Objective 1. Build Knowledge and Capacity
Build knowledge and capacity among local government staff and elected officials from rural and non-rural Counties, retailers, producers, and other stakeholders about the benefits of "cradle-to-cradle" producer responsibility by giving at least 25 presentations and utilizing other outreach methods.
Deliverables and Grant Products
To date, CPSC has far exceeded the project goal by giving nearly 60 presentations to local government and other stakeholders to a combined audience of more than 2,500 people throughout California. Audiences include: cities and Counties, the California League of Cities, the Solid Waste Association of North America, and the California Council of Directors of Environmental Health.
Numerous outreach materials have been developed that explain EPR to different audiences and using different media:
Objective 2. Technical Assistance
Assist local governments in the adoption of at least 10 ordinances/resolutions/policies supporting u-waste reduction/collection/take-back partnership programs and EPR, and assist local government agencies in integrating EPR principles of u-waste into at least 10 policies — purchasing, zoning or plans (solid waste, sustainability or green business).
Deliverables and Grant Products
Technical Assistance on Adopting EPR Resolutions and Policies
More than 50 jurisdictions have adopted EPR resolutions or policies. Resolutions are posted on CPSC's Local Actions page. CPSC has developed documents to assist entities in adopting EPR resolutions and policies.
- Model Resolution
- Model Staff Report
- Model Press Release for EPR Resolution
- Model EPR Survey for Public Venues
rev. 2/22/10
Use this survey for measuring public awareness of EPR at fairs, events and other public venues. The survey can be adapted for local events. Please send us the results if you use the survey as it helps us document outreach and education activities under this grant.
Technical Assistance on Green Purchasing
This objective includes integrating EPR language into local government environmentally preferable purchasing policies and contracts. The Green Purchasing Institute (GPI) has provided technical assistance to many jurisdictions and has developed several documents for this purpose:
Technical assistance on green purchasing has been provided by the Green Purchasing Institute to the following:
- City of Sacramento
- Tuolumne County
- Mariposa County
- Los Angeles County Community College District
- City and County of San Francisco
- City of Palo Alto
- City of Napa
- Del Norte County
- Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)
- Santa Clara County
- Western States Contracting Alliances (WSCA)
- State of California's EPP Program
- Mendocino County
- City of West Sacramento
- Rancho Santa Margarita
- Citrus Heights
- City of Santa Monica
- Marin County
GPI has given presentations on integrating EPR into government procurement policies to the following:
- Marin County, 3/11/08
- NCRA, 3/24/09
- Statewide EPR and Batteries Workshop, 4/29/08
- Statewide EPR and Fluorescent Lamps, 4/30/08
- Napa County/City of Napa, 6/12/08
- City of Los Angeles, 7/22/08
- CRRA Annual conference, 8/3/08
- RCRC, 8/21/08
- City of San Diego/Chula Vista, 10/2/08
- City of San Jose, 4/1/09
Objective 3. Educational Workshop on Fluorescent Lamps
Deliverables and Grant Products
DNSWMA and CPSC coordinated a statewide EPR workshop for fluorescent lamps to bring international expertise and experience on producer responsibility systems for collection, management and tracking.
The workshop for lamps was held in Sacramento in April 30, 2008 for local and state officials, retailers, producers, importers, and other stakeholders.
Objective 4. Educational Workshop on Batteries
Deliverables and Grant Products
DNSWMA and CPSC coordinated a statewide EPR workshop for household batteries to bring international expertise and experience on producer responsibility systems for collection, management and tracking.
The workshop for batteries was held in Sacramento in April 29, 2008 for local and state officials, retailers, producers, importers, and other stakeholders.
Objective 5. Develop Public/Private Partnerships for Universal Waste Take-Back
CPSC and DNSWMA researched the viability of take-back programs for fluorescent lamps and batteries, identified and recruited business partners, and implemented take-back programs for batteries in Del Norte County and San Bernardino County, and batteries and fluorescent lamps in Tuolumne County.
5.1 Convene a statewide team of key local government officials to coordinate with DTSC/CIWMB Take-It Back-Partnership and producers, retailers and other stakeholders such as energy companies and non-profits, regarding which companies or organizations would be interested in assisting in the pilot take-back programs.
This sub-objective was part of the initial project scoping in 2007. The original goal of holding the multi-stakeholder workshops was to develop pilot project ideas that could be worked on together in partnership with industry groups to identify methods to more cost-effectively and efficiently manage these product types without increases taxes or garbage rates. However, the workshops documented the lack of willingness of the battery and lamp manufacturers to work on these projects so we developed our own ideas without industry’s help and then reached out to local governments and the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation to pilot projects in Del Norte County and elsewhere. So, the need to “convene a statewide team” of key stakeholders was determined impractical after what was stated at the workshops. The project team agreed to proceed to work directly with those who would partner with us, not the broader group of folks who had a lack of interest in partnerships on pilot projects.
5.2 Determine what pilot ideas generated from partnerships with stakeholders and outreach efforts are most viable/appropriate for testing and are "transitional" to permanent producer responsibility programs.
Deliverables and Grant Products
CPSC attempted to develop six pilot take-back projects through this grant:
- Chula Vista
- Del Norte: Batteries
The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) is supporting a pilot retail battery collection program in Del Norte County. RBRC is accepting alkaline batteries, in addition to rechargeables, through this pilot project.
- Sacramento: Batteries
- San Bernardino: Batteries
- San Luis Obispo
- Tuolumne
5.3 Contractor and stakeholder partners provide technical assistance to local governments to implement U-waste take-back projects, including data tracking and establishment of measurable project goals.
Product Stewardship Award Example from Sonoma County Business Environmental Alliance 2/26/10
Click on image for larger view
5.4 Project results are recorded and evaluated. Next steps are drafted based on agreements gained and pilot results.
5.5 Project results are posted and shared with stakeholders via websites, meetings, and outreach.
5.6 Add to presentation database those who noted interest in continuing to receive information on the subject of EPR.
