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RPA Providing Content and Conducting Workshops for National “Use Reusables” Campaign

Arlington, Va, May 6, 2011 — The Reusable Packaging Association will provide content and conduct a series of nationwide workshops to help businesses replace limited-use transport packaging with more durable and economical reusable alternatives. The workshops are part of the Alameda County public agency StopWaste.Org “Use Reusables” campaign. StopWaste.Org was awarded $499,000 in U.S. EPA grant funding to expand the reach of its current successful campaign to businesses and communities nationwide over the next three years.

The RPA is the campaign’s primary program partner. The RPA’s supply chain expertise and role as the collective voice of the industry have been critical to the Use Reusables campaign’s success to date. The RPA will continue to conceptualize and conduct the workshops. In addition, they will develop a training curriculum and lead the effort to bring the campaign’s tools to a national audience.

“The RPA is committed to working with groups like StopWaste to promote the benefits of reusable packaging solutions throughout business supply chains,” said Drew Merrill, RPA Chairman of the Board and Vice President of Business Development & Strategic Planning, Container and Pooling Solutions, Inc. (CAPS). “Reusable packaging makes good economic and environmental sense. Taking the Use Reusables program nationwide can help the American manufacturing and distribution sectors remain competitive in this tough economic environment.”

The grant comes under the EPA Climate Communities Showcase Program, set up to fund state, local and tribal government programs that mitigate climate change and can serve as models for other communities in the country. The Use Reusables campaign has the potential to eliminate at least 1.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in greenhouse gas emissions each year, based on a five-year average life of reusable transport packaging. This amount is equivalent to taking 294,118 cars off the road for one year.

“The RPA is proud to be a partner with StopWaste.org in building out this valuable educational program,” said Lane Pence, RPA Industry Relations Chair, and Director, Growth Strategy, CHEP USA. “The EPA grant gives us the means to present reusable workshops in more communities throughout the US, furthering our mission of promoting the value of reusable packaging systems. We welcome the opportunity to share the quantifiable benefits of reusable packaging with more businesses around America.”

The grant-funded work will be carried out by the StopWaste Business Partnership, StopWaste.Org’s business assistance program. “Our Use Reusables campaign helps businesses increase their supply chains’ efficiency while reducing the environmental impact of their operations, in particular waste and greenhouse gas emissions. It’s a win-win,” said StopWaste.Org program manager Justin Lehrer. “The EPA grant will allow us to help agencies throughout the country replicate this successful model.”

Since its launch in 2007, the Use Reusables campaign has worked one-on-one with 362 individuals representing 211 organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area, through hands-on training workshops, events and expert advice, supported by a suite of educational materials and a comprehensive website. The campaign has helped many companies’ transition to reusable transport packaging, saving millions of dollars in packaging expenses and disposal costs, as well as preventing thousands of tons of waste. The EPA grant will support the continuation and expansion of these outreach efforts, to include individualized consultations on planning and implementing a switch to reusables, cost savings analysis and financial assistance, and the development of additional outreach tools.

For more information see StopWaste.org backgrounder, To read the full StopWaste.org press release see EPA_Grant_Release_050311 FINAL

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