Module 2 - Overview of Zero Waste and A Zero Waste Advisor Flashcards
What/Who is ZWIA?
ZWIA - Zero Waste International Alliance: an international nonprofit organization that develops standards to guide the development of zero waste by businesses, communities and individuals
ZWIA provides the only peer-reviewed, internationally accepted definition of zero waste. It states:
ZERO WASTE IS A GOAL THAT IS ETHICAL, ECONOMICAL, EFFICIENT AND VISIONARY, TO GUIDE PEOPLE IN CHANGING THEIR LIFESTYLES AND PRACTICES TO EMULATE SUSTAINABLE NATURAL CYCLES, WHERE ALL DISCARDED MATERIALS ARE DESIGNED TO BECOME RESOURCES FOR OTHERS TO USE
What does Zero Waste mean and what does implementing it do?
ZERO WASTE means designing and managing products and processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them.
Implementing ZERO WASTE will eliminate all discharges to land, water, or air that are a threat to planetary, human, animal or plant health
What is the definition of zero waste?
Zero waste is a goal that is ethical, economical, efficient and visionary, to guide people in changing their lifestyles and practices to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all discarded
materials are designed to become resources for others to use.
Zero waste means designing and managing products and
processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and
toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them.
Implementing Zero waste will eliminate all discharges to land, water or air that are a threat to planetary, human, animal
or plant health.
What are the 5 “R’s
Reduce
Reuse
Re-Earth
Re-design
Recycle
Define the 5 “R”s
○ Reduce: To examine existing practices and make changes to eliminate waste
○ Reuse: To avoid disposal by using an item again, as is, or giving it a new function
○ Redesign: to right-size waste systems (outgoing materials) and purchasing agreements (incoming materials) and to eliminate wasteful practices from product design.
○ Re-earth: To collect organic material, such as food scraps, and yard trimmings, and decompose/process it for another purpose
Recycle: To convert waste into manufacturing feedstock material that is used in the creation of new products or materials
What is the “P” conversation
Triple bottom line - People, Planet, Profit
All sustainability goals must address all three
How do zero waste practices support the triple bottom line
By increasing employee engagement, showcasing a responsibility and commitment to the local and global community and saving organizations money in the process
Explain the “Wasteberg”
Businesses today do not use resources efficiently: 5%-10% of all materials purchased by typical companies go to produce the product. 90-95% is wasted.
Resources enter a company’s supply chain with value, but leave it with none
And rather than develop more efficient practices, businesses often externalize the cost of their generated waste and pass it on to the consumer and municipalities.
What are key components of a zero-waste economy? How are they distinguished and what activities are included in those components?
A supply chain is a system of organizations, people, processes, and resources involved in moving products or services from a supplier to a consumer (or end user)
Upstream activities include: raw material extraction, production, and transportation
Downstream activities include: use and disposal. *Downstream activities begin at the point of consumption
What is the typical supply chain?
Typical supply chain system:
-is linear - make take waste
-Some organizations and consumers divert, recycle or compost used goods so they re-enter the system
Describe the focus of a zero-waste economy and where there is greater emphasis as compared to a typical supply chain…
“Zero waste focuses on UPSTREAM policies beyond diversion, recycling and composting to close the loop and place greater responsibility on the producers of goods and services.”
ZERO WASTE efforts: Highest and best use of resources
Why become a zero waste facility?
To maximize efficient use of resources and minimize discards
What does the zero stand for?
ZERO discards to landfill, incineration (WtE), and the environment
What are discards?
Solid, non-hazardous materials generated within the boundary of the facility.
