Buy It Again!
Newsletter of the New Jersey Buy Recycled Business
Network –Summer, 2002

Building Green with LEEDä in New Jersey

Today, more and more consumers are demanding environmentally responsible products, including the materials used to build and furnish their homes and businesses. The use of recycled building products and furnishings in construction and renovation is an integral part of this "green" building movement and an important aspect of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDä ) green building rating system developed by the United States Green Building Council.

The use of the LEEDä system is gaining momentum at both the national and local level. In New Jersey, Governor James E. McGreevey recently signed an Executive Order that calls for all new schools designed and constructed as a result of the "Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act" to incorporate the LEEDä guidelines to achieve maximum energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.

This innovative approach to construction and renovation will be highlighted at the upcoming Building Green with LEEDä in New Jersey Conference and Trade Show scheduled for October 9, 2002. The event will be held at the Lafayette Yard Marriott Conference Hotel in Trenton. Contact Carol Broccoli of the Cook College Office of Continuing Professional Education at Broccoli@aesop.rutgers.edu or 732-932-9271 for registration information. The brochure for the event is available at www.state.nj.us/dep/dshw/recycle/events.htm.

FHWA Paving the Way for Recycled Products

The Federal Highway Administration recently formalized its support for recycling and the use of recycled products in road construction in its Recycled Materials Policy. Among other things, the policy states that recycled materials should get first consideration in materials selection and that restrictions that prohibit the use of recycled materials without technical basis should be removed from specifications.
Sustainable Products – The Future of Commerce

If "The Graduate" was being filmed today, Dustin Hoffman’s character might be told that sustainable products, not plastics, are the future. This is the hope of an organization called the Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability (MTS). MTS is a coalition of leading sustainable products manufacturers, environmental groups and state and local governments. The goal of the organization is to transform manufacturing and retail practices worldwide so that by 2015 sustainable products are available in 90 percent of the global marketplace.

According to MTS, sustainable products are those products that provide environmental, social and economic benefits over their full commercial cycle, i.e., from the extraction of raw materials to final disposition. MTS believes that this change in commerce will be accomplished through the free market system as it is more profitable to produce sustainable products than conventional products. In support of this assertion, the organization highlights the fact that an index of the "world’s top 200 sustainable firms," set up by Dow Jones, has outperformed the rest of the stock market.

Clearly, the purchase of products made with recycled content is consistent with the principles espoused by the MTS and can be viewed as an integral part of the market transformation that this organization is promoting. For further information, visit the MTS website at http://mts.sustainableproducts.com.

Keeping the Faith…in Recycled Products

The Center for a New American Dream has recently developed a guide for communities of faith – churches, synagogues, mosques, etc. – that identifies several simple actions congregations can take to reduce their environmental impacts and promote social justice. The "Responsible Purchasing for Faith Communities" guide recommends the purchase of post-consumer recycled content office paper, paper towels and bath tissue, among other things. Visit www.newdream.org for further details.

Did You Know…

  • Pens and mechanical pencils made from recycled paper are available from Tintas Trade of Toronto, Canada. The items may be customized with your company’s logo. Visit www.tintastrade.com for more information.
  • President George W. Bush has named John L. Howard as the new Federal Environmental Executive. Among other tasks, Mr. Howard will help to promote the purchase of recycled and environmentally preferable products by federal agencies.
  • According to the Plastic Loose Fill Council, all plastic loose fill, i.e., polystyrene packaging "peanuts", has recycled content ranging from 25% to 100%.
  • Pepsi-Cola plans to use 10% recycled content in its PET soda bottles by 2005.
  • Speed bumps made from 100% recycled rubber are available from the Barco Products Company. For further information, visit www.barcoproducts.com.
  • Recycled glass is used to produce fiberglass, sandblasting abrasives and matchbook frictionators.
  • Tree-free paper is now available at Staples Superstores. The "Vanguard Recycled Plus" is made of 90% post-consumer recycled office paper waste and a 10% hemp/flax blend. It is guaranteed for use in ink-jet printers, laser printers and copiers and is produced by the Living Tree Paper Company of Oregon.
  • DaimlerChrysler has produced two demonstration Jeep Grand Cherokees that contain 54 parts each made from recycled plastic or polyurethane foam derived from automotive shredder residue.
  • metaForm studio of Garnerville, New York produces modern furniture made from recycled materials and industrial scrap. The Bungee Cord Chair is an example of their unique product line. For more information, visit www.metaformstudio.com.
  • There are over 40 NJDEP approved wood scrap and tree parts recycling centers in New Jersey producing recycled wood chips and mulch for landscaping and horticultural purposes. Visit www.state.nj.us/recyclenj for a list of these facilities.

Retreaded Tires a Must for Company Fleets

According to the Tire Retread Information Bureau, approximately 26.2 million retreaded tires were sold in North America in 2000, with sales totaling more than $2 billion. Retreaded tires perform just as well as new tires, cost less and are beneficial to the environment. Retreaded tires are manufactured in compliance with federal safety standards developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation and are used extensively by trucking and delivery fleets. Almost all airlines use retreaded tires on their aircraft.

This recycled product also costs 30% to 50% less than the cost of a new tire. This translates to billions of dollars in savings for consumers and trucking fleets every year. In addition, the use of retreaded tires reduces the amount of scrap tires entering the waste stream and conserves natural resources. For further information, visit the Tire Retread Information Bureau website at www.retread.org.

Recycled Plastic Lumber Bridge in the Works

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has allocated $75,000 for the development of a recycled plastic lumber bridge in Wharton State Forest. The bridge will be unique in that it will be the first one to use structural I-beams made of recycled plastic lumber. The Department is collaborating on this project with Rutgers University and the Army Corp of Engineers. The plastic lumber used in this project will be made by Polywood, Inc. of Edison, a member of the New Jersey Buy Recycled Business Network, from materials collected from New Jersey’s curbside recycling programs. Construction is set to begin in the fall of 2002.

New Jersey Buy Recycled Business Network
Joseph Verga, Verizon –
Co-Chair,973-266-9033 or Joseph.A.Verga@Verizon.com

Steven Rinaldi, NJDEP,
Bureau of Recycling and Planning
Co-Chair, 609-984-3438 or Steven.Rinaldi@dep.state.nj.us
Editor: Steven Rinaldi

Printed on Recycled Paper