DDi - July 2010 - (Page 17)

Greentailing | 17 The forgotten waste stream By Justin Doak & Lisa Russell o date, when sustainability in the retail space is discussed, the focus is typically on architectural elements, materials, indoor air quality and the efficiencies within the operations and maintenance of a facility. One critical component that has been left out of the sustainability dialogue to date—due to lack of cost-effective, turn-key solutions—is obsolete store fixtures, POP, graphics and signage packages. Without question, this overlooked waste stream has fallen victim to the old way of doing business, creating a missing piece of the retail sustainability puzzle and an opportunity for leadership and missed savings. We’ve all seen it, thousands of used chrome fixtures corralled in the corner, waiting for their landfill fate. But, with the onset of End of Life Management Solutions (ELMS) in retail, this enormously overlooked waste stream is about to change. What if there was another way? What if every bit of it could be considered for second life? Why not? A product stewardship solution to obsolete fixtures, POP and graphics helps retailers not only reduce waste to landfill tipping fees, but also addresses the reduction of Scope 3 carbon emissions from this aspect of their supply chain. Integrated and strategic product stewardship planning can also yield innovative opportunities, where what was once considered waste may come back in the form of a second and third life within the same retail environment. This regenerative approach is the new frontier of sustainability. If leadership won’t move the needle, consider the concept of product stewardship as a step in preparing for the eventuality of extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation, where producers must take responsibility for their product’s end of life. While this methodology is fairly new to the United States and currently aimed at the electronics and appliance industries, product stewardship initiatives could become increasingly more important as states and municipalities begin to adopt extended producer responsibility legislation, such as the recent passing into law of LD 1631 in the state of Maine. Other states, such as California, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and Rhode Island, are engaging in their own EPR bills that are very close to passing. As product stewardship legislation begins to take hold in the United States and more products are added to EPR frameworks, retailers and manufacturers alike will be a step ahead through the implementation of this methodology to their fixture planning and end-of-life management tactics. What does this require? Dialogue, research and planning. Effective ELMS requires retailers and their producer partners to troubleshoot their obsolete retail environment tools through a closed-loop system and develop a framework that encompasses the hauling, disassembly and recycling of obsolete retail environment tools with the potential to establish waste to resource solutions. As anyone would expect in this era of radical transparency, the programs must be backed up with the necessary chain of custody paperwork, photo documentation and Scope 3 carbon data to validate, verify and measure the program. For retailers, this means looking at obsolete store fixtures in a new way. Heavy collaboration between retailers and their retail environment supply T Number 11 at www.ddionline.com/readerservice Justin Doak Lisa Russell chain partners will need to ensue. Retailers need to begin to digest the fact that they may not have manufactured the fixtures, but they ultimately become part of their waste stream, and tactics need to be put in place to consider design for disassembly, recyclability and the potential of upgradeability. This in turn will not only reduce and greatly diminish this waste stream, but also will save valuable resources that typically get sent to a landfill. For manufacturers, this means as they design and manufacture retail environment tools for retail clients, their environmental impact becomes the retailer’s—it’s a fact. Manufacturers, therefore, are uniquely positioned to add value and solutions to how tools are designed to reduce material use, waste, Scope 3 emissions and the potential of reuse or upgradeability. Many retailers have begun this dialogue with their supply chain partners through sustainability summits and brainstorming sessions, so that a true lifecycle view can be taken, which considers everything from material extraction through end-of-life management. This should be a shared responsibility and collaboration between retailers and manufacturers. In sum, the next time you’re at the table discussing your fixture, POP, signage and graphics packages, consider having a discussion around end-oflife management and troubleshoot solutions that may not only save money, but that will also contribute to both parties’ stories of sustainability. Cheers, Justin Doak Founder, Ecoxera – Green Business Strategy for Retail Send green retail questions to justindoak@ecoxera.com. Guest writer Lisa Russell is co-founder, product and material solutions, Ecoxera. | July 2010 www.ddionline.com http://www.ddionline.com/readerservice http://www.ddionline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DDi - July 2010

Display & Design Ideas - July 2010
Contents
From the Editor
Newsworthy
Shopper Insights
Quick Tips
Greentailing
Editor's Choice
Design Snapshot
Channel Focus: Health & Beauty
CityCenter
State of the Fixture Industry Roundtable
Products
2010 Fixture Leaders Listing
2010 Fixture Leaders Company Index
Right Light
Product Spotlight
Advertisers
Calendar
Classifieds
Think Tank

DDi - July 2010