Supplement to Public Health Service Publication No. 1897
Summaries of Bureau of Solid Waste Management*
CONTRACTS
July 1, 1968—June 30, 1970
CONTENTS
Compilation and Digests of U.S. State and Territorial Legislation in
Subjects Related to Solid Wastes, 5
National Industrial Solid Waste Management Study—the Printing and
Publishing Industry, 6
Subscale Experiments on the Model-400 Combustion Power Unit
(CPU-400), 7
CPU-400 Program Management and Systems Engineering, 8
Pilot Study of Occupational Health in Solid Waste Management, 9
Bureau of Solid Waste Management Annual Film Report: Progress in
Solid Waste Management through Research, Development, and
Demons tration, 10
Development of Household Refuse Grinder, 11
Abstracting and Other Services, 12
Verification of Bibliographic Citations, 13
A Solid Waste Public Awareness Development Program and Case Study, 14
A Study of the Effects of Solid Waste Disposal Sites upon Property
Values, 15
Study to Determine Those Factors Influencing Citizens' Attitudes and
Responses to Factors and Solutions Regarding Solid Waste Problems,
16
*Now the Solid Waste Management Office of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency. Title retained to conform to that appearing on
Public Health Service Publication No. 1897. This supplement super-
sedes the one covering the period July 1, 1968—June 30, 1969.
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Operation Breakthrough, 17
A Comprehensive Chronicle of Activities and Accomplishments in Solid
Waste Management Since Enactment of Public Law 89-272, 18
Study for a Working Plan on "Incentives for Solid Waste Management,"
19
Incentives for Tire Recycling and Reuse, 20
National Industrial Solid Waste Management Study—the Electrical Home
Appliance Industry, 21
A Study of the Incentives for Plastic Recycling and Reuse, 22
National Industrial Solid Waste Management Study—the Drug Industry, 23
Pilot Data Acquisition and Analysis System for Solid Waste Management,
24
Economic Study of Salvage Markets for Commodities Entering the Solid
Waste Stream, 25
Solid Waste Research in the Application of Onsite Refuse Storage,
Collection, and Reduction Systems for High-Rise Residential
Structures, 26
Development of a Digest of Existing Municipal, County, and Regional
Solid Waste Management Ordinances and a Model Solid Waste Manage-
ment Ordinance, 27
Conference on the Use and Disposal of Single-Use Items in Health Care
Facilities, 28
Heavy-Equipment Contract for Field Evaluation of Sanitary Landfill
Techniques, 29
A Study of the Cost/Benefit Relationships in Solid Waste Litter, 30
Development of a Procedure for the Evaluation and Comparison of Sani-
tary Landfill Equipment, 31
Investigation of Necessary Conditions for Proper Decontamination and
Combustion of Organic Pesticides and Pesticide Containers, 32
Effectiveness of Char Produced from Solid Wastes as an Adsorption
Medium, 33
National Industrial Solid Waste Management Study—the Chemical
Industry, 34
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An Investigation of the Biodegradability of Plastics, 35
Development of a Solid Waste Prediction Model, 36
Develop a Detailed Plan for Hydraulic Transport of Shredded Solid
Wastes via Pipeline, 38
CONTRACTORS
Autocomp Inc., 5
Battelle Memorial Institute, 6
Combustion Power Company,
Inc., 7, 8
Enviro-Med Inc., 9
Stuart Finley, Inc., 10
Foster-Miller Associates,
Inc., 11
Franklin Institute of the State
of Pennsylvania, 12, 13
General Behavioral Systems,
Inc., 14, 15
General Systems Industries,
Inc., 16
Greenleaf/Telesca, 17
John F. Eolman & Co., Inc., 18
International Research and
Technology Corporation,
19, 20
Louis Koenig Research, 21
Arthur D. Little, Inc., 22
Litton Systems, Inc., 23
Martin Marietta Corporation, 24
Midwest Research Institute, 25
National Academy of Sciences,
26
National Association of Counties
Research Foundation, 27
National Sanitation Foundation,
28
Northern Kentucky Sanitation
Company, 29
Resource Management Corporation,
30
SCS Engineers, 31
Foster D. Snell, Inc., 32
The Board of Trustees, Stanford
University, 33
The Travelers Research Corpora-
tion, 34
Union Carbide Corporation, 35
URS Research Corporation, 36
The Western Company, 38
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COMPILATION AND DIGESTS OF U.S. STATE AND TERRITORIAL LEGISLATION IN
SUBJECTS RELATED TO SOLID WASTES
CONTRACT NO. CPE 70-118
COST: $71,640
PROJECT START: June 1970
PROJECT END: May 1971
CONTRACTOR
Autocomp Inc.
Autocode Division
1367 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, B.C. 20036
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Carl P. Fisher
OBJECTIVE: State and territorial legislation will be searched for
applicability to solid wastes. Photocopies of the relevant laws will
be made, indexed, and cross-indexed in sufficient detail for layman use.
APPROACH: The description that follows is the first phase of a two-phase
project.
All legislation of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the
territories of American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands
will be searched for applicability to solid wastes. This includes
enabling legislation, direct prohibitions, and direct authorizations.
Legislation may be found in such widely separated portions of the codes
as those dealing with agriculture, health, labor, highways, industry,
water, and air. Examples of legislation to be covered include laws
regarding storage, collection, transportation, processing, vehicles,
demolition materials, animal and vegetation wastes, as well as wastes
from households and commercial and industrial establishments. Included
also are the general nuisance laws, zoning regulations (to the extent
codified), rule-making authorizations to State agencies or local or
regional jurisdictions, all insofar as they pertain to the management
of solid wastes.
Once located, the State and territorial laws will be checked with
Shepherd's Citator* or the equivalent, to assure their currency as of
the date of the contract. Laws that have been repealed will be elimi-
nated, and new acts or amendments will be included up to the date of
the contract.
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NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT STUDY-
PUBLISHING INDUSTRY
-THE PRINTING AND
CONTRACT NO. CPE 69-6
COST: $73,484
PROJECT START: May 1969
PROJECT END: January 1971
CONTRACTOR
Battelle Memorial Institute
505 King Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43201
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Rufus C. Short
OBJECTIVE: To study and evaluate the solid waste management practices
of the publishing and printing industry, SIC 271, 272, 273, and 275.
APPROACH: Information and data will be collected on the following items
of the publishing and printing industry on a national basis: (1) total
number of industrial plants, employment, capital value of the plants,
and quantities and types of products produced; (2) past development and
production patterns within the industry indicating present trends, new
technology, and future development; (3) flow diagrams for the basic
production processes; (4) location of the industries with particular
notation of production centers in the country; (5) identification of the
quantity (weight) and quality (character) of solid waste generated; (6)
correlation of solid waste production with a readily available universal
parameter of the plant; (7) identify and analyze the current storage
collection and disposal practices of the industry; (8) amount of money
being spent for storage, collection, treatment, and disposal of solid
waste for the industry; (9) analysis of the future trends of solid waste
management within the industry and factors that might influence them,
such as reuse, etc.
The methodology to collect the information and data will consist of a
literature review and a variety of different types of field interviews.
Following the data collection phase, the information will be analyzed
and evaluated.
SUMMARY OF PROGRESS: The first 2 months of this project were devoted
to a literature review, grouping of plants by SIC numbers and location,
and development of an interview guide prior to beginning data collection.
The data collection and analysis phase has been completed, and a pre-
liminary draft of the final report has been submitted for review by the
Bureau.
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SUBSCALE EXPERIMENTS ON THE MODEL-400
COMBUSTION POWER UNIT (CPU-400)
CONTRACT NO. PH 86-68-198*
COST: $1,426,488 (estimated)
PROJECT START: June 1968
PROJECT END: January 1971
CONTRACTOR
Combustion Power Company, Inc.
1346 Willow Road
Menlo Park, Calif. 94025
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Richard D. Smith
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this contract is to build and test subscale
models of various combustor and particle collector devices to obtain
necessary information for final design for the CPU-400 system. The CPU-
400 system makes use of a gas turbine powered by waste heat from incin-
eration of refuse for the purpose of generating electricity.
APPROACH: The contractor will investigate the design parameters of con-
tinuous flow incineration by a fluidized bed combustor. The investiga-
tion requires the design, fabrication, and testing of two different
fluid bed combustors; (1) a large (8-ft diameter) bed operated at low
pressure .which will determine the refuse feed and distribution problems;
(2) a small (12-inch diameter) high-pressure (60 to 100 psia) bed to
determine heat release rates, combustion productsr etc. The contractor
will also investigate three different particle collection devices—an
electrostatic precipitator, a mat filter, and an inertial separator—
to determine the best device (or combination of devices) to be used for
the CPU-400.
SUMMARY OF PROGRESS: The electrostatic precipitator and the inertial
separator tests showed that both items are feasible to use at CPU-400
pressure and temperature conditions. The mat filter concept tested was
found not to be feasible because of difficulties encountered in its
cleaning.
The 12-inch fluid bed experiments have indicated that high pressure fluid
bed combustion of municipal solid waste is feasible and capable of heat
release rates in excess of 500,000 Btu/ft^/hr. Design and fabrication
work is proceeding on a large scale fluidized bed combustor along with
solid waste handling equipment which is required for a continuous flow
operation.
1897.
*Supersedes summary contained in Public Health Service Publication
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CPU-400 PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
CONTRACT NO. CPE 69-100
COST: $283,103
PROJECT START: August 1968
PROJECT END: October 1970
CONTRACTOR
Combustion Power Company, Inc.
1346 Willow Road
Menlo Park, Calif. 94025
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Richard D. Smith
OBJECTIVE: To provide program management for the component develop-
ments by various subcontractors and to investigate the CPU-400 as
a total system. The results of this investigation, combined with
the results of the key subscale experiments, will be combined to
refine the preliminary design for the CPU-400 to the point where
detailed design work may be started.
APPROACH: Overall management for the CPU-400 will be provided. A
systems design study will be conducted on five subsystems of the
CPU-400: solid waste handling, hot gases, turbo-electric, controls,
and residue handling. Materials corrosion, exhaust gas contamination,
and acoustics studies will be made. Turbine compatibility tests will
be defined and economic applications studies will be undertaken.
SUMMARY OF PROGRESS: The design of the CPU-400 has been updated in
both the solid waste handling and hot gas subsystems. The provision
for unshredded storage has been eliminated in the solid waste sub-
system, and the combustor configuration has been changed from 3 combustors
all piped into the system to 2 combustors with a spare on hand. The
total CPU-400 system has been identified as having 19 different compon-
ents, and preliminary specifications have been made for each component.
Materials corrosion studies were performed by analysis of several diff-
erent alloys after prolonged exposure to incinerator fly ash. All metals
tested showed corrosive attack; the alloy which performed best was
Inconel 625. Exhaust gas contamination studies indicate that HCl and
SO can be suppressed by limestone injection into the bed. Acoustic
surveys on shredder and turbine installations demonstrated the need for
sound suppression to be considered in the design. Applications studies
showed additional CPU-400 uses such as desalinization, sludge incineration,
and activated char production.
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PILOT STUDY OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH IN SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
CONTRACT NO. CPE 70-114
COST: $34,826
PROJECT START: June 1970
PROJECT END: April 1972
CONTRACTOR
Enviro-Med Inc.
Suite 316
7946 Ivanhoe
La Jolla, Calif. 92037
PROJECT DIRECTOR
R. J. Hasterlik
OBJECTIVE: The study will analyze solid waste management systems to
determine if useful conclusions can be drawn on the nature, causes, and
frequencies of accidents to employees engaged in solid waste handling.
Based upon this, the contractor will develop a plan for conducting a
broad-based, detailed study that would provide statistically valid
information applicable to the entire solid waste industry.
APPROACH: The contractor will conduct on-site investigations of the
records of six solid waste management systems to determine and compile
the information available on the nature, causes, and frequencies of
employee accidents resulting from the handling of solid waste over the
past four years. The information sources shall include both the public
and private sectors of the solid waste industry. The sources sampled
will include two solid waste handling systems each servicing popula-
tions of over 500,000, two systems each servicing populations of
200,000 to 400,000, and two systems each servicing populations of
20,000 to 100,000.
In addition to reviewing these records, the contractor will study the
records for the past four years of State, county, or municipal health
departments, workmen's compensation boards, insurance companies, and
other agencies with records relating to the occupational health of
employees within the solid waste handling systems included in the study.
Analysis of the data will attempt to draw conclusions about the nature
and rates of accidents as they may be related to employee age, level of
education, physical condition, training, safety programs, and similar
factors.
It is hoped that the comprehensive study, which the contractor will plan,
can define major problem areas or conditions that account for high acci-
dent rates and severity. If the pilot study indicates that meaningful
information is not likely to be available on a national scale, the
feasibility of other data-gathering methods will be investigated.
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BUREAU OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ANNUAL FILM REPORT: PROGRESS IN SOLID
WASTE MANAGEMENT THROUGH RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION
CONTRACT NO. CPE 69-111
COST: $152,975
PROJECT START: June 1969
PROJECT END: June 1972
CONTRACTOR
Stuart Finley, Inc.
3428 Mansfield Road
Falls Church, Va. 22041
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Stuart Finley
OBJECTIVE: To develop film reports on solid waste research, development,
and demonstration activities to serve the Bureau's basic responsibility
for improving solid waste management practice in the United States through
dissemination of technical information.
APPROACH: Two separate 16-mm, color, sound, motion picture films will be
produced each year that document selected planning, demonstration, research and
training grants, and research contracts—all funded by the Bureau of
Solid Waste Management.
One of the films is to be designed primarily for showing to solid waste
management professionals, including but not limited to managers, planners,
and technicians, as well as public officials. This film will be 45 min
in length and more technically oriented than the second film.
A 23-min film will be designed to produce an interesting, logically
developed story to inform the lay public entertainingly about the most
recent advances in solid waste management.
SUMMARY OF PROGRESS: The Stuff We Throw Away, 22 min in length, and
What's New in Solid Waste Management, 37 min in length, both 16-mm
motion pictures with sound and color, are completed. Copies of the films
can be borrowed from the National Medical Audiovisual Center (Annex),
Station K, Atlanta, Georgia 30324. Order numbers are M-2048-X and M-2049-X,
respectively. Prints may be purchased from the contractor for $200 and
$300, respectively.
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DEVELOPMENT OF HOUSEHOLD REFUSE GRINDER
CONTRACT NO. CPE 70-115
COST: $78,692
PROJECT START: June 1970
PROJECT END: December 1971
CONTRACTOR
Foster-Miller Associates, Inc.
135 Second Avenue
Waltham, Mass. 02154
PROJECT DIRECTOR
John S. Howland
OBJECTIVE: This is a two-phase project. Phase I will establish the
background data required before a refuse grinder can be developed. Phase
II will provide preliminary design and specifications, with approximate
costs, for the refuse grinder and the proper safety controls with the
capacity to macerate typical household refuse and inject it into a
typical sanitary sewer.
APPROACH: Phase I. The contractor will determine if the average sani-
tary sewage system will be overloaded by the increase of solids (both
dissolved and suspended) from the grinder process. If the sewers can
handle the additional solids, the contractor will determine the maximum
solids content and average particle size of the incoming refuse that can
be easily transported by the sewers. From this research, a range of
effluent solids content will be determined and used as a basic design
criterion of the grinder. Work will be performed on a model gravity
sanitary sewer system having roughness coefficients similar to existing
sewer lines and with capabilities for variable slope and flow and means
for injecting and extracting refuse. Tests run on this apparatus will
define minimum flow rates for various refuse concentrations, the maximum
refuse volume that can be transported, and types of material expected to
be deposited in sewer lines. Modified sewage flow to the treatment
plant will be characterized in terms of chemical constituents and
possible biological effects. Existing treatment processes will be
surveyed, and recommendations made for their improvement should they
prove inadequate. Design criteria most applicable for a household
grinder will be developed. Particular emphasis will be placed on safety
devices, modifications necessary to household plumbing, and appropriate
slurry concentrations. The study will also include cost/benefit analyses
for grinders capable of grinding different types of wastes.
Phase II. Work on this phase will be contingent upon successful com-
pletion of Phase I. Only after a proper review of the first phase
results and on an authorization to proceed will the contractor begin
the preliminary design and specifications for the grinder.
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ABSTRACTING AND OTHER SERVICES
CONTRACT NO. PH 86-67-182
PH 86-68-194*
COST: $328,727
PROJECT START: June 1967
PROJECT END: July 1971
CONTRACTOR
Franklin Institute of the State
of Pennsylvania
Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, Pa. 19103
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Alec Peters
OBJECTIVE: To screen, acquire, abstract, index and prepare for publication
selected patents from the United States and foreign countries covering
the period from 1945 to 1969, and to prepare annotated bibliographies
of refuse collection and disposal literature for the years 1964 through
1970.
APPROACH: Compilation of patents will include only those patents covering
significant technological advances in the field of solid wastes. One
copy of each patent will be arranged by subject category and by accession
number, and a suitable table of contents will be included. The work dealing
with the annotated bibliographies will include document selection, checking
for accuracy, depth of coverage, accession number, grouping by category,
typing, proofreading, and indexing in order to submit the material for
publication by the Bureau.
SUMKARY OF PROGRESS: Approximately 7,000 abstracts have been prepared
and submitted. Many of the abstracted articles will appear in the annotated
bibliographies for the years 1964 through 1970.
*Supersedes summary contained in Public Health Service Publication 1897,
12
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VERIFICATION OF BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATIONS
CONTRACT NO. CPE 70-135
COST: $17,154
PROJECT START: June 1970
PROJECT END: June 1971
CONTRACTOR
Franklin Institute of the State
of Pennsylvania
Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, Pa. 19103
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Alec Peters
OBJECTIVE: To verify 2400 bibliographic citations from contracts, grants,
and research studies sponsored by the Bureau of Solid Waste Management.
APPROACH: The accuracy and completeness of every element in each cita-
tion will be verified and then restyled in accordance with the Bureau
Mechanics of Style manual. Three steps for source location will be used.
If a source cannot be located for verification in three steps, the
reference will be deemed unverifiable. Verified references will be
retyped in the format specified by the manual on an IBM Magnetic Tape
Selectric Typewriter (MTST) and proofread. Error-free hard copy MTST
printouts and the MTST tape cassettes will be submitted to the Bureau
of Solid Waste Management.
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A SOLID WASTE PUBLIC AWARENESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND CASE STUDY
CONTRACT NO. CPE 70-122
COST: $79,573
PROJECT START: June 1970
PROJECT END: August 1971
CONTRACTOR
General Behavioral Systems, Inc,
Del Amo Financial Center
Torranee, Calif. 90503
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Barry Jensen
OBJECTIVE: To develop a survey questionnaire for measuring public aware-
ness and knowledge of current solid waste practices, problems, and
solutions. An educational program will be designed to increase this
awareness level. The questionnaire will be administered in one city,
the educational program carried out, and then the survey taken again.
APPROACH: In the development of the questionnaire, particular attention
will be paid to stratification and sampling procedures that have a high
probability of yielding representative results. The procedure for
selecting a proper sample will be described in a manual; the method for
analyzing and interpreting the results will also be included. An inter-
viewer's instruction manual for administering the questionnaire will be
prepared. The information and education program will be described in
a separate report. A case study report will be written for the city in
which the attitudes were measured before and after the educational
program in the study.
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A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL SITES UPON PROPERTY VALUES
CONTRACT NO. CPE 70-133
COST: $99,958
PROJECT START: June 1970
PROJECT END: November 1971
CONTRACTOR
General Behavioral Systems, Inc.
Del Amo Financial Center
Torrance, Calif. 90503
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Barry Jensen
OBJECTIVE: To provide a basis for cost-benefit analysis of solid waste
land disposal practices by: (1) designing a methodology for assessing the
effect of land disposal sites on the value of surrounding real estate;
(2) identifying the variables which determine the size of these effects;
and (3) quantifying these findings, where possible, in terms of a model
describing the relationship between landfill operations and changes in
land and real estate values.
APPROACH: Twenty sample sites will be selected. There will be four inade-
quate sites (or dumps), 10 sanitary landfills that have been converted
from dumps, and six sanitary landfills (as originally established). The
areas around each site will be defined and data requirements, sampling
procedures, real estate data collection procedures, and population
sampling procedures will be developed. Data collection will include:
(1) historical sales data, data on sales of comparable homes, or data
used in other valuation methods to determine the effect of the sites on
property values; (2) data on the factors associated with each site which
may influence property values; and (3) data on other variables such as
demographic and economic trends.
The data will be analyzed through: (1) a predictive study to develop a
mathematical model to forecast the effects of solid waste land disposal
sites on property values, using linear and nonlinear regression tech-
niques; and (2) an analytical study to explain the relationships of the
various factors affecting values for particular sites. Both a statistical
modeling and case history approach will be used.
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STUDY TO DETEEMINE THOSE FACTORS INFLUENCING CITIZENS' ATTITUDES AND
RESPONSES TO FACTORS AND SOLUTIONS REGARDING SOLID WASTE PROBLEMS
CONTRACT NO. CPE 69-107
COST: $89,502
PROJECT START: Kay 1969
PROJECT END: October 1970
CONTRACTOR
General Systems Industries, Inc.
Del Amo Financial Center
Torrance, Calif. 90503
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Barry Jensen
OBJECTIVE: To investigate those psychometric factors that influence
human behavior with regard to proposed solutions to solid waste systems,
and to determine the present attitudes of citizens to these problems.
APPROACH: An attitude and opinion survey will be conducted that is rep-
resentative of the entire population. The socioeconomic characterization
of the respondents as well as identity of the participants initiating,
supporting, opposing, and negotiating solid waste management decisions
will be made.
Attitudes of citizens toward solid waste problems and their current solu-
tions will be determined and related to background factors such as sex,
age, occupation, and income. A determination will be made on how these
attitudes change under the influence of new information, persuasive inter-
vention, and incentives.
The successful and unsuccessful establishment of solid waste disposal
sites and public opposition to the operation of existing sites will be
examined through an analysis of public and private records of the decision-
making process.
SUMMARY OF PROGRESS: A draft final report has been received by the Bureau.
It contains a description of the data collection instruments used in the
study, analysis of attitudes and opinions of people living up to three
miles from disposal sites in 10 cities, estimates of the perceived serious-
ness of solid waste disposal problems, estimates of public and official
knowledge of sanitary landfill operation, summaries describing actual
solid waste operation in the 10 cities studied, analysis of organizations
that have protested solid waste disposal operations in three cities, com-
parison of attitudes, opinions, and distance from site between people
objecting to solid waste disposal operation and people not objecting,
analysis of public officials' site selection decisionmaking processes
in 10 cities, communication materials and demonstration of their use to
influence public opinion. This report is currently undergoing Bureau
review.
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OPERATION BREAKTHROUGH
CONTRACT NO. CPE 70-136 CONTRACTOR
Greenleaf/Teles ca
1451 Brlckell Avenue
Miami, Fla. 33131
COST: $69,591*
PROJECT START: June 1970 PROJECT DIRECTOR
PROJECT END: May 1971 Bruce C. Pearl
OBJECTIVE: To provide technical assistance to "Operation Breakthrough"
of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
APPROACH: The contractor will perform individual site analyses and
determinations of site characteristics that will influence solid waste
management systems. Possible techniques that may be used will be evalu-
ated. These include existing methods as well as those which may be
applicable when tried. Candidate systems that would be appropriate
for "Operation Breakthrough" housing and which promise high chances of
success will be developed. In conjunction with this, a procedure will
be established that can be used for selecting a candidate system for
each site, and each system-site combination will be assigned a priority
ranking. After completing this work, the contractor will submit the
findings of the study and a plan for a separate contract, which is
expected to include such items as pilot scale testing, performance
evaluation criteria, system installation, planning for operation and
maintenance, and testing of the completed systems.
*Funded by reimbursible Housing and Urban Development funds.
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A COMPREHENSIVE CHRONICLE OF ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN SOLID
WASTE MANAGEMENT SINCE ENACTMENT OF PUBLIC LAW 89-272
CONTRACT NO. CPE R-70-0016
COST: $5,008
PROJECT START: February 1970
PROJECT END: June 1970
CONTRACTOR
John F. Holman & Co., Inc.
1346 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
PROJECT DIRECTOR
John F. Holman
OBJECTIVE: To complete a comprehensive report on the progress of solid
waste management since enactment of the 1965 Solid Waste Disposal Act
(Public Law 89-272). Demand for the information to be contained in this
report has come from Congress, the Bureau, other government agencies,
industry, and the public.
APPROACH: The report will be introduced with a statement of the solid
waste problem. Background information will then be supplied, leading to
a discussion of the 1965 Act itself. The Bureau of Solid Waste Management
will receive detailed coverage. Grants-in-aid programs, contracts, in-
house operations (R&D, technical services, training, information, etc.),
Regional Office activities, and liaison operations with other Federal
agencies will be described.
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STUDY FOR A WORKING PLAN ON "INCENTIVES FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT"
CONTRACT NO. CPE 70-017
COST: $2,492
PROJECT START: January 1970
PROJECT END: March 1970
CONTRACTOR
International Research and
Technology Corporation
1225 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Robert U. Ayres
OBJECTIVE^ To provide a working plan articulating a one-year and a
five-year strategy in regard to regulatory and economic alternatives
that would produce positive changes in solid waste management through
"incentives."
APPROACH: Two action plans will be developed setting forth, respectively,
a one- and a five-year planning program for the development of regulatory
and economic incentives for improving solid waste management. The plans
will concentrate, first, toward increasing reuse of substances or objects
otherwise discarded, and second, to encourage improvement in the form
or characteristics of substances or objects to be discarded, or the cir-
cumstances of their disposition. Priorities will be designated among
the goals to be achieved and the programs for achieving them. Estimates
of time and cost will be developed for each procedure that is identified.
SUMMARY OF PROGRESS: A report, setting forth the one-year and five-year
plans, has been prepared for use by the Bureau.
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INCENTIVES FOR TIRE RECYCLING AND REUSE
CONTRACT NO. CPE R-70-0047
COST: $43,000
PROJECT START: June 1970
PROJECT END: March 1971
CONTRACTOR
International Research and
Technology Corporation
1225 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Robert U. Ayres
OBJECTIVE: To perform a thorough analysis of the total tire cycle,
evaluating separately each major industry segment. Strategies to be
applied to the entire system to improve recycling and reuse will be
developed.
APPROACH: An overall narrative and graphic model of the total tire
cycle will be prepared. A detailed flow and process chart defining
the scope of current operations and techniques will be developed for
each major relevant industry segment. A decision logic approach will
indicate where and by whom key decisions are made. Particular attention
will be paid to barriers that affect decisions related to recycling. A
number of strategies designed to improve recycling will be formulated.
These strategies will have applicability to the total tire system and
may include such factors as economic incentives, regulatory actions,
education, and research and development. Each one will then be evaluated
from an overall model approach so that the best strategy can be selected.
Study will thereafter focus upon administrative and legislative needs
for implementation of the recommendations.
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NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT STUDY-
APPLIANCE INDUSTRY
-THE ELECTRICAL HOME
CONTRACT NO. CPE 69-4
COST: $31,720
PROJECT START: May 1969
PROJECT END: May 1971
CONTRACTOR
Louis Koenig Research
Route 10, Box 108
San Antonio, Tex. 78213
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Louis Koenig
OBJECTIVE: To study and evaluate the solid waste management practices
of the electrical home appliance industry, SIC 363.
APPROACH: Information and data will be collected on the following items
of the electrical home appliance industry on a national basis: (1) total
number of industrial plants, employment, capital value of the plants,
and quantities and types of products produced; (2) past development and
production patterns within the industry indicating present trends, new
technology, and future development; (3) flow diagrams for the basic pro-
duction processes; (4) location of the industries with particular nota-
tion of production centers in the country; (5) identification of the
quantity (weight) and quality (character) of solid waste generated; (6)
correlation of solid waste production with a readily available universal
parameter of the plant; (7) identification and analysis of current storage,
collection, and disposal practices of the industry; (8) amount of money
being spent for storage, collection, treatment, and disposal of solid
waste for the industry; (9) analysis of the future trends of solid waste
management within the industry and factors that might influence them,
such as reuse.
This data and information will be gathered by a literature review and
personal interviews. The final phase of the project will consist of data
evaluation and analysis.
SUMMARY OF PROGRESS: Information was gathered on the total number of
plants, location, employment, capital value, and production. The con-
tractor developed a questionnaire to be used for data collection from
a selected group of establishments, and a sampling (interview) plan.
Liaison was established and support was promised from the Association
of Home Appliance Manufacturers and the Gas Appliance Manufacturing
Association.
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A STUDY OF THE INCENTIVES FOR PLASTIC RECYCLING AND REUSE
CONTRACT NO. CPE R-70-0048
COST: $95,414
PROJECT START: June 1970
PROJECT END: May 1971
CONTRACTOR
Arthur D. Little, Inc.
Acorn Park
Cambridge, Mass. 02140
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Jack Milgrom
OBJECTIVE: To perform a thorough analysis of the entire plastics cycle,
evaluating separately each major industry segment. Strategies for
application to the total system to improve recycling and reuse will
be developed.
APPROACH: An overall narrative and graphic model of the plastics cycle
will be prepared. A detailed flow and process chart defining the scope
of current operations and techniques will be developed for each major
industry segment. A decision logic approach will indicate where and by
whom key decisions are made. Particular attention will be paid to
barriers that affect decisions related to recycling. A number of
strategies designed to imprpve recycling will be formulated. These
strategies will have applicability to the total plastics cycle and may
include economic incentives, regulatory actions, education, research
and development, etc. Each one will then be evaluated from an overall
model approach so that the best strategy can be selected. Study will
thereafter focus upon administrative and legislative needs for imple-
mentation of the recommendations.
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NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT STUDY—THE DRUG INDUSTRY
CONTRACT NO. CPE 69-7
COST: $85,276
PROJECT START: May 1969
PROJECT END: March 1971
CONTRACTOR
Litton Systems, Inc.
Environmental Systems Center
3641 Santa Rosa Road
Camarillo, Calif. 93010
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Ralph Sullivan
OBJECTIVE: To study and evaluate the solid waste management practices
of the drug industry, SIC 283.
APPROACH: Information and data will be collected on the following
items of the drug industry on a national basis: (1) total number of
industrial plants, employment, capital value of the plants, and quanti-
ties and types of products produced; (2) past development and production
patterns within the industry indicating present trends, new technology,
and future development; (3) flow diagrams for the basic production
processes; (4) location of the industries with particular notation of
production centers in the country; (5) identification of the quantity
(weight) and quality (character) of solid waste generated; (6) corre-
lation of solid waste production with a readily available universal
parameter of the plant; (7) identification and analysis of current
storage, collection, and disposal practices of the industry; (8) amount
of money being spent for storage, collection, treatment, and disposal
of solid waste for the industry; (9) analysis of the future trends of
solid waste management within the industry and factors that might in-
fluence them, such as reuse, etc.
All data and information will be gathered by means of a literature re-
view and field interviews. The final phase of this project will be data
analysis and evaluation.
SUMMARY OF PROGRESS: The literature review, numerical structuring of
the plants by SIC groups, and statistical sample sizing for field in-
terviews were completed. Liaison was established with the Pharmaceutical
Manufacturers Association and, with their assistance, a draft of the
questionnaire was developed. The field interview format was tested at
three plants and revised. About 50 percent (16) of the plant interviews
have been completed. Case study style write-ups have been prepared on
all visits. Information will show solid waste quantities, types, and
management practices. The individual plant studies, together with data
about the industry, will be the basis for the final report. A prelimi-
nary draft of the final report is due in December 1970.
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PILOT DATA ACQUISITION AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
CONTRACT NO. CPE 70-131
COST: $67,845
PROJECT START: June 1970
PROJECT END: June 1971
CONTRACTOR
Martin Marietta Corporation
Orlando Division
P.O. Box 5837
Orlando, Fla. 32805
PROJECT DIRECTOR
James Gillean
OBJECTIVE: To develop a pilot-scale data network in order to test and
evaluate alternative data acquisition and analysis systems, thus providing
a foundation for the implementation of a complete network. The data
processing system will analyze and report the information that it re-
ceives as input, with computer programs remaining flexible so that
modifications and new requirements can be easily included.
APPROACH: Data of five types (legislation, administration and manage-
ment, solid waste generation, characterization, and solid waste manage-
ment systems) will be considered. The contractor and Bureau personnel
will gather data of the last three types from at least one, and not more
than three, Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas. Forms, procedures,
and sampling schemes will be developed. Solid waste will be separated
into the following categories: metal products, glass products, paper
products, food wastes, textiles, plastics, rubber, leather, wood, yard
wastes, and inerts. Output definition will be initiated in three
areas: generation and characterization, collection, and disposal. The
computer programs to be developed will be compatible with the IBM 360-50
system and, in general, with computer systems accepting punch card and
magnetic tape inputs.
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ECONOMIC STUDY OF SALVAGE MARKETS FOR COMMODITIES ENTERING THE SOLID
WASTE STREAM
CONTRACT NO. CPE 69-3
COST: $123,331
PROJECT START: May 1969
PROJECT END: February 1971
CONTRACTOR
Midwest Research Institute
425 Volker Boulevard
Kansas City, Mo. 64110
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Arsen J. Darnay, Jr.
OBJECTIVE: To provide an economic evaluation of the marketing of recover-
able solid waste material.
APPROACH: The contractor will define, evaluate, and project the markets
for recoverable solid waste materials. An investigation of the market
prospects for materials recovered or reclaimed from solid wastes will
emphasize three major areas: the structural framework of the market;
the influence of prices, price differential, and price volatility on
market prospects; and an assessment of the quantitative requirements for
recoverable materials. Within municipal operations, data will be sought
on salvage quantities, revenue, and costs of present operations. The
secondary material markets, including the roles of private enterprise
and of nonprofit organizations, will be researched. The technical
processes available or required for the separation, recovery, or prep-
aration for resale or reuse will be reviewed. Paper, metals, glass
and ceramics, organic materials, and several miscellaneous items will
be examined in detail. The study will concentrate in four regional
markets and 10 cities.
The contract was amended to provide for two interim reports on special
aspects of recycling for Bureau guidance in preparing internal decision
documents on possible legislative recommendations. The two areas covered
were beverage containers and paper products. The amendment provided
additional funds and an extension of time. A further time extension was
given to cover the new standard Bureau review procedures.
SUMMARY OF PROGRESS: The two interim reports referred to above were
completed in April 1970. All field and research work called for under
the contract is complete, and the main report in preliminary draft form
has been submitted. A questionnaire to elicit information for a catalog
of municipal salvage operations was mailed out in August 1970 to mayors
of cities of 10,000 and over, and the results will be recorded in an
appendix to the report.
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SOLID WASTE RESEARCH IN THE APPLICATION OF ONSITE REFUSE STORAGE,
COLLECTION, AND REDUCTION SYSTEM FOR HIGH-RISE RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES
CONTRACT NO. PH 86-67-167
COST: $148,500
PROJECT START: March 1970
PROJECT END: March 1971
CONTRACTOR
National Academy of Sciences
Building Research Advisory Board
Division of Engineering
2101 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20418
PROJECT DIRECTOR
William A. Cosby
OBJECTIVE: To continue the study and evaluation of equipment and tech-
niques for handling solid wastes from high-rise multifamily structures.
Concurrent investigation of three concepts for handling and processing
of refuse located close to the source of waste will be made. These are:
incineration, compaction, and wet pulverization.
APPROACH: Collection of data and assessments will include the following:
(1) quantity and composition of refuse generated by tenants both before
and after processing by the newly installed refuse-handling equipment;
(2) quantity and composition of waste flowing through the building sewer
line of one test structure in terms of volume and such factors as pH,
solids, phosphates, nitrogen, BOD, COD, etc.; (3) inhabitants1 ages and
numbers; (4) costs associated with newly installed equipment including
capital investment and operating, maintenance, general, and administra-
tive costs; (5) environmental conditions associated with newly installed
equipment such as its contribution to air pollution, vermin and insect
infestation, odor level, noise level, contribution to building sewer line,
and to the aesthetic level of the conditions maintained; (6) equipment
effectiveness, requirements, and limitations.
In addition, a survey will be conducted within several municipalities
of the nation to obtain: (1) additional data for evaluation and compari-
son with the results obtained from investigations at the test site under
this contract; (2) an inventory of equipment now in use or available for
onsite handling of refuse.
SUMMARY OF PROGRESS: The Public Housing Authority, New Haven, Connecticut,
has permitted the use of three high-rise multifamily structures for the
purpose of carrying out the field laboratory research. The following
systems have been installed: an incinerator system in one structure,
a system of the compactor type in a second structure, and a wet pulverizer
system in a third structure. Preliminary plans are being prepared for
investigations to be carried out, first without the use of garbage grinders
and then with garbage grinders.
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DEVELOPMENT OF A DIGEST OF EXISTING MUNICIPAL, COUNTY, AND REGIONAL SOLID
WASTE MANAGEMENT ORDINANCES AND A MODEL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE
CONTRACT NO. CPE 69-114
COST: $35,024
PROJECT START: June 1969
PROJECT END: September 1970
CONTRACTOR
National Association of Counties
Research Foundation
1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Mel D. Powell
OBJECTIVE: To prepare a digest of 100 local ordinances to enable politi-
cal, legal, and technical personnel to understand and compare a variety
of approaches to solid waste management. A model solid waste ordinance
will be developed to serve as a guide to good practice so that cities
and counties can make their own decisions by comparing the examples and
the model.
APPROACH: The contractor will collect approximately 400 city, county,
and regional ordinances from various sources. These will be categorized
according to focus of regulation, i.e., collection, storage, disposal,
or all three. A balance will be maintained among ordinances regulating
privately and publicly operated systems, covering rural, suburban, and
urban areas, and among the various States. The 100-ordinance digest will
illustrate the following major areas: (1) general statement of policy
and purpose, along with definitions; (2) location and extent of admini-
stration responsibility; (3) legislative scope; (4) provision for enforce-
ment.
A model ordinance will be developed and formulated to identify essential
characteristic elements. Its format will parallel that of the digest.
SUMMARY OF PROGRESS: The digest of ordinances is complete and has been
typed on tape for delivery in September 1970. A draft of the model local
ordinance was furnished in April 1970 for guidance to the Bureau in pre-
paring a model for publication.
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CONFERENCE ON THE USE AND DISPOSAL OF SINGLE-USE ITEMS IN HEALTH CARE
FACILITIES
CONTRACT NO. CPE 69-102
COST: $5,175*
PROJECT START: October 1968
PROJECT END: May 1969
CONTRACTOR
National Sanitation Foundation
2355 West Stadium Boulevard
P.O. Box 1468
Ann Arbor, Mich. 48106
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Tom S. Gable
OBJECTIVE: To define problems in the use and disposal of single-use items
in hospitals, laboratories, professional offices, and similar health care
facilities and present possible solutions.
APPROACH: A conference was held at the National Sanitation Foundation,
Ann Arbor, Michigan, to review the entire matter of the project objec-
tives. Existing laws and regulations and the literature pertaining to
single-use items were reviewed and compiled. The conference reviewed
the various types of single-use items presently in use.
SUMMARY OF PROGRESS: The conferees were public health and other regula-
tion officials; representatives from hospitals and other health care
facilities; manufacturers of single-use items, Pharmaceuticals, and pack-
aging materials; and others having a special knowledge of single-use items
or of their use and disposal.
During the conference, sessions having representation from each group
or discipline were held to discuss their interrelationship to the problems
and possible solutions for disposal of single-use items in health care
facilities.
*Total cost was $20,700. Additional financial support:
$5,175 Health Facilities Planning and Construction Service, U.S. Public
Health Service
10,350 Manufacturers of Single-Use Items, Containers, and Packaging
Materials
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HEAVY-EQUIPMENT CONTRACT FOR FIELD EVALUATION OF SANITARY LANDFILL
TECHNIQUES
CONTRACT NO. CPE 70-104
COST: $19,920
PROJECT START: January 1970
PROJECT END: December 1972
CONTRACTOR
Northern Kentucky Sanitation
Company
P.O. Box 126
Walton, Ky. 41094
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Fred Stallard
OBJECTIVE: To provide the heavy equipment required for: the construc-
tion and maintenance of roads; the necessary excavation, compaction, and
covering during the periodic construction of test cells; all site prep-
aration for the facilities necessary for the operation of a land disposal
research site.
APPROACH: The contractor will provide the equipment and operators for
the construction of an access road, test cells of waste, and other
facilities necessary for the operation of a land disposal research
site. All planning and supervision of construction will be done by
the staff of the Land Disposal Section, Division of Research and Develop-
ment, Bureau of Solid Waste Management (BSWM) . Property leased by the
Government from the contractor will be used.
The work will be done by the contractor at times mutually agreeable to
the contractor and the Government representative. The contractor will
also provide services in the case of fire or other emergency occurrences
within a reasonable period of time.
During the period of the contract, BSWM staff will be conducting research
studies to develop basic design criteria for sanitary landfills. This
contract provides for the heavy equipment necessary in the construction
and operation of the facility.
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A STUDY OF THE COST/BENEFIT RELATIONSHIPS IN SOLID WASTE LITTER
CONTRACT NO. CPE 70-123
COST: $38,491
PROJECT START: June 1970
PROJECT END: October 1971
CONTRACTOR
Resource Management Corporation
7315 Wisconsin Avenue
Bethesda, Md. 20014
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Robert Davis
OBJECTIVE: To collect and document available information and data on
solid waste litter. Conclusions on the magnitude of the costs and
benefits associated with such litter will suggest areas of highest
payoff for further analysis. Protocol development for a complete study
of this type will also be performed.
APPROACH: First, a literature survey with documentation will be prepared.
This will include a secondary source search in selected Federal and State
agencies with particular attention to collection costs, quantities, and
property values. After an overview of costs and benefits has been made,
the relevant data will be tabulated and reduced. Conclusions will then
be drawn on the magnitude of costs and benefits associated with litter.
Finally, recommendations and a protocol development for a complete study
will be prepared.
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DEVELOPMENT OF A PROCEDURE FOR THE EVALUATION AND COMPARISON OF
SANITARY LANDFILL EQUIPMENT
CONTRACT NO. CPE 70-116
COST: $25,000
PROJECT START: June 1970
PROJECT END: June 1971
CONTRACTOR
SCS Engineers
4014 Long Beach Boulevard
Long Beach, Calif. 90807
PROJECT DIRECTOR
E. T, Conrad
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this contract is to develop a detailed set of
procedures whereby various pieces of sanitary landfill equipment can be
evaluated. There will be no actual evaluation or comparison in this
study.
APPROACH: A complete equipment and accessory catalog will be developed,
as well as a listing of the various combinations of equipment that can
be studied. Price information and a wide range of equipment sizes will
be included. Tasks and relevant field conditions for sanitary landfill
operations will be investigated, with particular attention paid to
operating characteristics necessary for defined tasks. Economic factors
will also be considered.
From this information, detailed instructions and forms for equipment
evaluation will be prepared. The costs of the proposed testing program
will be estimated. In addition, the contractor will compile a list of
organizations capable of performing the equipment evaluations and
comparisons.
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INVESTIGATION OF NECESSARY CONDITIONS FOR PROPER DECONTAMINATION AND
COMBUSTION OF ORGANIC PESTICIDES AND PESTICIDE CONTAINERS
CONTRACT NO. CPE 69-140 CONTRACTOR
Foster D. Snell, Inc.
29 West 15th Street
New York, N.Y. 10011
COST: $34,251
PROJECT START: June 1969 PROJECT DIRECTOR
PROJECT END: April 1970 M. S. Weinberg
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the necessary conditions for proper decontami-
nation and combustion of organic pesticides by investigating (1) selected
oxidizers and combustible binding agents, and (2) combustion character-
istics and requirements for container composition.
APPROACH: Each mixture of pesticide and selected combustion aid will be
investigated to determine the temperature and rate at which it burns.
Combustion gases from this procedure will be examined for degree of con-
version to carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water, and intermediate
organics. Also, binding agents will be applied to such mixtures prior
to combustion to test for prevention of mechanical entrainment of the
pesticide in the flame convection currents.
Combustion temperatures and characteristics, including completeness of
consumption, for common container types will be determined. Based on
these studies, requirements for combustible pesticide containers will be
developed.
Work done under this contract will be coordinated with and augmented by
work being done at Mississippi State and Oregon State Universities.
SUMMARY OF PROGRESS: A report entitled, "Organic Pesticides and Pesticide
Containers, A Study of Their Decontamination and Combustion" has been
submitted in fulfillment of the contract. It includes tables and figures
which characterize the combustion studies performed on some nine rep-
resentative pesticides. Based on this data, a method of packaging pest-
icides was recommended so that safe disposal by combustion would be
possible. It was suggested that pesticides be packaged in some combus-
tible material using polyethylene as an inner liner. The polyethylene
acts as a binder to ensure that the flame residence time is long enough
for total combustion of the pesticide. Information from the report is
available through the Bureau Office of Information.
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EFFECTIVENESS OF CHAR PRODUCED FROM SOLID WASTES AS AN ADSORPTION
MEDIUM
CONTRACT NO. CPE 70-129
COST: $38,310
PROJECT START: June 1970
PROJECT END: November 1971
CONTRACTOR
The Board of Trustees
Stanford University
Room 239, Encina Hall
Stanford, Calif. 94503
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Rolf Eliassen
OBJECTIVE: Char produced from municipal solid wastes will be character-
ized in terms of parameters now used to describe activated carbon. Such
char will be evaluated in terms of its effectiveness as an adsorption
medium. The economic feasibility of solid waste char utilization versus
alternative methods of treatment will be investigated.
APPROACH: Char from solid wastes will be characterized on a laboratory
scale using parameters currently employed for activated carbon. New
parameters and methods will also be developed. The effectiveness of
char produced from solid waste of varying composition, with and without
activation, will be investigated. Process design data will be developed
from laboratory and literature data. The economic feasibility analysis
will be based upon laboratory data related to production, activation and
reactivation handling, utilization, storage, and ultimate disposal costs,
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NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT STUDY—THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
CONTRACT NO. CPE 69-5
COST: $113,000 (estimated)
PROJECT START: May 1969
PROJECT END: April 1971
CONTRACTOR
The Travelers Research Corporation
210 Washington Street
Hartford, Conn. 06106
PROJECT DIRECTOR
John E. Yocom
OBJECTIVE: To study and evaluate the solid waste management practices of
the industrial chemical industry, SIC 281.
APPROACH: Information and data will be collected on the following items
of the industrial chemical industry on a national basis: (1) total
number of industrial plants, employment, capital value of the plants,
and quantities and types of products produced; {2) past development and
production patterns within the industry indicating present trends, new
technology, and future development; (3) flow diagrams for the basic
production processes; (4) location of the industries, with particular
notation of production centers in the country; (5) identification of
the quantity (weight) and the quality (character) of solid waste gener-
ated; (6) correlation of solid waste production with a readily available
universal parameter of the plant; (7) identification and analysis of current
storage, collection, and disposal practices of the industry; (8) amount
of money being spent for storage, collection, treatment, and disposal
of solid waste for the industry; (9) analysis of the future trends of
solid waste management within the industry, and factors that might in-
fluence them, such as reuse, etc.
The data and information will be gathered by a literature review, a
questionnaire mailed to a selected group of industrial plants, and field
interviews. The final phase of the project will consist of data evalua-
tion and analysis.
SUMMARY OF PROGRESS: The survey portion has been completed; 28 plant visits
were conducted and 250 replies to the mail-out questionnaire contained
useful data. Preliminary analyses have been made as well as summaries showing
coverage and data layouts. Information on the industry, its process, and its
solid waste management practices will be drawn together with the quantitative
data from the survey and plant visits to form the final report. A preliminary
draft of the final is scheduled to be submitted in January 1971.
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AN INVESTIGATION OF THE BIODEGRADABILITY OF PLASTICS
CONTRACT NO. CPE 70-124
COST: $75,803
PROJECT START: June 1970
PROJECT END: November 1971
CONTRACTOR
Union Carbide Corporation
270 Park Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10017
PROJECT DIRECTOR
J. E. Potts
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of molecular weight, end-group com-
position, and polymer chain structure on biodegradability, and to
determine the utility of the polymers containing biodegradable structures
as packaging materials.
APPROACH: A series of samples of low- and high-density polyethylene,
polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride will be synthesized and screened
for biodegradability. A similar series of samples with metabolically
active end groups on each polymer chain will be screened and evaluated
for commercial applicability.
The contractor will also investigate the development of biodegradable
plastics containing mixtures of blocks, some of which are segments of
polyethylene or polystyrene and some of which are structural units that
are easily biodegraded. The latter will, in some instances, be biode-
gradable molecules acting as linking agents.
In addition, high molecular weight polymer samples will be pressed into
plaques from which specimens will be cut and tested for degradation by
fungi and bacteria.
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DEVELOPMENT OF A SOLID WASTE PREDICTION MODEL
CONTRACT NO. CPE 70-117
COST: $134,700
PROJECT START: May 1970
PROJECT END: October 1971
CONTRACTOR
URS Research Corporation
155 Bovet Road
San Mateo, Calif. 94402
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Myron B. Hawkins
OBJECTIVE: To develop and test a model for predicting the characteristics
and quantities of solid wastes from commercial establishments, and to
complete the development, programming, and testing of the residential
waste prediction model produced under a previous study (Contract No.
PH 86-68-97). This knowledge will enable sanitary engineers, public
health officials, and others concerned with solid waste management to
plan for future collection and disposal requirements.
APPROACH: The types and magnitude of the problems of solid waste genera-
tion in various commercial activities will be obtained by interviews,
correspondence, and discussions with managers of actual establishments,
refuse collectors, dump operators, investigators, representatives of
trade associations, manufacturers, and personnel of the Bureau of Solid
Waste Management. Information will also be obtained from a review of
studies of waste disposal operations and by means of rapid surveys in-
volving personal observations of scrap piles, waste containers, etc.
Program development and model testing will include the following services:
(1) identify sources and available detail of information regarding size,
type, and location of various commercial establishments; (2) analyze data
and develop a usable set of commercial activities that will be considered
in the prediction model; (3) for each selected activity, develop a pre-
liminary, semiquantitative material input-output waste model; (4) conduct
investigations, surveys, and measurements to determine various critical
factors and coefficients necessary to relate the size of the activity to
the amount of each waste component generated; (5) collect, compile, and
analyze information on changes in technology and practice that will
affect waste generation by commercial activities, and develop modified
waste generation coefficients; (6) adapt the general waste prediction
model to handle the wastes generated by commercial activities that are
found to be contributors; (7) establish computation specifications and
develop computer programs for the commercial model; (8) assemble stand-
ard data blanks for the commercial model, and collect, evaluate, and
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collate as many standard activity and commodity descriptions as are perti-
nent to the test area, while converting data to the appropriate computer
format; and (9) select a test area for the commercial waste study, run
the waste prediction model for the test area, and evaluate results.
The following tasks relating to the residential solid waste prediction
model are to be performed: (1) to conduct a statistical analysis on the
significance of various parameters of the LIFE data (and the supporting
source data) to provide bases for decisions on the selection of basic
evaluation factors; (2) to review in detail the results of the earlier
work on the residential waste reduction model (under Contract PH 86-68-97)
and to establish the design of the short-residence-time (SRI) residential
waste model; (3) to investigate data sources, analyze information, and
complete the development of the SRT residential model; and (4) to investi-
gate data and information sources, analyze possible approaches, and estab-
lish the detailed format of handling future waste in the residential model,
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DEVELOP A DETAILED PLAN FOR HYDRAULIC TRANSPORT OF SHREDDED SOLID WASTES
VIA PIPELINE
CONTRACT NO. CPE 70-132
COST: $17,373
PROJECT START: June 1970
PROJECT END: May 1971
CONTRACTOR
The Western Company
Research Division
2201 North Waterview Parkway
Richardson, Tex. 75080
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Gerald D. Hartsell
OBJECTIVE: To develop a detailed plan for the economic feasibility of
transporting shredded refuse via pipeline.
APPROACH: This project is the first phase of a three-phase research
program. Continuation into succeeding Phases II and III will depend on
the results and recommendations generated from the first phase. Phase !_._
Study and Design. The initial effort will be to estimate equipment and
testing costs as well as to outline a scope of work so that Phases II and
III can be awarded on a competitive basis.
Phase II. Construction and Startup. The middle phase will entail the
purchasing, fabrication, erection, and testing of all equipment and sub-
mittal of a detailed research plan with dates, accomplishments, and
other scheduled activities to be used in Phase III.
Phase III. Test and Analyses. The final effort will provide the data
upon which the accompanying recommendations and conclusions will be based.
Phase I will consist of: (1) review of other programs and data that have
been generated to take advantage of available information and to prevent
duplication of effort; (2) development of a plan for awarding a contract
on a competitive basis to study three transport systems—water and slurry
pressure system, water and capsule pressure system, and water and slurry
gravity system; (3) design of test apparatus and compilation of a list
of materials to provide maximum data for an economic and uncomplicated
operation; (4) economic analysis, comparing a typical pipeline trans-
portation system for a city with a typical refuse truck transfer trans-
portation system; and (5) preparation of a final report containing all data,
program plans, designs, and economic analyses of the processes and their
future potential for solving a major transport problem of solid waste
management.
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