Richard J. Mauck

By Richard J. Mauck

Changes in the solid waste field, as in other areas of our modern industrial society, are driven by economics and politics, neither of which is currently supportive of a zero-waste concept. Today's modern economies are based on manufacturing, production, consumption, and service that depend on the use of raw materials, the formation of waste materials, and products with short life spans. If zero waste is to be achieved, it must be included as a goal at all steps in the process, especially the first.

Economics drives the choice and manner in which raw materials are extracted and utilized and/or the use of recycled materials. Economics also dictates the reuse or discard of production, postproduction, and postconsumer waste materials. Economic support for zero waste can only be realized when the cost of raw materials and waste disposal greatly exceed the cost to retool and use recycled materials. This economic condition does not currently exist as the general supply of raw materials is perceived as reasonably unlimited, qualities and quantities of recycled materials are limited, and landfilling is the lowest-cost permitted waste disposal option.

The current progress toward zero waste has only been achieved through political mandates, new regulations, and taxation, which have increased landfill tipping fees, waste disposal costs, and percentages of recycled product procurement requirements. These changes created new economic conditions favoring the use of more recycled materials. Without further political influence, the economic conditions will reach equilibrium, and progress toward zero waste will go no further.

How far can product procurement requirements go on the road to zero waste? The problem is that many of the current manufactured products have physical limits to the possible amount of postconsumption recycled-content material that can be used. Ultimately products that can be completely consumed or that consist of essentially 100% recycled content will be required to achieve zero waste. Again, the motivation for change will be political mandates, new regulations, and taxation (in the form of advance disposal fees), which will increase the postconsumer recycled content; change production, manufacturing, and packaging processes; and potentially eliminate the product. The economic impact and resistance to change in this area might be insurmountable in terms of political resistance from raw-materials producers, manufacturers, and the associated business community and consumer resistance to increased costs, quality changes, inconvenience, and loss of products.

With some current raw-material suppliers and manufacturers determined to keep the status quo, resist change, control the marketplace, manipulate consumer demand, and possess capital funds to ensure things stay this way, can change occur? Do the consumers have the will to demand and resist, in a united front, undesirable products and packaging? The issues are challenging ones.

Could our nation and the world develop the political will to change from our current petroleum-based economy to a renewable resource–based one? Only when petroleum reserves become scarce and economics favors renewable resources will zero waste truly be achievable. Perhaps then it will be said that garbage and solid wastes are relics of the past.

Richard J. Mauck is director of streets and automotive services for the City of Santa Clara, CA, and a member of MSW Management's Editorial Advisory Board.

MSW - March/April 2003