What are the economic and financial benefits of product stewardship?

Contents: These slides provide more information about some of economic reasons to pursue product stewardship including direct cost savings, job creation and creating new markets.

The cyclical system created by product

stewardship creates jobs

and saves taxpayer

money.

By closing the loop to reuse materials we create local jobs to

collect, sort, refurbish and recycle materials.

Recycling creates more than 10 times,….. the number of jobs created by disposing of goods in a

landfill

Greening the way we do business can create opportunities for business innovation

• the sustainable packaging industry is set to

become a $143 billion dollar industry by 2015 (globally)

• the electronics recycling industry was over $1.5 billion dollar industry in the U.S. 2005 and is growing rapidly

Why are we concerned about government saving money?

Nebraska spent an estimated $2 million tax dollars last year managing household hazardous waste

In Nebraska in 2009, we collected approximately:

Paint 469,694 lbs

Oil 166,331 lbs

Electronics 62,050 lbs

Other HHW 512,787 lbs

Total 1,210,862 lbs

We spent an estimated

$850,000 on collection

events and permanent

facilities during the

year just in 11

Nebraska communities

…but the total state-wide costs are estimated to reach $2 million!

Potential Financial Benefits for Nebraska

Electronics $3.7 millionPaint $3.5 millionPesticides $2.2 millionBatteries (primary) $1.4 millionBatteries (secondary) $428,000Medical sharps (home) $1.1 millionFluorescent lamps (household) $500,000Phone books $232,000Thermostats (mercury) $267,000

Total Maximum Benefits for Nebraska $13.5 million/yr

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EPR shifts the costs and responsibility off of government, even if government keeps actually doing the collections.

Actual Cost Savings from E-Waste Laws

Hennepin County, MN(pop 1.1 million)•Saved approximately $680,000 in the first program year .

St. Louis County, MN (pop 200,000)• Saved approximately $90,000 during the first program year.

In May 2007, Minnesota became the 4th state to require EPR for e waste‐