United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5305)
EPA530-N-94-008
Fall/Winter 1994
Issue #6
SEPA Native American Network
A RCRA Information Exchange
AROUND THE REGIONS
EPA Administrator
Featured Speaker at Cherokee Conference
HIGHLIGHTS
+ EPA Administrator Featured
Speaker
+ EPA Assists Navajo-Zuni
+ New Home for American
Indian Environmental Office
+ Terry Williams Named
Director of AIEO
•f Tribal Subtitle c Rule
+ EPA Proposes Tribal Authority
Over Air Resources
4- Recycling Project Searches for
Gold
4- Alaskan Court Imposes
"Green" Sentence
+ Bulletin Board
EPA Administrator Carol M. Browner
was the featured speaker at a banquet
marking the closing of the Second
National Tribal Conference on Environ-
mental Management, held in Cherokee,
North Carolina, May 23-26,1994, and
hosted by the Eastern Band of Chero-
kee Indians. Elliot Laws, EPA's Assistant
Administrator for Solid Waste and
Emergency Response, opened the
conference, sharing the podium with
Cherokee Chief Jonathan Taylor and EPA
Region 4 Administrator John Hankinson.
The conference attracted nearly 450
representatives of Tribal governments,
Federal and state agencies, and
industry and citizen groups. Over 100
tribes were represented.
The conference agenda covered a wide
variety of topics, most of which were
suggested by the tribes. Sessions
included presentations on a variety of
air, water, and waste issues, building
tribal capacity to manage environmen-
tal programs, environmental equity
and grants. Tribal representatives
participated on a number of panels
during these sessions and provided
valuable input to the topics at hand.
The conference also attracted a
number of vendors of environmental
services and products. Of particular
interest was "Partners for Recycling", a
permanently mounted exhibit housed
inside a recycled, over-the-road 45-foot
trailer. EPA Region 4 provided funding for
the exhibit.
In her speech, Browner spoke of a "new
generation of environmental protec-
tion," one that, among other things, is
moving away from a "one-size fits all"
regulatory scheme to one that is
flexible, innovative and makes use of
common sense. This new generation
empowers those that must live with
environmental decisions to have the
opportunity to "work with us to make
those decisions." She admitted that EPA
needs "a new way of working with you-
with the 545 tribes-even as you your-
selves enter a new generation of
economic power, population growth,
and political clout."
Browner also told the audience that she
had reaffirmed EPA's Indian Policy that
she intended to establish an Office for
Indian Affairs at EPA headquarters, that
tribes would be more involved in the
Agency's budget process and that she
aims to strengthen tribal involvement
throughout EPA's operations.
In closing, Browner said, "Native culture
and religion have always understood
that we do belong to the community of
the land. This is why America's tribes
have a unique role to play-in helping all
Americans to treat this wonderful land
of ours with love and respect." B
Recycled/Recyclable . Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on 100% Recycled Paper (50% Postconsumer) '• Please Recycle as Newsprint
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NATIVE AMERICAN NETWORK
Second National Tribal Conference on
Environmental Management
May 23-26, 1994, Cherokee, North Carolina
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NATIVE AMERICAN NETWORK
EPA Assists Navajo-Zuni
Cooperative Recycling Project
EPA's Region 9 office (San Francisco)
recently awarded a grant to the Navajo
Nation and the Pueblo of Zuni to
develop a plan for a cooperative
recycling program, believed to be the
first of its kind in the country
The Navajo-Zuni recycling initiative will
be designed to address everything
from the collection of recyclables to
the marketing of processed materials.
The program will expand on the Pueblo
of Zuni's existing full-scale recycling
center and will cover areas of north-
western New Mexico and northeastern
Arizona. Once in operation, the pro-
gram will employ members of both
tribes. The initial commodities that will
be included in the program are alumi-
num, steel cans, cardboard, newsprint,
and glass.
The cooperative nature of this project
extends beyond the involvement of the
two tribes and the Region 9 solid waste
program. Other organizations providing
support and assistance to make the
regional recycling initiative a success
are the Navajo Area Office of Indian
Health Serivices, the Southwest Public
Recyling Association and the South-
eastern Colorado Rural Recycling
Project. The solid waste program hopes
to work more closely with other tribes
in Flegion 9 in the near future to
promote waste reduction activities on
tribal lands.
(Contact: Donna Orebic, EPA Region 9,
415-744-2092) •
INSIDE EPA
Terry Williams
Named Director of
American Indian
Environmental
Office
At a September 14,1994, meeting of the
Tribal Operations Committee (TOQ in
Washington, DC, EPA Administrator
Carol M. Browner named Terry Will-
iams, the Executive Director of Fisheries
and Natural Resources for the Tulallip
Tribes in the State of Washington,
director of the Agency's new American
Indian Environmental Office. In an-
nouncing the selection of Williams, a
member of the TOC, Browner said
"Terry has been a consistent, strong
and effective advocate for tribal
sovereignty, environmental protection
in Indian country and the meaningful
participation of tribes in natural
resources decisions at all levels of
government. I look forward to having
him join my senior management
team."
In his new position, Williams will work
closely with the Adminstrator and
senior managers of all the Agency's
programs, both at the Headquarters
and Regional office levels, to ensure
Office of Water
New Home of American Indian
Environmental Office
EPA Administrator Carol M. Browner announced, in an August 19,1994, letter sent to
all tribal leaders, that "To give the new office [the American Indian Environmental
Officers strong start, I am locating it in the Office of Water, one of ERA'S largest
programs and a program that has a breadth and depth of resources. The office
will be postioned to draw upon the Office of Water's considerable expertise and
experience in managing grant programs, authorizing and supporting state, tribal
and local regulatory programs, and working with regions and tribal governments
on program delivery"
Although Browner considered other options, she said that "...placement in an
office with operational program delivery experience ensures the strong base
necessary to build a successful, permanent program."
Bob Perciasepe, the Assistant Administrator for Water, said that it was a "special
honor" for Water to have been selected as the host Office and pledged to work
with Terry Williams, the new Office director, to ensure the Office's success. •
that EPA's tribal operations are
strengthened across the board.
Williams will also serve as National
Indian Program Coordinator, the
position formerly held by Martin
Topper in the Office of Federal Activi-
ties.
Since 1985, Williams has served on the
Northwest Fisheries Commission and
chaired the Commission's Environmen-
tal Policy Committee since 1990. He has
represented the tribes on the Pacific
Salmon Commission and in
implemenation of the President's
Forest Plan. He has served on the
Boards of many environmental and
research organizations, including the
Center for Streamside Studies and the
Adopt-a-Stream Foundation. The
Governor of the State of Washington
appointed Williams to the Board of the
Puget Sound Water Quality Authority
and the Governor's Wetlands Advisory
Committee.
Williams is married and has three
children. He will begin working full
time at EPA Headquarters in Washing-
ton, DC, on October 24th. •
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NATIVE AMERICAN NETWORK
Rule Proposes Tribal Authority
Over Air Resources
EPA recently published, on August 25,
1994, in the Federal Register, a proposed
rule which specifies provisions of the
Clean Air Act (CAA) for which Indian
tribes may be treated in the same
manner as states. The public comment
period for this rule, Indian Tribes: Air
Quality Planning and Managment,
expires November 23,1994.
The proposed action adopts EPA's
recent "streamlined" eligibility process
("TAS") and provides that tribes will be
treated in the same manner as states
for virtually all CAA programs. In
addition, the proposal grants tribes
with EPA-approved CAA programs
authority over all air resources within
the exterior boundaries of a reserva-
tion, including non-Indian owned fee
lands. For off-reservation areas, tribes
would need to demonstrate the basis
for jurisdiction.
The proposal seeks tribal comments
on the appropriate level of tribal grant
match for CAA Section 105 grants; on
establishing a phase-in period for
tribes to meet whatever grant match is
ultimately required; and, the feasibility
of developing a sliding scale to deter-
mine tribal grant match based on
ability to pay
Comments on this rule may also be
filed electronically as EPA is participat-
ing in a White House Task. Force pilot
project on electronic filing of public
comments. Instructions for filing
electronically are included in the rule.
(Contact: Tina Parker, EPA/HQ, 202-260-
6584} •
INSIDE OSW
Tribal Subtitle C Authorization
Rule Making Real Progress
OSW hopes to come to workgroup
closure later this fall on a proposed rule
that would make tribal governments
eligible to obtain authorization and
funding from EPA to implement RCRA
Subtitle C hazardous waste programs in
lieu of EPA.
In general, tribes must meet the same
criteria as states to obtain authoriza-
tion. However, recognizing the unique-
ness of tribes and Indian Country, the
proposed authorization process for
tribes differs from that of states in
several areas:
O "Partial program" authorization will
be available to tribes, an option not
currently available for states;
however, any partial program must
have "minimum" program require-
ments;
O A tribe must include, in its applica-
tion, a map, legal description or
other information identifying the
full extent of the lands over which
it is asserting jurisdiction;
O A tribe must identify in its applica-
tion, the location of any facility
subject to the tribe's Subtitle C
jurisdiction, including any facilities
on fee lands owned by non-
Indians;
O A tribe would be required to
submit a Tribal Legal Certification in
place of the Attorney General's
Statement that EPA requires from
states;
O The Memorandum of Agreement
in the application must include
provisions for the referral of cases
to EPA for enforcement if the tribe
is unable to enforce due to the
Indian Civil Rights Act; and
O Tribes would not be exempt from
the requirements to provide
certain financial assurances for
closure and post-closure care and
the payment of third-party liability
claims. However, the rule asks for
comments on developing alterna-
tive financial mechanisms for
tribes, possibly similar to EPA's
recently proposed Local Govern-
ment Financial Test (LOGO) for
municipally owned/operated solid
waste landfills.
(Contact: Virginia Phillips, EPA/HQ, 703-
308-8761) •
NOTE: With this issue of the Native
American Network, OSW begins a
series of informational inserts
designed to assist tribes in better
understanding Subtitle C and hazard-
ous waste program authorization
under the rule. The first two inserts of
this series, the "TRIBAL PROGRAM
ADVISORY" focus on "What is a
Hazardous Waste" and "Funding Tribal
Hazardous Waste Programs." If your
issue does not contain these inserts,
please contact Judi Kane at 703-308-
8644.
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O
SORY
Office of Solid Waste
Number 1
o
o
What is a Hazardous Waste Under
RCRA Subtitle C?
Do you suspect that there may be material on your lands which is - or might be - regu-
lated under RCRA Subtitle C? This advisory will help you determine which, if any Subtitle C
regulations apply and whether you should seek hazardous waste program authorization to
manage these wastes and the activities (storage, treatment or disposal) associated with
them.
Whether a material is considered a "hazardous waste" under the Subtitle C regulatory
program has nothing to do with the common understanding of the term "hazardous waste."
There is a specific regulatory definition, including numerous exclusions, which must apply
before certain wastes or facilities are subject to Subtitle C. Most of these definitions are
contained in 40 CFR Part 261.
To be classified as a hazardous waste, the material must be first a solid waste. Again, what
is a "solid waste," has nothing to do with the common understanding of the term. Rather,
by statute (RCRA section 1004(27)), a "solid waste" is either garbage, refuse, or sludge, includ-
ing solid, liquid, semi-solid or contained gaseous material. In other words, under Subtitle C
of RCRA, a "solid waste" can either be a solid, liquid or gas.
In addition, the "solid waste" must meet the regulatory definition of "waste." To be a waste
the material must be a "discarded material." This means it must be material which is aban-
doned, recycled, or inherently waste-like. Each of these terms is defined further.in 40 CFR
261.2 (a)-(e).
So generally solid waste is a solid, liquid, or contained gas which is discarded, has served its
intended purpose or is a manufacturing or mining by-product. However, even if you have
material that meets this definition, there are several exclusions that may apply to the mate-
rial and, thus, take it out of the Subtitle C regulatory scheme.
Briefly these exclusions include a number of common solid wastes that do not present a
significant threat to human health or the environment or that are already regulated under
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other environmental programs. Exclusions include domestic sewage; industrial wastewater
discharges; and source, special nuclear, and by-product radioactive material. The language
excluding these wastes from RCRA regulations is contained in 40 CFR 261.4(a).
If the material meets the definition of "solid waste" as defined in the statute and 40 CFR Part
261, and is not excluded from the definition, the next step is to determine if it is a "hazardous
waste."
To be a hazardous waste, the waste material must not be excluded from regulation as a
hazardous waste and must meet one of the following conditions: it must be listed in a list of
hazardous waste which EPA has included in 40 CFR 261.30 - 261.33, or it must exhibit a char-
acteristic of a hazardous waste which is defined in 40 CFR 261.20 - 261.24.
EPA developed three lists of hazardous waste which can be found in 40 CFR 261.31, 261.32, and
261.33. Wastes listed in §261.31, are nonspecific source wastes, which are mainly manufactur-
ing and industrial wastes. Wastes listed in §261.32, are specific source wastes, which consist
of wastes from specifically identified industries such as wood preserving, petroleum refin-
ing, and organic chemical manufacturing. These wastes typically include sludges, still bot-
toms, waste waters, spent catalysts, and residues. Wastes listed in §261.33(e) and (f) are
known commonly as "P" and "U" wastes which consist of specific commercial chemical
products, or manufacturing chemical intermediates. This list includes chemicals such as
chloroform and creosote, acids such as sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid and pesticides
such as DDT and kepone.
In addition to listing hazardous wastes, EPA identified four characteristics of hazardous
waste: ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity and toxicity. Examples of ignitable wastes include
waste oils and used solvents. Examples of corrosive wastes include acidic wastes and used
pickle liquor. Examples of reactive wastes include water from TNT operations and used
cyanide solvents. The toxicity of hazardous waste is determined by using a test that simu-
lates the leaching actions that occur in landfills. An extract of the waste is analyzed and if
the concentrations of specific toxic contaminants exceed the levels allowed in the regula-
tions then the waste is classified as hazardous.
Finally, under the Subtitle C regulatory scheme, there are exclusions for hazardous wastes.
Language excluding these wastes from RCRA regulation is contained in 40 CFR 261.4(b).
Examples include but are not limited to: household waste, solid waste returned to the soil
as fertilizers, various chromium-containing wastes, and discarded aresenical-treated wood.
Certain residues of hazardous waste in empty containers also are excluded from regulation
as are some secondary materials when they are recycled using certain procedures.
Remember, to be a hazardous waste, a material must first be classified as a solid waste,
then it must be either a listed or characteristic waste, and NOT excluded by any of the
regulations.
[For more information, contact Qinny Phillips, EPA/HQ, 703-308-8761]
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o
mini
IIIIIIIUIH
DVISOIU
Office of Solid Waste
Number 2
O
o
Funding Tribal Hazardous Waste
Programs
EPA is nearly finished drafting a proposed Tribal Hazardous Waste Authorization Rule. The
draft has generated several questions on how money received under section 3011 of RCRA
(the section that authorizes state and future tribal hazardous waste program funding) can
be used.
This insert addresses the following questions:
O What is the relation of RCRA Subtitle C and Subtitle D to section 3011 funding?
O What kind of EPA grant oversight should tribes expect?
O What funding is available and what is the grant cycle?
Subtitles C and D
In order for EPA to issue grants for solid waste activities, the Agency must have clear statu-
tory authority. Currently there are two sections of RCRA that give EPA this authority: Section
8001 and Section 3011. Today most tribes receive funding for RCRA solid waste activities
under Section 8001.
You should be aware that while Section 8001 funds can be used for either Subtitle C (haz-
ardous waste) or Subtitle D (solid waste) activities, Section 3011 funds, by statute, can only
be used for Subtitle C activities.
Currently funding under Section 3011 for hazardous waste activities is available only to
authorized states and U.S. territories. However, when the Tribal Hazardous Waste Authoriza-
tion Rule is promulgated, tribes that obtain hazardous waste program authorization will be
eligible for funding under the authority of Section 3011.
Funds allocated to a tribe under Section 3011 may be used to develop and/or implement an
authorized hazardous waste, program, but may not be used to clean Lip waste or for con-
struction-type activities.
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EPA Oversight
Generally speaking, EPA oversight of hazardous waste management grants issued to tribes
with authorized RCRA hazardous waste programs should be comparable to oversight for
other grants that tribes receive from EPA, i.e., there will still be distinct application require-
ments as well as funding accountability.
However, there may be an increase in EPA oversight as a result of the annual Regional haz-
ardous waste grant negotiation process. During these negotiations, Regions compare antici-
pated as well as past accomplishments to determine whether authorized programs (and
the funding associated with these programs) are supporting activities that, in turn, support
EPA's objectives for the RCRA program. These objectives are stated in the OSWER Strategic
Plan and include:
O Minimizing the quantity and toxicity of waste;
O Ensuring environmentally sound management of solid and hazardous wastes; and
O Preparing for and responding to in a timely and effective manner the releases of haz-
ardous materials in the environment.
Annual Grant Cycle
The annual grant negotiation process described above is part of an overall grant cycle that is
important to any tribe considering applying for RCRA hazardous waste program authoriza-
tion.
Funds under section 3011 are appropriated annually by Congress. The FY 1995 appropriation
is $98,899,700 for the year starting October 1,1994, and ending September 30,1995. How did
EPA receive that appropriation? The answer goes back fifteen to eighteen months.
During the summer of 1993, EPA started developing funding requirements for the Agency.
This included a requirement for funding under Section 3011. This budget request was pre-
sented to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for evaluation and approval. OMB
sent that request back to EPA with revisions in late November, and the Agency in turn,
prepared its final budget, which was submitted to Congress in January of 1994. This budget
is enacted by Congress in the form of an appropriations bill.
A tribe's most important issue relating to the budget cycle is one of planning. The negotia-
tion process we have discussed generally begins in June preceding the beginning of the
fiscal year. Negotiations for the FY 95 allocation, therefore, began in June of 1994. To be
prepared for those negotiations, you should be planning at least six months, and ideally
eighteen months ahead of the anticipated budget period.
[For more Information, contact Newman Smith, EPA/HQ, 703-308-8757}
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NATIVE AMERICAN NETWORK
1
I
BULLETIN BOARD
I
Money Matters -
In FY94, the General Assistance Program (formerly the Multi-Media Assistance Program) had'*
a total Congressional appropriation of $8.5 million. These funds were awarded through 127
new and continuation grants to 115 tribes and 12 intertribal consortia. In total, 354 tribes
received assistance through grants awarded in FY94 and 10 other tribes continued
I capacity building with funds awarded in previous fiscal years.
v-
\ Since its inception in FY90, the Multi-Media/General Assistance Program has grown
i steadily. In FY90, two pilot projects were initiated with $ 151,00; this grew to 29 grants in
\ FY91 ($1.7 million), to 60 grants in FY92 ($5.2 million), and to 100 grants ($7.5 million) in
1 FY93.
| The General Assistance Program provides funding assistance to (Federally recognized
I tribal governments and tribal consortia for the purpose of planning, developing and
I establishing the capacity to implement environmental management programs. The
| program will continue to be offered in FY95. Those currently receiving program assis-
/ tance and other tribes interested in the Program should contact their Regional Indian
/ Coordinators.
i
r
Thanks, OFA! - Responsibility for man
aging the Agency's Indian program will
shortly rest with EPA's new American
; Indian Environmental Office. The staff
| of the Native American Network-and
I all of OSWER- extends its heartfelt
| appreciation to all in the Office of
\ Federal Activities for the years of
I unwavering dedication to the Indian
| program, despite the criticisms and
I obstacles that it often faced. To Dick
| Sanderson, Marshall Cain, Katie Biggs,
I Martin Topper, Clara Nickles and the
I many others who have been involved
| over the years: you made believers
J and advocates out of all of us. We
:' thank you.
•--—
FY93 Report on "EPA Environmen-
tal Activities on Indian Reserva-
1 tions" - EPA has compiled infor-
i mation regarding its technical
I and financial assistance to Indian
* tribes for Fiscal Year 1993. Copies
§ of the report, EPA 300-R-94-004,
i have been mailed to all tribes
I and other federal agencies. If
| you have not received one and
§ would like to have a copy
I contact Clara Mickles at 202-260-
4221.
i
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NATIVE AMERICAN NETWORK
Congress Completes Action
On Legislation to Clean Up Open Dumps on
Indian and Alaska Native Lands
In the final days of the 103rd Congress,
the House and Senate completed
action on S. 720, the Indian Lands Open
Dump Cleanup Act of 1994. This culmi-
nates years of efforts to enact legisla-
tion dealing with the general problem
of open dumps in Indian country
Earlier this year, the Senate passed S.
720, which had been introduced by
Senators McCain, Inouye, and Reid in
April 1993. On October 3, the House
Natural Resources Committee ap-
proved an amendment in the nature of
a substitute bill to the Senate-passed
bill, and on October 5, the full House
passed this substitute bill. The Senate
concurred in the amendment of the
House to S. 720 on October 8, clearing
the measure for the President. [As of
publication, the President had not
signed the bill into law, although he is
expected to do so.]
Responsibility for implementing the Act
rests with the Indian Health Service
(1HS), which must inventory all open
dump sites on a reservation-by-
reservation basis within 12 months.
The inventory should result in a 10-year
plan to prioritize the dumps for closure
and post-closure maintenance, or for
upgrading to federal standards. The Act
does not apply to small family dumps
of one acre or less, industrial waste
sites, or commercial facilities.
EPA must concur on IHS's assessment
and cost estimates for closure and
post-closure maintenance. Other
federal agencies will be involved
through cooperative agreements
authorized by the IHS Director for cost-
sharing, closure and post-closure
activities, and financial and technical
assistance.
The statute also authorizes a demon-
stration program involving at least
three tribes or Alaskan native entities.
To qualify, a tribe or Alaskan native
entity must show that it:
O Has one or more existing open
dumps on its lands;
O Has a comprehensive solid waste
management plan; and
O Has developed a closure and post-
closure maintenance plan for each
dump.
For more information, contact your
Area IHS office. •
COMMENTAJRY
Alaskan Court Imposes
"Green" Sentence
Pursuant to my having been found
guilty of verbal assault against a
prominent Bethel lady, Magistrate Craig
McMahon handed down a sentence
which included (at my request) assign-
ment to complete 120 hours of com-
munity service. It was my remarkably
good fortune to be placed, by Ms.
Patricia Waters, administrator of the
Community Service Program for the
Bethel Police Department, with the
Bethel Solid Waste Recycling Program,
the director of which is Brian Glasheen.
Having fulfilled the community service
portion of my sentence, I am disposed
to state the following:
(a) The experience, wisely provided by
Magistrate McMahon, of providing a
humble but worthwhile service to our
community, has enhanced my own self
image, and perhaps even, to some
modest extent, society's image of me. I
am grateful for that.
(b) Both Mr. Brian Glasheen, the current
recycling project director and Allen
Auxier, the founder and first operator
of that program, represent the only
system by which a viable hope may be
maintained for sustaining life, as we
now know it, on this planet. What a
few conscientious persons practice
voluntarily out of a sense of responsi-
bility to our environment and to their
fellow beings must eventually become
as essential and involuntary a part of
life as eating our meals. That is not the
ravings of a visionary but a hard-nose
conclusion, based on extrapolations
from an abundance of increasingly
sobering, incontrovertible evidence.
Not only is Brian Glasheen a harbinger
of hope for our future, but he is also an
effective, congenial supervisor of, and
excellent example for, court-assigned
criminals like myself. It is hoped that
recognition of his singular value and
contribution-potential will be incre-
mentally forthcoming from the non-
criminal segment of society.
Name Withheld, Bethel
[The preceding articles appeared in the
July 28,1994, issue of the "Tundra
Drums" and are reprinted with the
permission of the editor.] •
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NATIVE AMERICAN NETWORK
Recycling Project Searches for Gold
There's a gold mine in trash. In pure
food grade aluminum cans alone, over
700 pounds a day are coming into
Bethel. Estimates of trash dumped at
the Bethel Landfill range from 28.5 tons
a week, to 20 tons a day No docu-
mented waste analysis has been done
but the fact remains that fully 40
percent of this is sellable under current
market standards.
After some few years of volunteer
commitment and the growth in
cooperation of 20% of the population,
Bethel Recycling Project (BRP) realizes
the sale of 55 pounds of aluminum
daily on average. As the figures
illustrate BRP is still in its infancy
As some have pointed out, the Bethel
Landfill is in its boom days with all that
free dirt provided by the lagoon project
to cover these daily tons of trash. Does
anyone remember the emergency
expense of thousands of dollars of
cover sand needed at the landfill to
prevent receiving fines from the Alaska
Department of Conservation just prior
to the digging of the new lagoon?
Why bury resources? Why not plan for
the future to utilize these materials
and create jobs? Those thousands of
dollars could be better spent covering
some of the basic costs of doing the
business of recycling. As with mining,
there are machinery and manpower
needs that demand a capital outlay
before a single ounce of gold can be
extracted. BRP has made the first
hurdle by purchasing a small compac-
tor for aluminum cans. An industrial
size compactor for corrugated card-
board would be the next logical step.
We have costly trucks and dumpsters
for transport and collection of waste:
an equal commitment needs to be
made in the area of salvage and
recovery
Long range goals of the Bethel Recy-
cling Project would encompass reuse
and recovery of all the materials
currently sought for salvage plus
additional substances such as glycol,
antifreeze and used motor oil. Heat
recovery is an underutilized option at
the present time. Pollution prevention
is another beneficial outcome of a
comprehensive recycling operation.
Now let us address the issue of
manpower. Does anyone argue that
costly incarceration of able-bodied
men is non-productive? Does anyone
argue that performing community
service is a waste of time? By most
people's standards employing commu-
nity service workers in the business of
recycling accomplishes two goals: the
recovery of materials that would
otherwise be wasted; and the produc-
tive utilization of a workforce that is
expensive to maintain in overcrowded
idleness.
This raises the issue that is perhaps the
one most crucial to our society:
education. We have been taught to
choose disposable diapers, towels, and
packaging. We have been taught that it
costs too much to repair: just buy new.
In-a world that is reaching depletion of
many of its extractive resources and is
over-harvesting many of its otherwise
renewable resources, we need to
reclaim the wisdom of our elders: if it
was important enough to harvest, dig
up or denude the Earth for in the first
place, it should be important enough
to reuse, reclaim or recycle in the
second.
Bethel Recycling Project serves to
provide education to the community
both by word and deed. The yellow
recycling barrels remind beverage
drinkers that their containers have an
important function yet to perform.
Anyone who recycles feels rewarded
that they are contributing to a better
world, a world where materials are
valued. Community service workers
salvage their self-respect and self-
worth along with the materials they
process and reclaim. Public service
announcements encourage friends and
neighbors to participate and many
groups and individuals realize funds
from their collection of properly
prepared recyclables. Positive rein-
forcement is a powerful learning
incentive.
Since its inception Bethel Recycling
Project has depended on the support,
cooperation and active involvement of
all Bethel's residents including the
changing roster of City Council mem-
bers, staff and operations. It is so today
Without the continued sponsorship by
the city recycling in Bethel will remain
but a token of compliance with waste
reduction efforts.
Bethel Recycling Project is applying for
non-profit status with the state and
hopes to achieve continued steady
growth in its capacity to recycle. We
thank, this City Council for maintaining
the status quo of last year's contract as
we go through this process. Between
now and the renegotiation of next
year's contracts, we encourage every-
one to engage in planning discussions
in order to fully realize the potential of
this, communities' resources, in gar-
bage. Perhaps a documented waste
analysis would be a logical first step:
know what is generated before you
design the mechanisms whereby you
recover it. Perhaps a comprehensive
placement of recycling-option contain-
ers at each disposal location would
short circuit wasteful mixing of recov-
erable with non-recoverable or hazard-
ous materials. Perhaps adoption of
waste reduction and recycling prac-
tices at each business site will double
the number of people who automati-
cally and habitually recycle.
These and other considerations need
time to evolve and develop. In the
meantime, Bethel Recycling Project
remains dependent on your nurturing
and generous support. We thank you
one and all.
(Contact: Amelie Redman, Association
of Village Council Presidents, Bethel, AK
907-543-3521; Amelie is an EPA/VISTA
volunteer. •
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NATIVE AMERICAN NETWORK
Native American Network is published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Solid Waste.
Editor: Judi Kane (703-308-8644).
The views expressed in Native American Network are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect or
represent EPA policy. The intent of Native American Network is to provide a diverse array of information for those
interested in environmental issues in Indian country and to provide a forum for information exchange among tribal
governments, EPA, other federal agencies, and state and local governments.
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
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Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
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