United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5305W)
EPA530-N-97-003
Spring 1997
REUSABLE
NEWS
ttention all readers!
Reusable News can now be
; delivered to your computer
instead of your mailbox. We've
set up a list server to automati-
cally forward the latest issue of
Reusable News via e-mail to
interested readers. To subscribe
to the list server, simply send an
e-mail message to; listserver®
unixmail.rtpnc.epa.gov
Leave the subject line blank and
in the message body, type "sub-
scribe reusable-news firstname
lastname" (e.g., "subscribe
reusable-news Jane Doe"). You
will receive an ASCII version of
each issue when it is published,
as well as the Internet address of
the Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) version.
To remove your name from the
list server, send another e-mail to
the same address, leaving the
subject line blank and typing
"unsubscribe reusable-news."
Please note, you will continue to
receive a paper copy of Reusable
News unless you send an e-mail to
rcra-docket@epamail.epa.gov
indicating you would like to be
removed from our mailing list.
Those of you who gave us your
e-mail address on our survey (see
article on page 4) do not need to
subscribe to the list server. Your
e-mail address has already been
added to the list server.
EPA's Solid Waste Sites
on the Internet
: -eel like surfing the Net today? Informa-
! '. tion about EPA's solid waste programs
and services is available at the click of
a button. Internet surfers can learn about
everything from the ins and outs of the
pay-as-you-throw program to how solid
waste reduction can help reduce green-
house gas emissions. Here's a list of key f;
EPA solid waste-related sites on the Net: fff
• http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-
hw/index.htm This site provides an
overview of EPA's initiatives in
the municipal solid waste arena.
It's a good place to start if you're
not already familiar with EPA's
various solid waste activities. Copies
of Reusable News and many other EPA
publications can be downloaded from
this site.
• http://www. epa.gov/epaoswer/non-
hw/reduce/wstewise/index.htm On the
WasteWi$e homepage, you can learn
about this voluntary program to help
businesses prevent waste, recycle, and
buy recycled products; discover what
services are available to WasteWi$e mem-
bers; and access WasteWi$e progress
reports, newsletters, and tip sheets. Current
WasteWi$e members can access goal-setting
forms online, and organizations interested in
joining can access the registration form online. Plans are also underway
to allow these forms to be submitted electronically via the homepage.
• http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/payt/TYiis site provides a
description of EPA's pay-as-you-throw program, which encourages
communities to set rates based on each unit of trash set out for collec-
tion. Fact sheets and the pay-as-you-throw guidebook and workbook
can be downloaded here.
(Continued on page 2)
) Printed on paper that contains at least 20 percent postconsumer fiber.
-------
'• PA has strategically invested
more than $5.7 million in
grant money in 42 state,
regional, and tribal organizations
to help create a stronger recycling
infrastructure. A preliminary review
of the Jobs Through Recycling QTR)
program shows that more than
1,400 jobs were created in 3 years,
and a variety of products—from
sheet aluminum and door jambs to
houses and furniture—are being
manufactured. Just a few of the pro-
gram's successes to date include:
• More than 200 jobs have been
created in Nevada due to the
expansion or development of 10
recycling businesses.
• Maryland has retained or created
560 recycling-related jobs in
firms with a combined capital
investment of $27,835,000.
• A disassembly/recycling center for
computers, peripherals, and con-
sumer electronics will open in
Rhode Island by May 1, 1997. The
state expects the center to employ
75 people by the year 2000.
• More than $250 million has been
invested in recycling projects in
Arizona. The state has forecast the
creation of 1,000 jobs by the end
of 1999 as a result.
• The Hualapai Tribe in Arizona
has built a prototype "EarthShip"
house using commonly available
recyclables, including tires, old
corrugated cardboard, and cans.
Through JTR participation, state
grantees are learning valuable
lessons about program implementa-
tion, including the importance of
partnering, communication, and
training. Tom Polk, an environmen-
tal industry representative with the
Maryland Department of Business
and Economic Development,
emphasizes that successful pro-
grams require "establishing good
communication links and making
the best use of the resources you
have." Celia Hildebrand, recycling
economic development advocate for
the state of Nevada, recommends
that "recycling professionals
involved in economic development
receive formal training and become
fully integrated into the culture and
operations of an economic develop-
ment agency."
Other state personnel emphasize
the importance of investing the time
to locate and develop substantive
recycling projects. Randy Coburn, a
recycling business development spe-
cialist with the state of New York,
said, "We've learned to be patient.
Everything takes longer than one
expects, but the results are exceeding
our expectations." Greg Fisher, direc-
tor of the state of Arizona's recycling
market development program, said
the program developed a balanced
assistance portfolio of financing
incentives, technical support, and
marketing assistance, then "marketed
the heck out of the program."
For more information on the JTR
program, contact John Leigh of
EPA at 703 308-7896. •
(Continued from page 1)
• http://www. epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/
muncpl/fullcost/index.htm The full cost
accounting (FCA) homepage provides a descrip-
tion of this accounting tool for local govern-
ments. Copies of the FCA primer and resource
guide can be downloaded from this site.
• http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/sub2/
plan.sub/waste_rd/This page explains the
link between climate change and EPA's solid
waste programs. Several fact sheets can be
downloaded, and links are provided to other
sites with climate change information.
Coming Soon to a
Computer Near You
-------
WasteWi$e Partners Share
eventy WasteWi$e partners
recently met face to face in
order to exchange information
and share resources. Two regional
forums held in 1996 marked the
establishment of nationwide net-
works to enable business and insti-
tutional partners to achieve their
goals in source reduction, recy-
cling, and buying recycled prod-
ucts. On November 20, partners in
Chicago discussed pooling recy-
clables to make recycling more
cost-effective, working with suppli-
ers to reduce packaging waste, and
motivating employees to expand
waste reduction efforts. On Decem-
ber 2, partners in Washington, DC,
shared information on composting,
as well as on methods for increas-
WASTE
WI
-------
pproximately 500 of you
- responded to the survey
distributed with the
August/September 1996 issue of
Reusable News. Thank you to all
who took the time to respond!
We appreciated hearing your
input about how Reusable News
can better meet your needs.
An overwhelming number of
you indicated a preference for a
leaner, meaner Reusable News.
You also told us you enjoyed
reading both short, timely arti-
cles and longer, in-depth case
studies. So look for both in
future issues chock full of the
latest EPA goings-on. In addi-
tion, several of you expressed a
desire to receive electronic
copies of the newsletter. We've
set up a list server (see page 1)
to ensure that people who wish
to receive Reusable News elec-
tronically can do so.
With your help, we'll con-
tinue to make Reusable News a
valuable source for solid waste
information and the latest EPA
news.Ci
8o foster the nationwide development of recycling and reuse markets, EPA
recently published A Financing Guide for Recycling Businesses: Investment
Forums, Meetings, and Networks. Produced for EPA by the National Recy-
cling Coalition and Kirkworks, the guide provides information on private sources
of capital, financing strategies, and business planning for recycling businesses.
This publication is also designed to be used by government and nonprofit agen-
cies to help recycling and reuse businesses find financing.
The Financing Guide is available from EPA by calling the RCRA/Superfund
Hotline at 800 424-9346. Request document number EPA530-R-96-Q12.I!
ome builders looking to save money by reducing, reusing, and recycling
wastes from home construction can consult a new publication entitled
Residential Construction Waste Management: A Builder's Field Guide.
Published by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in coopera-
tion with EPA, this guide describes practices such as separating and collecting
recyclables, reusing wood and drywall waste on site, and structuring subcon-
tracts to improve waste management. For a free copy of this publication, con-
tact the NAHB Research Center at 301 249-4000 or write to them at 400
Prince George's Boulevard, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774.31
'he Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has published a detailed
analysis of the benefits of recycling. In Too Good to Throw Away: Recycling's
Proven Record, NRDC describes recycling's upstream benefits of reduced pol-
lution and use of virgin resources, as well as the downstream advantages of
decreased waste and reliance on landfills. The report also takes a close look at the
costs of recycling and disposal in terms of community economic development.
For a copy of the report, send $7.50 plus $1.45 shipping and handling to:
NRDC Publications Department, 40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011. The
report is also available via NRDC's homepage at http://www.nrclc.org/
nrdcpro/recyc/recyinx.html i
&EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW. (5305W)
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
------- |