As household hazardous waste becomes more perilous, states and local governments are considering taking a proactive approach to materials management. Industry associations are also responding to the crisis, partnering to improve safety and educate their memberships.
By Jordan Wells
Welcome to NAHMMA Corner! The increasing dangers associated with the materials management industry are reflected in the Bureau of Labor Statistics鈥� 2023 National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, which revealed a rise in the fatality rate for refuse and recyclable materials collectors. The occupation is now the 4th deadliest in the U.S. and has consistently ranked in the top 10 since 2016.
Employees are made aware of the inherent risks of danger when opting to work in the waste collection and processing industry. However, when residents unexpectedly place hazardous materials into trash and recycling systems that are not designed to manage them, often illegally, very bad things can happen at no fault of our workers.
Needlestick injuries are common. Fires caused by lithium-ion batteries are rampant in trucks and facilities, and compressed gas cylinders can behave like bombs when run over or compacted by heavy machinery. In 2017, a worker narrowly escaped injury at a recycling plant after a marine flare exploded in his hands. Refuse and recyclable materials collectors have a high rate of fatalities, not far behind logging, fishing, and hunting, as well as roofing.
Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that when these events occur, the insurance costs increase to cover the equipment and facilities, and the industry inches closer to losing insurance coverage altogether. This is in addition to the costs of repairing the building and replacing the equipment, and the revenue loss due to a shut down in operations. All the costs, however, are ultimately born by you, the ratepayers. An unavoidable fee for an essential service.
Producer Responsibility Policies
As the situation becomes more perilous, states and local governments are considering taking a proactive approach to materials management. After all, why are we allowing companies to sell hazardous products to the public without an end-of-life (EOL) plan? But in the absence of a screening process for selling hazardous products to ensure they have an EOL plan, governments are introducing policies like Vermont鈥檚 HHW Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law to send a financial signal to producers and incentivize green design.
In EPR programs, producers are required to fund and operate an EOL collection system that is convenient for consumers. Producers can pass those EOL costs onto the consumer in the purchase price of the product, which allows consumers to make informed purchasing decisions by knowing the products鈥� full lifecycle costs. In HHW EPR programs, producers have an inherent incentive to redesign their products to be non-hazardous and thus, exempt from the law, or less problematic to reduce the costs of EOL management. Currently, several California counties are exploring the feasibility of HHW EPR local ordinances, and a few states are poised to introduce state bills in 2025.
Partnerships to Protect
Industry associations are also responding to the crisis, partnering to improve safety and educate their memberships. In 2025, NAHMMA, SWANA, and NSAC are partnering to host a three-part webinar series in March, April, and in May focused on EPR, EPR for specific HHW products, including batteries, propane tanks and pyrotechnic flares, and upstream solutions to prevent hazardous product sales without EOL management plans.
The webinar series is free for all NSAC, NAHMMA, and SWANA members. Non-members: Register for individual webinars at $75 each or get full access to all three webinars for just $200. For more information, visit . | WA
Association Partners
National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that advocates and provides consulting services to advance a responsible, circular economy, anywhere in the U.S., and at any level of government. NSAC has been instrumental in the passage of several first-in-the-nation laws, such as the EPR for medicines and needles. Follow NSAC on social media via Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube and to join, visit .
North American Hazardous Materials Management Association (NAHMMA) is a non-profit, membership-based association of individuals, businesses, government officials, academia, and non-profit organizations dedicated to pollution prevention, product stewardship, and the safe and cost-effective handling of household hazardous waste. NAHMMA is a diverse network of professionals working together to promote education, guide good policy, protect our environment, and advance hazardous waste management practices throughout North America. Follow NAHMMA on social media via LinkedIn.
Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) is an organization of more than 10,000 public and private sector professionals committed to advancing from solid waste management to resource management through their shared emphasis on education, advocacy and research. For more than 60 years, SWANA has been the leading association in the solid waste management field. SWANA serves industry professionals through technical conferences, certifications, publications and a large offering of technical training courses. Follow SWANA on social media via Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
Speaker Preview
Carin Stuart has spent 25 years working in government affairs and compliance within the electronics and battery industry. She worked for Energizer Holdings for 11 years overseeing their compliance and safety programs for batteries and electronic devices. In early 2022, she joined Call2Recycle, overseeing the steward program as well as government relations. She has an undergraduate degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University.
Jennifer Heaton-Jones is the Executive Director of the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority. A regional, governmental solid waste management authority serving 14 municipalities in Western Connecticut. Jen has been advocating for extended producer responsibility in Connecticut for more than ten years. She led the first-in-the-nation EPR policy for gas cylinders, that became law in 2022 and the Connecticut Tire EPR law that passed in 2023. She serves as the President of the Northeast Chapter of NAHMMA and was currently elected to the NAHMMA board. She is the Chair of the CT Product Stewardship Council and President of the CT Recyclers Coalition. She has been working at the intersection of local government, legislation, waste management, and corporate responsibility. Having collaborated with various stakeholders, including government agencies, non-profits, and businesses, she has been instrumental in developing and promoting policies that encourage manufacturers to minimize waste and improve recycling efforts. Jen is particularly passionate about educating communities on the importance of EPR and advocating for policies that protect the environment while fostering innovation in sustainable product design.
Jordan Wells is Director of Advocacy and Communications at the National Stewardship Action Council and North American Hazardous Materials Management Association Board of Directors, and member of the Solid Waste Association of North America. For more information, visit , https://swana.org, and www.nsaction.us.
References
www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/17568-needlestick-injuries-common-in-trash-and-recycling-facilities-study
https://ctif.org/news/lithium-batteries-thrown-regular-garbage-growing-fire-problem
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI8lSYoBUqc
www.addisoncountyrecycles.org/news/post/vermont-enacts-first-in-the-nation-hhw-epr-law