United States
                                  Environmental Protection
                                  Agency
                         Solid Waste and
                         Emergency Response
                         (OS-305)
               EPA530-N-92-005
               Fall 1992
 FTC

 Announces

 Environmental

 Marketing

 Guidelines for

 Industry

    On July 28, the  Federal  Trade
    Commission (FTC) issued guide-
 lines  for use by companies that
 choose to market their products and
 packaging as environmentally benefi-
 cial—a trend that has been growing in
 recent years. These  guidelines are
 intended to help reduce consumer
 confusion and aid manufacturers  in
 responsibly advertising the environ-
 mental attributes of their products and
 Dackaging. According to EPA Admin-
 istrator William K. Reilly, reliable
 product information will assist con-
 sumers in harnessing the formidable
 power of the marketplace to help
 achieve environmental goals.

  In announcing the guidelines, FTC
 lhairperson Janet D. Steiger said,
|"Our goal is to protect consumers
 and to bolster their  confidence in
 environmental claims, and to reduce
 manufacturers' uncertainty about
 which claims  might lead  to FTC
 aw-enforcement actions,  thereby
 encouraging marketers to  produce
 and promote products that  are less
 harmful to the environment." Steiger
 also noted the extensive cooperation,
 expertise, and support FTC received
 rom EPA in the development of the
 guidelines.

  EPA, FTC, and the U.S. Office of
 Consumer Affairs (OCA) are part of an
 nteragency Environmental Marketing
             (Continued on page 8)
 1992 MSW Characterization
 Reveals  Substantial Increase in
 Recovery Rates
    There is both encouraging and so-
    bering news in the latest EPA as-
 sessment of the nation's residential and
 commercial waste. The percentage of
 municipal solid waste (MSW) recov-
 ered from the nation's waste stream for
   These latest statistics come from
 Characterization of Municipal Solid
 Waste in the United States: 1992
 Update, which was recently released
 by EPA. Based on data collected
 through  1990,  the update reports
  ecovery Rates for Some MSW Components by Weight
recycling and composting^ increased
from 13 percent in 1988 to 17 percent
in 1990. This increase is due to the
combined efforts of individuals, busi-
nesses, industry,  and governments.
Despite this good news, Americans still
threw away more garbage than ever.
The total amount of MSW increased
from 180 million tons jn 1988 to 196
million tons in 1990, which means the
per capita rate jumped from 4.0 to 4.3
pounds per person per day.
MSWgeneration, disposal, and recov-
ery rates from the past 30 years and
projects figures for 1995 and 2000. A
newstatisticappearingintheupdateis
an estimate of residential versus com-
mercial sources of MSW. Residential
sources are estimated to make up 55
to  65  percent of  the MSW stream,
while commercial sources are esti-
mated  at 35 to 45 percent.

             (Continued on page 8)
               Reusable News is printed with soy/canola ink on paper that contains at least 50 percent recycled fiber.

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EPA

Clarification:

MWC Ash Not a

Hazardous

Waste under

RCRA
    On September 18,1992, EPAclari-
    fied its position that ash gener-
ated by solid waste-to-energy
incinerators (MWC ash) is not consid-
ered hazardous waste. EPA has de-
cided that regulating this ash as a
nonhazardous  solid waste is  the
proper  interpretation of the federal
Resource Conservation and Recov-
ery Act (RCRA). EPA also has deter-
mined that its new municipal solid
waste landfill requirements will  en-
sure that the disposal of MWC ash is
protective of human health and the
environment.

   EPA clarified its position for  two
reasons. First, a Clean Air Act mora-
torium preventing hazardous waste
regulation of MWC ash ended on
November 15,  1992. Second, in a
related  court case, the  U.S.  Su-
preme Court requested the opinion
of the United States on the regula-
tion of MWC ash.

   For more information or to order a
copy of  the  Policy  Directive
(#9573.00-01) that describes  EPA's
position, call the RCRA/Superfund
Hotline (see the "Hot Off the Hotline"
box on page 6).l
Minnesota Mall  Debuts  with
In-House  Recycling  Facility
   ineusable  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 municipal solid waste
  management. 2

  Address comments or suggestions to:
  John Leigh, Editor (OS-305)
  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  401 M Street, SW.
  Washington, DC 20460
  MALLOFAlBERICA
    Mall of America in  Bloomington,
    Minnesota, which opened in Au-
gust 1992, is the first shopping center
to  incorporate a  complete recycling
system in-house. According to devel
oper Melvin Simon & Associates, thl
mall is the nation's largest shoppinl
and family entertainment compleJ
combining 400 stores and a 26-rid|
theme park under one roof. Mall
America generates 900 tons of rec>
clable materials per month, as mucj
as a small city.
              (Continued on page i
Clearing the Air
EPA Develops New Materials on  Leaf Burning
     With a flash of his black cloak,
     a magician transforms a pile
of leaves into a dark humus. "Why
burn your 'leaves, which creates
air  pollution, when
you can recycle them
into  beneficial com-
post? "he queries.
  This is one of the  ^M-.;.:.;:;
concepts underconsid-  '&£££;
   ..   e         ii-   .;;/••>-'•,'MyflftXV
eration for a new public  ^
service announcement  lja!
(PSA)  video on leaf
burning being devel-
oped by EPA. While
burning of  leaves,
brush, and other yard
trimmings may occur in
some communities, the
nuisance and health
and safety effects can be severe. Edu-
cating individuals about the impact of
leaf burning and offering some alterna-
tives is the goal of the TV and  radio
PSAs, a new brochure, and a fact sheet
EPA is producing for release this year.

  Along with hundreds of communi-
ties across the country, EPA is con-
cerned that citizens  may choose to
burn their collected leaves, especially
in areas that have enacted  bans on
landfill disposal  of yard trimmings.
Burning leaves results in the release
of pollutants that can aggravate  a
range of respiratory ailments, includ-
ing  asthma, emphysema, and  aller-
gies.  In addition, leaf burning may
pose a fire hazard.

  The TV and radio  spots are in-
tended to  educate the public about
these effects, and may include a few
tips on backyard  composting as an
alternative to burning. In addition, EP
is developing educational literatim
on leaf burning. A fact sheet is beinc
produced  that details the healtt
            effects  of leaf burninc
            and lists other possible
            means of  manage
            ment. A brochure also
            is being developec
            urging citizens tc
            take responsibility
            for  keeping  thei
            neighborhoods fret
            from leaf  burning
            Both of these material!
            are designed to provid
            additional informatior
            to individuals reachec
            by the PSAs.
               These materials wi
be distributed to regions of the countr
that have banned the disposal of yarc
trimmings in landfills. EPA is joining witt
the U.S. Department of Agriculture anc
its educational arm, the Cooperative
Extension Service, to increase the effi-
ciency of the distribution. EPA hopes tc
have the Extension Service help dis
tribute the materials, and many of th
items will refer to the  local Extensio
Agent for more information. With a
office in virtually every county in t
United States, the Extension Servi
will be of great assistance in educating
Americans about the effects  of lea
burning.
   For more information about these
new materials, call  Scott Voorhees o
EPA at (919) 541 -5348, or write to hirr
at the U.S. Environmental Protectior
Agency, Office of Air Quality Planning
and Standards,  MD-15, Research Tri
angle Park, NC 27711.1

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 Federal Government Leads by Example as Host  of
 Recycled Products Trade Fair
    New softballs made from old ones, rags for computer
    screens manufactured from recycled diapers, toilet
 paper and paper cups created from shredded documents,
 pencils made from cormgated cardfeard and old newspa-
 pers, and even guitars fashioned from plastic containers.
 These items were just a few of the recycled wares on
 display at the Government Buy Recycled Products Trade
 Fair and Showcase held in Washington, DC, on June 29
 and 30.
   The purpose of the trade fair was to educate govern-
 ment officials about available products made from recycled
 materials, to convince vendors that the government is
 committed to buying such products, and to help vendors
 better understand the procurement process. "We have
 $190 billion in buying power that we can use to close the
 loop," explained Gail Wray, the Federal Recycling Coordi-
 nator and chairperson of the steering committee that
 planned the trade fair.
   More than 200 disjributojs ajnj£
 manufacturers exhibited products
 made from recycled materials (in-
 cluding paper, wood, metal, plas-
 tic, glass, and rubber). Over 3,000
 individuals from  federal agen-
 cies, state governments, and uni-
 versities came to see these
 innovative products, to hear
 speakers such as EPA Adminis-
 trator William K. Reiljy  and
 Department of the Interior Secre-
 tary ManuelLujan, and to learn
 about federal purchasing of such
 products.
   As a result, the federal govern-
 ment began negotiations  with
 several businesses to purchase
 products made from  recycled
 materials. One of the businesses
 manufactures  lightweight deco-
 rative wall boards,  bulletin
 boards, carpet cushioning, pack-
 aging, and other materials made
 from 100 percent recycled news-
 print. Another business is explor-
 ing the possibility of collecting
 plastic shrink wrap removed from
 office supplies  and other prod-
 ucts used by the federal govern-
 ment. The company would use
the plastic shrink wrap in its
 manufacture of office trash con-
tainers; some of these containers
 might, in turn, be sold back to the
government.
  Many  recycled products, in-
cluding some of those shown at
the trade fair, are listed in the
                 Recycled Products Guide compiled by the General Serv-
                 ipes Administration (GSA) for federal procurement off icials.
                 For information on how to obtain this guide, call the GSA
                 Centralized Mailing List Service at (817) 334-5215.

                   The trade fair was sponsored by several federal agen-
                 cies, including EPA, GSA, the Office of Management and
                 Budget, the Council on Environmental Quality, and the
                 Department of Defense. Cosponsors included the Tennes-
                 see Valley Authority, Department of Agriculture, Depart-
                 ment of the Interior, and Department of Energy. The fair is
                 part of an overall procurement strategy launched on Octo-
                 ber 31, 1991, when President Bush signed an Executive
                 Order directing federal agencies to accelerate programs to
                 buy products made from recycled materials.

                   For more information, contact the Office of Federal
                 Recycling at (202) 266-6980. fi
TMi  "8UY RiCYCH®" QUIZ!
 The products below, which were displayed
 at the trade fair, were  all manufactured from
     recycled materials. Guess what each
 product is and from what recycled material
                    it was  made.
        •sai]} dejos uiojj 6uuoo|j juaqjosqe >|oons 'V 'saxoq pajeBnuoo wojj l
         •  'saji; dejos.wojj s>poi|o |aai)M '2 'sauioq epos oijse|d UJDJJ Buijadjeo '\.

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Focus   on
               icitlar
 Ready to  Roll Again:


 Recycled Rubber Required in Future Roads

   Scrap tires will soon find new life by being recycled into paving for roads they once travelled. The Intermodal Surface Transports
   Efficiency Act (ISTEA), enacted in December1991, requires states to pave roads with asphalt that contains recycled scrap tire rut
 or other recycled materials. Asphalt containing used rubber has become more common as policymakers seek to stimulate markets
 recycled scrap tires.
  Starting in 1994, five percent of federally funded roads paved with asphalt must contain recycled scrap tire rubber. The percentag
 roads containing recycled scrap tire rubber required will increase by 5 percent each year until 1997, when the requirement reache"
 percent. In addition to using recycled rubber, states can fulfill a portion of the requirement with other approved recycled materials.
 The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has the authority to withhold federal highway funds if a particular
 state fails to comply with this requirement.
  As required by ISTEA, EPAand FHWAare conducting a joint study examining the economic and environmental
 impacts and the technical performance of recycled materials in asphalt. The final report is due in June 1993.
  For more information, contact Bruce Peirano of EPA's Office of Research and Development
 at (513) 569-7540 or Lou Papet of FHWA at (202) 366-1324.
                                                                                 T:
                           Bhe
                           ende;
                         Chrysler
           ' '   held a forum on March 1
               public. Atthe forum, VHP
            activities in vehicle recycling
            research collaboration with t
  VRP, formed in November 1991, will muster
to develop automobile design and recycling tecf
material from every scrap vehicle is recycled, ac
VRP Management Committee. When a vehicl<
most valuable parts to a dealer or collision she
such as antifreeze and air conditioner refrigerar
is then shredded, and the metal is sent to recy

-------
  line Turnpike Cashes in  on Ticket Reuse Program

  early as the mid-1980s, directors of the Maine Turnpike Authority (MTA) saw the opportunity to implement a ticket reuse program
 >r their roadway. Late last year, that idea became reality, much to the delight of MTA. Rather than always issuing new paper toll
 > to drivers on the turnpike, MTA reuses tickets to the extent possible.
 • years, MTA has been recovering a small portion of operating costs by selling its used toll tickets for recycling. The new ticket reuse
 im continues the MTA custom of combining the ecologically sound with the economically sensible. MTA Deputy Executive Director
 ibby anticipates that MTA will reduce purchases of new tickets by 20 million per year through the reuse program. With 1,000-count
 ; of reused tickets costing over $4 less than boxes of new tickets, these reductions will translate
 n annual savings of about $100,000.
   I tickets are now collected from turnpike tollbooths and sentto a centralized sorting site,     <•/ *
  tickets are separated by a bar-code system according to both vehicle type and point of   **   }s
Jonto the turnpike. The'tickets are then packaged and shipped back to the toll station
Inated in their bar-code. Tickets that fail a paper quality test are immediately rejected
 he sorting process and recycled.
 iginally, Libby and his colleagues estimated that each ticket would
 tand two or three uses before wearing out. Much to their surprise,  „
 s are being reused an  average of five to six times. Other states and
 ike systems are closely watching the outcome of Maine's ticket reuse
 am to determine its applicability to their own roadways.
  more information, contact Neil Libby of the Maine Turnpike Authority
 17)871-7771.
          Car Manufacturers Shift
 ste Reduction  Into  High  Gear
 Partnership (VRP), a collective
>y General Motors,  Ford, and
 5 effective automobile recycling,
luce its mission and goals to the
> updated participants on current
o their ideas regarding possible

 talent from a variety of sources
tly, as much as 75 percent of the
tokh Labana, Chairperson of the
'ie dismantler typically sells the
[cture and resale. Excess fluids,
ivered for recycling. The vehicle
nains—primarily rubber, plastic,
glass, and wire—is landfilled. It is these leftovers, called "fluff," that VRP is hoping will be
recovered as a result of its efforts.
  VRP plans to establish vehicle design guidelines to make the entire automobile more
recyclable. The guidelines may advocate design for easier disassembly and the use of uniform
materials for some vehicle parts. This uniformity should  avoid costly materials separation,
thereby increasing the economic feasibility of recycling.
  By combining resources and systematizing work plans, the VRP member companies can
streamline research and avoid duplicating projects, according to Labana. VRP's activities will be
guided by a program committee comprised of representatives from automobile manufacturers,
parts suppliers, recyclers, dismantlers, shredders, and other businesses involved in scrap vehicle
recycling. Three project groups have been set up to examine proposed projects and evaluate
their economic and technical viability.
  For more information, contact Santokh Labana of Ford Motor Company at (313) 594-7740.

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                 Hot Off the Hotline
                    uestion: If a household hazardous waste (HHW) col-
                   . lection program accepts land mixes HHW and waste
              I from conditionally  exempt;small quantity generators
              I (CESQGs),  is thatimixture subject to the full hazardous
waste "Subtitle C'  requirements of the Resource; Conservation and  Recovery
Act (RCRA)?
   nswer: No. If state-approved collection programs mix HHW and waste from
   iCESQGs, the mixture is not subject to the 'full RCRA hazardous waste
regulations. Thus  HHW collection iprograms do not need to obtain expensive
hazardous waste permits prior to accepting CESJ3G waste. EPA believes this
will encourage recycling and reuse of CESQG waste through HHWicollection
programs. EPA cautions, however, that'collectioniprograms must abide by any
existing state requirements.                     ;
                 Resources
                   The following publications are available at no charge
                 from the EPA iRCRA/Superfund Hotline. Call (800) 424-
                 9346, or TDD (800) 553-7672 for the hearing impaired,
                 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. EST. In
Washington, DC, (the number is (703) 920-9810 or TDD (703) 486-3323.
Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in The United States: 1992 Update—
Executive Sumniary (EPA530-S-92-019).  This executive summary provides
highlights from the latest of a series of reports characterizing the municipal solid
waste (MSW) stream. A related fact sheet (EPA530-F-92-019) outlining  the
report is also available. A copy of the complete:update (PB92-207  166) is
available from the National Technical Information Service ($27.00 for paper,
$12.50 for microfiche) by calling (800) 553-6847,Monday through Friday, 8:30
a.m. to 5:30 p.m." "he update reports quantities (by weight and volume) of MSW
generated, recovered, combusted, and landfilled for the past 30 years and
projects figures fcr 1995 and 2000.            ;
No Hazardous Wsste Listing for UsediOil that Is Being Disposed (EPA530-F-
92-006). This env ronmental fact sheet explains why used oil being disposed of
is not considered a hazardous waste,  i
Management Standards Issued To Control Potential Risks from Recycled Used
Oil—No Hazardous Waste Listing (EPA530-F-92-018). This environmental fact
sheet describes management standards for recycled used oil and explains why
recycled used oil s not consideredia hazardous vj/aste.
 Did You  Know?
  !n 1990, 73.3 million tons of paper
  and paperboard were discarded,
 making these materials the single
 largest component of the municipal
 solid waste  (MSW)  stream. While
 corrugated boxes made up nearly
 1/3 of all the paper and paperboard
 in the MSW stream (newspapers
 were a distant second at less than
 1/5), these materials also had the
 highest recovery rate of paper products at 48 percent. Once recovered,
 corrugated boxes are recycled into many different paper products, including
 tissue  products, paperboard, construction  paper,  and liner board used to
 make more corrugated boxes. 5'
Minnesota Mall Debuts
with In-House Recycling
Facility

(Continued from page 2)

  The recycling facility, designed I
Brownihg-Ferris Industries  (BF|
performs all phases of waste prc
essing.  "With so many stores art
millions of visitors," explains BFI Rl
gional Vice-President Steve Bentol
"it takes a carefully  designed, b|
simple  recycling system tearm
with a motivational program to mal<
it all work."

   To encourage shoppers to red
cle, public recycling areas are  l(|
cated throughout the mall.  Thes
areas contain recycling  bins ar
serve as distribution  sites for par
phlets on recycling.  Recycling st£
circulate on foot to carry recyclable
from the public bins to the proces^
ing center.

  Retailers  sort their commingle
trash in designated "trash rooms" o
each of the mall's four floors. A syj
tem of  chutes delivers the  sorte
materials to mechanical compactor
in the mall's central service are*
Compacted recyclables  are the
bailed and prepared for shipping.

  Fed by the collection staff and th
system  of chutes, the facility ca
process 35 tons of material  durin
an eight-hour work shift. By provic
ing immediate separation of waste
the system  reduces  contaminatio|
and increases resale value of rec;
cled materials.  The facility is pn
jected to achieve an 80 percer
recovery rate.

  Mall executives hope the shop
ping center will serve as a state-o
the-art model for in-house  recycling
providing a showcase to the public
commercial  developers,  and go\
ernment officials. "To our know
edge, no other shopping mall in th
world has its own built-in recyclin
center,"  says Herbert Simon, Pres
dent of Melvin Simon & Associates
BFI Chairman  William Ruckelhau
agrees,  "This puts Mall of Americ
on the leading edge  of waste ha
dling in this country."

  For more information on the recyl
cling facility at Mall of America, cor
tact Rick Doering of BFI  at (61;
854-4978.1


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        "Taking Action," is a Reusable News feature that spotlights 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 municipal
    solid waste 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.

 Joston  Designer Helps Colleagues Shift to Recycled Papers
   t a 1988 meeting of the Boston chapter of the American
   Institute of Graphic Arts (AiGA), Claudia Thompson, a
 aphic designer from Cambridge, Massachusetts, proposed
 3 idea of writing a short buyers' guide to recycled paper. The
 sponse was a unanimous, 'Yes!" Many of Thompson's col-
 igues had looked into buying recycled paper and discovered
 rt no comprehensive source of product information existed.
 jalizing that such a resource would make it easier for graphic
 signers across the country to effect a large-scale shift to
 cycled paper, Thompson decided to take action.

 Encouraged by AIGA's response, Thompson inde-
 jndently raised over $140,000 to fund the project and to
 ;tribute copies of the book of 7,000 AIGA members across
 3 country. By 1992, what was to have been a 30-page guide
 id grown into a 200-page book entitled Recycled Papers:
                                                       The Essential Guide. Published jointly by AiGA and the MIT
                                                       Press, the book describes how recycled papers are made,
                                                       explains the current definitions and standards for recycled
                                                       paper, and provides detailed  information on the types of
                                                       recycled paper available.
                                                         Thompson's purpose in writing Recycled Papers was to
                                                       "...help all of us become informed buyers—in the hope that
                                                       we will achieve a substantial increase in recycling rates for
                                                       [printing and writing] papers." If early response to the book is
                                                       any indication, she may well realize this goal. "The response
                                                       has really been wonderfully warm," says Thompson, who was
                                                       recently presented with an Environmental Leadership Award
                                                       from the Cambridge Environmental Citizens' Organization.
                                                         To order  Recycled Papers: The Essential Guide ($25 pa-
                                                       perback, $40 cloth), call the MIT Press at (800) 356-0343.1
 :irst Ever Design  Forum on the  Environment
   ecognizing a growing need to de-
   velop environmentally sound design
 inciples, EPA recently awarded a grant
 the WORLDESIGN Foundation, Inc.,
 public charity affiliated with the Indus-
 al Designers Society of America
 )SA). The grant helped to fund INTER-
 ESIGN '92, the first ever educational
 sign forum on the environment.
 Each year,  INTERDESIGN work-
 lops bring together industrial design
 ofessionals from around the world to
 dress design questions facing the
 >st nation. Past workshop themes
 ive ranged from homes for the el-
 rly to safer faci lilies for wi nter spo its.
 This year's workshop, held August
 16 at San Jose State University, fo-
 sed on environmental considerations
 industrial design. It was the first IN-
 ERDESIGN workshop to involve pri-
 arily students and faculty of industrial
 sign. Universities from Russia, Po-
 id, Germany,  France,  England, Ja-
in, and  the United States were
 resented.
 Before arriving at the workshop,
 jdents  identified industrial proc-
 ses from their region that could be
                                    redesigned to reduce their impact on
                                    the environment. At the workshop, stu-
                                    dents and faculty formed 12 multina-
                                    tional teams, each charged  with
                                    redesigning one of the industrial proc-
                                    esses that had been identified. Each
                                    team developed functionally innovative
                                    ways to limit pollution or conserve re-
                                    sources and  created  visual repre-
                                    sentations of these ideas.
                                      Because designers influence  how
                                    products are made, how they are used,
                                     and when their usefulness ends, they
                                     have a key role in environmental pro-
                                     tection. According to Project Director
                                     Peter Wooding,  INTERDESIGN '92
                                     produced useful insights in the areas of
                                     natural resource  conservation, solid
                                     waste management, and pollution con-
                                     trol for the world's next generation of
                                     industrial designers.
                                       For more  information  on INTER-
                                     DESIGN '92, contact Kristina Goodrich
                                     of IDSA at (703) 759-7679. §
"
 EPA Sponsors Special Issue of Innovation
A     second EPA grant to the WORLDESIGN Foundation, Inc., funded a special
    issue of Innovation, the quarterly journal of the Industrial Design  Society of
 America (IDSA). Now in its tenth year, IDSA's award-winning journal has a reader-
;:ship of nearly 8,000 professional designers across the United States. EPA's grant
 allowed IDSA to increase the distribution of Innovation for its special issue, reaching
 designers, educators, students, manufacturers, and policymakers worldwide.
   The issue presented case studies demonstrating how designers have incorpo-
 rated environmental criteria into the design process. One study described the design
 of a special bin that facilitates the sorting of recyclables in the kitchen. Another study
 described a holographic screen that displays written information without using paper.
   The issue also featured articles on reducing industrial impact on the biosphere,
 utilizing solar energy, harnessing market forces to protect the earth, and  increasing
 recycling in industrial processes. Perhaps most importantly, the issue expressed
 IDSA's conviction that designers can become "central contributors in the complex
 process of healing the planet."

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FTC Announces Environmental Marketing
Guidelines for Industry
(Continued from page 1)
Claims Task Force. The Task Force's goal is to provide a cohesive federal response
to the issues raised by the  inconsistent and sometimes innappropriate use of
environmental marketing claims. By establishing the guidelines, the FTC has made
a significant contribution to this goal.
  The guidelines include direction on broad types of environmental claims, as well
as on very specific claims (see box on this page).  In addition, the guidelines advise
marketers only to make claims that they can substantiate. The guidelines provide
examples of claims that are considered deceptive and claims that are considered
acceptable by FTC.
  One example of potentially deceptive labeling in the guidelines refers  to a
hypothetical box of aluminum foil labeled with the term "recyclable," with nothing
else to inform the consumer whether "recyclable" refers to the foil itself or to the
box. If the manufacturer cannot substantiate that both the box and the foil are
recyclable, the term is likely to be considered deceptive. An  example of
potentially acceptable labeling in the guidelines refers to a hypothetical shampoo
marketed as "biodegradable." If the manufacturer has reliable evidence that the
product is commonly disposed of in sewage systems  where it rapidly breaks
down into  elements found in nature, the claim is  likely to be  considered
acceptable.
  For more information on the FTC guidelines or to obtain a  copy of the
guidelines, contact FTC at (202) 326-3753.  For more information on EPA envi-
ronmental labeling activities, contact Carol Weisner of EPA at (202) 260-4489J

1992 MSW Characterization Reveals Substantial
Increase in Recovery  Rates
(Continued from page 1)
  Looking to the future, the update pro-
jects recovery rates of 20 to 30 percent
in 1995 and 25 to 35 percent in the year
2000. Such increases in recovery rates
are essential to keep pace with the
nation's growing waste stream. The up-
date projects that MSW generation will
increase to 222 million tons—or 4.5
pounds  per person  per day—by the
year 2000.
  As for other MSW management op-
tions, landfilling declined from 73 per-
cent in 1988 to 67 percent in 1990. By
contrast, incineration of MSW showed
a slight increase from 14 percent in
1988 to 16 percent in 1990.

  To order copies of the update,  an
executive summary, or a fact sheet on
the major findings, see the "Hot Off the
Hotline" box on page 6.§
  Summary of FTC

  Guidelines
  *f::he  environmental  marketing!
  k guidelines released by the Fed-!
  eral Trade Commission (FTC) in Jul1.
  include both general and specific di"
  rection on marketing claims. The]
  general guidelines are:
  E  Any disclosures or qualifications
    of claims must be clear and
    prominent enough  to prevent
    deception.
  e  Claims should clearly state
    whether they apply to the product,
    its packaging, or both.
  13  Claims should  not overstate
    environmental benefits.
  E"  Claims based on a  comparison
    should present the basis for the
    comparison clearly  enough to
    avoid deception.
    The specific guidelines include di-
  rection about when and how it is or
  is not deceptive to use the following
  eight common claims:
 .HI General  environmental benefit,
    e.g., environmentally friendly.
  13 Degradable, biodegradable, or
    photodegradable.
  C Compostable.
  E Recyclable.
  8 Recycled content.
  C Source reduction.
  B Refillable.
  D Ozone-safe or ozone-friendly.
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.
   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
   Office of Solid Waste
   Communications Services Branch (OS-305)
   401 M Street, SW.
   Washington, DC 20460

   Official Business, Penalty for Private Use $300

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