MSEL Sustainability Seminar Series: EPA's Resource Conservation Challenge

EPA’s Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC) is a national effort to conserve resources and energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by managing materials more efficiently and effectively. The focus of the RCC is on four priority areas:

(1) Municipal solid waste reuse/recycling
(2) Electronics and green building
(3) Industrial materials reuse and recycling 
(4) Priority chemicals reduction

Sustainable materials management is central to furthering the goals of the RCC. More specifically, these goals include:

Standards, specifications, and certifications continue to play an essential role in fostering sustainable materials management. EPA's Office of Resource Conservation & Recovery (ORCR) also is actively involved in reviewing products from external standard-setting organizations and certification programs (e.g. ASTM, ASHRAE, USGBC), helping to harmonize State pavement specifications on industrial materials recycling, tracking the development of green highway rating and certification systems, and examining ways to clarify green product standards.

This presentation will include an overview of RCC program goals, priorities, and benefits; highlight EPA’s work with standard-setting organizations to promote effective materials management (e.g., our Responsible Recycling Practices for electronics recyclers, and our green highways work); and engage the audience in a dialogue on how EPA's ORCR can continue to collaborate with NIST.

Dr. Peter Grevatt
Director, Resource Conservation and Sustainability Division
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery