The Taste of Zero Waste

The sustainability movement has infiltrated the business models of nearly every industry in the United States, and many companies have set “zero waste” or other ambitious environmental goals. Likewise, dozens of municipalities and states have launched similarly aggressive initiatives. So, what does this mean for the solid waste industry?

Waste Age's February issue features an article by Bryan Staley, president of the Environmental Research and Education Foundation, that tries to answer that question. The article lists some specific goals from states, and contends that the majority of sustainability goals that relate to solid waste can be grouped into four categories:

• Waste minimization
• Reduced carbon emissions (i.e, a smaller carbon footprint)
• Increased use of renewable energy or fuel
• Zero waste (i.e., no waste sent to landfills) and increased recycling or re-use of materials

Already, many companies within the industry are responding to sustainability trends. Firms such as IESI-BFC, Waste Connections and Veolia have issued statements on their commitment to sustainability, and Republic Services notes that “being green is not just a philosophy; we’ve been doing it for years.”