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Jobs Through Recycling (JTR)
A Sustainable Industrial Recycling Network
A 1996 study titled "Economic Benefits of Recycling in the Southern States" was conducted by the non-profit Southern States Waste Management Coalition, with the purpose of evaluating economic activity associated with recycling in the southern region of the U.S. This study indicated that Georgia was the largest recycling based employer of the 12 states and one territory included in the study, with approximately 23,186 recycling based jobs. The study also found that Georgia was the second largest contributor to the region in economic value added by the recycling industry with a total economic contribution of over $3.04 billion per year. Of the materials studied, metal and paper were responsible for the vast majority of current recycling based jobs and economic benefit in Georgia. A summary of the study results for these two materials is presented below.
Summary of Study Results for Paper and Metal Recycling in Georgia
Material |
- Employment
- (# employees)
|
Quantity Recycled (tons/yr) |
Total Value Added ($) |
Paper |
9,979 |
2,872,674 |
1,121,805,000 |
Metals |
7,109 |
5,348,444 |
1,615,139,000 |
Totals |
17,088 |
8,221,118 |
2,736,944,000 |
The study also indicates average tons of recycled material per employee per year of 834 for recycled paper processing, 258 for paper manufacturing, 653 for metal processing, 1,196 for ferrous metal manufacturing and 480 for non-ferrous manufacturing related recycling operations. The results of this study support a high potential for recycling based jobs creation, and also demonstrate Georgia's commitment to recycling based economic development.
The Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD), building on established, successful partnerships with the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), the Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism, and the Georgia Environmental Partnership (GEP) (a partnership between P2AD, Georgia Tech's Economic Development Institute, and the University of Georgia's Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering), will conduct a 18-month demonstration project to establish a sustainable industrial recycling network in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. This project, serving as a model for establishing similar networks throughout the state, will involve: 1) assessing existing industrial feedstock needs, on-site industrial recycling operations, and waste streams being generated by the principal industrial facilities, as well as the number and type of secondary materials processors and end-users located within the project area; 2) providing the necessary research, technology transfer and technical assistance to facilitate and maximize potential material exchanges, feedstock conversion and recycling/reuse opportunities; 3) facilitating cooperative recycling arrangements to combine small quantity waste streams, creating new market opportunities and providing greater economic incentives for processors and end-users to (re)locate to the project area; 4) identifying market voids and market expansion opportunities; and 5) actively recruiting new secondary material processors and end-users to satisfy identified market needs.
Additional market development activities P2AD is involved with include
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