Accessibility for Product Stewardship Programs State of Texas Alliance for Recycling Summit 2013 Tim Warren Account Manager October 15, 2013

What is Call2Recycle ® ? Free to consumers, retailers and participants; 100% funded by manufacturers Over 75 million pounds of batteries and cellphones collected since inception Complies with Basel Treaty ban on exports: e-Stewards Recognition First program of its kind to receive Responsible Recycling (R2) Certification

How is Call2Recycle Funded? Battery and product manufacturers pay a licensing fee, based on North American sales, to imprint Call2Recycle Battery Recycling Seals onto battery packs or products to comply with laws. A toll-free number on the seal allows consumers to locate more than 30,000 collection sites in the U.S. & Canada.

How the Program Works Batteries are recovered or reused to make new batteries, cement products or stainless steel alloy. Cellphones are refurbished or resold and a portion of the proceeds are used to fund collection programs/public education and charity.

What is Accessibility?  In terms of recycling, it is the access that consumers have to recycle products after their useful life.  Factors to consider: –The convenience of recycling –The variety of items available for recycling –The locations available to drop-off items (how many opportunities does the consumer have within a reasonable radius) –The visibility of the drop-off locations themselves (out where consumers can easily identify/access them and well advertised) –The hours of operation are flexible and convenient

Why is Accessibility Important?  In 2009, the U.S. recycling rate for materials was 33.8%, but could be higher or lower depending on material due to the availability – accessibility – of recycling resources for each material.  From Call2Recycle’s perspective, the U.S. EPA estimates that more than 350 million rechargeable batteries are purchased annually in the U.S. –In order to divert those batteries from the waste stream, our program needs high accessibility to make it convenient for consumers to drop-off their rechargeable batteries.

Recycling Options that Affect Accessibility  Curbside (considered most convenient)  Retail take-back  Manufacturer take-back  Mail-in programs  Community/HHW drop-off centers  National product stewardship programs Variety of Collection Methods Variety of Materials Accepted  Aluminum or steel cans  Plastic bottles or plastic containers  Glass containers  Plastic bags or plastic film  Paper or cardboard  Cellphones  Batteries  Print cartridges  Consumer electronics  Light bulbs  Power tools

How Call2Recycle Determines Accessibility  Define a public facing collection site  Identify who is participating as a public collection site  Analyze collection site network (Conventionally, a 10-mile radius has been used as the appropriate radius.) As of mid-2013, 89% of the U.S. population was covered in Call2Recycle’s accessibility measurement

How Does this Compare with Other Programs?  When Earth911 contacted local communities in 2011 to learn about their curbside recycling programs, one question asked was “What percentage of residents have access to the program?” –On average, only 70% were eligible to participate  The plastic bag and film industry reports that 91% to 93% of the U.S. population has access to plastic bag recycling and 72% to 74% also have access to plastic film recycling via curbside collection or because they live within 10 miles of a drop-off facility.

The Challenges of Accessibility  Being able to provide coverage for both urban and rural areas effectively –In Texas, we work with organizations like Cooperative Teamwork Recycling Assistance (CTRA) and the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission to address the needs of rural Texas.  Maintaining accurate location information –Continual quality checks on our database. –Active sites (ones that have sent in batteries within the last 12 months) are offered first.  For Call2Recycle, a challenge is not being able to utilize more mainstream solutions, like curbside or mailback, because there are safety & compliance concerns that limit this type of collection for batteries

Benefits of Knowing Your Accessibility  Allows insight to identify the areas that are underserved –For Call2Recycle, where should time, money and effort be spent to set-up collection sites and educate  Can also be used with demographical information to better understand what portion of the population may or may not be recycling  Allows for better, more targeted communications with consumers 66% of “baby boomers” vs. 54% of “millennials” would make a strong effort to recycle

Battery Recycling Accessibility in Texas  87% accessibility rate for the state  1092 public sites  91% retail, 3% government  In 2013, retail sites have collected 194,907 pounds of rechargeable batteries (195 lbs. average)  Government sites have collected 26,283 pounds (730 lbs. average)

Consumer Awareness & Motivation  In a comprehensive survey, 25% of respondents cited not being accessible or convenient as a barrier to recycling  Only 37% were aware that you could recycle batteries  Less interaction with material to be recycled makes it harder to keep top-of-mind  55% said knowing where to go would increase the likelihood of recycling batteries/cellphones  51% of consumers who “drop and shop” go beyond replacing what they recycled to buy other items Consumer “green guilt” has more than doubled since 2009 to 29%

Consumer Awareness & Motivation - continued  In a study of 506 consumers who already recycle batteries, the majority found out about recycling at a retail/store, followed by word-of-mouth  The number one method at a retail location was through store signs  In a survey looking at motivations, the majority of non-recyclers said the biggest thing to motivate them to recycle would be information on  Where to recycle  Benefits/importance of recycling  How/what to recycle 75% of Americans say they feel good when they take steps to help the environment

What is Your Accessibility?  Do you accept a variety of products?  How convenient is it to recycle?  Do you have enough locations?  Are your locations visible?  What consumer education tools do you use? How effective are they at reaching their audience?

Questions? Tim Warren Account Manager, Call2Recycle ® 1000 Parkwood Circle, Ste.200 Atlanta, GA