The Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania is establishing a state Recycling Market Center. The goal of the
center is to assist businesses and communities to improve and increase their
recycling.
“Pennsylvania is a national
leader in recycling -- already, we recycle 32.6 percent of the waste we
generate,” said David Hess, the acting secretary of the Pennsylvania’s
Department of Environment Protection, said. “But businesses need to play a
bigger role if we’re going to meet Gov. Ridge’s goal of recycling 35 percent of
the state’s waste by 2003. The Recycling Market Center will help businesses and
recyclers reach that goal.
“More important, the
recycling industry contributes more than $21.3 million to the economy. And more
than 3,200 businesses with 81,322 employees depend on recycling markets.
Clearly, maintaining and expanding recycling markets are essential for their
livelihood, the economy –- and the environment.
To help get the recycling
market center started, DEP is seeking a consultant to develop a comprehensive
plan designed to bolster recycling market development in Pennsylvania.
Proposals are due July 6.
The work will involve
defining, planning and, if DEP chooses, implementing a business plan to provide
recycling market development assistance to Pennsylvania businesses. The
consultant will work with DEP’s recycling program, and the business plan will
enhance current recycling and market-development initiatives.
“While businesses must play
a bigger role in Pennsylvania’s recycling, we recognize that they also need to
be profitable,” Hess said. “By developing this business plan, we will give the
state’s business owners the tools to reduce waste and increase recycling while
finding ways to make money.”
DEP expects that the
business plan will identify opportunities and ways to cultivate reliable
market-development information through the following:
A compilation of economic,
political, regulatory, societal and technological data;
An interpretation of how
current and anticipated events will impact business practices and relationships
among solid-waste, scrap and manufacturing industries;
Identification of business
practices that need to be adjusted; and
Developing good
communication skills with the recycling industry.
Once implemented, the
Recycling Market Center will provide services that include developing and
critiquing business plans for recycling businesses; connecting suppliers and
consumers of recycled materials, enhanced material and industry-specific
technical or engineering assistance; and expanding research of recycling market
development.
For more information on how
to submit a request for proposal, or to receive a copy, contact DEP’s Division
of Waste Minimization and Planning at (717) 787-7382.
For more information on
recycling or the Buy Recycled Business Representative, visit DEP through the PA
PowerPort at www.state.pa.us or directly
at www.dep.state.pa.us (directLINK
“recycling”), or call the Recycling Hotline at 1-800-346-4242.
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