June 18, 2001 Issue

The Waste Age Wire is an e-mail newsletter from the Waste Age magazine staff, designed to provide you with a quick view of news, events and upcoming magazine topics. For in-depth news coverage, visit WasteAge.Com.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Opinion Poll

News:

- EPA Names 10 New Superfund Sites

- Bush Names New OSHA Chief

- California School Reduces Waste by 50 Percent

- Republicans Testify at Subcommittee on Energy Conservation

- Cruise Lines to Adhere to Environmental Guidelines

NewsBriefs: Acquisitions, Announcements, Awards, etc. Events

Highlights from Waste Age's July issue

OPINION POLL:

The current presidential administration’s environmental policies generally will be:

a) good for our industry; b) bad for our industry; c) won’t make a difference; d) other

E-mail your comments to [email protected].

OPINION POLL RESULTS:

What is recycling’s pay-off?

You said: 7 percent, revenue; 21 percent, environmental; 29 percent, both; 43 percent, other

Additional opinion poll comments included:

"We recycle for materials management reasons - not for solid waste reduction.

As a high technology society, it’s in our best interest to make maximum use of materials before they become wastes. For example, when ONP is used to make toilet tissue, the cellulose fiber is lost. When ONP is used to make newsprint again, there is fiber loss with each recycle event as sludge. ONP can be used that way for about four cycles. When ONP is used for energy recovery, the fiber is destroyed - same as toilet tissue - both have positive attributes - clean butt or clean energy! … While some plastics can be recycled, to some extent, energy recovery is the ultimate answer despite the objections of Green Peace and others."

- N.C.Vasuki, Delaware Solid Waste Authority

"Both. I run a small regional municipal recycling operation - about 100 tpd. We generally are revenue-positive, which is the bureaucratic way nonprofit entities say that they are profitable. … Recycling's role in environmental improvement seems to be generally positive, although some of the comparisons are slippery. It is clear that our recycled tonnage isn’t burned (with attendant emissions) or landfilled (with attendant leachate, air emissions and long-term care problems). However, the biggest sources of air pollution in the waste disposal system are trucks that haul waste or recyclables to us. Where those trucks bring heavy loads, particularly where the trips are short, there is a clear environmental benefit. Where light loads such as those with a lot of loose plastic are brought in from more than 30 or 40 miles away, the trucks are emitting more pollutants than we are avoiding.

- Eric Root, Regional Waste Systems, Inc., Portland, Maine

For additional comments on this subject, see Waste Age’s august 2001 issue.

NEWS:

EPA Names 10 New Superfund Sites

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Washington, D.C., has added ten sites to its Superfund list, six of which are located in New England. One site is a former 50-acre landfill known as the Sutton Brook disposal area in Tewksbury, Mass.

Bush Names New OSHA Chief

Washington, D.C. — John L. Henshaw has been appointed assistant labor secretary for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Washington, D.C. Henshaw previously was director of environment, safety and health for Astaris LLC, St. Louis, a chemical manufacturer. The Senate must confirm the nomination.

California School Reduces Waste by 50 Percent

San Francisco — The San Francisco Solid Waste Management Program (SWMP) announced the success of its Cafeteria to Compost food scrap collection program, which has reduced the amount of waste sent to landfills by 50 percent, from 36 cubic yards per week to 18 cubic yards of waste per week. The program was launched earlier this year by SWMP as a cooperative effort between the San Francisco-based companies St. Ignatius College Preparatory School and Sunset Scavenger, and Biocorp USA, Redondo Beach, Calif.,

Republicans Testify at Subcommittee on Energy Conservation

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Jim McCrery, R-La., held a second hearing Thursday on the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures of the Committee on Ways and Means, giving Congress the opportunity to discuss the effects of federal tax laws on the production, supply and conservation of energy. Dave Camp, R-Mich., and Nancy L. Johnson, R-Conn., co-sponsors of H.R. 1863, testified, supporting the collection and use of landfill gas (LFG) as an energy resource.

Cruise Lines to Adhere to Environmental Guidelines

Arlington, Va. — Beginning July 1, cruise ships such as Royal Caribbean Cruises, Holland America and Disney Cruise Lines must meet recycling and waste discharge guidelines set by the International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL). Last week, ICCL member companies voted unanimously in favor of the new standards, which include designing and constructing environmentally friendly ships, complying with international and U.S. environmental laws, and minimizing waste production.

NEWSBRIEFS: Agreements, Alliances, Awards, etc. Agreements

- Cummins Inc., Columbus, Ind., has signed a three-year development agreement with Capstone Turbine Corp., Chatsworth, Calif., to develop and market Capstone’s MicroTurbine driven stationary power systems with Cummins’ design.

- Komatsu America International Co., Vernon Hills, Ill., and Qualcomm Wireless Business Solutions, San Diego, have announced an agreement to provide Web-based information and network service solutions for construction equipment asset tracking on Komatsu’s Komtrax system.

- Ag-Bag International Ltd., Warrenton, Ore., has signed an agreement with Norcal Waste Systems, San Francisco, as an exclusive distributor of its composting system in seven Western states.

Alliances

- Atlanta-based CAPS Logistics and E3 Corp. have formed an alliance to resell CAPS’ transportation and supply chain management (SCM) products as a component to E3’s demand planning, forecasting and inventory management solutions.

- WoodFuel.com, Houston, has partnered with EcoStrat Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to provide disposal solutions and find new markets for their customer’s wood by-products.

- Gunite Corp., Rockford, Ill., has partnered with Metaneide, Ceará, Brazil, to produce specific Gunite products in Brazil for distribution in the North American market.

Awards

- Biocorp Inc., Redondo Beach, Calif., recently was awarded the use of the "Compostable Logo" on its biodegradable plastic bags. The logo program is a joint effort between the U.S. Composting Council (USCC), Harrisburg, Pa., and the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), New York, to identify plastic products designed to biodegrade in municipal and commercial composting systems.

- The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), Dearborn, Mich., has selected Charles F. Knight, chairman of Emerson, St. Louis, as an honorary member.

- Mahle Inc., Morristown, Tenn., has received the Return on Environment (ROE) Partnership Award from BetzDearborn, Trevose, Pa., for conserving water and reducing waste.

- Waste Management Inc., Houston, randomly selected 30 San Antonio south side high school seniors to receive a total of $45,000 in educational scholarships.

Certification

- Hoover Materials Handling Group’s Anniston, Ala.-based IBC facility has received ISO 9002 certification.

- Cardinal Scale Manufacturing Co., Webb City, Mo., has received ISO 9001 certification.

- 4.9 million hectares of Saskatchewan forest land from Weyerhaeuser Co., Federal Way, Wash., have been certified to the ISO 14001 environmental management system standard.

Facility Expansion

- Safety Vision, Houston, has expanded its warehouse space an additional 12,000 square feet.

EVENTS:

June 24-26, 2001

2001 Paper Recycling Conference and Trade Show

Chicago. Contact: Recycling Today Media Group, 4012 Bridge Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44113. Phone toll-free: (800) 456-0707. Fax: (216) 961-0364. Website: www.RecyclingToday.com.

June 24-28, 2001

2001: An Environmental Odyssey

Orlando, Fla. Contact: Air &Waste Management Association. Phone toll-free: (800) 270-3444, then press 5. Website: www.awma.org/ace2001.

June 25-29, 2001

Managing Hazardous Waste in New York

Buffalo, N.Y.; Syracuse, N.Y.; Albany, N.Y.; White Plains, N.Y.; and Ronkonkoma, N.Y. Contact: Lion Technology Inc., P.O. Box 700, Lafayette, N.J. 07848. Phone: (973) 383-0800. Fax: (973) 579-6818. E-mail: [email protected].

June 26-27, 2001

Environmental Industry Associations/Environmental Research and Education

Foundation "Reducing Ergonomic Risks to the Solid Waste Employee" Jacksonville, Fla. Contact: Cathy Maimon, meetings department. Phone toll-free: (800) 424-2869.

June 27, 2001

National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) Minnesota Trash Can Open

Contact: Peggy Macenas, NSWMA Midwest region manager. Phone toll-free (800) 679-6269.

June 27, 2001

Advances in Odor Control &Recycling Technologies and New York State Chapter Annual Meeting

Hillburn, N.Y. Contact: Ted Pytlar, Jr., c/o Dvirka &Bartilucci Engineers, 330 Crossways Park, Woodbury, N.Y. 11797. Phone: (908) 668-4747.

June 27-29, 2001

ASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics Norfolk, Va. Contact: Pat Picariello, ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, P.O. Box C700, West Conshohocken, Pa. 19428-2959. Phone: (610) 832-9720. E-mail: [email protected].

June 27-29, 2001

2001 International Trucking Show

Las Vegas. Contact: Roger Sherrard, ITS Management, 1155 Chess Dr. #102, Foster City, Calif. 94404. Phone toll-free: (800) 227-5992. E-mail: [email protected].

July 11-12, 2001

National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) Indiana Chapter Golf Tournament

Indiana. Contact: Peggy Macenas, NSWMA Midwest region manager. Phone toll-free: (800) 679-6269.

July 12, 2001

National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) Carolinas Chapter Golf Tournament

Asheville, N.C. Contact: Cathy Maimon, meetings department. Phone toll-free: (800) 424-2869.

IN WASTE AGE'S JULY ISSUE:

Features:

- Colorful Haulers: Waste Age announces the winners of its 23rd Annual Design Contest.

- Sorry, Landfill Closed: What’s happening to landfills in their afterlife?

- Why Are My Insurance Rates Going Up?: Although insurance premiums always will be cyclical, there are ways to protect yourself. Business Trends:

- How to Start a Bottle Recycling Plan

- Report Claims with Road Runner Speed

- Penn State Palm Sizes Hazwaste Program Business Briefs:

- Los Angeles Airport Creates Energy from Food Waste

- Proposed Highway Safety Rule Gets Tough on Commercial Drivers

- Balefill’s Future Remains Uncertain

- Newsbriefs: Acquisitions, Awards, Fiscal, etc. Columnists:

- Circular File: Less Mowing, Less Waste, by Chaz Miller

- Legal: Self-Haul Ban Upheld, by Barry Shanoff

- Profiles in Garbage: High-Density Polyethylene, by Chaz Miller