1. Waste Management in Oregon Part 1 - The Background October 2007 Researched and prepared by: Mindy Trask, Environmental Project Manager ODOT Geo-Environmental Section & Portland Metro Master Recycler

2. Commercial Waste Composition Oregon Waste Composition (2002 DEQ Data) 25 % of the garbage that businesses discard) is paper that is fully recyclable.  This is 120,000+ tons a year.  Recycling this amount of paper would save the equivalent of more than 500 trees every half hour! Commercial businesses (that includes offices like yours) generate about 44 % of all waste in Oregon.

3. Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks Associated with the Material Life Cycle (production, transportation, use, and disposal) by David Allaway, DEQ, 2006.

4. 45% of Oregon's waste is recovered (reused, remanufactured, recycled, compost, incineration) Two facilities in OR burn 4.2% of Oregon’s disposed municipal waste: Brooks Energy Facility in Marion County uses the energy from burning waste to generate electricity. Beaver Hill Incinerator in Coos County burns waste for disposal. Remaining 50% is land-filled, usually trucked long distances. Other local landfills are located throughout the state. Where Does It All Go??

5. The Bad & Good News Average daily waste generation per person in industrialized nations: –US 4.6 lbs (Oregonians same as US) –Canada 3.75 lbs –Netherlands 3 lbs –Germany 2 lbs –Sweden 2 lbs (source: EPA “find an answer” website) Total generation of solid waste (garbage & recycling) increased 70% between 1993 and 2005. –Population growth accounts for only a portion of that increase. –On a per-capita basis Oregonians sent 43% more to be recycled, composted, or disposed in 2005 than 2 years earlier. (Source: DEQ statistics) You can make a difference! Benefits of recycling and waste prevention: Conserves natural resources Saves energy Reduces greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming Reduces landfill waste Saves resources used to transport and manage garbage