Product Stewardship Institute Propane Tank Summit May 16, 2003 Thanks to our Sponsors: Worthington Cylinder Manchester Tank Blue Rhino, Inc. Propane Education & Research Council Tank Recyclers Aero Energy

Introductions Name Agency, company, organization Location Connection to propane tank issue

Product Stewardship Institute Mission History Method

PSI Current Project Areas Cylinder Projects –20-pound grill tanks –Small gas cylinders Electronics Paint Radioactive Materials Thermostats (mercury) Tires

Product Stewardship Institute Steering Council Coalition/Affiliate Members –Agency Leaders Pledge Support to Work With PSI on Product Stewardship Issues –26 States: CA, CT, FL, HI, IN, IA, IL, MA, ME, MN, MO, MS, NJ, NE, NH, NC, NY, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, UT, VT, WA, WI –24 Local Agencies from CA, MA, MI, MN, NC, OR, WA

Propane Tank Project Process Stakeholder Identification Background research Interviews Analysis Dialogue

Key Stakeholders State and local government Manufacturers Tank exchange companies Distributors/Refillers Recyclers/Refurbishers Waste management companies Retailers Associations

Initial Summit Goals Reach consensus on short-term strategies to increase safe collection, refurbishment, and recycling of used tanks. –implement at start of grilling season

Initial Summit Goals Develop unified message and communications plan –implement before Memorial Day Begin to develop longer-term solutions.

Revised Summit Goals Develop awareness of problem Gain agreement on Project Goals Discuss draft tank handling and management procedures Discuss communications strategies Begin discussion of issues and strategies related to developing a national collection strategy

Propane Tanks – the problem Safety risks –RDF plants (e.g., SEMASS) –Garbage trucks (compaction) –Transfer stations (bulldozers) –Landfills (bulldozers) Wasted resources from disposal Financial considerations

Propane Tanks – the problem Derek Grasso, American Ref-Fuel Company of SEMASS, L.P. Edith DeMello, MA Department of Environmental Protection

Goals of the project Increase awareness of the problem and management options Reduce safety risks Increase collection, reuse, and recycling

Draft Handling Procedures Who is the target audience? Municipal officials Consumers Refillers/distributors/retailers

Draft Handling Procedures Who would use procedures, and for what purpose? Company service representatives Municipal employees

Draft Handling Procedures What information is most important to include? OPD valve change Danger of improper disposal End-of-life management options One stop information resource

Draft Handling Procedures What format would be most useful (for each audience?) Q&A Fact Sheet Protocols for answering phone inquiries Section in product care manual

Draft Handling Procedures What is the process for developing tank handling and management procedures? Association committee process Company sign-off procedures Government sign-off procedures

Draft Handling Procedures What are the next steps?

Communication Strategy Communication Goals Awareness among other industry, government, consumers about available information

Key Issues Education Regulation Economic Infrastructure

Education Unavailable Inconsistent “ Everyone thinks propane is like a glass of water or a gallon of milk, they don’t appreciate the dangers” Jim Tutko

Education – Potential Solutions Central Information Source Targeted Campaign

Regulation Lack of enforcement Absence of policy Local restrictions “ If I hear the ‘clang’ of a tank [on the tipping floor], I’ll them they can’t drop that here, and give it back to them. The next time they’ll put the tank in the middle of the load of trash where it won’t ‘clang’. It’s impossible to find it, and there’s no way to enforce what they say”. - Charlie Noonan

Regulation- Potential Solutions Training program Creative involvement of waste industry Increased municipal enforcement

Economics Economic disincentives for return Tank durability vs. grill durability “Places in town charge more [to drop tanks off] than the landfill or drop off site does, and when I tell residents that, they often choose to go make that trip. It’s fairly wasteful, they’re spending time & gas…and probably not saving any money, but what can you do”. – Laura MacPherson

Potential Economic Solutions RECOGNIZE: Surcharge per gallon goes into PERC fund Create economic incentive for municipalities to collect tanks Create economic incentive for consumer to return tanks –Bounty –Discount coupons at retail –Deposit refund Retail fee on consumers not returning old tank

Potential Economic Solutions Manufacturers factor collection/recycling cost into product price –Visible or invisible fee –PERC manages fund and develops collection and processing contracts –No EOL fee for consumers Economic incentive to buy equipment without new tank

Infrastructure Storage constraints Lack of refurbishing competition Equipment “Our collector was backed up – There were 16,000 in the collection route waiting to be picked up, when they only take 1,000 at a time. We hired another company to [store] some, just as a way to clean tanks from a full yard” – Mary Farrel

Infrastructure- Potential Solutions Inter-municipal coordination (“Milk runs” or combined storage ) Special collection days Statewide contracts

Successful Management Indiana Propane Gas Association –Motivated industry link –Partnerships –Effective media that “snowballed”

Successful Management State of Louisiana – Code easier to work with than law –Infrastructure –Partnerships

Questions & Comments