hazwastes: Hazwaste Facility Increases Participation, Reduces Costs

Charles A. Larscheid

Although only a small percentage of solid waste tonnage, household hazardous waste (HHW) re-presents the majority of toxic components in the U.S. solid waste stream.

More than 1 million tons of HHW are disposed of annually across the country - an amount which demands some degree of management. Formerly, the only HHW programs were special collection events typically held one day each year at non-permanent sites.

In recent years, however, an increasing number of permanent collection facilities have been established.

For example, Brown County, Wis., recently created the state's first permanent indoor HHW collection and processing facility.

Since 1981, the county has hosted annual "clean sweep" events, collecting an average of 20,100 pounds of HHW per year, according to Dean Haen, solid waste specialist for the Brown County Solid Waste Depart-ment. But that is only a fraction of the hazardous waste that actually is disposed.

In 1993, the waste department, with the assistance of the Green Bay Metro-politan Sewerage Dis-trict, studied alternatives to the annual col- lection event that would increase citizen participation.

This would reduce the amount of landfilled HHW, thus lowering costs by reducing leach-ate toxicity and groundwater contamination. Also, reducing the a-mount of toxic chemicals entering the sewer system would improve the quality of the effluent discharged to the Fox River and safety conditions at the Green Bay treatment plant.

The alternatives considered included: multiple one-day collection events, a permanent collection facility and, a permanent collection facility with integrated satellite and/or mobile collection facilities.

In February 1996, the Brown Coun-ty Solid Waste Board approved a $434,000 plan to build a permanent disposal facility adjacent to the existing Materials Recycling Facility in the village of Ashwaubenon. The site is operated year-round and will accept HHW two days a week during its first year.

The facility's designers, Robert E. Lee & Associates, Green Bay, Wis., toured several HHW facilities for ideas before construction. As a result, the 4,320-square-foot facility was completed at a lower cost than other facilities of similar size despite having to correct subgrade instability.

One design feature that lowered cost and improved safety was the elimination of the sumps normally constructed for spill containment. Instead, the floor was sloped to contain spills on the surface, making them immediately apparent and easier to clean.

The segregated flammable materials storage building also contributed to cost savings and improved safety. This 890-square-foot structure, built for handling and storing class lA and lB flammable liquids, was a result of a discussion between the engineers and the National Fire Protection Agency. By segregating this storage area, the need for deflagration (explosion) venting and a sprinkler system for fire suppression was eliminated.

And, in a move to promote efficient material flow, engineers designed the product exchange room, where usable products are given back to the public, adjacent to the receiving area.

The year-round permanent facility has reduced unit costs in other ways, too:

* permanent, trained staff eliminates the need for contracted services;

* set-up and take-down time is not necessary, as with the one-day events; and

* a permanent site provides a better opportunity for ongoing citizen education.

In less than three months of operation, the quantities received at the site already have surpassed the annual clean sweep totals. With storage capacity, on-site waste reduction practices can be used, including acid and base neutralization, material bulking and aerosol can decanting. The product exchange program also will reduce disposal costs, possibly by as much as 60 percent, according to Haen.

However, because HHW is exempt from hazwaste disposal regs, the program relies on voluntary participation.

Education will be key to the program's success, since many people do not know of the potential danger in their household products or even that this facility exists. So, educational material is given out which describes non-toxic alternatives to toxic chemical use, proper disposal methods and wise use of the chemicals.

But the ultimate goal of education is to permanently change people's purchasing and disposal habits. Fortunately, over the past few years, the public has strongly supported these types of programs.

Alliance Rockwell Automation/Dodge and Flender Ag has formed a strategic alliance for the development and manufacture of a new gearmotor product line.

Acquisitions Eastern Environmental Services Inc., Mt. Laurel, N.J., has acquired Apex Waste Services Inc., Scranton, Pa., a full-service waste collection company with an annual revenue of approximately $20 million.

Morbark, Winn, Mich., a wood chipping and solid waste grinding equipment manufacturer, has acquired GDS Screens from USM Equipment Co., Inc., Riviera Beach, Fla. The trommels will be produced in Morbark's 1.5-million-square-foot Michigan factory.

Contracts Community Waste Disposal Inc., Dallas, has signed an $8.9 million franchise agreement with the city of Allen, Texas, to provide residential garbage collection and curbside recycling beginning in June.

Med/Waste Inc., Opa Locka, Fla., has entered into a five-year agreement with Baptist Hospital of Miami to provide on-site treatment of medical waste. The contract is estimated to save the hospital more than $500,000 through a capitated cost program and is expected to generate more than $2 million in additional revenue for Med/Waste.

Shred-Tech, Cambridge, Ontario, has been awarded a $3 million contract by Micro Metallics Corp., San Jose, Calif., to supply and install a custom designed system to reduce computer and computer hardware for the recovery of component metals.

New Dealer United Recycling Equipment Inc., Mart, Texas, has recently become the exclusive dealer for Hustler Conveyor Co.'s, O'Fallon, Mo., recycling systems, conveyors and related equipment.

New Office Environmental Resources Manage-ment Group, Exton, Pa., has opened a new office in Barcelona, Spain.

Partnership Presona Inc.., Waco, Texas, a manufacturer of balers for the paper industry, has formed a partnership with Arnold Co., a Vienna-based manufacturer of ferrous and nonferrous scrap processing equipment..

Permit Arid Operations, operator of the Mesquite Regional Landfill, has been granted a solid waste facility permit by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, Sacra-mento, making it the first California waste-by-rail landfill project to achieve permitting status.

Edward Kraemer & Sons Inc., operators of the Burnsville Solid Waste Management Landfill, received a permit to accept construction and demolition waste at three expansion areas previously designed for municipal solid waste, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, St. Paul. The three areas can hold up to 1.8 million cubic yards of waste.

The New York City Trade Waste Commission has granted Eastern Environmental Services Inc., Mt. Laurel, N.J., a temporary license to operate its recent acquisition, a collection company, in New York City.

Recycling Jobs DenMark International, Cannelton, Ind., will create 14 new jobs as part of $127, 141 recycling project. As a result, the Indiana Department of Commerce will award the company a $28,670 zero-interest loan from the Recycling Promotion and Assistance Fund.

Contracts Community Waste Disposal Inc., Dallas, has signed an $8.9 million franchise agreement with the city of Allen, Texas, to provide residential garbage collection and curbside recycling beginning this month.

Med/Waste Inc., Opa Locka, Fla., has entered into a five-year agreement with Baptist Hospital of Miami to provide on-site treatment of medical waste. The contract is expected to save the hospital approximately $500,000 through a capitated cost program and also is expected to generate more than $2 million in additional revenue for Med/Waste Inc.Shred-Tech, Cambridge, Ontario, has been awarded a $3 million contract by Micro Metallics Corp., San Jose, Calif., to supply and install a custom designed system to reduce computer and computer hardware for the recovery of component metals.

New Dealer United Recycling Equipment Inc., Mart, Texas, has recently become the exclusive dealer for Hustler Conveyor Co.'s, O'Fallon, Mo., recycling systems, conveyors and related equipment.

New Office Environmental Resources Manage-ment Group, Exton, Pa., has opened a new office in Barcelona, Spain.

Partnership Presona Inc.., Waco, Texas, a manufacturer of balers for the paper industry, has formed a partnership with Arnold Co., a Vienna-based manufacturer of ferrous and nonferrous scrap processing equipment..

Permit Arid Operations, operator of the Mesquite Regional Landfill, has been granted a solid waste facility permit by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, Sacra-mento, making it the first California waste-by-rail landfill project to achieve permitting status.

Edward Kraemer & Sons Inc., operators of the Burnsville Solid Waste Management Landfill, received a permit to accept construction and demolition waste at three expansion areas previously designed for municipal solid waste, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, St. Paul. The three areas can hold up to 1.8 million cubic yards of waste.

The New York City Trade Waste Commission has granted Eastern Environmental Services Inc., Mt. Laurel, N.J., a temporary license to operate its recent acquisition, a collection company, in New York City.

Recycling Jobs DenMark International, Cannelton, Ind., will create 14 new jobs as part of $127, 141 recycling project. As a result, the Indiana Department of Commerce will award the company a $28,670 zero-interest loan from the Recycling Promotion and Assistance Fund.