United States
                                  Environmental Protection
                                  Agency
                          Solid Waste and
                          Emergency Response
                          (OS-305)
EPA/530-SW-91-022
Fall 1991
jUneusable News  is  the
L T\ quarterly newsletter of the
  EPA Office of Solid Waste's
  Municipal and Industrial Solid
iWaste Division. Reusable News
~ reports  on the efforts of  EPA
=and others to safely and effective-
^ly manage the nation's garbage,
hand provides useful  information
""  about key issues and concerns in
  MSW managements
^- In  This  Issue


-• EPA's Role in Market
   Development (p. 1)
 • Habicht Testifies on Green
-_  Marketing Issues (p. 2)
 • Community Recycling: One
.   Person Can Make a
r  Difference (p. 2)
 • Project ROSE Helps Used
   Oil Recycling Blossom at
— Walt Disney World Co.
   (P-3)
'-•. Seattle Tilth Teaches
""- City-Dwellers to Compost
   (P- 3)
 *  Wisconsin and  Minnesota
   Team Up for Recycled
   Paper Purchase (p. 3)
 •  The Power of the Purse:
   Cities Plan to Invest in
   Recycled Products (p. 4)
*  Upcoming Conferences
   (p. 5)

•  New Standards Promote
   Improved MWC Operations
   (p. 5)
 EPA's  Role  in  Market

 Development

   Last June, Don R. Clay, Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of Solid Waste
   and  Emergency Response,  along with EPA colleague Richard  D. Mor-
 genstern, delivered a joint statement before the Congressional Subcommittee on
 Transportation  and Hazardous Materials.  In their testimony,  Clay and Mor-
 genstern described EPA's current activities in developing markets for recycled
 goods and outlined the federal government's role in this area.
   Because markets are essential for successful recycling, EPA has focused
 considerable attention on stimulating the market demand for products made
 from recycled materials through a three-pronged program that involves:
    • Establishing procurement guidelines for purchases involving federal funds.
    • Providing information, guidance, and technical assistance to
      states and localities to assist them in their planning and
      implementation efforts.
    B Providing recycling information to the public so that  individuals can
      incorporate  recycling into their daily lives.
 Procurement
   Clay and Morgenstern pointed out that since government expenditures on
 the federal, state, and local  levels constitute 20 percent of the Gross National
 Product, procurement guidelines should have a significant impact on develop-
 ing strong markets for recycled goods. So far EPA has established guidelines
 for cement containing fly ash, paper and  paper products, lubricating oils,
 retread tires, and building insulation, and is working  on three  more procure-
 ment  guidelines. Clay added, however, that government  agencies are not
 required to buy products containing recycled material if the products  are not
 comparable in price and quality to alternative goods.
   Clay reported the most progress in the area of paper purchases. He  com-
 mended the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Government Print-
 ing Office (GPO) for realigning a large portion of their paper purchasing practices
with EPA guidelines by using products with the recommended minimum content
standards for recycled paper. EPA is currently working with the Internal Revenue
Service  (IRS) in developing a notice for tax information booklets
explaining the procurement program and reminding taxpayers
to recycle their booklets when possible. According to Clay,
suppliers of recycled paper are responding robustly to the
guidelines and improving the quality of their       ""~\//:
product.                                        '•"
                                                                                   (Continued on page 8)
                                      Reusable News is printed on recycled paper.

-------
Habicht  Testifies  on  Green Marketing  Issues
   Deputy Administrator of  EPA,
   F. Henry Habicht  II, testified at
the Federal Trade Commission's
(FTC's) public hearings on environ-
mental claims in  product labeling
and advertising last July.  Habicht
expressed EPA's belief that provid-
ing the public with accurate informa-
tion  about the  environmental
attributes of products and providing
industry with a common set  of
guidance for the use of terms have
great potential for environmental
benefit.  In particular, Habicht  en-
couraged the use of specific claims
that give consumers a real basis for
comparing environmental attributes
of products.
  Representatives of both EPA and
the  U.S. Office of Consumer Affairs
(OCA) participated with FTC in the
hearings. The three groups are part
of an Interagency  Task Force on
green product labeling. In his tes-
timony, Habicht pledged to provide
technical assistance to the FTC,
should FTC decide to issue industry
guides on environmental  labeling.
Particularly relevant will be i'nforma-
tion received  by EPA on its notice
describing  options for use  of the
terms recycled and recyclable  in
product labeling.
  The hearings were held to help FTC
determine whether it  should develop
industry guidelines on environmental
marketing. In order to make this deter-
mination,  FTC requested information
on the types of environmental adver-
tising claims being made, the nature
and extent of consumers' knowledge
and perception about  environmental
claims, and evolving science and
technology relating to  environmental
claims. In addition, FTC asked for
comments on several industry and
state petitions for FTC guidelines.
  Opening remarks for the hearings,
which were held at FTC in Washington,
DC, were made  by  FTC chairperson
Janet Steiger. In addition, many inter-
ested parties  from  states, industry,
environmental and consumer groups,
and others spoke at the hearings.
Community Recycling: One Person
Can  Make a Difference
   Bob  Kerlinger, a businessperson
   from the Chesapeake Bay com-
munity of Poquoson, Virginia, recently
received a U.S. EPA Administrator's
Award in the citizen category for his
achievements in recycling. Kerlinger
saw a recycling need in his community
and filled it. Kerlinger found that in
order to recycle his household trash,
he had to drive to various drop-off
locations for different recyclables. The
inefficiency of this type of system
prompted Kerlinger's decision to form
the Poquoson Recycling Center in his
spare time.
  Since various civic groups in the
city were already involved in recy-
cling efforts,  Kerlinger coordinated
with them to  move their drop-off
sites to a centralized location on  a
city-owned municipal parking lot. In
addition, he  broadened the groups'
efforts  so that many  more recyc-
lables could be collected. Presently,
the Center recycles aluminum (cans
and bulk); glass; steel cans;
cardboard;  paper (newspaper,
mixed,  computer, and ledger); some
plastics; passenger car tires;  car
and  boat batteries; and  used  oil.
Kerlinger's role  has evolved from
coordinating  the  establishment of
the  Center to identifying  new
markets for recycled materials.
  The success of the facility has been
tremendous. When the Center first
opened in January 1990, the original
goal was to recycle 250,000 pounds of
trash in the first year. This goal was far
exceeded; more than 777,600 pounds,
or 20 percent, of the city's trash were
recycled during that year. This  saved
the city of Poquoson over $7,000 in
landfill fees.  In addition, the Center
brought in over $6,000 from sales of the
collected materials, which was divided
among the civic groups who operate
the Centertofund community improve-
ment projects.
   According to Kerlinger, the reasons
for the success  of the  Poquoson
Recycling Center are threefold. First,
the Center is staffed by citizen volun-
teers. Also, the city plays a supportive
role and picks up the costs for taking
collected  materials to  marketplaces.
Finally, all  proceeds  received from
recycled materials are  returned to the
volunteer groups  who work at the
Center. These three elements ensure
that city officials as well as residents are
directly involved and that those who
perform the work see the benefits of the
financial savings first-hand.
   Kerlinger is aware of a growing in-
terest in recycling, particularly in the
youth of the community. In order to
take  advantage of that interest, plans
are being made to further encourage
recycling through  a "block captain"
program. This program would desig-
nate individuals as block captains,
who  will be responsible for helping
their neighbors recycle and acting as
a source of  recycling information.
   Kerlinger also plans to  help his
community  with backyard compost-
ing.  He will use  other successful
municipal composting programs,  in-
cluding the city of Seattle's, as models
for his community.  (See "Seattle Tilth
Teaches City-Dwellers to Compost,"
pages).
   Kerlinger is a prime example of how
an individual can make a difference. His
success in turning trash into treasure for
the residents of Poquoson makes him a
role model for other concerned citizens
throughout the nation.
   For more information, contact Bob
Kerlinger at  (804) 868-7199. §

-------
Project  ROSE Helps  Used Oil  Recycling
Blossom at Walt Disney World Co.
  "or over 14 years, a trailblazing
   program in Alabama has worked
to stimulate the collection of used
automobile oil for recycling. Project
ROSE (Recycled Oil Saves Energy)
has taken the lead in helping com-
munities across the state develop
used oil recycling programs tailored
to local circumstances. Now, with
support from EPA, this nonprofit or-
ganization is drawing on its experi-
ence to help the Walt Disney World
Co. and its governing body, the
   PROJECT;
recycled oil saves energy
Reedy Creek Improvement District
(RCID), start up a used oil recycling
program for its 35,000 employees.
  Project ROSE has built an exten-
sive infrastructure for recycling used
automobile oil generated by do-it-your-
selfers (DlYs) throughout Alabama.
The program uses extensive publicity
and education to develop the momen-
tum to start local used oil recycling
programs, and then coordinates the

             (Continued on page 7)
Seattle Tilth

Teaches

City-Dwellers to

Compost

   Seattle Tilth Association, an urban
   organic gardening organization,
was recently awarded a U.S. EPA Ad-
ministrator's Award in the nonprofit
category for its Community Compost-
ing Education Program. Through this
innovative program, trained volunteers
teach other city-dwellers how to  com-
post yard and food wastes. Citizens are
learning through Seattle  Tilth's pro-
gram, and others like it across the coun-
try, that kitchen and yard wastes should
be viewed as valuable resources, not
just garbage.
  As part of Seattle Tilth's program,
volunteer community educators called
"Master Composters" are thoroughly
trained in basic composting methods,
compost biology,  system design, trou-
bleshooting, and techniques for dealing
with the public. After the training and a
supervised internship, the Master Com-
posters spend a minimum of 40 hours
spreading the word about composting.
Public outreach activities include slide
presentations; displays at fairs,  festi-
vals, and parades; tours of compost
demonstration  sites; classroom
presentations; and the distribution of
how-to brochures and bin design flyers.
  Approximately 5,300 tons of Seattle's
yard waste are being diverted  from
the waste stream annually as a result
            (Continued on page 4)
Wisconsin  and Minnesota Team
Up for Recycled Paper Purchase
   The states of Wisconsin and Min-
   nesota recently joined forces to pur-
chase 4.5 million pounds of recycled
paper 1o be used in high-speed copy
machines. By working together, the two
states were able to request a larger
volume of paper than either could sing-
ly. This made it economically feasible
for paper companies to meet the states'
recycled paper needs, while decreas-
ing the purchase price of the paper.
  Governor Tommy Thompson of Wis-
consin initiated the effort in the spring
of 1990, and the bid was awarded last
March. The states were careful to apply
very high standards to the quality of
paper they were interested in purchas-
ing. They prequalif ied the papers based
on copy quality, machine jamming, ex-
cessive maintenance costs, and paper
handling  difficulties. In addition, the
papers were required to consist of 50
percent recycled paper,  including 10
percent postconsumer waste.
  The successful bid  was  ap-
proximately $225,000 lower than last
year's price paid for virgin copy paper.
"The new price advantage for recycled
paper will help agencies remain within
budget guidelines  and still make a
worthwhile contribution to the state's
environmental goals,"  said  Jim
Johnson,  Wisconsin's Division  Ad-
ministrator of State Agency Services.
  According  to  Dan  Wehrman,
Procurement Recycling Coordinator in

             (Continued on page 8)
                                       ^S-




-------
The  Power of the Purse: Cities Plan to Invest
in Recycled Products
   The United  States
   Conference    of
Mayors,  representing
over 900 cities, is helping
its members find  new
ways to  cut down on
solid waste. With many
municipal  recycling
programs having difficul-
ty expanding because of
the low  demand for
some recycled goods,
the Conference has ral-
lied hundreds of cities
around a program that
uses the purchasing
power of local  govern-
ments to improve the
market   for   these
products.
  Supported by an EPA
grant, the Conference
launched the national
"Buy Recycled" cam-
paign over a year  ago.
This campaign helps
communities stimulate
demand  for recycled
products  by changing
their purchasing  habits.
Since spending by state
and local governments accounts for
over 12  percent of the U.S. Gross
National Product, this program is able
to exercise tremendous  leverage,
boosting  recycling throughout the
country.
Mayors Announce Recycling Award Winners

 f, s part of its effort to increase the feasibility of recycling, the
f"% Conference of Mayors organized the first annual National Recy-
cling Awards Program this year, culminating in the announcement of
the Grand Award Winners and the release of the 1991 Recycling
Cities Guide at the annual meeting last June. Funded by the H.J.
Heinz Company Foundation, the project  is aimed at recognizing,
encouraging, and publicizing innovative recycling programs in cities
across the United States.
  The awards program solicited applications from both member
and non-member cities in late 1990. Over 150  applications were
received in two award categories: large and small municipalities.
The first-place winners from each category, Minneapolis, MN,
and Olympia, WA, received a $20,000 grant to support their
programs. Eight other cities were named Special Award Winners
for their work: Madison, Wl; Memphis, TN; New York, NY; Seat-
tle,  WA; Bellingham,  WA; Bethlehem,  PA; Newton, MA; and
Union City,  NJ.
  The Conference of Mayors then compiled a new recycling re-
source, the 1991 Recycling Cities  Guide, which details  the
programs of all the applicants. The Conference  of Mayors and the
Heinz Foundation hope that by publicizing solutions to recycling
challenges,  municipalities will be able to share their expeirtise arid
facilitate program development.  For more information about the
1991 National Recycling Awards Program, or to obtain a copy of
the  1991 Recycling Cities  Guide, contact the  Conference of
Mayors at (202) 293-7330.:"'
              The campaign began with the crea-
            tion of the "Buy Recycled" Technical
            Assistance Group, which is dedicated
            to helping cities initiate and sustain a
            recycled products purchasing program.
            This advisory group is made up of local
            officials and leaders in
            the recycling field. One
            of the first efforts of the
            group was the develop-
            ment of an assistance
            package for cities inter-
            ested in structuring a
            procurement program.
            The package contains
            sample   programs,
            guides to purchasing .re-
            cycled products, and
            details of  EPA's pro-
            curement guidelines.
              The  campaign also
            supports new programs
            by acting as a clearing-
            house for referrals. The
            Technical  Assistance
            Group is connected with
            a nationwide network of
            experts who can work
            one-on-one with local
            officials, helping them
            resolve procurement
            issues.
              Last January, cam-
            paign organizers  issued
          | an "Earth Day Challenge"
	i to publicize the program
            and increase participa-
 tion.  By  Earth  Day,  over 275
 municipalities had either begun or were
 planning to begin a recycled products
 procurement program.

              (Continued on page 6)
Seattle Tilth Teaches City-Dwellers to Compost

(Continued from page 3)
of this program. This saves the city an
average of $378,000 a year, after sub-
trqcting the costs of the education
program.
  Seattle Tilth also staffs a Compost
Hotline, which has  received over
10,000 questions and requests for in-
formation since its inception in  1986.
Recently, the association expanded the
Hotline's hours of operation to handle
the  increasing number of incoming
calls.
  Seattle Tilth gets its name from an
Old English word for the quality of
cultivated soil. The  organization's
composting program is only part of
                                 C
                                               its broader gardening efforts,
                                               which include the maintenance of
                                               gardens and the preparation of
                                               workshops. The gardens are set up
                                               as demonstrations of how  to gar-
                                               den organically in small areas, and
                                               the workshops cover a variety of
                                               issues from creating a backyard
                                               wildlife refuge to planning for winter
                                               gardening.
                                                 For more  information about the
                                               Master Composters' Program, send a
                                               self-addressed stamped envelope
                                               with your request to Seattle Tilth As-
                                               sociation, 4649 Sunnyside Avenue
                                               North, Seattle, WA 98103.1

-------
Upcoming

Conferences

2nd National  MSW
Conference

  'PA is issuing a call for abstracts for
  ,its second U.S. MSW conference,
entitled "Moving Ahead."  The  con-
ference will be held:June 3 to 5,1992, at
the Hyatt Hotel in Crystal City in Arlington,
Virginia. The abstracts should be 1-page
summaries of original work and focus on
one of nine major conference topic areas:
1) integrated solid waste planning and
management; 2) economics and costs; 3)
source reduction and reuse; 4) recycling;
5) composting; 6) combustion; 7) land
disposal; 8) involvement, education, and
outreach; or 9) special wastes.
The first U.S. MSW conference, "Solu-
tions for the 90s," was an  innovative
forum for information  exchange on
state-of-the-art policies, technologies,
and research, as well as future trends
and practices. The next conference will
continue that tradition.  Attendees will
also move ahead to discuss implemen-
tation of programs.
Last year's conference drew over 800
attendees, and the same turnout is ex-
pected in 1992. Attendees will include
state  and local officials, members of
citizen interest groups, representatives
from industry, and members of the
scientific, technical,1 and academic com-
munities.                    :
EPA's conference manager  is Susan
Mann. She can be reached at  (202)
260-6263. For more information on sub-
mitting abstracts, registration, and con-
ference logistics, call  Bhawna Agarwal
at (301)585-2898.

6th Annual HHW
Conference

  TA's 6th Annual Household Hazard-
  •ous Waste (HHW) Conference will
take place in Seattle, Washington, on
December 4 to 6. The conference will
educate attendees, about HHW and
foster communication on complex HHW
management issues.  Over 500 people
from across the nation are expected to
attend.                      --
This year's conference will  also  em-
phasize source reduction. Other topics
to be discussed include battery collec-
tion and the management of motor oil.
Representatives from state and  local
governments,  environmental interest
groups, industry, and academia will'be
attending and speaking at  the  con-
ference.  For more  information, call
Tracy Bone of EPA at (202) 260-5649.
New  Standards  Promote
Improved  MWC  Operations
   To help ensure municipal waste com-
   bustors (MWCs) are designed and
operated safely and  effectively, EPA
has promulgated new regulations for
these facilities. The  regulations will
mandate proper operation of MWCs by
establishing good
combustion prac-
tices and  by re-
ducing   stack
emissions.
  In  addition,
under the  1990
Clean  Air  Act
(CAA)  Amend-
ments, EPA  is
reviewing and ex-
panding  these
standards to in-
clude additional
categories of con-
trols that will fur-
ther  minimize
potential risk  to
human health and
the environment.
  MWCs   are
being  used in-
creasingly  by
communities  to
help them manage their solid waste. To
ensure the safe operation of these fa-
cilities, EPA promulgated New Source
Performance Standards and Emissions
Guidelines in February 1991. Currently,
these regulations apply to both new and
existing MWCs with capacities greater
than 250 tons per day. The guidelines
specify:
• Good combustion practices, includ-
  ing maximum load level limits, car-
  bon monoxide limits, flue  gas
  temperature  limits, operator certifi-
  cations, and emissions monitoring.
• More  stringent paniculate emission
  limits.
H Organic emission limits, measured
  as dioxins and furans.
H Acid gas controls for sulfur dioxide
  and hydrogen chloride.
H Nitrogen oxide emission limits (for
  new sources  only).
  Now,  EPA is reviewing and broad-
ening these standards in accordance
with the requirements of the CAA
Amendments. EPA is required to estab-
Incinerators that burn MSW and generate
energy, called waste-to-energy combus-
tors, have grown rapidly In the United
States in number and capacity. Today,
there are 130 waste-to-energy facilities in
this country that:
lish numerical emission limits for lead,
mercury, and cadmium, and extend the
limits on nitrogen oxide established un-
der the New Source Performance
Standards to existing facilities as well.
In addition, in 1992 these regula-
                  tions will be
                  extended to in-
                  clude  smaller
                  MWCs that proc-
                  ess  less than
                  250 tons per day.
                Are able to handle
                nearly 100,000 tons
                per day,  or 20 per-
                cent, of the total
                MSW generated  in
                the nation.

                Save  the equivalent
                of over 76,000 bar-
                rels of crude oil daily
                (if converted into
                electricity).

                Generate enough
                power to provide the
                electricity for 1.2 mil-
                lion homes.
                    While  EPA's
                  New   Source
                  Performance
                  Standards  and
                  Emissions
                  Guidelines are a
                  significant step
                  forward  in the
                  safe and effec-
                  tive operations
                  of MWCs,  the
                  residual   ash
                  generated   by
                  combustion
                  must also be ad-
                  dressed. The
                  CAA   Amend-
                  ments  Of 1990
exempt MWC ash from being regulated
as a hazardous waste under RCRA
Subtitle C until November 15, 1992.
During this  2-year moratorium,
MWC ash is subject to (1) current
federal  regulations in 40 CFR
Part 257 governing  disposal of
solid waste; and (2) state regula-
tions,  where they  exist,  govern-
ing municipal waste combustion
ash management. Currently, EPA
is conducting research on MWC
ash disposal  and  utilization
methods.
   Combustion can complement a
community's integrated waste
management  strategy by sub-
stantially reducing nonrecyclable
waste, thereby preserving limited
landfill space. These regulations
should   assist  solid  waste
decision-makers by making effi-
cient combustors a more viable
option for  their  MSW manage-
ment plans. For more information,
please contact Mike  Johnston of
the EPA Office of Air at (919) 541-
5604.1

-------
                   Hot  Off the  Hotline
                       uestion: I've come across numerous references
                       to  ^omething called  "life-cycle  analysis."  What
                I   exactlyl is it, how does it help the environment, and is
                   it something I should be doing?

    nswer:  The phrase "lifel-cycle analysis" often is used in connection with
    claims concerning a product's "environmental friendliness." Fundamentally,
 a life-cycle analysis is the identification and evaluation of the environmental
 impacts of a product, processj, or activity from "cradle-to-grave." Environmental
 impacts may occur at all stages of the life of a product or process, including raw
 material acquisition, manufacturing, transportation and distribution, use, recy-
 cling, and final disposal.    '
   Life-cycle  analyses cain be used  to  educate consumers, make
 design/manufacturing decisions, and provide information  in support of public
 policy decisions. However, life-cycle analyses are still in their infancy in terms
 oi providing complete information; agreed upon methods for how they should
 be conducted are still being explored. Consumers should know, therefore, that
 because a variety of methodls are being used to prepare life-cycle analyses,
 there may be conflicting assessments of a product's environmental impacts. To
 avoid such conflicts, EPA is preparing a systematic framework for developing
 life-cycle analyses.         i
   Life-cycle analyses heighten our awareness of the fact that few products are
 absolutely "environmentally friendly." Virtually all products require energy, use
 raw materials, release emissions to the air and water, and generate waste as
 a by-product. Although consumers cannot generally conduct their own life-cycle
 analyses on products, they cah learn about the products they use, and purchase
 those that have specific benefits for the environment (e.g., products that create
 less solid waste or are made with recycled materials). EPA hopes that life-cycle
 analyses eventually will assist consumers in making more  informed choices
 regarding the products they purchase. However, until the method for conducting
 life-cycle analyses becomes  Standardized, we encourage  consumers to exer-
 cise caution in their reliance 6n life-cycle information.
                   The folldwing publications are available at no charge from
                   the EPA' RCRA/Superfund Hotline. Call (800) 424-9346
                   Monday;through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. EST  ,
                   Environmental Fact Sheet: Yard Waste  Composting
                   (EPA/53!0-SW-91-009).  Explains what yard wastes are,
why they are being banned from some landfills, and why leaf burning is not
considered a suitable  management practice. The fact sheet also  defines
composting, explains the composting process, and describes how compost can
be used.                   I
Procurement Guidelines for Government Agencies (EPA/530-SW-91 -011). Ex-
plains in a four-page fact sheet'what EPA's procurement guidelines are, to whom
the guidelines apply, and what requirements must be followed.
Recycling in Federal Agenciei;(EPA/530-SW-90-082). Describes in a succinct
pamphlet successful and innoyative recycling programs that have been initiated
in the federal government, and lists resources available to federal agencies.
Used Oil Recycling (EPA/530-J3 W-90-068). Describes successful used oil recy-
cling programs around the coujntry, provides statistics on used oil recycling, and
lists available informational materials related to used oil recycling.
 The Power of the

 Purse: Cities Plan

 to Invest in

 Recycled Products

 (Continued from page 4)

   To keep the momentum going, the
 "Buy Recycled" campaign and the city
 of San Diego organized the first Ven-
 dor Show for manufacturers of recy-
 cled products at the  Conference of
 Mayors Annual Meeting in San Diego
 last June. Municipal officials took the
 opportunity to learn more about  the
 range of  products available and to
 make contacts with these vendors.
   The next step, according to Richard
 Kochan, the Coordinator of the nation-
 al "Buy Recycled" campaign, is to help
 municipalities institutionalize their
 programs. The Conference of Mayors
 is currently surveying participating cit-
 ies to identify those officials concerned
 with recycled  products procurement.
 The goal is to encourage these officials
 to oversee purchases, making sure the
 program is followed  by  all depart-
 ments. The campaign also is helping
 local  governments pass  ordinances
 mandating  the  purchase  of recycled
 products, so these practices will con-
 tinue regardless of personnel changes.
   Another effective way the campaign
 is helping communities is by negotiat-
 ing with state governments to  allow
 municipalities to buy recycled goods
 through state purchasing departments.
 This increases the purchasing power of
 the state, while allowing cities to buy at
 a lower price than they would otherwise
 receive. Thirty-eight states are now
 granting municipal governments  the
 opportunity to purchase recycled
 goods through this system.
   So how does the campaign build on
 such success? "Our focus in the com-
 ing year,"  said  David Gatten, Senior
 Environmental  Advisor at the  Con-
ference of  Mayors,  "is to work with
those communities that have estab-
 lished programs to make sure they are
 able to  grow  in sophistication and
 amount of product purchased."
   For more information  on the  na-
tional "Buy  Recycled" campaign,
 contact Richard Kochan of the U.S.
 Conference of Mayors at (202)293-
 7330, or Daria Willis of EPA at (202)
 260-6690.1

-------
Project ROSE Helps Used Oil Recycling  Blossom at
Walt Disney World Co.
(Continued from page 3)
efforts  of established networks by
matching buyers of used oil with collec-
tors. This strategy relies heavily on
recruiting leaders from local organiza-
tions, who then work with Project
ROSE to help introduce and support a
recycling program in their area.
  The joint used oil project between
Project ROSE  and RCID  began
when environmental coordinators of
the two groups recognized  that a
corporation-based oil  collection
program could recycle a great deal of
employee-generated   used  oil.
Employees find such programs con-
venient, since they can bring  their
used oil to work, and corporations ap-
preciate the positive publicity Most
importantly, since the program is an
established company operation, it is
likely to be around for a long time.
  The  idea took off when Project
ROSE received a grant from EPA in late
1990 to develop innovative ways to
reach out to DlYs, This funding allowed
Project ROSE to begin plans for an oil
recycling project with RCID, starting
with a 3-day pilot program held  last
May. Since drop-off collections need
high visibility to work, Project ROSE
helped the Environmental Control
Department of the Walt Disney World
Co. publicize, the event. The two of-
fices  conducted  a survey  of all
employees to introduce them to the
collection (and estimate the participa-
tion rate), and promoted the event in
the company newspaper.

  After this successful pilot program,
which collected over 300 gallons of
used oil, the organizers looked toward
the next step. Project  organizers
found the employees were very en-
thusiastic about the first collection,
but recognized that regular collec-
tions and continued publicity were
needed to increase participation.
Many of the survey respondents
wrote that they would be more com-
mitted to used oil recycling if more
frequent collections were planned.
To respond to this need, project or-
ganizers are scheduling a follow-up
survey, followed by more drop-off
collections.

  Janet Graham, the Coordinator of
Project ROSE,  commended the
Walt Disney  World Co. on the
project,  saying "the environmental
stewardship displayed  by the En-
vironmental Control Department has
made the program a reality." Project
ROSE hopes to use this experience
to help other  companies develop
used oil recycling programs of their
own. For more information, write to
Project ROSE, P.O. Box 6373, Tus-
caloosa, AL 35487-6373, or call
(205) 348-4878.1
                                                                             "

-------
Wisconsin and Minnesota
Team Up for Recycled
Paper Purchase
(Continued from page 3)

Wisconsin's Bureau of Procurement,
successful joint recycled paper bids
depend on the ability of the participating
states to agree on a variety of issues:
• Paper specifications.
• Performance standards.
• Paper use.
• Definitions of key terms,  such  as
  "postconsumer  content"  and
  "recovered materials."
• Practical ordering details,  such  as
  delivery quantities.
In  addition,  paper distribution among
several states must be considered early
in the process since distribution could be
constrained by the  location  and
transportation capabilities of the mill.
  Accordirig to Johnson, the paper in-
dustry has responded well to the
recycled paper market and will create
the supply to meet the demand. In fact,
although vendors were given the option
to  bid less than the total 4.5 million
pounds, all offered the full amount. In
light of  their positive response, the
states plan to encourage industry to
increase the quantity of postconsumer
waste in their paper.
  The joint effort was so successful that
Governor Thompson and  Minnesota
Governor Ame Carlson plan  to  invite
Iowa and Illinois to participate in the next
cycle of paper purchases.
  For more information, contact Dan
Wehrman at (608) 267-6922. @
EPA's Role in

Market Development

(Continued from page 1)

   In efforts to stimulate the growth of
markets for recycled products, EPAhas
initiated  outreach programs to in-
form manufacturers  and govern-
ment purchasers (including those at
the state and local levels) about the
guidelines.

Technical Assistance
   In the area  of technical  assis-
tance, Clay and  Morgenstern
described how the Agency is helping
to bring together buyers and sellers
of recyclables through a series of
regional  hotlines, clearinghouses,
and purchasing cooperatives. These
cooperatives enable communities to
join  together to  participate in  bulk
transactions and benefit from lower
prices.
   EPA is also  providing state and
local officials with technical assis-
tance  on implementing recycling
programs. A peer-matching program
has been set up that joins government
officials who are trying to implement
recycling programs with experienced
peers  from  other communities.
Moreover, in order to promote the pur-
chase of environmentally  sound
goods, EPA plans to devise definitions
for the  terms recycled and recyclable
to be used on product labeling. Finally,
EPA  is actively supporting the Recy-
cling Advisory Council, an organiza-
tion working to remove barriers in the
recycling market.
Public Education
  Clay and Morgenstern emphasized
that recycling, unlike many other en-
vironmental problems, is an area in
which individuals can make  a dif-
ference through their own actions.
And the latest polls indicate that en-
thusiasm for recycling is growing
throughout the nation. To instill recy-
cling habits in individuals,  EPA has
developed educational materials,
recycling publications, and a national
advertising campaign.

Next Steps
  Individuals and businesses have
taken great strides since the  publi-
cation of An Agenda for Action in
1989, which established a goal of 25
percent solid waste  reduction and
recycling by 1992.
  In the coming years, EPA plans to
work even  more closely with  other
federal agencies to encourage and
assist in the collection of recyclables
and  the  purchase  of  recycled
products. The Agency will also con-
tinue its work  with all  sectors of
society to make recycling a reality.fi
The mention of publications, products,
or organizations in this newsletter
does not constitute endorsement or
approval for use by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
  Communications Services Branch (OS-305)
  Office of Solid Waste
  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  401 M Street, SW.
  Washington, DC 20460
  Official Business, Penalty for Private Use $300

-------