Recycling & Conservation
Most Americans know that recycling is beneficial to the environment because it conserves resources. In addition, it reduces the emission of pollutants and greenhouse gases directly, and by decreasing landfills. By cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions, recycling ultimately helps control global warming.
Helping the environment by managing waste is vital both for individuals and manufacturers. Manufacturers can earn points towards ESP certification by creating programs for recycling cardboard, paper, plastics and wood solvents. They are also encouraged to continually track waste and document goals to reduce waste. In addition to the more traditional practice of recycling waste, it is also beneficial for manufacturers to recycle process by-products, like steam, to generate alternative energy. Producing alternative energy is another way to conserve precious resources and sustain the environment. Recycling leads to a healthier world which is why having an active recycling program, energy conservation program, and generating alternative energy are all important parts of ESP certification.
(1) Environmental Protection Agency
(2) McKeever, David B. 2004. Inventories of woody residues and solid wood waste in the United States, 2002 The Ninth International Conference on Inorganic-Bonded Composite Materials Conference, October 10-13, 2004 ...Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada [CD-ROM]. [Moscow, ID] : University of Idaho, c2004: 12 pages
