STAR
Corpus Christi, TX
Returning to Work: A
Review of CRI’s New
Recycling Jobs Study
Susan V. Collins
Container Recycling
Institute
October 22, 2012
Container
Recycling
Institute:
Striving to
make North
America a
global model for
the collection
and quality
recycling of
packaging
materials.
Mission Statement
CRI’s mission is to make North America a global
model for the collection and quality recycling of
packaging materials. We do this by:
► Creating
and maintaining a database on containers and
packaging
► Studying container and packaging reuse and recycling
options and legislation, including deposit systems, and their
environmental and economic impacts
► Educating on recycling options for government, elected
officials, for citizen groups, the print and broadcast media,
publications and industry groups
► Creating national networks
Prepared by:
Sound Resource
Management
Project Background
► Development
of performance indicators:
 weight; volume; energy savings; pollution
prevention; cost; and impact on domestic jobs
► Limited
specificity in data on jobs from
recycling;
► Need
to further explore how & why these
jobs are created, and provide a jobs
estimate.
Project Goals
► Measure
direct impacts on domestic jobs
► From
increased recycling of beverage
containers
 Glass, aluminum & PET
► Compare
different types of recycling programs
to landfill disposal
► Create
a calculator: “Measuring the Impact
from Recycling on Jobs” calculator (MIRJcalc)
(user inputs available)
FLOW CHART: DOMESTIC LABOR (USA) DIRECTLY
RELATED TO COLLECTION OF BEVERAGE CONTAINERS
FOR RECYCLING AND DISPOSAL
CONTAINER
REDEMPTION:
DEPOT
RVM
RETAIL
CONSUMPTION:
AL; PET; GLASS
SOLD/GENERATED
(in tons)
CURBSIDE
COLLECTION:
MANUAL
AUTOMATED
WASTE/GARBAGE
COLLECTION
Transfer
Primary Processing /
Material Recovery
Facility (MRF)
Transfer
Primary Processing /
Material Recovery
Facility (MRF)
Landfill
EXPORT
EXPORT
PET
RECYCLING /
RECLAIMERS
ALUMINUM
CLEANING
GLASS
BENEFICIATION
END MARKETS/MANUFACTURERS:
Glass Bottles; Fiberglass; Aggregate; Plastic products; Aluminum sheet
VIRGIN PET POLIMERIZATION
PX
TPA
MEG
APLITE SILICA
BORATE SODA ASH
LIMESTONE
NO IMPACT ON DOMESTIC VIRGIN ALUMINUM PRODUCERS
Study Methodology
►
Primary data collection – data points each for “stage”:
1.
Collection (includes transport to MRF or transfer station)
2.
Operations at MRF, transfer station or landfill
3.
Transport to landfill
4.
Secondary processing
5.
End-use manufacturing (virgin or recycled content)
6.
Raw materials extraction and refining
7.
Administration/supervision/auxiliary positions
Study Methodology
►
“NET Jobs impact from increased recycling” is calculated as:
►
Number of jobs created when more beverage containers are
recycled
►
Minus the number of jobs lost when fewer containers are
landfilled
►
Minus the number of jobs lost in raw-materials extraction and
processing when recycled content replaces virgin materials in
product manufacturing
Model Exclusions
 Recycling-reliant employment
 Indirect effect
 Induced effect
 Out-of-country
Overview of Findings
Finding #3
► Material
throughput is the primary driver of
recycling jobs.
► Policies
that require more recycling can
create more jobs
 Residential, commercial, etc.
Finding #5
► Jobs
gained in recycling far outweigh any
jobs lost in extraction of virgin materials.
 Increased jobs reflects a trade-off between
labor and machinery
 Does not necessarily mean an increase in cost
Finding #8
► Jobs
gained in recycling far exceed any jobs
lost in extraction of virgin materials,
landfilling or domestic manufacturing.
 Full report shows:
►Increases
from recycling
►Decreases from landfilling, virgin material extraction
and domestic manufacturing
►Total net increase
Comparing the Jobs from Recovering Glass vs. Virgin
Raw Material Extraction
9
8.3
8
FTEs per 1000 tons
7
6
5
4
3
2
0.6
1
0.1
0.04
0
Recycled raw
material - 1000
tons of glass
Virgin raw
materials for
1000 tons of
glass bottles
Virgin raw
material for 1000
tons of fibreglass
Virgin raw
materials for
1000 tons of
aggregate
Comparing the Jobs from Recovering PET vs. Virgin
Raw Material Production
12
FTEs per 1000 tons
10
9.9
8
6
4
2
0.6
0
Recycled raw material - 1000 tons of Virgin raw materials for 1000 tons
PET
of PET resin
Conclusions
► As recovery tonnage increases, employment
related to collection, processing and
secondary processing also increases (excepting
exports)
► Losses that occur in primary resource-
extraction activities are greatly outnumbered
by the jobs created in material-recovery
activities.
Conclusions
► Improved material quality directly impacts U.S.
jobs; clean/separated recyclables more likely to
stay in the U.S. for use by domestic
manufacturers rather than be exported to
foreign markets
Beyond Jobs
► U.S consumer products manufacturers use
recycled materials to meet other goals
 Reduce energy use
 Reduce emissions and other environmental impacts
 Reduce production and raw materials costs
Beyond Jobs, continued
► U.S consumer products manufacturers use
recycled materials to meet other goals
 Meet internal or industry goals for recycled content
and sustainability
 Satisfy public demand for “greener” products,
packaging and business practices
How can this research help me?
► Use
Impact Data to help estimate jobs
impact for a recovery program
► Support
waste recovery systems that ensure
high rates of capture and keep material
clean/separated. This material will create
more local and domestic jobs than would a
dirtier mix of recyclables ton for ton.
► Use
of methodology for other jobs studies.
Data Transparency
► We
included all data in appendices
► We
invite you to use it to your benefit
Jobs Calculator
►
Input two-letter code for State to automatically calculate the
number of jobs that will be created
►
User can customize and change certain inputs
►
http://www.container-recycling.org/
►
http://www.container-recycling.org/issues/jobs.htm
►
Jobs page has CRI Study, “Returning to Work,” the jobs
calculator, and links to several other studies on recycling jobs
Just type in:
Container Recycling
Institute!
Visit us at…
www. container-recycling.org
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