On-line Articles and Publications

2000 Buy-Recycled Series
A set of fact sheets based on EPA's Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines, designed to help agencies "close the loop" by buying recycled products for construction, landscaping, offices and transportation.

Alliance for Environmental Innovation Reports
These reports available in PDF format address topics such as environmentally preferable paper, catalog printing, and preferred packaging.

The Consumer's Handbook for Reducing Solid Waste – EPA
Outlines many practical steps to reduce the amount and toxicity of residential garbage.

Cutting Paper
A site that provides practical information on how to reduce office paper use. From the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Cutting the Waste Stream in Half:
Community Record-Setters Show How (PDF)
Fact Sheets and a full report from EPA's Waste Reduction Record-Setters project. Profiles of actions in 18 specific communities across the United States are included.

Decision Makers' Guide to Solid Waste Management – EPA
Provides technical and economic information to help local decision makers reduce waste at the source and foster implementation of integrated solid waste management systems that are cost-effective and protect human health and the environment.  (PDF)

Directory of links to Recycling Publications – Recycler’s World 
Provides links to over 100 recycling related magazines and journals.

EcoIQ Magazine on Solid Waste and Recyling
A compilation of feature articles and news briefs relating to waste and recycling, assembled from past issues of the quarterly online jounal EcoIQ.

Enough!
A quarterly report on consumption, quality of life, and the environment, from the Center for a New American Dream. Articles from past issues are posted online.

The Internet Consumer Recycling Guide 
Provides a starting point for consumers in the USA and Canada searching the net for recycling information.  Includes guides to recycling various materials, such as unwanted mail and hard-to-recycle materials.

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn Inspires Ray C. Anderson to Make Multi-Billion Dollar Interface, Inc. Sustainable
A brief article that explains how Ray Anderson made the decision to turn his company, Interface Inc., into one that operates sustainably.

Linking Sustainable Community Activities to Pollution Prevention – A Sourcebook 
The entire text of this 1997 RAND publication is available on-line. It provides a simple introduction to pollution prevention as strategy for sustainable communities. 

The EPA's Municipal Solid Waste site offers extensive information about household waste management practices. It contains information about the federal MSW program as well as profiles of individual state programs, and comparisons of practices in major developed nations.

P2 Northwest Newsletter
This quarterly newsletter of the Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center focuses each issue on a specific pollution prevention topic. Archived past issues include topics such as transportation, green building, climate change, and product stewardship.

Pay-As-You-Throw: Lessons Learned About Unit Pricing – EPA
Helps communities consider, develop, and implement pay-as-you-throw programs. Includes an overview of pay-as-you-throw as well as sections on outreach, design, and implementation.  (PDF)

Pollution Prevention Resources
Online publications from the Center for Sustainable Systems include "Pollution Prevention Concepts and Principles" and "Pollution Prevention Strategies for College Campuses."

Reusable News
A periodic online newsletter from the US EPA, focusing on recycling and waste reduction.

Source Reduction Publications from EPA  
A listing of EPA publications available online, addressing specific waste streams and waste prevention strategies. 

Talking Trash  
An E Magazine feature article from 1997 that explores the debate on recycling vs. traditional waste management practices. 

To Burn or Not To Burn  
Discusses the politics surrounding the recycling vs. incineration debate in solid waste management.  Originally published in In Context #19.

The ULS Report  
A bi-monthly newsletter that promotes "Using Less Stuff" to conserve resources and reduce waste.  Back issues are available online, and an electronic subscription to the newsletter is free.

Understanding Beverage Container Recycling: A Value Chain Assessment
This Multi-Stakeholder Recovery Project study is the first accomplishment of a project called Businesses and Environmentalists Allied for Recycling (BEAR). The study indicates that the United States can double the recycling of beverage containers and save money at the same time. Americans waste 114 billion beverage containers annually, and the study group recommends a cost-effective deposit/return system that would begin to help recover these containers.

Waste Prevention News  
From the National Waste Prevention Coalition, offers news that highlights issues, trends, and best practices in preventing waste, including actions individuals can take to reduce waste. 

Waste Reduction, Reuse and Recycling Pamphlets
New York's State Department of Environmental Conservation offers a number of online educational and information publications on waste reduction, addressing topics including precycling, reuse, and composting.

Waste to Wealth Publications
Titles on Reuse, Recycling, Solid Waste Management, and Recycling-Based Economic Development from the Waste to Wealth program of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

WasteWi$e Update – EPA
Provides information on issues and trends in waste reduction as well as the successes and focus of the WasteWi$e program. 

WoodWise Consumer Guide
Co-op America’s 2001 edition is available free to the public and provides 60 tips and resources consumers need to take action to protect forests without sacrificing quality of life or spending lots of money. An expanded resource directory is included to help consumers find forest-friendly home improvement and paper products from retailers who help preserve forests.

Other Articles and Publications 

BioCycle  
An acclaimed magazine reporting on issues and trends in recycling and composting. 

Yale Working Papers on Solid Waste Policy
These papers seek to stimulate and disseminate scholarly research useful for a deeper understanding of solid waste management. Abstracts appear online.

Purchasing Power: Harnessing Institutional Procurement for People and the Planet, Worldwatch Paper #166, Worldwatch Institute, 2003
This report says that shifting a share of large institution purchasing away from harmful goods and services to more environmentally friendly alternatives can benefit ecosystems and communities, save money, and send a powerful message to markets on behalf of more sustainable options.

Getting at the Source, Island Press, 1992.
Examines the evolving concept of source reduction and proposes an evaluation framework that decision-makers can use to help devise effective source reduction strategies. 

The Next Efficiency Revolution: Creating a Sustainable Materials Economy, Worldwatch Paper #121, Worldwatch Institute, 1994.
Recommends shifting our economy from primary industries to greater reliance on recycling, repairing, and re-manufacturing businesses as a way to reduce pollution and stimulate economic development. Argues that industries founded on secondary materials will allow pioneering companies to open up entirely new economic sectors. 

Waste Reduction Tips 
A bimonthly newsletter that shows organizations how to purchase less material and fewer supplies, reuse what is purchased, recycle what can’t be reused - while getting paid for it - and reduce waste disposal costs.

Why Do We Recycle? Island Press, 1997. 
Examines the social, economic, and ethical aspects of recycling. 

Software Tools 

WastePlan, Tellus Institute.  
A widely used and user-friendly computer application designed to facilitate integrated solid waste planning. 

Last updated: January 31, 2005

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