|
August 16, 1999 Trio of King County Studies Shine Light on Recyclables Taken together, three new King County studies reveal a previously unseen picture of how the region's recycling system is faring in terms of consumers, manufacturers and markets. "Although we've had a lot of success with consumer 'buy recycled' programs, our research tells us we need new programs to meet new challenges," said Deborah Brockway, Acting Executive Director of the King county Commission for Marketing Recyclable Materials. While Puget Sound area residents are recycling more and better, the new studies indicate that markets are uncertain for some of the materials that are collected at curbside at the same time public attention is shifting away from recycling and buying recycled products towards broader environmental issues. Not only will the studies guide King County's recycling and market development efforts, but the research is also available to businesses and public agencies working on recycling markets across the state. The first of the studies, Assessment of Markets for King County Recyclable Materials, identifies vulnerable markets for some of the core materials being diverted from the waste stream by area recycling programs. For example, markets for such materials as mixed paper, mixed glass, urban wood and organic agricultural waste are considered to be less than secure, suggesting the need for increased market development at the commodity level, in addition to consumer programs. Meanwhile, the Commission's Study of Consumer Environmental Awareness and Behavior reveals that other environmental issues have moved into the public spotlight. Although most residents, when prompted, say that recycling and buying recycled products are important, the findings suggest that new programs need to position recycling within a broader environmental context. The final study, Use of Recycled Materials by King County Manufacturers, shows that while many manufacturers are interested in using recycled materials in the products they make, many may be prevented from doing so by a lack of technical and marketing assistance. The information compiled in the three reports is especially discouraging in the wake of the Asian economic crisis, which has depressed traditionally important export markets for recyclable materials from the Pacific Northwest. And the situation is further aggravated by the fact that the State of Washington, along with other state governments, has curtailed resources for recycling market development programs. In 1997, for example, funding was eliminated for the state's Clean Washington Center, which had been the state's lead agency for market development for recycled materials. Although residential curbside recycling in King County actually increased somewhat during1997, the Commission notes that the state's overall recycling rate during 1997 (the last reported year) dropped 16 percent. The drop is attributable primarily to declines in commercial recycling caused by depressed markets for recyclable materials. The Commission's Market Assessment makes it clear that more support is needed for key recyclable commodities. The Commission is sufficiently concerned that it is already well into the development of new programs to meet these challenges. In coming months, for example, it will offer technical and marketing assistance to manufacturers that currently use virgin materials but have expressed interest in incorporating recycled materials into their products. The Commission will also work with existing economic development programs in the region to offer incentives to companies that might locate here to process priority recyclable materials into clean, usable manufacturing feedstocks. The Commission's consumer-oriented "buy recycled" programs, which have traditionally focused on grocery items and office products, will now be directed more toward the home building and remodeling markets, where the Manufacturers Survey indicates there is great potential for including recycled materials in housing products. Brockway said the Commission will not limit itself to recycled products alone but will also address the broader issues of resource conservation and environmental stewardship. She added that the Commission's public information and education programs will incorporate recycling into a broader environmental message for consumers. As an example, Brockway cited April's Northwest EnviroExpo, a first-of-its-kind consumer event that brought the public face-to-face with the manufacturers and retailers of environmentally beneficial products, including recycled products. According to Brockway, it will become an annual event that will continue to address consumer interest in broader environmental issues while demonstrating the important role of recycling and buying recycled products. Brockway also cited two new programs that position recycling within the broader context of resource conservation. A Sustainable Building Program, in partnership with other organizations in the region, will encourage construction practices that conserve materials and resources, improve economic performance, and contribute to environmentally sensitive community development. A Product Stewardship Program will work with other regional players, including manufacturers, to develop fair and cost-effective ways for consumers, manufacturers and public agencies to manage new materials and products, such as cell phones, that are not currently recyclable. The Commission's first project will involve industrial designers in rethinking product design and development. "These are new initiatives and new directions for the Commission," Brockway said. "But if we are going to keep recycling moving forward, it must be within the broader picture of resource conservation. We're going to have to work harder than ever before to avoid slipping back into our old wasteful ways." The Commission, an agency within the King County Department of Natural Resources, is responsible for developing markets for recyclable materials. The full text of the Commission's
reports can be downloaded from the Commission's website at http://www.metrokc.gov/swd/market.htm. Updated: August 16, 1999
|