United States
Environmental Protection
Agency >
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(OS-305)
EPA/530-SW-91-085
Winter 1992
NEW
neusable News is the
ft quarterly newsletter of the
EPA Office of Solid Waste's
Municipal and Industrial Solid
Waste Division. Reusable News
reports on the efforts of EPA
and others to safely and effective-
ly manage the nation's garbage,
and provides useful information
about key issues and concerns in
MSW management.!
In This Issue
« EPA Announces Options to
Standardize Recycling
Marketing Claims (p. 1)
• President Bush Issues
Executive Order Requiring
Agency Recycling (p. 1)
• Illinois Communities Serve as
Source Reduction Models
(P- 2)
• Federal Recycling Gets a
Boost from FARC II (p. 2)
• Focus on Corporate Award
Winners (p. 3)
• MSW Management on the
Alaskan Tundra: Unique
Problems, Unique Solutions
(P-4)
• Washington State Strikes
G.O.L.D. (p. 5)
• EPA Releases Tire Market
Study (p. 5)
• EPA Plans Outreach for
Subtitle D (p. 7)
• National Tribal Conference
on Environmental
Management (p. 8)
Address comments or suggestions to
John Leigh, Editor, at (202) 260-9350.
EPA Announces Options to
Standardize Recycling
Marketing Claims
An increasing number of products in the marketplace are being marketed on
the basis of their environmental attributes. For example, terms such as
"recycled" and "recyclable" and symbols like the chasing arrows are now quite
common on packages and products.
These terms and symbols, however,
are not always used consistently and
their meanings may be unclear.
To help minimize confusion and
increase consumer confidence, EPA is
working with other federal agencies
to coordinate federal efforts on en-
vironmental labeling issues. Along
with the Federal Trade Commision
(FTC) and Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA), EPA participates in the Interagercy
Environmental Marketing Task Force, which meets to consult on labeling issues.
(Continued on page 7)
President Bush Issues Executive
Order Requiring Agency Recycling
Recycled Content
Recyclable
EPA prefers that marketers use the recycling
emblem only for "recycled content" or "recyclable"
claims, and that they clearly label the emblem.
In a Rose Garden ceremony held
October 31,1991, President George
Bush signed an Executive Order
launching an ambitious program to
stimulate waste reduction, recycling,
and procurement of recycled goods in
all federal agencies and departments.
The Order, entitled "Federal Agency
Recycling and the Council on Federal
Recycling and Procurement Policy," re-
quires agencies not already so
engaged to develop a program to
reduce the amount of waste produced
and to recycle reusable materials such
as paper, plastic, metals, glass, used
oil, lead-acid batteries, tires, and com-
postable materials wherever possible.
Recognizing that such programs
depend on strong markets for recycled
products, the Order requires each
agency to report on its affirmative
procurement programs. These
programs will focus the immense pur-
chasing leverage of the federal govern-
ment on goods produced from
recovered materials, stimulating the
markets for recycled products. In addi-
tion, each agency will designate a Recy-
cling Coordinator, who will oversee the
implementation and operation of these
programs, and coordinate efforts to
measure their success.
(Continued on page 8)
* Reusable News is printed on paper that contains at least 50 percent recycled fiber.
-------
Illinois Communities Serve as Source Reduction Models
The Centra! States Education Center
(CSEC), a nonprofit environmental
group, has developed a Model Com-
munity Program that is helping a grow-
ing number of Illinois' communities
reduce the amount and toxicity of the
solid waste they generate. Through this
program, CSEC assists communities in
encouraging businesses, organiza-
These models are generating much
less waste, and much of what they are
generating gets routed to the com-
munity recycling center, rather than the
landfill. For example, one model
elementary school periodically has
"waste-less" days. On these days,
children are encouraged to minimize
the amount of garbage they generate
tions, and other groups to serve as
source reduction role models for the
remainder of the community. These role
models also promote recycling and
utilization of recycled materials.
Several schools and supermarkets
serve as community role models
through this program. In the model
schools, classrooms have recycling
bins and cafeterias use durable, wash-
able tableware. Model supermarkets
have a shelf-labeling program to high-
light products with source reduction at-
tributes, such as those with the least
amount of unnecessary packaging. Ad-
ditional models include churches,
banks, libraries, radio stations, a
sorority, a utility company, newspapers,
theaters, and even city halls. In all, more
than 40 models have been established
in seven different Illinois' communities.
Plans are under way to recruit many
more models, including restaurants,
department stores, hospitals, and even
entire school districts.
from their lunches. About 40 pounds of
garbage are produced in the lunchroom
on "waste-less" days, compared to the
60 pounds that are usually generated.
According to John Thompson, Ex-
ecutive Director of CSEC, citizens
really latch onto the idea of community
role models. 'The program makes the
solid waste problem seem solvable,
and at the same time touches on civic
pride," he says. CSEC sees role
models as a positive way that com-
munities can take control of their own
waste. The idea is to start small, show
people it can work, and then expand.
In this way, people's everyday be-
havior and attitudes toward waste can
be changed.
CSEC is a small organization that
relies on a few staff members and
many volunteers to carry out its grow-
ing model community program. Before
instituting the program, CSEC sought
the advice of psychologists and
market experts to determine the best
way to encourage people to par-
ticipate in source reduction. These ex-
perts suggested the idea of using
models because people enjoy being
looked up to as valuable members of
the community. In addition, groups of
people working together are more ef-
fective than several individuals prac-
ticing source reduction in their homes
because members of groups can rein-
force each other.
According to Myra Gordon, Solid
Waste Planning Specialist for CSEC,
'The real benefit of the program is that
it empowers individuals to take action to
reduce waste." She advises anyone
who is interested in starting a Model
Community Program to utilize existing
volunteer groups; to make sure the
project coordinator has time,
knowledge, and enthusiasm; to put the
extra effort into keeping the program
going after the initial excitement sub-
sides; and to insist that for facilities to
be models they must institute new be-
haviors, not just use the program for
publicity.
Many communities throughout the
nation are finding ways to reduce the
waste they generate. Illinois' Model
Community Program is somewhat uni-
que, however, in its use of role models
to teach others about source reduc-
tion. To encourage other communities
to become involved with the program,
CSEC publishes a 55-page booklet,
Waste Reduction and the Model Com-
munity, that contains source reduction
suggestions and describes how to set
up a Model Community Program. To
order the booklet for $18.00 plus
$2.00 postage and handling, or for
more information, contact John
Thompson at (217) 344-2371.1
Federal Recycling Gets a Boost
The second Federal Agency
Recycling Conference, spon-
sored by EPA and the U.S. General
Services Administration (GSA), was
successful in educating attendees
about recycling and procurement
of recycled products in federal
agencies.
The conference was held in
Washington, DC, on December 3,
1991. The conference brought
together over 200 procurement offi-
cials, building managers, recycling
coordinators, and printing officials
from around the country. Speakers in-
cluded John P. Hiler, Deputy
Administrator of GSA, Nancy V. Fires-
tone, Associate Deputy Administrator
of EPA, and David Struhs, Chief of
Staff of the Council on Environmental
Quality.
The panel discussions and
workshops included the following
topics:
• How to Establish a Comprehensive
Office Recycling Program
• Federal Legislation That May
Affect Your Program
• Encouraging Recycling—Employee
Education
• Establishment and Maintenance of
a Successful Collection System
a Procurement of Recycled Products
For more information, call Terry Grist
of EPA at (202) 260-8518.1
-------
Focus on Corporate Award Winners
A Tale of Two Dumpsters
eegee's Takes Recycling to Heart
Edmund Irving has always been aware of the benefits of
recycling. Irving, president and co-owner of eegee's
Inc., in Tucson, Arizona, says his father's career in the
recycling business instilled in him the value of reuse and
recovery at an early age. But it was only after a second
8-cubic yard dumpster was installed at his company's com-
missary that the lesson really hit home—-and his pocketbook.
eegee's, a fast-food chain specializing in submarine
sandwiches and salads, has 14 locations throughout the
Tucson area, all of which are supplied through a centralized
commissary where food is prepared and paper products
and other provisions are stored. By 1987, the commissary's
dumpster was being emptied daily, and the installation of a
Through recycling, eegee's saves
approximately $600 per month in
disposal fees.
second dumpster threatened to raise already expensive
disposal costs even more. Irving realized the time had come
to take action.
A preliminary investigation of the commissary's waste
stream revealed that 75 percent of the waste generated
consisted of corrugated cardboard boxes. To keep this
recyclable material from being thrown away, Irving pur-
chased a baling machine and began processing the boxes
for recovery, eegee's then undertook a comprehensive
evaluation of the waste stream in every section of the
restaurant and discovered that many recyclable materials
were simply being discarded. An internal recycling cam-
paign was then launched to recover such items as computer
and office paper, flour drums (for reuse as recycling bins),
pickle buckets (which are sold for uses as varied as medical
waste receptacles and nursery stock planters), and polys-
tyrene foam food service products, such as cups and Italian
ice containers (which are converted into insulation and
building blocks).
eegee's has succeeded in significantly reducing trash
disposal costs. Now, instead of two 8-cubic yard dumpsters
being emptied daily at the eegee's commissary, ones-cubic
yard dumpster is emptied three times per week. Irving says
the company saves approximately $600 per month in dis-
posal fees.
With the revenues earned through recycling efforts, Ir-
ving saw an excellent opportunity to contribute to the com-
munity in a second way. eegee's began matching the
money generated from the sale of its recyclables and
donating the total to "People First!", an umbrella charity that
distributes money to local causes, such as soup kitchens.
In 1990, Irving introduced "Recycling for People First!", an
(Continued on page 6)
Fort Howard Closes the
Recycling Loop
*T*he Fort Howard Corporation is a big business with a
I long-standing commitment to recycling. Since World
War II, Fort Howard, one of the nation's leading tissue paper
manufacturers, has been at work refining recycling
technology.
Today, this persistence has paid off. The technology
employed at Fort Howard enables the Wisconsin-based paper
manufacturer to produce quality paper goods from
wastepaper items that others find unrecyclable, such as spiral-
bound notebooks and window envelopes. The company has
also developed state-of-the-art deinking and sanitation
units that even further expand its recovery potential.
Clifford Bowers, Director of Communications at Fort
Howard, says the company manufactures its products al-
most exclusively from recycled wastepaper, consuming
more than 1.2 million tons of recovered material each year.
Producing an equivalent amount from virgin material would
require harvesting 20 million trees annually.
In May 1991, Fort Howard received a U.S. EPA
Administrator's Award in the industry category for its nation-
al recycling advocacy program. EPA recognized Fort
Fort Howard
manufactures its products
almost exclusively from recycled
wastepaper.
Howard not only for its internal recycling operations and
production process but for the manufacturer's outreach
programs as well. Indeed, Fort Howard's recycling efforts
extend weir beyond production to encompass waste dis-
posal, educational endeavors, and procurement programs
for many other corporations and communities.
Fort Howard has worked with several other large cor-
porations, such as Southwestern Bell, Wisconsin Bell, and
Fingerhut, as well as the Wisconsin state government, to
devise far-reaching office recycling programs that involve
collection of wastepaper and the purchase of recycled
products. The recycling program set up for the Wisconsin
state government has resulted in a 400 percent increase in
the government's recycling rate.
In other community work; Fort Howard has collaborated
with regional telephone companies to institute a recovery
program for telephone directories. Similarly, in Brown
County, Wisconsin, Fort Howard's home county, the cor-
poration and local officials have developed and imple-
mented an extensive household recycling program. Fort
Howard does much of the publicity work for this program
and accepts all wastepaper generated by the residents.
\ (Continued on page 6)
-------
MSW Management
on the Alaskan
Tundra
Unique Problems,
Unique Solutions
In rural Alaska, efforts to manage
municipal solid waste are constrained
by factors that decisionmakers in most
other states would never encounter,
such as permafrost, lack of soil, limited
road systems, winds, and freezing con-
ditions during most of the year. These
conditions create a need for a special-
ized approach to solid waste manage-
ment, particularly in combination with
the new Subtitle D landfill regulations
under the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA).
Education is a necessary first step
in any solid waste management
program because it encourages in-
formed participation in achieving solid
waste management goals. Recogniz-
ing this, EPA Region 10 (Alaska,
Idaho, Oregon, and Washington) has
developed the Native Alaska Waste
Education Project. Under this project,
the Region awarded a grant to
Northwest Renewable Resources
Center (NRRC), a not-for-profit or-
ganization specializing in negotiation
and mediation, to develop and con-
duct a solid waste education program
in two Native Alaskan villages. A sub-
sequent grant from EPA Head-
quarters made it possible to expand
the program to four villages. Each vil-
lage represents a major Native Alas-
kan cultural group and geographical
region.
The education program will include
both a student and an adult component.
The student portion of the program will
include the development of a cur-
riculum on waste management and
may include a children's activity book
depicting the waste problems of a rural
Alaskan community, a "waste art" con-
test, skits, plays, and music. The adult
component of the program will include
community meetings and public service
announcements concerning the solid
waste dilemma and the need for source
reduction and recycling.
To guide in the development of the
curriculum and the formation of a teach-
ing methodology that will integrate
modem technical concepts with Native
EPA's Second United States
Conference on
Municipal Solid Waste
Management
Moving Ahead
?xEPAI
his conference is for people
who are moving ahead in solid
waste management. Participants
from government, citizen interest
groups, industry, and academia
will share their experiences and
successes. This year over 800
attendees are expected, making it
one of the largest gatherings of
experienced solid waste profes-
sionals in the field today. Major
conference topic areas include
Integrated Solid Waste
Planning and Management
Economics of Solid Waste
Management
Source Reduction and Reuse
Recycling and Market
Development
~ Composting
Combustion *
Land Disposal
Public Involvement.
Education, and
Outreach
Special Waste
• Nonhazardous
Industrial Waste
Management
If you; are interested in
participating, write to EPA
Conference: Moving Ahead, c/o
SWANA, P.O. Box 7671, Silver
Spring, MD 20907, FAX (301)
589-7068, or call Ms, Bhawna
Agarwal at (301) 585-2898.
June 2-5,1992
Hyatt Regency Crystal City
Arlington, VA
Alaskan cultural values, NRRC has al-
ready gathered information from the tar-
geted villages, as well as from an
advisory committee of Alaskan experts
from the public and private sectors in
the fields of resource management,
public health, and education.
In addition to education, NRRC will
seek to improve waste management in
the target villages through waste reduc-
tion, recycling, and other methods to be
identified during the course of the
project. These methods will need to be
tailored to the different needs of the
individual communities.
The Native Alaska Waste Education
Project will help create an infrastructure
for continued waste education and
management by fostering contacts
among teachers, solid waste officials,
parents, and others. This infrastructure
can eventually be used to find at-
tainable and environmentally sound
solutions to Alaska's solid waste chal-
lenges.
For more information on the Native
Alaska Waste Education Project, con-
tact Fran Stefan of the Solid Waste and
State Programs Section of EPA Region
10 at (206)553-6639.1
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i&EPA Publications
The following publications are available at no
charge from the EPA RCRA/Superfund Hotline.
Call (800) 424-9346.
General
Bibliography of Solid Waste
Management Alternatives
Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in
the United States: 1990 Update;
Executive Summary
Decision-Makers Guide to
Solid Waste Management
Environmental Fact Sheet: SWICH: EPA's
National Solid Waste Information Clearinghouse
Sites for Our Solid Waste: A Guidebook for
Public Involvement
Solid Waste Dilemma: An Agenda for Action
Unit Pricing: Providing an Incentive
to Reduce Waste
Variable Rates in Solid Waste: Handbook for
Solid Waste.Officials; Executive Summary
Source Reduction
530/SW-89-055
530/SW-90-042a
530/SW-89-072
530/SW-91-025
530/SW-90-019
530/SW-89-019
530/SW-91-005
530/SW-90-084a
Characterization of Products Containing Lead
and Cadmium in Municipal Solid Waste in the
United States, 1970 to 2000:
Executive Summary
Household Hazardous Waste: Bibliography of
Useful References and List of State Experts
Survey of Household Hazardous Waste and
Related Collection Programs
530/SW-89-015C
530/SW-88-014
530/SW-86-038
Recycling
Recycle
Recycling in Federal Agencies
Recycling Works! State and
Local Success Stories
Incineration
530/SW-88-050
530/SW-90-082
530/SW-89-014
Characterization of
Municipal Waste Combustion Ash, Ash Extracts,
and Leachates: Executive Summary
530/SW-90-029b
Landfilling
Environmental Fact Sheet: Municipal Landfill
Regulations Mean Safer Disposal of Solid Waste
Environmental Fact Sheet; Small Communities
and the Municipal Landfill Regulations
Solid Waste Disposal Facility Criteria:
Final Rule (October 9,1991)
530/SW-91-066
530/SW-91-067
OSWFR91004
Used Oil
How to Set Up a Local Program to
Recycle Used Oil
Recycling Used Oil: 10 Steps to
Change Your Oil
530/SW-89-039a
530/SW-89-039C
Recycling Used Oil: For Service Stations and
Other Vehicle-Service Facilities 530/SW-89-039d
Recycling Used Oil: What Can You Do? 530/SW-89-039b
Educational Materials
Adventures of the Garbage Gremlin: Recycle and
Combat a Life of Grime (Comic Book) 530/SW-90-024
Let's Reduce and Recycle: A Curriculum for
Solid Waste Awareness 530/SW-90-005
Recycle Today: Educational Materials for
Grades K-12 (Pamphlet) 530/SW-90-025
Ride the Wave of the Future:
Recycle Today! (Poster) 530/SW-90-010
School Recycling Programs:
A Handbook for Educators 530/SW-90-023
Newsletters
Native American Network
Reusable News
Used Oil Recycling
(Free subscriptions are available, as well as back issues, through
the Hotline.)
Other
Environmental Fact Sheet:
Yard Waste Composting
Procurement Guidelines for
Government Agencies
Report to Congress: Methods to Manage and
Control Plastic Wastes; Executive Summary
Summary of Markets for Scrap Tires
530/SW-91-009
530/SW-91-011
530/SW-89-0513
530/SW-90-074b
The following publications are available for a
fee from the National Technical information
Services (NTIS).
Call (703) 487-4650.
Addendum for the Regulatory Impact Analysis for
the Final Criteria for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills PB92-100 858
Analysis of U.S. Municipal Waste Combustion
Operating Practices PB89-220 578
Charging Households for Waste Collection and
Disposal: The Effects of Weight- or Volume-Based
Pricing on Solid Waste Management PB91-111 484
Markets for Scrap Tires PB92-115 252
Municipal Waste Combustion Study:
Report to Congress PB87-206 074
Office Paper Recycling: An Implementation Manual PB90-199 431
Promoting Source Reduction and Recyclability
in the Marketplace PB90-163122
Regulatory Impact Analysis for the Final Criteria
for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills PB92-100 841
Solid Waste Dilemma: An Agenda for Action;
Background Document PB88-251 137
Solid Waste Dilemma: An Agenda for Action;
Background Document; Appendices PB88-251 145
States' Efforts to Promote Lead-Acid Battery
Recycling PB92-119965
Variable Rates in Solid Waste: Handbook for
Solid Waste Officials PB90-272 063
Yard Waste Composting: A Study of
Eight Programs PB90-163 114
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Regional Contacts
Municipal Solid Waste
Region 1
Ron Jennings
U.S. EPA-Region 1
John R Kennedy Federal Building
Boston, MA 02203
Mail Code: HER-CAN6
(617) 573-9656
Region 2
Mike DeBonis
U.S. EPA-Region 2
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278
Mail Code: 2AWM
(212) 264-0002
Region 3
Andrew Uricheck
U.S. EPA-Region 3
841 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Mail Code: 3HW53
(215) 597-7936
Region 4
Patricia Zweig
U.S. EPA-Region 4
345 Courtland Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30365
Mail Code: 4WD-RCRA
(404) 347-2091
Region 5
Andy Tschampa
U.S. EPA-Region 5
77 West Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604-3590
Mail Code: HRP-8J
(312)886-0976
Region 6
Will Lemmond
U.S. EPA-Region 6
Interstate Bank Building
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
Mail Code: 6HH
(214) 655-6760
Region 7
David Flora
U.S. EPA-Region 7
726 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66101
Mail Code: STPG
(913) 551-7523
Region 8
Judy Wong
U.S. EPA-Region 8
999 18th Street
Suite 500
Denver, CO 80202-2466
Mail Code: 8HWM-WM
(303)293-1667
Region 9
Jeff Scott
U.S. EPA-Region 9
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Mail Code: H-3-1
(415) 744-2091
Region 10
Lauris Davies
U.S. EPA-Region 10
1200 6th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
Mail Code: HW072
(206) 553-6522
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Washington State Strikes G.O.L.D.
G.O.L.D. fever is running rampant in
Washington state government of-
fices. State employees throughout
Washington have been mobilized under
the banner "reduce, reuse, and
recycle," and the results are evident.
Since its inception in 1988, the
G.O.L.D. (Government Options to
Landfill Disposal) program has been
REU5E
RECYCLE
Washington's primer on source reduc-
tion and office recycling at state
government agencies. G.O.L.D. was
introduced as part of a multifaceted
environmental initiative, Toward 2010:
an Environmental Action Agenda, by
Governor Booth Gardner and the
Washington Department of Ecology.
David Block, G.O.L.D. program ad-
ministrator, says the program is meant
to serve as an example to the citizens
of the state. "The state government is
part of the citizenry," Block says.
"Through G.O.L.D., we can set a trend
for the rest of the state to follow."
Under the program, every state
agency receives a G.O.L.D. plan,
which outlines the recycling, source
reduction, and procurement goals of
the state, and a manual describing
how these objectives can be
achieved. Each agency, with the as-
sistance of G.O.L.D. workers, under-
takes an internal audit of its waste
stream before designing a waste
management strategy.
As Block explains, the G.O.L.D.
program does not dictate a rigid im-
plementation scheme for ac-
complishing recycling and source
reduction goals; rather, every agen-
cy, based on the guidance provided
in the G.O.L.D. manual and advice
from the G.O.L.D. technical staff,
sets up a policy tailored to its own
specific features.
Under the aegis of the G.O.L.D.
program, recovery rates at the 12-
building Olympia Capitol Campus,
which employs 7,000 people
throughout the year and several
thousand more during legislative
sessions, have reached 60 percent.
Workers at the campus currently
recover four major components of
their waste stream: office paper,
cardboard, glass, and aluminum. In
addition, antifreeze and motor oil from
state-owned vehicles are recycled.
Block also credits the G.O.L.D.
program with instituting many simple,
yet effective, source reduction techni-
EPA Releases Tire Market Study
EPA recently released a report en-
titled Markets for Scrap 7/res-that
describes factors affecting the current
supply and demand for scrap tires, as
well as future market trends. The.docu-
ment also examines various recycling
prospects for used tires and legislative
and economic options for managing
scrap tires.
The publication is the first in a series
of five market studies that EPA is
developing to help state and local offi-
cials and industry "close the recycling
loop." A concise summary of the report,
which provides a general overview of
market trends for scrap tires, is also
available.
Markets for Scrap Tires is avail-
able from the National Technical Infor-
mation Service, 5285 Port Royal Road,
Springfield, VA22161, (703) 487-4600.
Summary of Markets for Scrap
Tires can be obtained by calling the
RCRA/Superfund Hotline at (800) 424-
9346, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.
to 7:30 p.m. EST. I
ques. Washington state government of-
fices, for instance, now make double-
sided copies whenever possible, and
mechanical shops servicing state agen-
cies, such as auto repair centers, now
recover solvents. State employees
often furnish suggestions for possible
source reduction methods, Block
says, demonstrating the heightened
awareness brought about by the
G.O.L.D. program.
The G.O.L.D. program also
provides guidance for implementing
Washington's new procurement
policy, established by the legislature
in 1991. Thanks to the G.O.L.D.
program, state agencies now pur-
chase recycled paper, as well as
dioxin-free paper envelopes and file
folders.
For more information, contact David
Block at (206) 586-5651.1
Did You! Know?
he Steel Recycling, Partnership,
.. a coalition of solid waste
management and recycling
organizations, steel and steel can
producers and users, and grocery
industry represjentatives, has
launched a public education and
awareness program. The program
consists of promotional events and
television advertising aimed at
raising public awareness of steel
recycling. For more information,
please contact thd Steel Recycling
Institute at (800) 876-SCRI.
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Hot Off the Hotline
jUesltion: I am a landfill owner planning to close my
'landfill sometime within the next 2 years before the
new Subtitle D landfill criteria take effect on October 9,
_ i 1993. Dbes this exempt me from the regulations?
|
nswer: Owners and operators of landfills that ceased receipt of waste
kbefore the publication jof the revised Subtitle D criteria on October 9,
1991, are exempt from ^ll requirements of the criteria. Owners and
operators that cease receipt of waste after October 9, 1993, on the other
hand, are subject to all <|>f the new regulations. However, owners and
operators that stop receiving waste after October 9, 199°1, but before
October 9,1993, are obligated only to place a final cover over their landfills
within 6 months of the lastj receipt of waste.
The final rule requires tjiat a final cover must consist of two layers, the
first to minimize infiltratioji of liquids into the waste and the second to
minimize erosion of the infiltration layer The infiltration layer must be a
minimum 18 inches of earthen material that (1) has a permeability less than
or equal to the bottom liner system or natural subsoils, or (2) achieves a
permeability of 1 x 10 5 cm/sec, whichever is less. The erosion layer must
be at least 6 inches of earjthen material capable of sustaining native plant
growth. |
The criteria constitute the minimum federal standards Landfill
owners and operators. However, may still have to comply with more
stringent existing state criteria.
Resources
he following publications are available at no charge
i from the EPA RCRA/Superfund Hotline. Call (800)
424-9^46 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30
p,m. 6ST
Proposed Guidance onlthe Use of Environmental Marketing Terms
(EPA/530-SW-91-072AJ. Explains the development of voluntary
guidelines that companies can follow when marketing their products as
environmentally beneficial. In particular, the usage of the terms "recycled"
and "recyclable" and the recycling emblem are clarified,
Final Cover Requirement^ for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (EPA/530-
SW-91-084), This environmental fact sheet describes the federal require-
ments for final closure ofian MSW landfill and also discusses additional
technical issues landfill owners and operators may want to consider.
Summary of Markets fcjr Scrap Tires (E PA/530-SW-90-074B). Sum-
marizes, in a concise brc-chure and in nontechnical language, the main
points of a larger study entitled Markets for Scrap Tires.
For information about EP/i's procurement guidelines for cement containing
fly ash, paper and papejr products, lubricating oils, retread tires, and
building insulation, call th£ Recycled Products Information Clearinghouse
at (703) 941-4452. The Clearinghouse is now, free of charge, offering a
listing of vendors of th^se products, as well as other informational
materials, '
A Tale of Two Dumpsters
eegee'slakes Recycling
to Heart
(Continued from page 3)
organization banding together about 50
Tucson businesses working to further
both environmental and humanitarian
efforts in the city.
eegee's underwrites the entire
project. Businesses that join "Recycling
for People First!" undergo a detailed
audit of their waste stream to determine
which items can be recovered, eegee's
then supplies these businesses with
free cardboard recycling bins and
voluntarily collects the recyclable
materials and delivers them to the ap-
propriate processing plants. Proceeds
from the sale of these recyclables go to
People First! Irving says keeping the
program cost-free fosters participation
and reinforces the notion that recycling
can easily, and even profitably, be "in-
corporated into the daily work
scheme."
In May 1991, eegee's was honored
with a U.S. EPA Administrator's Award
in the small business category for its
dynamic work and creative accomplish-
ments in recycling. Indeed, eegee's
stands as a model to the community
in both an environmental and
humanitarian sense.
For more information, contact
Edmund Irving at (602) 298-1829.1
Fort Howard Closes the
Recycling Loop
(Continued from page 3)
Fort Howard also co-sponsors
several pilot programs, both with its
subsidiaries and with independent
companies, aimed at recovering
production residuals, like sludge and
boiler fly ash. In addition, the company
has launched an initiative to partially
power its Green Bay facility with energy
generated by combustion of used tires.
Fort Howard's national recycling ad-
vocacy program clearly demonstrates
that business can make a significant
impact on national recycling efforts.
Fort Howard's role in recovery entails
not only collection but also production,
an imperative for closing the recycling
loop.
For more information, contact Clif-
ford Bowers at (414) 435-8821,
extension 4087. §
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EPA Announces Options to Standardize Recycling Marketing Claims
(Continued from page 1)
As part of this federal effort, EPA is
currently exploring options for volun-
tary guidelines that companies can
follow when marketing their
products as environmentally
beneficial. The first issue EPA is
addressing concerns terms related
to recycling. On October 2, 1991,
EPA published a notice in the
Federal Register describing alterna-
tive approaches for standardizing
recycling claims. Currently, EPA
prefers the following options for
standardizing recycling claims:
Recycled content claims. When
making recycled content claims,
marketers should display the
percentage of recycled materials in
the product (by weight).
Claims of recyclability. When
making claims of recyclability,
marketers should make qualified
recyclable claims and state the rate
at which the material is recycled
nationwide.
Use of the recycling emblem, the
chasing arrows recycling symbol should
be used only to indicate that a product
contains recycled content or is
recyclable. It should not be used as a
symbol of other environmentally
beneficial traits. Also; when using the
symbol, marketers should label the
emblem to indicate that it refers
either to "recycled content" or to the
"recyclability" of the product or
package.
Packaging versus product claims.
Claims about recycled content or
recyclability should indicate whether
they apply to the product, the
package, or both.
EPA Holds Public Meetings on Labeling
m November 13 and 14, 1991, EPA, with the assistance of its partner
'agencies on the Interagency Environmental Marketing Task Force, the
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA),
conducted public meetings on voluntary preferred guidance options for
recycled content and recyclable marketing claims. At the meetings, EPA
representatives listened to comments from over 40 individuals, such as state
and local officials, industry repre-
sentatives, and public interest
groups. Speakers commented on all
of the voluntary guidance options
proposed by EPA in the October 2,
1991, Federal Register, including
use of the terms "recycled content"
and "recyclable" and application of the
recycling emblem in environmental
marketing claims.
EPA'sBowdoin Train and FTC's James Spears. Reaction to E PA'S preferred option
for the use of the claim "recycled content" was generally favorable; however,
the Agency will need to address several other issues raised in the meetings.
For example, one issue related to whether, in addition to identification of the
percentage of total recycled content, the percentage of post-consumer
materials used in a product also should be provided.
The Agency received a number of different comments concerning its
preferred option on the "recyclable" claims. Some speakers opposed EPA's
proposal to include the national recycling rate with "recyclable" claims, arguing
that these statistics are difficult to obtain and, once obtained, quickly become
obsolete. Many speakers reacted favorably to EPA's preferred guidance option
for the use of the recycling emblem and the Agency's recommendation that
claims of "recycled content" and "recyclability" specify whether they apply to
the product, package, or both, it
The Federal Register notice also
lists preliminary definitions developed
by EPA for nine terms related to recy-
cling. The public comment period on
the notice ended December 31,1991.
EPA has developed a fact sheet and
a flyer, which explain the contents of the
notice. To obtain a copy of the notice,
fact sheet, or flyer, call the RCRA
Hotline at (800) 424-9346, or write to:
RCRA Docket Information Center
Office of Solid Waste (OS-305)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW.
Washington, DC 20460
EPA Plans Outreach For Subtitle D
EPA is launching a vigorous out-
reach program geared toward
both the states and the regulated
community regarding the revised
Subtitle D landfill regulations, which
were published last October. The
program began last fall with workers
from EPA Headquarters conducting
brief 1-day information sessions with
officials from states and EPA Regions.
More detailed technical training for
state officials is slated for this spring.
Upon completion of the training, EPA
will encourage the states to hold train-
ing sessions for landfill owners and
operators in their jurisdictions.
This winter, EPA will issue two docu-
ments to help clarify the new criteria. A
pamphlet for the general public will out-
line municipal solid waste (MSW) dis-
posal problems, giving special focus to
improvements in sanitary landfill prac-
tices. The pamphlet also will explain
how the Subtitle D revisions will ad-
dress MSW disposal problems by re-
quiring safer landfills. Another EPA
booklet will be developed for landfill
owners and operators that will provide
a clear, concise summary of the new
regulations.
The publication of these documents
will be followed by the release of an
EPA technical manual for landfill
owners/operators, contractors, and
consultants. The manual is intended to
provide insight on how to meet the min-
imum federal requirements set forth in
the regulation.
For more information, call Andrew
Tepiitzky of EPA's Off ice of Solid Waste,
at (202) 260-4536.1
-------
Bush Issues Executive Order
(Continued from page 1)
At the heart of the Order is the Coun-
cil on Federal Recycling and Procure-
ment Policy, created to facilitate agency
compliance. In the initial stages, the
Council will be developing guidelines to
specify the goals of the recycling, waste
reduction, and procurement programs,
and suggesting possible implementa-
tion plans. The Council will be reviewing
current federal procurement programs
and recommending changes that will
remove impediments to purchasing
recycled goods. The Order also calls for
the Council to develop incentives to en-
courage implementation and more
comprehensive programs.
In addition, the Council is charged
with collecting and disseminating infor-
mation among the agencies to assist
the development of recycling and
procurement programs. By sharing in-
formation such as the types of materials
being recycled, the savings that are
resulting, and the sources and prices of
recycled goods being purchased, the
effectiveness of the entire effort will be
increased. The Council is also intended
Gail
Wray
to serve as the focal point for govern-
ment recycling and procurement, keep-
ing abreast of progress and making
recommendations for improvements.
The Council will be composed of the
Recycling Coordinators from seven key
agencies, including EPA; the General
Services Administration; the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration;
and the Departments of Energy,
Defense, Commerce, and the Interior.
Also to be included are the Chairman of
the Council on Environmental Quality and
the Administrator of the Office of Federal
Procurement Policy. EPA Administrator
William K. Reilly has named Gail Wray
as the Federal Recycling Coordinator.
Wray will chair the Council.
While the Order allows the agencies
flexibility in designing and implementing
their programs, reporting requirements
also have been incorporated to add ac-
countability and gauge program effec-
tiveness. For example, all agencies must
report directly to EPA regarding the im-
plementation of their procurement
programs. EPA is required to submit a
report to the President summarizing the
adoption of these programs.
For more information, contact Gail
Wray at (202) 260-3252.1
National Tribal Conference on Environmental Management
The Eastern Band of Cherokee In-
dians, with the support of EPA Head-
quarters, EPA Region 4, the Bureau of
Indian Affairs, the Indian Health Service,
and the Department of Housing and
Urban Development, is holding the Na-
tional Tribal Conference on Environmen-
tal Management on May 19 to 22,1992,
in Cherokee, North Carolina.
Workshops will be held on a variety of
topics, including drinking water, pes-
ticides, solid and hazardous waste
management, and recycling. Training
sessions also will be conducted on
revised landfill criteria and hazardous
waste requirements, developing solid
waste management plans, estab-
lishing environmental programs on
reservations, and other environmen-
tal topics.
Over 500 representatives from
tribes across the country are invited to
attend. From 30 to 40 vendors also are
expected to exhibit the latest in en-
vironmental products. For more infor-
mation, call Judi Kane of EPA's Office
of Solid Waste at (202) 260-5096.1
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
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