WasteWise

WasteWise is a free, voluntary, EPA program through which organizations eliminate costly municipal solid waste and select industrial wastes, benefiting their bottom line and the environment. WasteWise is a flexible program that allows partners to design their own waste reduction programs tailored to their needs.

All organizations within the United States may join the program. Large and small businesses from any industry sector are welcome to participate. Institutions, such as hospitals and universities, non-profits, and other organizations, as well as state, local, and tribal governments, are also eligible to participate in WasteWise.

The goal of WasteWise is to encourage and assist companies and organizations in the United States to reduce waste.

2004 marks the tenth year of the WasteWise program. Since its inception in 1994, WasteWise has grown to more than 1,300 corporations, government agencies, universities, hospitals, and other organizations committed to cutting costs and conserving natural resources through solid waste reduction. Examples of achievements include:

-Between 1998 and 2002, GM facilities in the United States decreased the generation of WasteWise-targeted wastes by 37 percent. GM has also increased its usage of recycled materials in manufacturing.
-In 2003, Anheuser-Busch effectively reduced waste by "lightweighting"--reducing the amount of aluminum used to produce its 24-ounce cans by 5.1 million pounds and saving 7.5 million pounds of paperboard by decreasing the thickness of its 12-pack bottle packaging. Additionally, Anheuser-Busch maintains an expansive organic waste reuse program, using 10.3 million pounds of beechwood chips--a byproduct of the brewing process--to produce compost and mulch.