| One the biggest barriers facing the waste | | | | began to use a process called the "sandwich bail" |
| management/recycling industry is that of trying | | | | to collect waste material at its store and |
| to implement efficient recycling practices. The | | | | distribution centres for recycling. The process |
| challenge that we face today is that most | | | | involved putting a layer of cardboard at the |
| products are not designed with recycling in mind. | | | | bottom of the compactor before filling it with |
| Mr. William McDonough, the co-author of a book | | | | waste and then putting one at the top. The |
| published in 2002 called "Cradle to Cradle: remaking | | | | compactor then produces a sandwich, which is |
| the way we make things" and Micheal Braungart, | | | | easier to handle and transport. By implementing |
| his fellow author, together they lay out a vision | | | | this process wall mart is not only reducing waste |
| for establishing "closed-loop" cycles where there is | | | | disposal costs but also making money by selling |
| no waste. The authors argue that recycling should | | | | waste at market prices. |
| be taken into account at the design stage, and | | | | The European parliament voted to increase |
| that all materials should be able to return to the | | | | recycling rates by 2020 to 50% of municipal |
| soil safely or be recycled indefinitely. | | | | waste and 70% of industrial waste. Recycling |
| The sustainable packaging coalition, a non-profit | | | | rates can be increased by charging households |
| group that has developed guidelines looking | | | | and industries more for producing more trash, and |
| beyond traditional benchmarks of packaging and | | | | by reducing the frequency of trash collections |
| design to emphasise the use of renewable, | | | | while increasing that of recycling collection. |
| recycled and non-toxic source materials. This | | | | Number of cities and companies have adopted the |
| group was founded in 2003 with just nine | | | | zero waste police or zero waste targets. Matt |
| members and today boosts over 100 members. | | | | Hale the director of America's Environmental |
| Packaging that is sustainable can cut cost along | | | | Protection Agency says that although this might |
| with benefiting the environment. The world's | | | | be a little unrealistic, it is a worthy goal and can |
| biggest retailer Wal Mart announced that it wanted | | | | help companies manage their waste better. There |
| to reduce the amount of packaging material it | | | | is no doubt that recycling saves energy and raw |
| uses by 5% by 2013, this intern could save the | | | | materials, reduces pollution and overall has a |
| company $3.4 billion and reduce carbon-dioxide | | | | positive impact on the environment. In the end |
| emissions by 667,000 tonnes. The company | | | | waste is really a design flaw. |