United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(OS-305)
EPA530-N-92-004
Summer 1992
EPA and Postal Service Take Recycling
to the People
EPA's Office of Solid Waste and the
United States Postal Service
[DSPS) have joined forces to de-
velop an exciting new recycling
outreach campaign. Recognizing
that together they can deliver a
message of environmental action to
millions of Americans, the two
agencies are planning to develop a
poster urging individuals to recycle
and a brochure providing informa-
ion on recycling and other aspects
of integrated waste management.
EPA also helped the Postal Serv-
ce add an educational recycling
nsert to its "Wee Deliver" newslet-
er, which is distributed to teachers
n over 8,000 schools across the
nation.
The Postal Service developed its
'Wee Deliver" program in 1991 to
lelp increase literacy and demon-
strate to students in kindergarten
hrough sixth grade the elements
mail handling. The program is a hands-
on learning experience in which stu-
dents set up and operate a model post
office for their classroom or school. Stu-
dents design their own post office; take
'jobs" as postmasters, clerks, and post-
al carriers; and write, address, and de-
iver letters to other students. To
support and encourage the participat-
ng schools, the Postal Service issues
a newsletter 10 times each year con-
aining program notes, teaching sug-
gestions, and a four-page insert of new
activities to foster literacy.
For the 1992 Earth Day issue of the
newsletter, EPA prepared an insert pre-
senting recycling ideas around a Postal
Service theme and requiring use of lit-
eracy skills. Students meet recycling's
nemesis, the Garbage Gremlin, and
earn how they can use recycling to
of
reduce the amount of garbage requiring
disposal. They solve puzzles, design
buttons, and even learn to make recy-
cled paper from old letters. The insert
also contains a message to the stu-
dents from EPA Administrator William
K. Reilly. Administrator Reilly urges stu-
dents to write letters persuading the
Garbage Gremlin to join them in work-
ing to prevent pollution. As a reward for
writing and addressing the letter cor-
rectly, the children receive OSW's Gar-
bage Gremlin comic book and poster.
The brochure being developed by
the EPA-Postal Service team will pro-
vide DSPS customers with information
about recycling, including facts about
municipal solid waste (MSW) genera-
tion, how recycling can improve MSW
management, and tips on how people
can incorporate recycling into their daily
lives. The poster will encourage both
children and adults to use recycling to
"Make a Ton of Difference." EPA and the
Postal Service intend to use the
poster's recycling message to reflect
(Continued on page 2)
Newsletter Highlights
Many different organizations and institutions are working to raise aware-
ness of municipal solid waste (MSW) issues. Our school systems are
especially valuable channels for teaching about MSW. This issue of Reusable
News highlights examples of successful efforts in a variety of educational
institutions. Many of these institutions have formed partnerships with govern-
ment agencies and private organizations to increase the impact of their
programs. All are committed to instituting an environmental ethic in the next
generation of Americans.
This issue also introduces a new feature, "Taking Action," which profiles
individual citizens' efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle. The premiere of this
feature focuses on an attorney who set up a waste prevention and recycling
program in his office and two individuals who joined forces to take responsibility
for their community's recyclables. §
Reusable News is printed with soy/canola ink on paper that contains at least 50 percent recycled fiber.
-------
In This Issue
• EPA and Postal Service
Take Recycling to the People
(P.1)
• Green Congregation Fosters
Environmental Stewardship
(p. 2)
* Taking Action
• Virginia Attorney Defends
Waste Reduction Cause (p. 3)
* Maryland Citizens Initiate
Successful Recycling
Campaign (p. 3}
» Focus on Municipal Solid
Waste Education
• Wisconsin University Teaches
the Three "R's" (p. 4)
• Former Teacher at Head of
Class In Region 8 (p. 4)
• EPA Teaching Tools Bring
MSW Awareness into the
Classroom (p. 5)
• EPA Releases Education
Conference Proceedings (p. 5)
• Tribal Conference Addresses
Solid Waste Issues (p. 6)
• The Consumer's Handbook
for Reducing Solid Waste
(p. 6)
• Over 600 Individuals Attend
MISWD Conference (p. 7)
• EPA Releases Mercury
Report (p. 7)
» Plastic Company Closes the
Loop (p. 8)
* Compost Conference
Proceedings Available (p. 8)
Address comments or suggestions to:
John Leigh, Editor (OS-305)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW.
Washington, DC 20460
(Continued from page 1)
EPA and Postal Service Take Recycling to the People
ne us able News is the
if quarterly newsletter of the
EPA Office of Solid Waste's Mu-
nicipal and Industrial Solid
Waste Division. Reusable News
reports on the efforts of EPA
and others to safely and effec-
tively manage the nation's gar-
bage and provides useful
information about key issues and
concerns in MSW management.@
the global nature of MSW management
issues, urging readers, in six different
languages, to recycle. The Postal Serv-
ice plans to distribute the poster and the
brochure to all 40,000 post offices in the
United States.
These outreach materials are an ex-
tension of a! series of waste reduction
and recycling initiatives begun by the
Postal Service last year. The Postal
Service recycles a variety of materials,
including paper, cardboard, and alumi-
num from its offices; polystyrene plates
and trays from its cafeterias; and waste
oil, lead-acid batteries, used solvents,
and antifreeze from its vehicle mainte-
nance operations. In addition, the Post-
al Service has implemented a number!
of waste-isaving measures, such as us-l
ing recycled paper for its publications!
and reducing undeliverable third class I
mail pieces with the help of commercial I
mailing businesses. EPA and USPSj
now are exploring the possibility of pre-l
paring additional educational materials!
to show jpostal workers how they canl
help reduce waste generation in post|
offices. ;
For rriore information about these I
projects,[contact Mike Fanning, Envi-j
ronmenjtal Management Division,!
Room 4130, United States Postal
Service,! 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW.,|
Washington, DC 20260-6423.1
Green Congregation Footers
Environmental Stewardship
Leaders of the global religious and
scientific! communities have united
to form the Joint Appeal by Religion and
Science for the Environment (JARSE).
JARSE is a nondenominational effort
designed to give moral grounding to the
concept of environmental stewardship
and to inform
citizens and
government of-
ficials through-
out the world of
their obligation
to protect the
environment.
THE JOINT APPEAL JARSE has
BY RELIGION & SCIENCE Set Up the
FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Green Congre-
i gation Network
Hotline (1-800-435-9466). The Hotline
is an information clearinghouse that in-
dividuals can call to obtain and share
information about the experiences of
their own and other religious communi-
ties in environmental education, advo-
cacy, and action.
Enid Gorman of JARSE says the
stories repotted by hotline callers are
very diverse and reflective of growing
environmental concern and involve-
ment among religious congregations.
For instance, the Arlington United
Methodist Church in California holds a
monthly "recycling Sunday" to which
churchgoers bring aluminum cans,
newspapers, and plastic bottles. In ad-
dition, church leaders have organized
a vegetable swap that encourages peo-l
pie to grow and trade homegrownl
foods. At the Christ Lutheran Church in I
Pipersville, Pennsylvania, social minis-1
try chairperson Diane Allison reports!
that, to cut down on waste, members I
now bring their own place settings to|
church suppers.
Since its inception in late 1991, thel
Hotline has received over 200 calls
from churches and synagogues across!
the United States. The information!
gathered through the Hotline and otherl
research will be collated and published!
in a Directory of Environmental Re-\
sources and Activities in the Americant
Religious Community. JARSE hopes!
the guide will ultimately inspire morel
religious' communities to initiate their|
own environmental programs.
The executive committee of JARSE I
comprises many prominent religious!
and scientific figures, including leaders!
of Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Ortho-l
dox, and [Native American faiths as well I
as administrators and executives of im-l
portant U.S. research and activist!
groups. In addition to the Hotline,!
JARSE has held several national meet-!
ings on environmental topics.
For rriore information, contact thel
Green Congregation Network at 1-800-1
435-9466. The directory is available forl
$7 by writing Joint Appeal, c/o Kutztown f
Publishing Co., P.O. Box 346,|
Kutztown, PA 19530.1
-------
Welcome to "Taking Action," a new Reusable News feature that will spotlight the everyday efforts of individuals to
reduce, reuse, and recycle in the home, office, and community. If you know of anyone who has made an innovative
contribution to meeting the MSW challenge, but not as part of an environmental profession, please write John Leigh,
Reusable News, Office of Solid Waste, U.S. EPA (OS-305), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460.
Virginia Attorney Defends Waste Reduction Cause
When attorney William Schmidt of Fairfax County, Virginia,
discovered in 1989 that his new office building did not
provide any recycling services or facilities, he decided to take
action. Schmidt committed himself and his staff to implement-
ing their own office waste prevention and recycling program.
His goal was simple: help protect the environment and per-
haps even save money.
Schmidt's nine-person staff now recycles office paper and
newspaper, makes double-sided copies, returns empty bev-
erage containers, uses reusable glasses and mugs, and
donates old magazines to local hospitals. Every weekend,
Schmidt personally gathers the separated recyclables from
his office and takes them to the local recycling center.
Schmidt emphasizes that "it is the firm as a whole and not
just me individually....Everyone is involved in the recycling
process and adds their input and suggestions."
Although Schmidt does not keep statistical records of his
firm's waste stream, he says the reduction in the amount of
discards is significant. For example, through double-sided
copying alone, his office saves $50 to $100 per month.
Schmidt also has now convinced his property manager to set
up paper recycling for all of the offices in the building.
"People should sit down with themselves, and think of their
relationship to society and nature," Schmidt says. 'They will
realize that waste reduction is something that is good...and
surprisingly simple." Schmidt confides that several years ago,
sorting discards seemed like it would be troublesome, but
once he started, he understood how easily trash separation
and other waste reduction techniques could be incorporated
into one's daily lifestyle.
Visitors to Schmidt's law firm often hear a brief discourse
from the attorney about the benefits of waste prevention and
recycling. The Virginia lawyer also hopes to encourage other
Fairfax County law firms to start recycling programs to recover
paper and other recyclables.
For more information, contact attorney William Schmidt at
(703) 866-2343.1
Maryland Citizens Initiate Successful Recycling Campaign
Three years ago, Carolyn Sienkiewicz wrote a letter in
the Maryland Independent asking why Charles
County didn't have a recycling program. The letter got
Larry Schindel thinking. When he was a child, Schindel
had been involved with the community recycling cam-
paign that his father Louis started in Maplewood, New
Jersey. Now a Charles County resident, Schindel knew
his community needed a recycling program. Schindel
contacted Sienkiewicz, who was a new resident and had
recently moved from Seattle, Washington. A few months
later, Schindel and Sienkiewicz joined forces and started
a community recycling program.
Schindel and Sienkiewicz formed a local environmental
group, "Recycling Action for Charles County (RACC)," to
educate the citizens and county officials about recycling.
Although the county did not have a recycling program in
place at the time, there was a Maryland state mandate
requiring a reduction in county municipal solid waste. The
two citizens worked with state and county officials to initiate
a volunteer recycling program in their community. With
financial support from the county, they started a monthly
pickup of recyclables in a commuter parking lot.
In the beginning, a local hauler supplied boxes to help
volunteers sort recyclables. The volume grew, and, in 1990,
RACC contracted with a larger company to pick up the mate-
rials for recycling. The volunteer program ended last February,
when the county took over the program. Schindel and Sien-
kiewicz have stepped aside, but the success of their efforts is
evident: what began as a single collection site has expanded
to seven. In addition, RACC collected 1.4 million pounds of
recyclables over the life of the program.
Although the county did not have a recycling
program in place at the time, there was a
Maryland state mandate requiring a reduction
in county municipal solid waste.
Now Schindel is spending his extra time promoting recy-
cling at the printing company where he works, Automated
Graphic Systems. In 1991 alone, the company recycled over
40 percent of its total waste. Schindel continues to work to
increase this percentage. Sienkiewicz has been speaking to
local groups about recycling and is in charge of paper recy-
cling in the middle school where she teaches.
For more information, call Larry Schindel of Automated
Graphic Systems at (301) 843-1800 or Carolyn Sienkiewicz
at (301) 654-4453.1
-------
Wisconsin University Teaches the Three "R's"
University of Wisconsin Stevens Point
(UWSP) is an institution tackling waste
management problems with remarkable
success. Within a few years, this 4-year
university nestled in the center of Wiscon-
sin has developed a comprehensive waste
management program that applies the prin-
ciples of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" to
achieve exceptional results.
UWSP launched its recycling program in
October 1989. In 1990, the program's first
full year, students and staff combined ef-
forts to recycle 45 percent of the univer-
sity's waste stream, including such
components as paper, aluminum and other
metals, and yard trimmings.
The University administration expanded
the program in 1991 to encompass polysty-
rene packing material. In the first quarter of
1992, the University recovered 58 percent
of its municipal solid waste. UWSP also is
purchasing office supplies and items such
as parking bumpers and benches pro-
duced from recycled material.
In May 1990, a local union launched the
SEARCH Program (Students, Employees,
and Administration Recycling for Commu-
nity Health) in an effort to recover for reuse
items normally discarded at the end of each
semester by students moving out of residence halls.: The
articles collected under SEARCH—ranging from clothing and
appliances to- food and furniture—are given!
charitable organizations for distributi<[
among the needy of the area. In a relatj
effort, UWSP gathers scrap cloth, such
drapes and clothes, and gives it to a Ic
recycling cerjter.
While pursuing its recycling and reuse
itiatives, the; UWSP administration has
neglected the third "R" of good waste manac
ment, "reduction." Last fall UWSP formec
campus source reduction committee to inve
tigate the possibilities of cutting back on was
in campus operations. By the fall of 1992, til
committee will make recommendations a|
begin implementation. The committee
also work to educate students and facul
about how they can curtail waste generatij
in their everyday lives.
UWSP has not rested contentedly within I
own borders!. In January 1992, the universl
held a seminar on waste management issul
to teach other institutions and enterprisj
about the benefits of the three "R's." In ac
tion, UWSP ihas produced two videos at
waste management: a student "how to" vidj
with a message set to rap music and a doc
mentary video about the UWSP program.
The UWSP received a 1990 EF
Administrator's Award for its activities ail
success in waste prevention and recycling. For more informll
tion, contact Sharon Simonis of UWSP at (715) 346-2552.ll
Former Teacher at Head of Class in Region 8
When George Donnelly moved to Colorado several years
ago, he was expecting to spend his retirement enjoying
the tranquillity of the mountains, far away from the classrooms
and offices of the Ohio school system where he had worked as
an educator for 34 years.
Donnelly's retirement was short-lived, however. Not long
after resettling in Colorado, Donnelly joined EPA Region 8
(Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, and South
Dakota) under the Senior Environmental Employee program as
an education specialist. Since his arrival, Region 8 has intensi-
fied its municipal solid waste (MSW) public outreach and edu-
cation activity significantly. '•
Donnelly and Region 8, for example, have worked closely
with Aurora Public Schools and four other Denver-area school
districts to develop Municipal Solid Waste Management, a
curriculum for grades K-12 containing lessons on source reduc-
tion, recycling, landfilling, and combustion. Further, Region 8
support has allowed these school districts to arrange a week-
long workshop for educators on how to integrate the curriculum
into their science programs. The workshop uses MSW educa-
EPA and is offered for colle
tional materials developed
credit.
Under Donnelly's guidance;, Region 8 also has collaboratj
with state and local organizations to produce videos and bn
chures on MSW issues. One video, "The Wonderful World
Recycle," introduces children Jin grades K-2 to recycling. "He
the Waste Was Won" examines more complex MSW questio
for high-school students and adults.
Region 8's growing publication list is complemented
extensive outreach activity. With Region 8 financial and tec
nical support, the Colorado League of Women Voters is strivii]
to spread the word about alternative solid waste manageme
methods both inside and outsjde its organization. Similarly, til
Science Discovery Program under the University of Colorad
has organized a series of symposia — with Region 8 funding aj
educational materials — to introduce teachers and pupils fn
rural areas of Colorado to MSW concerns.
For more information, contact George Donnelly of EP/|
Region 8 office at (303) 293-1818.1
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EPA Teaching
Tools Bring MSW
Awareness into the
Classroom
EPA's Office of Solid Waste has de-
veloped an educational package
called Recycle Today! to help teachers
ntroduce their students to
ssues related to municipal
solid waste (MSW). Several
housand copies of this
jackage have been requested
)y school districts, town
conservation committees,
businesses, and state environ-
mental offices across the
country and are increasingly
being used in our nation's
school systems. To bring the
activities in the package to life,
EPA also has sent the Gar-
Dage Gremlin to schools in the
metropolitan Washington, DC,
area. The Garbage Gremlin is
a character used in the educa-
tional materials to represent
the wasteful habits many of us
unknowingly perpetuate.
EPA's Recycle Today!
package features four educa-
tional publications:
• Let's Reduce and Recycle:
A Curriculum for Solid
Waste Awareness. This
curriculum is composed of
a series of lessons
concerning the generation
and management of MSW. Intended
for grades K-12, the lessons include
flexible, hands-on activities intended
to spark the interest of students. The
curriculum encourages students to
consider creative solutions to the
challenges posed by MSW and
allows educators to enhance the
activities by incorporating solid waste
data from their own communities.
School Recycling Programs: A
Handbook for Educators. This
handbook is designed to guide
teachers and others interested in
Ride The Wave Of The Future
developing a school recycling project.
Educators will find descriptions of the
different types of recycling programs
and step-by-step instructions on how
to start one. The handbook provides
examples of successful projects from
schools around the country and lists
sources of additional information.
Adventures of the Garbage
Gremlin: Recycle and Combat a Life
of Grime. Educators can use this
comic book, in which students foil a
plan by the Garbage Gremlin to
undermine their school's recycling
efforts, to teach about the recycling
process and to
encourage students to
assess their own
attitudes and behavior
' toward waste.
• Ride the Wave of the
Future: Recycle Today!
This colorful recycling
poster was developed
with the help of the
National Science
Teachers Association
to add flair to the
educational package.
EPA also has devel-
oped a "how to" supple-
ment for the curriculum.
The supplement provides
teaching tips on using the
curriculum in the class-
room and enables teach-
ers to determine at a
glance which activities in
the curriculum are appro-
priate for their grade and
subject area.
To obtain copies of any
of the Recycle Today!
publications free of
charge, call the RCRA
Hotline at (800) 424-9346. For more in-
formation, write to Charles Franklin, Of-
fice of Solid Waste, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (OS-305), 401 M
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460.1
EPA Releases Education Conference Proceedings
Proceedings are now available from EPA's Office of Environ-
mental Education (OEE) conference, "Building a Shared
Vision for Environmental Education." The conference, held last
Movember, is one of many EPA projects intended to foster and
support the goals of the National Environmental Education Act
that was signed into law in November 1990.
F. Henry Habicht, EPA Deputy Administrator, gave the key-
note address for the conference. Other speakers included
Senator Gaylord Nelson (retired), who founded Earth Day, as
well as representatives from federal agencies, nonprofit organi-
zations, and the United Nations. The conference included an
exhibit hall representing 40 organizations and several panel
and working group discussions on issues such as how to
encourage and finance environmental education in schools.
For more information, contact Kathleen MacKinnon of EPA
at (202) 260-4951.1
-------
Hot Off the Hotline
uestion: It seems like every time I go to the super-
market, I see another product that claims to be
"recyclable" or "environmentally friendly." I'd like to use
__ _____ products that are better for the environment, but what
do these claims really mean? ;
nswer: Many consumers are interested in products that have less harmful
^effects on the Environment, but are faced with a; bewildering array of
environmental clairrs at the store. Here are a few. ways to help decipher
environmental claim 5. ! ; '• ':
First, look for claims that are specific and that afe substantiated by further
information. For example, if a label says "recycled,"icheck how much recycled
content the product contains. If a package "creates less waste," make sure it
says exactly what material was reduced, by how much, arid compared to what.
If a product claims to be "recyclable," think abou:t whether the material is
collected for recyclirg in your community. ! ; :
Second, be wary of overly broad or vague environmental claims such as
"environmentally friendly" or "eco-safe." These phrases have little meaning
because they do not provide the specific information iyou need to compare
products and packaging on their environmental merits., Similarly, phrases like
"safe in a landfill" are generally irrelevant since disposal Isafety depends largely
on how a solid wasto facility is managed. '•'••., \ -
Looking for accurate and specific information on the environmental merits of
products can help to improve the environment. If ydu make choices based on
real environmental benefits, it will further encourage manufacturers to reduce
the environmental impacts of their products. j ! i
Resources
"he following publications are available at no charge
. from the EPA RCRA/Superfund Hotline. Call (800)
j 424-9346, or TDD (800) 553-7672 for the hearing impaired,
\ Monday through Friday, 8:30 a^m. to 7:30 p.m. EST |
Characterization of Products Containing Mercury-in Municipal Solid Waste
in the United States From 1970-2000. This report estimates mercury dis-
cards in MSW from 1970 to 1989 and gives projections on mercury disposal
in the upcoming decade. The Executive Summary (EPA530-S-92-013); and
a fact sheet (EPA530-F-92-017) are available from the Hotline; the entire
report is available from NTIS (PB92-162 569) by calling (800) 553-6847,
Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ($26iOO for a paper copy;
$12.50 for microfiche). j ; ..
The Consumer's Handbook for Reducing Solid Waste (EPA530-K-92-003).:
This booklet describes how people can help alleviate America's mounting
trash problem by making environmentally aware decisions about everyday
things like shopping and caring for the lawn. !
A/a^Ve/lmencanA/efivor/c(EPA/530-SW-91-003).Aquarterlynewsletterthat
focuses on municiDal solid waste issues of concern to Native American
tribes. Information on hazardous waste management and various environ-
mental programs also is included in this publication. ;
Most Oil Filters Exempt from Regulation as Hazardous- Waste (EPA530-F-92-
010). This environmental fact sheet explains why most oil filters are not
considered hazardous waste and describes EPA's recommendations for recy-
cling filters. 1 " ;
TribaB Conference
Addresses Solid
Waste Issues
kver 300 representatives from 99
" Native American tribes and several
tribe consortia attended the National
Tribal Conference on Environmental
Management held May 18 to 22 in
Cherokee, North Carolina.
In her welcoming address to the
conference, Office of Solid Waste
Director Sylvia Lowrance talked of em-
powering tribes to become partners in
environmental management through
leadership; commitment, and training.
F. Henry Habicht, Deputy Administrator
of EPA, depvered the keynote address
in which he urged Americans to recog-
nize their responsibility to be stewards
of the nation's natural resources.
Highlights of conference sessions in-
cluded discussions about:
• Developing economic opportunities
for recycling on tribal lands.
H Providing financial and technical
assistance for solid waste
management activities.
Exploring solid waste management
options; planning tools, and tribal
success| stor'es-
Over 30 vendors displayed a variety
of environmental products. The next is-
sue of Native American Network will
contain a full conference report. (See
"Hot Off the Hotline" for details.) For
more information on the conference,
call Judi Kane of EPA's Office of Solid
Waste at (202) 260-5096.1
The Consumer's
Handbook for
Reducing Solid Waste
The Consumer's Handbook for
Reducing Solid Waste is now avail-
able for distribution. This booklet
describes' how individuals can help
alleviate America's mounting trash
problem by making environmentally
aware decisions about everyday
things likeishopping and caring for the
lawn. The booklet outlines many prac-
tical thing^ people can do to reduce
the amouht and toxicity of garbage.
See "Hot (bff the Hotline" for ordering
information.®
-------
Over 600 Individuals Attend MISWD Conference
Conference-goer explores
computerized planning software.
Don Clay, Assistant
Administrator of EPA's
Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response,
chats with the
Garbage Gremlin.
Participants listen
to a discussion on
RCRA reauthorization.
Magician Mr. Recycle
demonstrates how to
make solid waste
"disappear."
EPA Deputy Administrator
F. Henry Habicht delivers
a speech at the
conference's plenary
session.
From June 3 to 5, over 600 people representing government, environmental, and business institutions convened in
Arlington, Virginia, for the Second United States Conference on Municipal Solid Waste Management. The conference,
sponsored by EPA's Municipal and Industrial Solid Waste Division (MISWD), featured forums and sessions on a variety of
solid waste issues, including integrated waste management, economics of solid waste management, market development
for recycling, and source reduction. Over 40 vendors displayed their products and resources.
For more information, contact Susan Mann of EPA at (202) 260-6263.1 Photos: JohnLeigh
Did You Know?
According to the Plastic Bag Association, about half of the country's
31,000 supermarkets now offer onsite bins for recycling plastic
bags. Three plastic bag manufacturers, Sonoco Products Company,
Mobil Chemical, and Vanguard Plastics, have established bag recycling
programs with grocery stores. Of these companies, Sonoco has esti-
mated that between 8 to 12 percent of the plastic grocery bags used
by 9,000 participating stores are returned. Their research shows that
the return rate depends upon how much the stores promote bag
recycling. In 1992, Sonoco expects to recycle as much as 5 million
pounds of plastic bags. A number of smaller manufacturers and their
customers also are sponsoring smaller collection programs around the
country. I
EPA Releases
Mercury Report
EPA has released a report on the pres-
ence of mercury in the municipal
solid waste (MSW) stream. The report,
Characterization of Products Containing
Mercury in Municipal Solid Waste in the
United States From 1970-2000, contains
estimates of mercury discards in MSW
from 1970 to 1989, as well as projections
on mercury disposal in the upcoming
decade. For example, 1989 statistics
show that household dry cell batteries
contribute the most mercury to the MSW
stream (88 percent), followed by fluores-
cent lighting (5 percent), thermometers
(2 percent), thermostats (2 percent), pig-
ments (2 percent), and other products.
One of the most notable trends in mer-
cury reduction efforts documented in the
report concerns household dry cell bat-
teries. Battery manufacturers are working
to decrease mercury in dry cell batteries
to 0.025 percent (by weight) by 1992 and
then slowly phase mercury out of produc-
tion by the turn of the century. (See "Hot
Off the Hotline" for information on order-
ing the full report, summary, or fact sheet.)
-------
Plastic Company Closes the Loop
Dart Container Corporation is one company that is actively involved in the use—
and reuse—of its products. Dart, a major manufacturer of polystyrene cups, is
building an infrastructure to recycle foam cups used by hospitals, corporate cafete-
rias, airlines, and colleges. :
Through its CARE (Cups Are REcyclable) Program, Dart picks up used cups from
companies and transports them to a recycling center. The company itself operates
four such centers, which are located in Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ontario.
At the reprocessing centers, the post-consumer foam is cut into small pieces, called
'Huff," and made into pellets.
The pellets are sold to
manufacturers of recycled
plastic products. Among its
four reprocessing centers,
the company has the ability
to recycle 12 million pounds
of polystyrene foam each
year.
To help companies store
their used foam cups be-
tween pick-ups, Dart has de-
veloped a "densifier." Dart's
densifier compacts styro-
foam cups to one- sixtieth of
their original size—about
the thickness of a sheet of paper. A single densifier can hold up to 8,000 cups. The
densifier also makes transportation more cost-effective for part since it reduces the
number of trucks needed to backhaul the foam to the reprocessing centers.
Dart has recently started a "Recyla-Pak™" program to assist smaller food service
companies with recycling. Under this program, companies receive new polystyrene
cups in a special cardboard container. The same container doubles as a recycling
collection bin. To encourage stacking of used cups, Dart developed a reusable insert
made from 50 percen^recycled, post-consumer polystyrene foodservice products.
Once the Recycla-Pak M is filled, the foodservice operator simply removes the insert,
tapes up the box, and calls an 800 number to have it shipped back to Dart.
Recycla-Pak™ currently is available in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, and
throughout Florida. Dart hopes to offer a version of this program to other regions of
the United States before the end of 1992.
For more information, contact Sheila Vertino of Leibovitz Communications at (301)
913-9300.1
Using mechanical pressure, Dart's densifier compacts 8,000 foam
ia 15" x 15" cylinder. The compaction ratio is 60:1.
Compost
Conference
Proceedings
Available
Proceedings are now available for
an EPA-supported conference on
composting. The conference, entitled
"A Focus Meeting on Compost Quality
and Facility Standards," was hosted
by the State of Washington's Depart-
ment of Ecology. Attended by officials
from U.S. states and Canadian prov-
inces that! have developed compost
facility regulations, the conference be-
gan with a:discussion of current com-
posting successes and challenges
and then focused on the development
of effective composting regulations.
Participants analyzed a range of
regulatory i approaches and their sci-
entific underpinnings and identified fu-
ture research needs. Participants also
used the opportunity to establish con-
tacts with Bother regulators, and cre-
ated a list of activities they could
pursue as a group to improve compost
regulations and, encourage compost
market development.
For a copy of meeting proceedings
and a summary matrix of current com-
posting regulations and guidance,
write to Kim Carr, Office of Solid Waste
(OS-301), U.S. EPA, 401 M Street,
SW., Washington, DC 20460.1
The mention of publications, products, or
organizations in this newsletter does not
constitute endorsement or approval for use
by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency.
Communications Services Branch (OS-305)
Office of Solid Waste
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW.
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business, Penalty for Private Use $300
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