the heavily populated East Coast, have less landfill capacity and higher landfill costs
Reference: United States Environmental Protection Agency (2009). If there is plenty of landfill space , then why should I recycle? Retrieved on July 1, Available from

10. What items can be recycled?
Paper
Plastic
Electronics
Ink cartridges
Batteries
Tires
Cardboard
Glass
Metal
Aluminum
I have provided a listing of what items can be recycled, but there may be more items as well. These items included: paper, plastics, electronics, such as computers, ink cartridges, batteries, tires, cardboard, glass, metal and aluminum.

11. United States Business Firms
The number of business firms in the United States is vast. In 2002, there were a total of 23,343,821. Which can be broken down:
Non-employer 17,646,062
Employers 5,697,759
Reference: United States Census Bureau (2009). Statistics about business Size (including Small Business) from the U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on July 1, Available from
The number of business firms in the United States is vast. Statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau in 2002 show the following:
All firms total 23,343,821, non-employer 17,646,062, employers 5,697,759

12. Your role as a business owner
Waste in the United States can be reduced with your help.
This is an opportunity for your business to recycle all the products that your business uses everyday.
Your business is an opportunity to help reduce and eliminate environmental waste.

13. Waste Reduction Tips
Join EPA’s free WasteWiseProgram (is a voluntary EPA program that helps businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations save money by reducing their garbage and recycling).
Reduce office paper waste by implementing a formal policy to double-side all draft reports, and by making training manuals and personnel information available electronically.
Improve product design to use less materials.
Work with customers to design and implement a packaging return program.
Switch to reusable transport containers.
Purchase products in bulk.
Bring your own lunch bag.
Keep mailing lists current.
Reference: United States Environmental Protection Agency (2009). Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Buy Recycled. Retrieved on July 1, Available from
Here I have listed ideas that you can start implementing at your business today! You can join the EPA’s free WasteWiseProgram, this is a voluntary EPA program that helps businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations save money by reducing their garbage and recycling. You can reduce office paper waste by implementing a formal policy to double-side all draft reports, and by making training manuals and personnel information available electronically. Improve product design to use less materials. Work with your customers to design and implement a packaging return program. Switch to reusable transport containers. Purchase your products in bulk. Bring your own lunch bag.
Finally, you can keep mailing lists current to avoid paper waste.

14. Impact if all businesses recycled
Imagine if all businesses recycled in the United States the benefits to the environment would be enormous!
The benefits:
Cleaner air and water
Conservation of our natural resources
Saving energy
Decreasing emissions
Sustaining the planet for future generations
Reference: United States Environmental Protection Agency (2009). Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Buy Recycled. Retrieved on July 1, Available from
What if all businesses recycled? Think of the impact this would have! The benefits:
Cleaner air and water, conservation of our natural resources, saving energy, decreasing emissions and sustaining the planet for future generations.

15. 3 easy steps to recycling!
Get the resources you need to start a recycling program at your business.
Educate your employees about the benefits of recycling.
Encourage your staff to recycle and lead by example.
These are the steps you can take to start recycling at your business. The first step is get the resources that you need to start a recycling program, second step is to educate your employees about the benefits of recycling and the third step is encourage your staff to recycle and lead by example. It they see you recycling they will too!

16. Recycling Resources Websites:
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Conservation Websites in your area: for example New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Coca-Cola Recycling
Status Clean – Independent information guide providing articles and tips on waste management
These are some great websites to find the recycling information that you need. The United States Environmental Protection Agency is a wealth of information. The Environmental Conservation websites in your area can help provide local information. The Coca-Cola Recycling website shows how Coca-Cola’s green initiatives. The Status Clean website is an independent information guide providing articles and tips on waste management.

17. Recycling Resources Articles:
Cross, C. (2008, July). Containing the Digital Age. Industrial Engineer: IE, 40(7), Retrieved July 30, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.
IBM recycles scrap wafers to solar panel industry. (2008, January). Advanced Materials & Processes, Retrieved July 30, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.
Books:
Lund, H. (2000). McGraw-Hill Recycling Handbook(2nd ed.). Dubuque, IA: McGraw-Hill Professional.
The first article: Containing the Digital Age and the second article: IBM recycles scrap wafers to solar panel industry are good examples of business recycling. Finally the book by Lund provides answers to hundreds of complex questions on developing a successful recycling program.

18. 3 easy steps to recycling
Get the resources you need to start a recycling program at your business.
Educate your employees about the benefits of recycling.
Encourage your staff to recycle and lead by example.
Remember these 3 easy steps to start recycling at your business. 1. Get the resources you need to start a recycling program at your business.
2. Educate your employees about the benefits of recycling. 3. Encourage your staff to recycle and lead by example.

19. Many thanks to…
The United States Environmental Protection Agency and it’s website: which was a source of knowledge and inspiration! For more information Thank you for attending
In closing, I would like to thank you for attending my presentation today. Does anyone have any questions? You can contact me for additional information. Thank you.

20. References
United States Census Bureau (2009). Statistics about business size (including Small Business) from the U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on July 1, Available from
United States Environmental Protection Agency (2009). Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Buy Recycled. Retrieved on July 1, Available from
United States Environmental Protection Agency (2009). How do I know what materials are recyclable in my community, and where can I take these materials to be recycled? Retrieved on July 1, Available from
This is the list of references used.

21. References (cont.)
United States Environmental Protection Agency (2009). If there is plenty of landfill space, then why should I recycle? Retrieved on July 1, Available from United States Environmental Protection Agency (2009). Is recycling worthwhile? Retrieved on July 1, Available from World Health Organization (2009). Annexe 7 Glossary of terms commonly used in HCWM. Retrieved on July 1, Available from