Master Recycler Program Handbook
Welcome to your Handbook! Industy professionals, community leaders and fellow Master Recyclers worked together to create this essential tool to help you be effective change agents in the community.
handbook January 2024 Edition (pdf)
Introduction (PDF)
Links to chapters below:
Section I: Systems (Chapters 1-7)
Section II: Our Lives (Chapters 8-12)
Section III: Special Materials (Chapters 13-16)
Section IV: Volunteering (Chapters 17-22)
Glossary (PDF)
Section I
Systems: Understand the decisions we make about materials in our daily lives in the context of the global economy, social structures and human psychology.
Chapter 1: Materials Management (PDF)
Oregon’s new vision for materials management
From discards management to materials management
The lifecycle of materials
Chapter 2: Climate and Materials (PDF)
The scope and potential impacts of climate change
Materials contribute significantly to climate change
The benefits of climate action
The costs of climate inaction
Chapter 3: Sustainable Consumption (PDF)
Definitions of sustainability
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as an inadequate measurement of a successful economy
Alternative metrics of economic and social wellbeing
Towards sustainable consumption
Chapter 4: Equity and Materials (PDF)
Defining equity and equality as it relates to consumption and production of Materials
Doughnut economics
Just Transition
Metro 2030 Solid Waste Plan puts race first
Chapter 5: Discards: Solid Waste and Recovery Systems (PDF)
The scope of waste generation
The recovery hierarchy: reuse, recycle, compost, recover energy, landfill
Where does waste go and how
Chapter 6: Recovery Markets (PDF)
Local and global markets for recycled resources
Types of contamination and their impacts
Sorting technologies, infrastructure, and their impacts
Modernizing Oregon’s recycling system
Chapter 7: Behavior Change Theory (PDF)
Change is a process
Understanding barriers, benefits and social norms
Making your message positive and other best practice
Section II
Our Lives: How can we be most effective in taking actions in our homes, work, schools and other community gathering places?
Chapter 8: Curbside and Beyond (PDF)
Your curbside collection system
What is and isn’t accepted
Collection options and best practices within the home
Food scrap collection and backyard composting
Who to contact
Beyond the curb options and cautions
Chapter 9: Multifamily (PDF)
Opportunities and barriers
outreach strategies
Beyond recycling
Who to contact
Chapter 10: Materials at Work (PDF)
Take advantage of free available resources and technical assistance
Use tools and best practices such as green teams, waste assessments, and incentives
Making change durable through policy
Understanding Business Recycling Requirements
Food in a commercial setting
Chapter 11: Schools and Youth Programs (PDF)
Resources and programs for working in schools
How to best connect with a school or school district
Examples of Master Recycler projects
Chapter 12: Resourceful Living (PDF)
Explore places and ideas to reuse, fix and maintain, borrow, rent and share
Buy smart by planning ahead, thinking durable and gifting experiences
Strategies to engage others in resourceful living
Section III
Special Considerations: Some materials have higher environmental and social impacts than others. Toxics, food, electronics and buildings require more resources and are more challenging to manage sustainably.
Chapter 13 Toxics (PDF)
Current public policy and what needs to change
Disposing of hazardous waste
Health and environmental impacts of toxics in our products
Personal choices that can reduce toxics in our lives
Chapter 14 Food (PDF)
Americans waste a lot of food
Strategies that work to reduce food waste
Resources to get involved
Chapter 15 Electronics (PDF)
The special life-cycle impacts of electronics
Consumer choices that can tackle obsolescence and e-waste
Laws regarding electronics
The Right to Repair movement
Chapter 16 Sustainable Building (PDF)
Embodied energy in buildings
Building, remodeling and maintaining sustainable buildings
Construction, demolition and deconstruction
Section IV
Master Recycler Volunteers: Connect in the community, make a difference, find your niche. Find tools, tips and resources to hone your skills so that you can be an effective Master Recycler.
Chapter 17 The Commitment (PDF)
Ongoing support
Certification
What is payback
Chapter 18 Effective Tabling and Presentations (PDF)
Communication for change
Feel prepared and armed with tools
Making it interactive
Chapter 19 Cultural Competence (PDF)
Gaining awareness of cultural differences
Understanding how inequities affect communication
Building knowledge and skills in cross-cultural communication
Chapter 20 Materials Management at Events (PDF)
Making our community gatherings sustainable
Best practices for recycling, compost and waste prevention
Planning and evaluating event sustainability plan
Chapter 21 Displays and Literature (PDF)
Find displays, literature and other resources you can borrow
Resources organized by location and topic
Chapter 22 Places to Volunteer (PDF)
Find a local community that would welcome a Master Recycler who wants to settle down and do some deeper volunteer work
30 partners listed with contacts and volunteer project ideas
Indexed by location and topic
Manual en español
¡Por fin empezamos traducir el manual. No hemos terminado, pero ya tenemos cinco capítulos. Decidimos traducir estos capítulos para el clase con Centro Cultural porque no hay otras publicaciones que hablan de las temas del sistema de basura y reciclaje. Esperamos que puedamos terminar la tradución el año que viene.