&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5305W)
REUSABLE
NEWS
EPA530-N-98-008
Fall 1998
www.epa.gov
' ark your calendars! The
:. second annual America
• Recycles Day (ARD) is just
around the corner!
This year's event
will be held on
Sunday, November
15, 1998, and will
again encourage
people across the
nation to buy
rccyclcd-contcnt
products. So far, 44 states, along
with Washington, DC; Puerto Rico;
and the U.S. Virgin Islands, have
registered to participate in the
nationwide event and are planning
an estimated 5,000 local recycling
activities. Even Vice President Gore
is part of the action, serving, yet
again, as the honorary chairman of
this important day.
Organizers hope to collect more
than 1 million pledges from
American citizens to buy recycled.
With each pledge, individuals are
automatically registered to win an
American Green Dream House (see
related article on page 8). Individ-
uals 18 or younger can register to
win a family vacation package to
Walt Disney®World.
EPA is a premier sponsor of the
event, along with a host of other
public and private entities. To make
your pledge or for more informa-
tion, visit the ARD Web site at
.
You also can contact Steve Roberts
of Tuerff-Davis EnviroMedia at 512
476-4368.
'•• : s there a connection between jobs
. ; and recycling? According to
i EPA's Jobs Through Recycling
(JTR) program, the answer is a
resounding yes. In fact, EPA's 1994
JTR grantees alone have made a sig-
nificant impact on their local and
regional economy—creating nearly
2,500 new jobs and leveraging more
than $329 million in new invest-
ment for recycling businesses (see
box below).
To build on this success, EPA
recently awarded three-quarters of a
million dollars in grants for fiscal
year 1998 to six states and one mul-
tistate organization. The recipients
will use their grants to work with
businesses that process or manufac-
ture recycled materials and end-
products. Along the way, grantees
will create more new jobs and
expand the tonnage of recycled
materials used.
The seven 1998 JTR grantees are
Arizona, Arkansas, California,
Massachusetts, Missouri, North
Carolina, and the Mid-Atlantic
Council of Recycling Officials
(MACRO). Projects range from
developing and improving state
recycling markets and collection
infrastructures to organizing a recy-
cling investment forum and creating
a self-sustaining fund for recycling
businesses.
(Continued on page 8}
Of JTR
FulI-Tlme Equivalents: 2,467 jobs
Capital Invested: $329.8 million
of 3,E96,1SO tons per year
of
Processed/Manufactured:
Companies
£,340,287 tons per year
1,952 businesses
Printed on paper that contains at least 20 percent postconsumer fiber
-------
I ativc American tribes throughout the country
! : face many of the same solid waste challenges as
! : ' state and local governments. Additionally, tribe
location, culture, and available resources often make
solid waste management in Indian Country a more
challenging prospect.
Against this backdrop, EPA's Municipal Solid Waste
Tribal Program was established to help tribes imple-
ment the best disposal, reduction, recycling, and com-
posting programs for their particular needs. Through
technical assistance, grant funding, and education and
outreach materials, the program develops tribal MSW
management capacity, strengthens tribal organizational
infrastructure, and builds partnerships among tribal,
state, and local governments.
EPA's tribal program offers the following resources:
» Native Network Newsletter: This quarter-
ly publication features articles on tribal waste man-
agement programs, information about important
laws, tips for obtaining funding, and updates on
conferences and publications.
• Grant for Solid Activities in
(EPA530-R-98-014): In addition to
its abundant list of federal and private grant
resources, this publication describes the elements
of a strong grant proposal and offers writing sugges-
tions.
• Publications on Solid Waste in Indian
(EPA530-B- 98-004): This compendium
offers an updated and complete list of all tribal
program publications.
» Tribal Program Web Site: For the , • / , ' . ;
latest information on EPA's tribal . = .• - •• =.
program, visit for MSW program
financing information, regulations
and guidance, resources, federal
news and activities, and links to
other related sites.
For a free copy of these publica-
tions, call EPA's RCRA Hotline at ••.'•••,]•• •..••••
800424-9346. ' ' : ': : " ' ' '''''''
•' . . pril 22, 1998, not only marked the 28th anniver-
.- '• . sary celebration of Earth Day, but also the return
• -of a familiar face from the 1970s environmental
movement. On that day, Keep America Beautiful, Inc.
(KAB), recalled from retirement the image of "Iron
Eyes Cody," the Native American whose teary eyes
helped raise awareness of litter prevention to a new
level in the 1970s.
Despite the progress made in environmental protec-
tion over the past 30 years, litter still remains an
expensive problem for many cities. In fact, many larg-
er cities, such as New York, Houston, and Sail
Francisco, are taking litter even more seriously today,
speculating there is a strong relationship between a
badly littered neighborhood and a crime-ridden one.
For this reason, KAB launched a new 30-second
public service announcement (PSA) with Iron Eyes as
part of its "Back By Popular Neglect" litter prevention
and awareness campaign. The new PSA, designed to
invoke the same positive response it did almost 30
years ago, has Iron Eyes shedding a tear at the sight of
people leaving litter scattered behind them at a bus
stop.
Like its predecessor, the new PSA enjoyed wide
media coverage on its inauguration. The spot was car-
ried by several major television networks and their
affiliate stations around the country, airing locally in
several dozen major media markets. The new PSA was
also the subject of dozens of newspaper articles
including a story in the business section of The New
York Times, KAB hopes the 1990s version will create a
memorable impression on a new generation of
Americans.
As a complement to the PSA, KAB is working with
the U.S. Conference of Mayors on a major urban litter
study that will conduct research and provide
resources to cities nationwide. KAB is a nonprofit
educational organization founded in 1953 with 21
statewide affiliates and 459 community-based pro-
grams supported by 100 of America's leading business-
es and corporations. For more information regarding
the PSA or KAB, contact Walt Amackcr or Mara
Neville of KAB at 203 323-8987, or visit the KAB Web
site at .
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.. . . s you travel across Route 66 through northwestern
.Arizona, you'll find miles of low altitude deserts
•. 'surrounded by colorful rock formations and
breathtaking mesas. You also will reach the home of the
Hopi Indian Tribe, a historic Native American settle-
ment, and its flourishing new recycling business,
In 1996, the Hopi Tribe estab-
lished Gentle Rain Designs, a
unique clothing manufacturing ->r^-
company. Now in its second year . '£.. -J'fv,.
of operation, the company creates
and sells garments featuring cul-
tural designs made of fleece fabric
produced from recycled polyeth-
ylene terephthalate (PET)—giving
a second life to hundreds of
recovered soda bottles. The Hopi
Tribe is just the latest example of
how more and more tribes are
turning to recycling to achieve
economic and employment
growth while preserving their cul-
ture and the environment.
The Hopi tribal company has
enjoyed significant success sell-
ing its products at Native
American events, art shows, out-
door retailer shows, and recycled-
content products trade shows.
Since its inception, Gentle Rain has grown rapidly, mar-
keting outside the reservation and expanding its labor
force.
So, what are the secrets of the tribe's success? First,
the tribe researched the history of business and employ-
ment opportunities on the reservation. It discovered that
two similar tribe-supported ventures failed due to long
commutes off the reservation and neglect of cultural and
ceremonial responsibilities. Gentle Rain's founders took
this into consideration, deciding to produce the clothes
on the reservation and combining Hopi art patterns with
other Native American designs. As a key step, they also
researched the potential market for their garments, find-
ing a real interest in the distinctive products. Plus, the
business serves as the perfect complement to the tribe's
successful recycling program, which collects a range of
materials including plastics.
With its marketing strategy in the works, Gentle Rain
Designs focused on its other goals of employment oppor-
tunities and economic growth. Organized under the
Hopi Foundation, a local organization fostering "self-
reliance, self-sufficiency, and a sense of pride," the com-
pany obtained funding to get the business off the
ground. A $16,000 startup grant from the Arizona
Department of Commerce provided training for home-
sewing operations. By working at home, tribal employ-
ees are now earning and spending their salaries on the
reservation. This opportunity also allows workers to set
their own schedules and make time for family and cul-
tural events.
The tribal company continues to grow. Gentle Rain
Designs recently partnered with several groups, receiv-
ing support from the Grand Canyon
Trust, the First Nations Development
Institute, and the Arizona Community
Foundation, Interest in the garments
has boosted production, which the
'„_ tribe believes will lead to more
4 employment opportunities, a true
measure of the company's success.
Gentle Rain Designs believes it can serve as a viable
model for other tribes across the United States who are
searching for practical solutions to similar problems. For
more information about the company, contact Carey
Shanks, one of the founders of Gentle Rain Designs, at
520 734-9535. Visit and
click on "Sustaining Partnerships" to see some of Gentle
Rain's products.
If you would like more information about how tribes
can achieve recycling and solid waste management
goals, contact Beverly Goldblatt of EPA's MSW Tribal
Program at 703 308-7278, or visit the program's Web site
at .
-------
1 . • t first glance, the new 25-
.; i-i ''. foot-long pedestrian
; ••' 'bridge in Fort Leonard
Wood, Missouri, looks like any
other, with its solid and sturdy
structure and attractive design.
A closer look, however,
reveals a unique characteristic.
It's constructed from plastic
lumber using more than 13,000
pounds of recovered plastic.
That translates into more than
77,800 1-gallon milk jugs and
335,000 8-ounce polystyrene
cups.
In addition, while larger sized
structures have been built using
recycled plastic lumber, none
have been built with the struc-
tural capacity of this bridge. It
can hold more than 30 tons over
the entire bridge.
The U.S. Army Construction
Engineering Research Laborat-
ories (CERL) constructed the
bridge in partnership with
Rutgers University, the Plastic
Lumber Trade Association, sev-
eral plastic lumber manufactur-
ers, and EPA.
For more information on the
project, call Richard Lampo of
CERL at 217 373-6765.
•. • ;- ;- /ashington, DC, has
•• .•• •;• •' renewed its commitment to
'• • •' residential recycling by
signing a 2-year contract to reinstate
its residential collection program.
According to city officials, the new
program offers enhanced features
designed to make it easier for resi-
dents to participate,
Beginning October 19, 1998, more
than 102,000 households in the
nation's capital began receiving
weekly curbside and alley col-
lection of mixed paper, glass, __
aluminum, and plastic con-
tainers. DC's previous recy- f =
cling efforts, suspended j? ^
since 1997 due to a lack of = 1
funds, offered only curb- Jj
side service on a limited Jf
biweekly basis. Now, j|?
District residents can jj'
conveniently place
their recyclables in ^
new bins at the same *|
time and location their %_
trash is collected— 1
either in the alley or at =
the curb. 1
"We have created a pro- 1
gram that actually makes =
recycling easier to do," |
said Dr. Camille C. 1
Barnett, DC's chief man- |
agement officer. "By mak- \
ing recycling and trash col- |
lection sites identical, we |
expect more people than |
ever to recycle." f
This improved effort is part of an
overall commitment by DC officials
to make recycling into a "baseline
service" for District residents, the
same way it provides regular
garbage collection.
"DC officials believe this is an
important service for our residents,
so we will budget for it as we would
any other service," said Ken Laden,
chief of environmental policy for
DC's Department of Public Works.
DC has budgeted $7 million for recy-
cling into its general fund for
2 years. "At this level of commit-
ment, recycling will be less likely
^ to be cut from the budget in the
\ future," Laden said.
| ^ Another reason why it will
l| \ continue is the District's
;= % new approach toward recy-
cling markets. "The previ-
ous recycling programs
were very market-depen-
dent," Laden said. "We were
in a position where the mar-
kets couldn't support the
cost of the program, and w^e
had not allocated enough
funds in the solid waste
budget to pay recycling pro-
gram costs. Now, we are not
expecting the markets to
carry the burden of program
costs." DC will still receive
revenues for recyclable mate-
rials, but only if the prices
rise above a specified floor.
For more information on the
program, call the DC
Recycling Office at 202 727-
4600.
-------
: i ooking for low-cost construc-
i tion materials? Have extra art
i .supplies to donate? Organiza-
tions across the country are finding
ways to divert these and other valu-
able materials from the waste stream
through a variety of reuse programs.
Although many of these items might
not have a high price on the open
market, they offer considerable
value to the people who reuse them.
To help reuse organizations
increase and replicate their efforts,
EPA has awarded a grant to the
Reuse Development Organization
(ReDO), a nonprofit information
resource network for reuse programs
across the country.
"People wanted a resource where
they could go for specific informa-
tion on reuse—and they didn't want
to reinvent the wheel," said ReDO
Board President Tom Kacandes of
the New York State Office of
Recycling Market Development
(NYSORMD),
ReDO evolved from a conference
convened by NYSORMD in 1995
and has been incorporated for nearly
2 years. This fall, ReDO hired Julie
Rhodes, a former recycling official
with the Indiana Department of
Commerce, as its first executive
director.
lit
"Although it sits at the top of the
solid waste management hierarchy,
reuse has received limited resources
and attention to date," Rhodes said.
"ReDO's goal is to increase the level
of awareness of reuse options to
support community, business, and
individual environmental and social
objectives."
ReDO will provide a forum for
reuse organizations nationwide to
share information, learn from each
others' experiences, and promote
new initiatives to help divert valu-
able items from the solid waste
stream. EPA's grant will help ReDO
develop a database of reuse pro-
grams, publish a newsletter, launch
a Web site, and already helped
organize conference sessions on
reuse at the National Recycling
Coalition's Annual Congress &
Exposition in September 1998.
Through ReDO, organizations will
be able to share information on top-
ics unique to reuse programs, such
as issues related to inventory, stor-
age, liability, and taxes. Com-
munities or organizations interested
in starting a reuse program will be
able to contact ReDO for guidance
and learn from experienced program
operators. Businesses also can use
the network to find homes for mate-
rials that would otherwise wind up
in the waste stream.
For more information, contact
Marie Boucher of EPA at 703 308-
8754 or or Julie Rhodes of ReDO at
317 631-5395.
uccessful reuse programs are
• diverting thousands of tons
'of materials from the
stream. Following are several
ReDO members that demonstrate
the various ways reuse can work:
* Ore: Started as a
operation at a landfill in
Berkeley, California, this retail
business has grown to a 3,500
ton-per-year operation, reclaim-
ing and selling building materi-
als, electronics, books, records,
and other household and com-
mercial goods,
• for the
A joint program of several New
York City government offices,
MFA collects unwanted art
office supplies from businesses
and individuals for use by non-
prof it cultural groups
schools.
• The This
organization has grown from a
operation to a successful
retail venture in Kansas City,
Missouri, Local businesses, insti-
tutions, and individuals donate
furniture, electronics, and other
items, and 1,200 nonprofit
members buy them at reduced
prices,
* The
second food bank established in
the nation, this nonprofit orga-
nization salvages more than
12 million pounds per year of
unsaleable grocery products
from industry and individuals
and distributes it to food
pantries, soup kitchens,
shelters across Maryland.
»Millennium This
privately owned and
materials exchange links
thousands of buyers and sellers
of reusable goods, raw materi-
als, chemicals the
country via the Internet
faxes.
-------
'conomic information is key to the success of any
: industry or business, but is particularly important
'for an expanding industry such as recycling. With
this in mind, the National Recycling Coalition (NRG)
and the Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) have begun
the Recycling Economic Information Project . EPA is
providing a total of $210,000 in JTR grants to NRC and
NERC to develop economic information on 45 different
categories of recycling and reuse businesses throughout
the nation,
"We have high hopes for the Recycling Economic
Information Project," said Edward Boisson, executive
director of NERC. "This project is intended to provide
potential financiers and industry advocates with basic
information on the recycling and reuse industries that,
until now, has not been available."
The study will obtain industrywide data for all major
categories of recycling processors and manufacturers.
Specifically, the study will research the number of recy-
cling businesses currently operating and their total
annual sales, total employment, total wages, and value
added. NRC and NERC also will use the data to calcu-
late total economic impacts of recycling at the local and
regional levels.
Most data will be aggregated at a multistatc level and
reported separately for each business category. The pro-
ject will provide states with a list of recycling and reuse
businesses and their contacts.
The project is being conducted in two phases. NRC
and NERC intend to apply the project methodology first
at a regional level and then fine tune it before imple-
menting the project nationwide. For the first phase,
NERC has been gathering information on recycling and
reuse businesses in the 10 northeastern states. NRC is
managing the second phase, beginning this fall, which
will involve collecting the data from the rest of the
states. Phase one will wrap up at the beginning of 1999,
while phase two will take 16 months to complete.
For more information on this project, contact EPA's
Hope Pillsbury at 703 308-7258 or Ken Sandier at
703 308-7255.
•~ itli the continued growth of the computer and
'. ; ' ; electronics industry, the Mid-Atlantic
Consortium of Recycling and Economic
Development Officials (MACREDO) hopes to use its
expertise in economic development to strengthen elec-
tronics recovery in the region.
This spring, MACREDO met in Washington, DC, to
evaluate options for facilitating electronics recovery.
MACREDO is a working group funded by EPA Region 3
that brings together recycling and economic develop-
ment officials from Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania,
Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, DC. At the
meeting, the group discussed its EPA-fuiided electronics
recovery projects and toured a facility specializing in
computer reclamation.
MACREDO recently published;'a report entitled End-
of-Life Computer and Electronics Recovery Policy
Options for the Mid-Atlantic States, This report reviews
the state of electronics recovery in the region, focusing
on the recycling of personal computers and television
sets. The report is located on the MACREDO Web site at
. MACREDO
also is organizing a public and private sector electronics
working group to discuss a plan of action for the region,
For more information regarding MACREDO, contact
the organization at 215 686-9242 or Mike Guiranna of
EPA Region 3 at 215 814-3298.
-------
;• ontinuing its efforts to pro-
! : mote the use of recycled-
' - content products, EPA pro-
posed 19 new items for designation
in the Comprehensive Procurement
Guidelines (CPG) on August 26,
1998 (see box below).
Based on public comments and
other considerations, EPA will
determine which of the proposed
products will be designated for pur-
chase by procuring agencies (feder-
al, state, and local government
agencies and contractors that use at
least $10,000 in federal funds).
Recommended recycled-content
levels for the proposed products are
contained in the accompanying
Recovered Materials Advisory
Notice (RMAN). If all 19 items are
designated in this third update of
the CPC, the total number of prod-
ucts in the CPG will grow to 55.
Buying recycled-content products
helps create and strengthen markets
for recovered materials such as plas-
tics, wood, rubber, and steel. Such
purchases also help increase the
amount of materials diverted from
the MSW stream. For more informa-
tion on the program, access EPA's
new CPG Web site at (see Resources section for
description).
U.S.
of
: hrough its new "Buy
Recycled Initiative," the U.S.
: Conference of Mayors
(USCM) is expanding its popular
"buy recycled" program. The ini-
tiative includes the following
activities:
« Conducting 10 "train-the-traiii-
er" workshops, one for each
EPA region, over the next 2
years.
» Developing a tool kit that con-
tains a training manual, best
practices guide, fact sheets, and
more.
» Establishing a Web site loaded
with useful information to help
procurement officials and oth-
ers buy recycled.
As part of the initiative, USCM
will promote a different activity
each year during America
Recycles Day to help reach a
wide audience at the federal,
state, and local level. To learn
more about the Buy Recycled
Initiative, contact the U.S.
Conference of Mayors at
202 293-7330.
; he Buy Recycled
Business Alliance
: (BRBA)ofthe
NRC has been champi-
oning the "buy recy-
cled" cause since the
early 1990s. BRBA's latest
efforts include the following:
• Publishing case studies high-
lighting the use of rccyclcd-
content products in building
construction and renovation
projects. Each case study con-
tains details on the recycled
materials used.
» Conducting a business outreach
program in conjunction with
America Recycles Day that
includes brochures, posters,
and a full-page advertisement
in the Harvard Business
Review. Companies can use the
promotional materials to edu-
cate employees about the
importance of recycling and
buying recycled.
* Offering a training workshop in
conjunction with the National
Association of Purchasing
Management to encourage
the purchase of recycled-
coiiterit products.
For more information, contact
Bonnie Fcdchock of BRBA at
703 683-9025, Ext. 209.
-------
. . y pledging to "buy recycled"
i this America Recycles Day,
: . ' you can win an American
Green Dream House! A random
drawing will be held on December
15, 1998, to decide the winner. Last
year, Sgt. Robert Portillo of Texas
won the prize and his home is now
being constructed on 15 acres of
central Texas land.
What is the American Green
Dream House? It's a contemporary
two-story, three-bedroom home, val-
ued at 5200,000, with two- and one-
half baths and a two-car garage.
What's more, this "green" dream
house is primarily constructed out of
recycled materials and uses energy-
efficient materials. From the PET
carpeting inside to the recycled steel
siding outside, this house is a testa-
ment to the number of recycled-con-
tent products readily available to
consumers.
Designed by John D, Bloodgood
Architects of Des Moines, Iowa, the
house uses recycled-content materi-
als donated by different companies
nationwide. The gypsum wallboard
is made from recycled newspaper.
Recycled wood is used to make the ,.
kitchen cabinets, windows, and
doors for the home. Even the fram-
ing, roof, and major appliances in
the house use recycled-content steel
as the primary material. Finally, the
home's wood-polymer decking is
made out of recycled plastic grocery
bags and recovered shrink wrap.
All of these products perform just
as well as those made from virgin
materials, according to their manu-
facturers. They provide additional
benefits by reducing the amount of
virgin material used in construction
and giving usable scrap materials
another life, which prevents them
from simply being discarded. The
American Green Dream House also
will be rated by the National Home
Energy and Resources Organization
for EPA Energy Star status. For more
information, see the related article
on ARD on page 1.
JTR
(Continued from page 1)
"While grants remain a very impor-
tant part of our program," says Acting
JTR Team Leader Ken Sandier, "JTR
has entered an exciting new phase in
which we arc providing a wide menu
of support and assistance to the mar-
ket development community." In
addition to grants, the JTR program
promotes the following resources to
states and organizations:
• JTRnet list serYer, a valuable source
of market development information
and tips.
« JTR Web site ,
which includes market development
links to all 50 states and many other
market development resources.
« JTR toolkit (currently in draft),
which will include publications,
such as the JTR Annotated Resource
Bibliography, MarketShare, grantee
fact sheets, and other useful
resources.
• JTR meetings, such as this year's
Market Development Roundtable,
which brought together nearly 70
officials representing 35 states to
trade market development informa-
tion and experiences.
See the Resources section for more
details on some of these resources.
For further information about the JTR
program, contact Ken Sandier of EPA
at 703 308-7255.
-------
WISE
-. • • • : ,-asteWise partners registered a blockbuster year
• .' •:' .•' in waste reduction in 1997, eliminating or
' ; ' recycling more material than ever before.
Membership also grew by a whopping 40 percent.
These and other achievements are outlined in the
Fourth Year WasteWise Progress Report. Specific pro-
gram accomplishments include:
• Eliminating more than 816,000 tons of waste (an 80
percent increase from 1996). See the chart below for
waste prevention achievements since 1994.
« Avoiding nearly S26 million in disposal fees and
nearly $60 million in paper purchasing costs through
waste prevention.
• Recycling more than 6.5 million tons of material.
» Purchasing nearly $3 billion of recycled-content
products.
For copies of the Fourth Year WasteWJse Progress
Report (EPA530-R-98-016), access the WasteWise home
page at or call the
WasteWise Helpline at 800 EPA-WISE (372-9473).
Prevention: to
1,000,000/1
800,000
600,000
400,000-
200,000-
0
816,000
453,000
344,000
242,000
1994
1995 1996
Year
1997
: ri June, more than 6,000 viewers tuned in at more
: than 570 downlink sites when WasteWise presented
i "Waste Prevention Pays: Businesses Cut Costs by
Cutting Waste," its first-ever national satellite forum for
businesses. The 2-hour forum featured representatives
from Target Stores, Stonyfield Farm Yogurt, CITGO
Petroleum Corporation, and the Minnesota Office of
Environmental Assistance. The lively discussion cov-
ered key issues, including how to start a waste preven-
tion program, as well as big-ticket items such as how to
save millions of dollars by reducing packaging material
and the associated labor costs. Call the WasteWise
Helpline at 800 EPA-WISE (372-9473) to request a free
videotape of the forum.
i n September, the WasteWise program hosted its third
National Forum in Washington, DC. EPA Deputy
i. Administrator Fred Hanson was on hand to honor 28
outstanding WasteWise partners at a special ceremony.
Eight organizations were selected as Partners of the
Year (see below) and 20 other strong applicants were
chosen as WasteWise Program Champions. All truly arc
"waste wise"—establishing innovative waste prevention
and recycling programs, achieving sizable cost savings,
and conducting internal and external promotional activ-
ities. The forum also featured a series of interactive
technical sessions on topics ranging from sustainable
development, environmentally preferable purchasing,
and Extended Product Responsibility (EPR). WasteWise
partners used the forum to network, learn about other
programs, and return to their offices armed with new
waste reduction strategies. For more information on the
forum or the award winners, contact the WasteWise
Helpline at 800 EPA-WISE (372-9473).
-------
For the latest on buying rccyclcd-
content products, visit EPA's new
CPG Web site at . Geared toward procurement
officials, this site offers in-depth
information on every CPG designat-
ed product including lists of manu-
facturers and suppliers, EPA's rec-
ommended recycled-content ranges
for designated items, fact sheets,
and technical background informa-
tion. This site also contains buy
recycled news, a calendar of
upcoming events, and much more,
so be sure to visit frequently.
Visit the colorful cartoon town of
Recycle City, located at , to learn "reduce,
reuse, and recycle" concepts in a
fun and interactive format. Once
there, click on any part of the city,
and you'll get environmental tips
about everything from double-sided
copying to products made with
recovered materials. Click on the
Recycle City Cafe, for example, to
learn how customers purchase and
reuse recycled plastic mugs with
take-out orders. The site also uses
simple language to explain complex
MSW practices such as how materi-
als recovery facilities operate.
While this site is geared towards
the general public, solid waste offi-
cials also will find valuable infor-
mation. Staff at EPA Region 9
worked with city and state agencies,
recycling groups, and environmen-
tal research firms to design this site.
Whether you are a local or state offi-
cial already involved in measuring
recycling or just starting out, a new
EPA Web site is here to help. Visit
to
learn about EPA's standard method-
ology for measuring recycling as
well as to access other relevant EPA
documents and journal articles.
Users also can link to related sites,
research answers to common ques-
tions, and send questions and com-
ments to EPA.
Ever wondered how to build the
perfect backyard compost pile?
What do you do if it's too dry? Too
wet? Crawling with ants? This
informative Web site, located at
, has
all you need to know to be a
"Master Composter," including in-
depth information and instructions
for both beginners and more
advanced home composters. Bins,
worms, compostable materials, and
ideal ratios of carbon to nitrogen
are but a few of the topics present-
ed in detail. You can even post
questions to a composting message
board. The site also lists local com-
posting programs and contacts for
each state.
This interactive software tool, locat-
ed at , goes through each
step of the EPA grant-writing
process to help users write more
competitive grants. The program
requires only a Web browser and
can be downloaded or accessed
directly from the site. Specifically,
the program provides examples of
effective, complete grant packages;
resources and contacts; and a mock
grant-writing activity where the
user is able to compare their results
to a successful grant application.
The tutorial is a helpful guide for
all EPA grant programs but is cur-
rently tailored toward environmen-
tal education, environmental jus-
tice, and pollution prevention.
A WasteWise list server is helping
partners discuss all kinds of
issues—from backhauling to EPR. In
addition to providing a forum for
sharing ideas and success stories,
the list server enables WasteWise
partners to ask questions of EPA
and each other. All principal con-
tacts at WasteWise partner organiza-
tions are automatically subscribed.
If you are interested in the
WasteWise program and such bene-
fits as the list server, please call the
WasteWise Helpline at 800 EPA-
WISE (372-9473).
Are you making environmentally
wise purchasing decisions? Find out
by joining EPPNET, the new envi-
ronmentally preferable products
procurement list server. This list
server links a wide range of individ-
uals—including state and local pur-
chasing agents, federal government
10
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buyers, and representatives from ail
types of environmentally minded
companies. Developed by NERC,
EPPNET provides quick access to
information such as product speci-
fications, vendor lists, pricing
strategies to achieve recycled prod-
uct procurement goals, and federal
procurement policies. NERC must
approve all parties interested in
joining the list server. For more
information on EPPNET, contact
Ellen Pratt, NERC program manager,
at 802 254-3636 or .
JTRnet is an active Internet list
server for recycling market develop-
ment professionals offered by EPA's
JTR program. People in the field
use the list server to seek advice,
swap ideas 011 hard-to-find markets
for materials, give updates on their
projects, and discuss market devel-
opment issues. Posted on JTRnct
are messages about commodities,
commercial and institutional issues,
financing and economics as well as
newsworthy announcements. For
more information, including an
organized archive of past JTRnet
messages, see the JTR Web site at
.
NRC's Source Reduction Forum
recently published its Source
Reduction Procurement Guide. The
guide, developed by a diverse group
of source reduction and procure-
ment experts, will help purchasing
agents incorporate source reduction
strategies (e.g., buying in bulk and
modifying purchasing specifica-
tions) into their current buying
practices—and achieve substantial
cost savings as a result. The guide
presents detailed examples of how
these procurement strategies can be
implemented along with a resource
list to help purchasing agents learn
about other source reduction pro-
curement programs. For more infor-
mation, or to order a copy of the
guide, contact the NRC's Source
Reduction Forum at
703 683-9025, Ext. 405.
Whether it's a technical, regulatory,
or an educational solid waste docu-
ment you're looking for, the Catalog
of Hazardous and Solid Waste
Publications: Eleventh Edition is the
publication for you. The "RCRA cat-
alog" is designed for resource cen-
ters to simplify document research
for EPA staff, lawyers, and the gen-
eral public. The catalog includes
annotated descriptions of docu-
ments and listings by title, subject,
and document number as well as
ordering forms.
In addition to the RCRA catalog,
this year three smaller catalogs for
the general public, small businesses
and local governments, and pro-
curement officials also are avail-
able. These catalogs contain listings
of EPA publications from the larger
RCRA catalogue on subjects such as
residential solid waste, waste reduc-
tion and recycling, and more. Free
copies of all the catalogues can be
obtained through the RCRA Hotline
at 800 424-9346.
Implementation of the Mercury-
Containing and Rechargeable
Buttery Management Act is a short
EPA booklet that explains the basic
tenets of this act, which was
designed to ensure the proper man-
agement of certain household batter-
ies. The booklet summarizes state
and federal requirements affecting
battery recycling prior to passage of
the act and explains the new
requirements. It also describes why
proper disposal or recycling is nec-
essary for nickel-cadmium and
small sealed lead-acid rechargeable
batteries, which contain heavy met-
als that contribute to the toxicity
levels of landfills and incinerator
ash.
Information on successful recy-
cling programs and options for recy-
cling rechargeable batteries also is
included. This document is avail-
able online at and
also can be obtained through the
RCRA Hotline at 800 424-9346.
CORRECTION: Tim correct EPA docu-
ment TumihoT for An Anrilvsis of
Composting as on Environmental
Remediation Technology is EPA530-R-
98-008. It was listed incorrectly in thn
Spring/Siimmnr 1M98 issun.
11
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• ' cross the country, cities and
.. •-• '• towns are turning to EPA's
•' ' 'Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT)
program to help fulfill their solid
waste collection needs. PAYT is an
innovative approach to solid waste
management in which residents pay
for their trash service based on the
amount they throw away rather than
a monthly or yearly set fee. The pro-
gram encourages residents to recycle
and reuse more, keeping their solid
waste, and their trash service bill, to
a minimum.
To help promote PAYT programs,
EPA has produced a 75-minute
video, Pay-As-You-Throw: A New
Trend in
•'- ':::: Sustainable Solid
'• :v "•;• Waste Management.
- -__'_ The video features
first-hand
:; ' ' •. accounts and
design advice
; ;: ' • ... '' from fellow
.'. ''. solid waste
• '. •• experts, city
'':• '•.'•. planners,
: . researchers,
- ' and residents.
The video begins with a 15-minute
overview of PAYT, providing a per-
fect supplement to a city council or
community group presentation. The
segment introduces PAYT and dis-
cusses how it can help meet a com-
munity's solid waste and recycling
goals. A second, hour-long segment
is divided into four parts:
• Getting Started focuses on goal-
setting, planning, and education
issues that arise in the first stages
of program design.
« Operations looks at a number of
implementation factors that will
help planners design a program to
meet their specific needs.
• Economics and Rate Structure
Design investigates the financial
and pricing aspects of PAYT.
« Program Results highlights PAYT
achievements and examines the
successful strategies used by more
than 20 case study communities,
from larger cities such as San Jose,
California, to rural Falmouth,
Maine.
In the video, PAYT solid waste
officials, private haulers, indepen-
dent researchers, and other PAYT
stakeholders answer commonly
asked questions about PAYT and
how it works in communities.
Additionally, the video offers sug-
gestions for overcoming potential
barriers such as illegal dumping or
public dissent, and illustrates the
many variations PAYT programs can
take as they are tailored to meet
communities' unique needs.
The video is scheduled for release
in fall 1998. It will be distributed at
no cost to solid waste managers, city
planners, local government officials,
recycling coordinators, and interest-
ed citizens. For more information,
call the PAYT Helpline at 888 EPA-
PAYT (372-7298).
This issno of Reusable.
News also is available on
the Internet. Access this
and oilier EPA publica-
tions through the World
Wide Web. at
.
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
(5305W)
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
First-Class Mail
Postage & Fees
Paid
EPA Permit No. G-35
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