10.2190/P25E-HNAE-7G81-JAPY P25EHNAE7G81JAPY 4 Disposable vs. Reusable Systems: Two Source Reduction Case Studies 343 357 20020509 20020509 20020509 20020509 P25EHNAE7G81JAPY.pdf http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=P25EHNAE7G81JAPY 4 Gregory A. Keoleian Dan Menerey University of Michigan, Ann Arbor This is the first of two articles presenting case studies of successful solid waste source reduction programs at five businesses. Both process and economic analyses were performed for each case study. The first article examines the substitution of reusable products for single-use equivalents at a hospital and day care center. Replacing polystyrene foam dishware with washable ceramic dishes at a hospital reduced dishware solid waste generation by 42.8 pounds/1000 meals, or 99 percent. Total costs in the washable dishware case increased 6 percent, but this cost differential is very sensitive to wage rates and disposable dishware costs. When disposable diapers at a day care center were replaced with cloth diapers laundered by an outside service, solid waste generation was reduced by 0.34 pound per diaper, or 99 percent. The unit cost per disposable diaper is $0.25 compared to $0.22 for cloth diapers. Disposable items constituted the major cost of both single-use systems, while labor and services were the major cost of both reusable systems. At present, solid waste avoidance provides relatively minor cost credits for the reusable systems. Franklin Associates, Ltd., <i>Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in the U. S., 1960-2000: Final Report</i>, Prairie Village, Kansas, EPA 68-01-7310, pp. 18, 19, 1988. EPA, <i>Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in the United States: 1990 Update</i>, Washington, D. C., EPA 530-SW-90-042A, pp. ES 9-13, 1990. EPA, OSWA, <i>The Solid Waste Dilemma: An Agenda for Action</i>, Washington, D. C., pp. 17-19, 1989. Solid Waste Research Group, <i>Waste Reduction in Child Day Care Services, Case Study Report: Gretchen's House III</i>, Office of Waste Reduction Services, Lansing, Michigan, 1991. Solid Waste Research Group, <i>Waste Reduction in the Hospital Sector, Case Study Report: McPherson Hospital</i>, Office of Waste Reduction Services, Lansing, Michigan, 1991. C. Lehrburger, <i>Diapers in the Waste Stream: A Review of Waste Management and Public Policy Issues</i>, Sheffield, Massachusetts, pp. 11, 13, 26, 35-37, 53-55, 1988. J. Ouslander, Urinary Incontinence in Elderly Nursing Home Patients, <i>Journal of American Medical Association, 248</i>:10, pp. 1194-1198, 1982. A. D. Little, Inc., <i>Disposable versus Reusable Diapers: Health, Environmental, and Economic Comparisons</i>, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Ref. 64190, pp. A-1, VII-5, Viii-18, 19, VI-11, VI-5, IV-8, 1990. H. R. Pahren, Microorganisms in Municipal Solid Waste and Public Health Implications, <i>CRC Critical Reviews in Environmental Control, 17</i>:3, pp. 187-228, 1987. V. R. Sellers and J. D. Sellers, <i>Comparative Energy and Environmental Impacts for Soft Drink Delivery Systems</i>, Franklin Associates, Ltd., Prairie Village, Kansas, pp. 1-16, 3-13, 1989. L. L. Gaines, <i>Energy and Material Use in the Production and Recycling of Consumer-Goods Packaging</i>, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, ANL/CNSV-TM-58, pp. 23, 24, 1981. M. B. Hocking, Paper versus Polystyrene: A Complex Choice, <i>Science, 251</i>:4993, pp. 504-505, 1991.