Opportunities in Product Stewardship Forum on Preventing Waste Scott Cassel, Executive Director/Founder Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. Montpelier, VT April 12, 2007

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, What is Product Stewardship? Product Stewardship" is a principle that directs all those involved in the life cycle of a product to take shared responsibility for reducing the health and environmental impacts that result from the production, use, and end- of-life management of the product.

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Product Stewardship Approach Make Better Products (EPPs) Influence Industry First – makers and sellers Then Stimulate Consumers

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Product Stewardship Approach Consumers need better products from which to choose Industry needs to know that there is a market for better products

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Whats the Problem? Industry unfunded mandate

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Whats the Solution? Give manufacturers and retailers incentive to reduce waste by making them pay to manage it

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Whats the Solution? End-of-life management costs internalized into product price Less sustainable products cost more Only users pay – not everyone Visible fee (e.g., advanced recycling fee) Invisible fee from manufacturer (internalized)

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, PSI Projects Paint Telephone books Mercury Thermostats Pharmaceuticals Electronics Radioactive Devices Tires Beverage containers Motor oil Fluorescent lamps Gas Cylinders Batteries

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Waste Prevention Paint Phone books Pollution Prevention Mercury thermostats Radioactive devices

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, PSI Dialogue Process 1. Research Develop Action Plan Stakeholder interviews Existing reports, legislation, data 2. Dialogue 2 to 4 meetings over a year (negotiations) Workgroup conference calls on priority solutions 3. Implement projects/initiatives

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, PSI Paint Dialogue 1. Background Technical Report 2. Product Stewardship Action Plan 3. 4 initial meetings (9 months) 4. Consensus: Memorandum of Understanding 11 projects over 2 years Demonstrate potential to reduce the volume of leftover paint and the cost of managing leftover paint 5. Raised $900,000 for 9 projects

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, PSI Paint Dialogue Historic NPCA Board Resolution: March 21, 2007 National Infrastructure Demonstration Projects 2 nd Memorandum of Understanding 4+ year process and counting…

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, What Do These Numbers Mean to Paint Management In the U.S.? 64 million $8 $512 million Estimated # of gallons/year leftover in U.S. 10% of all paint sold Estimated average cost/gallon to manage Estimated total cost to manage leftover paint This is not sustainable!!

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Paint Dialogue – Goals Reduced paint waste; Efficient collection, reuse, and recycling of leftover paint; Increased markets for recycled paint; and A sustainable financing system to cover end-of-life management costs.

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, PSI Paint Projects Behavior change/waste reduction – McKenzie Mohr Associates Reuse Manual Infrastructure model – SCS Recycled paint standard – Green Seal Lifecycle assessment/cost benefit analysis – Eastern Research Group/Franklin Associates, ICF Regulatory White Paper National financing options

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Paint Education Workgroup Goals 1. Determine why consumers have leftover paint. 2. Develop strategies to reduce leftover paint. 3. Educate consumers on the reduction of leftover paint.

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Paint Education Strategies Leftover Paint Management Guidance for Consumers Source Reduction Survey + In-Store Pilot

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Leftover Paint Management Guidance For Consumers One page guidance developed by consensus. Reduce, reuse, recycle…etc. Project Goal: test effectiveness of message and various communication techniques. Determine extent to which consumer behavior can be influenced and leftover paint reduced. Not funded: $45,360

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Source Reduction Survey Results Identify and rank the reasons that people over purchase paint… Respondents who strongly agree say: 77% - Paint is cheaper when purchased by the gallon than the quart 56% - It is better to overbuy then not to buy enough 55% - Wanting leftover paint for touch-ups 50% - Prefer having leftover than going back to the store

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Source Reduction Survey Results Identify differences between consumers and painting contractors that overbuy vs. those buying the right amount Less than 1/3 of the public uses contractors so the workgroup focused on its efforts on the public purchasers, not the contractors.

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Recommendations 1)Develop a kiosk that would allow customers who have measured (or not) to estimate the amount of paint they need because: Most people will not measure so a tool is needed at the point-of-sale 55% overbuy for touch-ups so that should be in the formula at the kiosk Only 16% receive help from clerks – another assistance tool is necessary Lowes and others have kiosks to help with paint color selection and paint calculators can be added

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Recommendations 2) A discount coupon or other incentive could be offered to encourage paint buyers to use the kiosk 3) Kiosks could include print-out so customer receives a discount at check-out for using paint calculator 4) Follow-up testing to determine if people are just unaware of the environmental impacts or if they are aware but time and convenience take priority

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Recommendations 5) Educational materials should target men 6) Pilot testing of recommendations is necessary 7) If we move away from source reduction into paint management, recommend doing a test where stickers are added to paint cans identifying where paint can be properly reused or recycled

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Paint Workgroup Conclusions 1. We now know why people have leftover paint. 2. In-store Kiosk is #1 recommendation. 3. Kiosk idea has flexibility. 4. Follow up testing of environmental message helpful. 5. Pilot testing is necessary…pending funding.

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Other Education Opportunities 1. EARTH 911 – The Paint Wise web site is live 2. Paint and Decorating Contractors Association (PDCA) Contractor College Curriculum

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Phone Books Problem Statement 660,000 tons $63 million Estimated quantity of phone books generated/year in U.S. Estimated annual cost to manage phone books in U.S. (recycling and disposal) This is not sustainable!!

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Phone Book Dialogue – Focus Waste prevention and resource conservation Reasons: Unsolicited and excess phone books Lack of opt out option

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Phone Book Dialogue – Goals Primary goal: reduce the tonnage of unwanted telephone books that are generated and distributed to households and businesses. Secondary goals: increase environmentally preferable practices related to phone book production and distribution.

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, PSI Phone Books Dialogue 1. Project Summary – completed 2. Product Stewardship Action Plan – May initial meetings 1 st meeting: Atlanta, GA or Raleigh, NC in June 2 nd meeting: Seattle, WA in September

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, What is the Product Stewardship Institute? National non-profit, Based in Boston, founded in 2000 Membership 38 States 41 Local Agencies Adjunct Council (Business, Envl Groups, Orgs) Multi-stakeholder product stewardship network

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, PSI Full and Affiliate State Members

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, PSI Northeast State Members Affiliate Members Maryland New Hampshire New York Full Members Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Jersey Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, Vermont Local PSI Full Members Chittenden County Solid Waste District Jen Holliday, PSI Board Member Addison County Solid Waste Mgt District Lamoille Regional Solid Waste Mgt District Mad River Solid Waste Alliance Solid Waste Alliance Communities

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, For More Information Paint source reduction report and summary (Bullet 5) NPCA Board Resolution (Bullet 1) Phone books project summary

© Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. April 12, For More Information Contact… Scott Cassel PSI Executive Director/Founder