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An assistant administrator from the U.S. EPA used the National Recycling Coalition Annual Congress to announce an initiative to boost America’s recycling rate and re-direct the nation’s attention toward recycling.“We are challenging all Americans to take a ‘hands-on’ approach to helping conserve our precious natural resources,” Marianne Lamont Horinko, EPA Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste and Emergency Response.

A collection of 68 projects with a recycling or waste reduction focus has been grouped to create the Resource Conservation Challenge. The EPA’s role in the Challenge will include establishing partnerships and alliances with industry, states and environmental groups and providing training, tools and technology assistance.

If the challenge is successful, the EPA sees America being able to improve its recycling rate from 30 percent to 35 percent by 2005.

Horinko also announced funding for several specific projects, including:

-              A $35,000 grant to the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) in San Francisco to increase recycling and use recycled-content building materials.

-              A $29,000 project involving several North Carolina agencies that will test the feasibility of converting wood pallets into value-added flooring products.

-              In Gainesville, Fla., a $37,500 grant will fund a deconstruction project for a wood-framed house.

-              And Inform Inc., New York, will use a $35,000 grant to determine the value of different cell phone reuse, refurbishment and recycling programs.

“Building and construction materials are a major [waste stream] we’re looking at,” said Horinko. “And electronics is also one of the fastest growing streams,” she noted.

Horinko also commented that the EPA is looking at making tailored changes to some solid waste classifications as a way of removing regulatory barriers to recycling. “We want to encourage recycling while not letting [hazardous materials] through the door,” she remarked.