SEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Solid Waste
and Emergency Response
(OS-305)
Office of Solid Waste
Environmental
Fact Sheet
EPA/530-SW-91-025
January 1991
SWICH: ERA'S NATIONAL SOLID
WASTE INFORMATION
CLEARINGHOUSE
EPA's Office of Solid Waste has recently begun operating a national Solid
Waste Information Clearinghouse (SWICH). The mission of the SWICH is
to serve as a central source for municipal solid waste information in the
United States. This fact sheet describes the basic functions of SWICH.
For additional information, you may wish to call the SWICH hotline at
(800) 67-SWICH and ask for the SWICH User's Information Package.
What is SWICH?
A Library System
The library system includes: journals, reports, studies, proceedings,
periodicals, case studies, curricula, films, and video tapes that focus on
the following solid waste topics:
education and training
legislation and regulation
public participation
composting
collection
disposal
special wastes
Many of the publications will be abstracted.
source reduction
waste combustion
recycling
planning
transfer
landfill gas
An Electronic Bulletin Board (EBB)
The EBB provides updated information on solid waste issues, including
meeting and conference information, case studies, new technologies,
new publications, expert contact information, and state and federal
legislative and regulatory changes. The EBB is also the forum for the
sharing of technical information with other SWICH users.
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How can one access SWICH?
SWICH EBB
With the EBB, you can access the SWICH library and a host of other
features. Anyone can access the SWICH EBB using a computer, a
modem (1200 or 2400 baud), and appropriate communications software.
(If you don't have a modem and communications software, but would like
to purchase them, the SWICH is offering them for sale, along with a year
of technical support.)
The SWICH EBB is available for use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To
access SWICH directly, set your communications software to 0 parity, 8
data bits, and 1 stop bit. Have your modem dial (301) 585-0204, and you
will be connected to the SWICH.
The first time you call the SWICH EBB, you will need to answer some
brief questions, and select and enter a unique password. You must
remember your password for subsequent calls to the system. The
information on the system is user friendly and menu driven.
SWICH Pax
The fax is primarily designed for sending information requests to SWICH
staff and responding to SWICH mailings and inquiries. The fax number is
(301) 585-0297.
SWICH Hotline
The primary uses for the hotline are to answer questions on log-in to the
computer system, technical information requests for those who don't have
a computer, modem, or fax, or for further information on other aspects of
SWICH. The hotline should only be used as a last resort for information
requests by any user with computer access to the system. The number
for the hotline is 800-67-SWICH.
On Site Access
Local users of SWICH can access the SWICH library directly. A public
computer work station is available for SWICH users. Materials will not be
lent from the library but they can be copied at a small charge per page.
SWICH is located in the offices of the Solid Waste Association of North
America (SWANA) in Silver Spring, Maryland. On site users should call
the SWICH Hotline and check for hours of operation before visiting.
SWICH is operated by SWANA under a grant from EPA's Office of Solid
Waste.
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