SEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5305)
EPA530-N-94-004
Summer 1994
REUSABLE
NEWS
EPA Employees
Pledge To
"Break the
Paper Chain!"
EPA is no different from
any other office in terms
of the amount of paper it
uses—too much. Paper makes
up about 38 percent of all mu-
nicipal solid waste (MSW) be-
fore recycling. Office paper is
the third largest category of
paper waste, after corrugated
cardboard and newspapers. To
reduce the amount of paper it
uses, EPA has launched the
Paper-Less Office Campaign.
While recycling is already a
way of life at EPA, focusing on
reducing paper waste on the
job will help EPA employees
follow the Agency's own solid
waste management hierarchy,
which makes waste preven-
tion the top priority.
On Earth Day, EPA Admin-
istrator Carol Browner kicked
off the Paper-Less Office
(Continued on page 2)
IN THIS ISSUE
Truth in Environmental Advertising •
Steel Recycling CANpaign Waste
Prevention Information Exchange •
Recycling Whiz Wins Westinghouse Award
• EPA Program Sustains the
Environment and Economy •
Perspectives on Flow Control •
Recycling Hotline • WTE Ash
The Greening of
the White House
In March, less than a year after
announcing that the White House
should be a symbol of a clean en-
vironment, President Clinton un-
veiled the first Action Plan for his
project, "The Greening of the White
House." The initial phase of the
"Greening" project, which will
serve as a model for government,
businesses, and households, con-
sists of 50 practical steps that the
White House is taking to cut waste,
improve energy efficiency, and save
money.
The 50 actions were proposed by
a team of experts who performed an
energy and environmental "audit"
of the White House and the Old Ex-
ecutive Office Building (OEOB). The
team included EPA employees, as
well as representatives from other
federal agencies and the District of
Columbia government. The actions
that the team recommended and the
White House adopted range from in-
stalling energy-efficient lighting to
minimizing pesticide use, and in-
clude several model initiatives for
preventing waste, recycling, com-
posting, and buying recycled.
Preventing waste. An internal
source-reduction policy will be es-
tablished for workers at the
Executive Complex, which includes
both the White House and the
OEOB. This policy will set forth
guidelines for reducing paper con-
sumption, using durable products,
and conserving office supplies, in
addition to encouraging greater use
of electronic communications such
as paperless electronic mail and fax-
ing. The source-reduction policy
will mesh well with ongoing efforts
(Continued on page 2)
"We're going to identify what it takes to
make the White House a model for efficiency
and waste reduction, and then we're going to
get the job done.... Before I ask you to do the
best you can in your house, I ought to make
sure I'm doing the best I can in my house."
President Clinton
Reusable News is printed with soy/canola ink on paper that contains at least 50 percent recycled fiber.
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The Greening of the White House
(Continued from page 1)
to maintain the historical significance and grandeur of
the Executive Complex. For example, when repairs or
maintenance are needed at the White House, contractors
currently remove and restore existing building materi-
als, rather than purchase new materials. This is precisely
the sort of practice that the internal source-reduction
policy will encourage.
Recycling. Under the Action Plan, steps will be taken
to improve and increase recycling throughout the Execu-
tive Complex. Outreach and education for staff will
boost existing recycling efforts. New collection bins will
be more prominently placed, and OEOB management
will collect polystyrene dishes and utensils from the
cafeteria for recycling. (Eventually, the cafeteria might
move to reusable, nondisposable dishware.) A house-
hold battery collection program for employees also will
be added. Finally, in the Living Quarters of the White
House, the First Family received recycling bins—and
began using them—in February.
Composting. The 18 acres of gardens and lawns sur-
rounding the White House are extensive and constantly
maintained, making yard trimmings a major component of
the Executive Complex's waste stream. To manage these
materials, the groundskeeping staff is already practicing
"grasscycling" (leaving grass trimmings on the lawn as
mulch instead of raking, bagging, and tossing them). In
addition, the use of offsite composting facilities to handle
yard trimmings and other organic wastes will be ex-
panded.
Buying recycled. President Clinton's running track,
which is composed of rubber recovered from used tires
and windshield wipers, is a well-known part of White
House efforts to encourage "Buying Recycled." To stimu-
late markets for recyclables and encourage recovery of
materials, staff at the Executive Complex will fully com-
ply with Executive Order 12873, which directs agencies
to purchase recycled paper with at least 20 percent
postconsumer content. Staff also will purchase addi-
tional supplies made from recovered materials
whenever possible, using the guidance of EPA's pro-
posed Comprehensive Procurement Guideline.
Cleaner government, better government. The
Greening of the White House will help President Clinton
meet one of his major goals: proving that cleaner gov-
ernment and better government are synonymous. The
President has made it clear that all actions taken under
this project to protect the environment must also save
taxpayers money. In addition, many of the Greening
projects will enhance worker health and productivity
(e.g., through innovations such as time-saving electronic
mail and reduced-glare lighting). As such, the Greening of
the White House will serve as a practical model for people
across the nation who are ready to make economical
environmental changes in their households and busi-
nesses.
For more information on the Greening of the White
House, contact Brian Johnson of the White House Office
on Environmental Policy at 202 456-6224.1
EPA Employees Pledge To "Break the Paper Chain!"
(Continued from page 1)
Campaign by asking all EPA employees to join her in taking a pledge
to reduce paper use.
Employees can fulfill this pledge by following basic paper-
conserving techniques such as two-sided copying and use of
electronic communications. The Campaign also encourages each of
EPA's 47 offices and laboratories to adopt a specific strategy for paring
down paper use. Many ideas are being tested, from purging mailing
lists of duplicates and old entries to using paperless electronic mail
instead of distributing "hard" copies of interoffice memos. Progress
will be measured by tracking the number of monthly photocopy
impressions logged by each office and by the number of employees in
each office who pledge to participate.
The 1994 goal of the campaign is to reduce Agency wide paper
consumption by 15 percent. If that goal is achieved, EPA Headquar-
ters alone will save up to 21 million sheets of paper and over
$ 100,000! Each year EPA will continue to identify new waste reduc-
tion challenges and to set higher goals for itself. EPA hopes that the
Paper-Less Office Campaign will not only reduce paper consumption
internally, but also serve as a model for other federal agencies and
private firms.
EPA Administrator Carol Browner gets some help
"breaking the paper chain" on Earth Day.
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FTC Enforces Truth in Environmental Advertising
The Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) is on the lookout for mis-
leading messages about the envi-
ronmental impact of products and
packages. Since 1990, FTC has been
identifying manufacturers that incor-
rectly claim their products are ozone-
friendly, environmentally safe,
biodegradable, compostable, recy-
cled, or recyclable. To date, over 25
companies making unsubstantiated
environmental marketing claims
about their products have faced legal
action.
FTC issued a set of principles and
examples as guidelines on environ-
mental advertising and marketing to set
the standard for environmental claims.
Developed in 1992 with the help of
EPA, the guidelines are designed to pro-
vide consumers with accurate
information when making environ-
mental purchasing decisions. The
guidelines are also intended to provide
marketers with clear instructions for
making valid environmental claims.
Even though the guidelines are not law,
they reflect FTC's interpretation of the
Federal Trade Commission Act, which
prohibits deceptive practices affecting
commerce. By adhering to the guide-
lines, companies can avoid making
false or deceptive claims.
The guidelines cover recyclability
and recycled content in detail. Unless a
product or package is made from 100
percent recycled material, the amount
of recycled material contained in the
product or package must be identified.
Similarly, claims of recyclability
should be qualified to address the lim-
ited availability of recycling programs,
unless collection sites exist for a sub-
stantial majority of consumers.
Next year, FTC will review the
guidelines to ensure that they evolve
along with manufacturing techniques
and environmental advertising prac-
tices. As part of the review process,
FTC plans to open the guidelines to
public comment. To get involved or
for more information, contact Mike
Dershowitzof FTC at202 326-3158, or
Robin Moran of EPA at 202 260-5066
to obtain a copy of the FTC guidelines
or written information.®
FTC Actions
Following are examples of FTC
actions against dubious recy-
clable/recycled content
product claims:
A fast-food company was cited
for claims concerning the
recyclability of its paper food
containers. The paper displayed
the three chasing arrows symbol,
as well as the word "recyclable."
However, since very few facilities
accept food-contaminated paper
for recycling, most consumers
cannot recycle this packaging.
A manufacturer of a cellulose
adhesive tape was challenged for
a hard plastic dispenser and
paperboard backcard labeled
"biodegradable" tape and
"recyclable packaging." Although
the tape dispenser and
backcard are capable of being
recycled, most consumers cannot
recycle them because only a few
collection facilities nation-
wide accept the nonfoam
polystyrene dispenser and
noncorrugated paperboard
package. In addition, the tape
does not meet FTC's definition of
biodegradability since, after
ordinary use, it does not
completely break down and
return to nature within a
reasonably short period.
In both cases, companies promptly
agreed to change their claims to
prevent consumer deception.
Pay - As -You -Tnr ow:
There's a new trend
in communities today. Citizens are paying tor trash
services based on the amount or waste they generate. The
less they toss, the less they pay. (And the less waste that
cities and towns must manage.)
To rind out
if pay-as-you-throw could make sense in your community,
call the RCRA Hotline at 800-424-9346 and ask for
EPA's free guide entitled Pay-As-You-Throw: Lessons
Learned Alout Unit Pricing (EPA530-R-94-004).
It's Makingf Cents
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Steel Recycling
CANpaign
Opened
The Steel Recycling Institute (SRI) is
offering to recycling programs across
the country a high-impact media
"CANpaign" designed to get the word out on the
recyclability of steel cans.
The Steel Recycling CANpaign is targeted at
recycling programs that need assistance with
their public education efforts. It provides flex-
ible, creative outreach materials, as well as a me-
dia kit containing tips on free media outlets and
marketing tools. SRI hopes that this effort to sup-
port community education will translate into
increased steel recycling rates nationwide.
Many community recycling programs collect ^
steel cans, and steel boasts an impressive "
industry-wide recycling rate. But with im-
proved public information, even more steel can be recov-
ered. For example, some consumers think that tin cans are
not recyclable even though most tin cans are primarily
composed of recyclable steel. In addition, some consumers
do not know that properly emptied and prepared aerosol
and paint cans can be recycled in many communities.
Most of the CANpaign materials are made from reused or
recycled materials and/or designed to be recycled. Posters
are printed on the back of government surplus maps, televi-
sion public service announcements are made up of old film
clips, and press materials are packaged in a recycled steel
box. The campaign also features bus posters, billboards, and
radio advertisements. A common focus of these materials is
teaching consumers to identify steel products that can be
recycled.
In addition to providing CANpaign materials to commu-
nity recycling programs, SRI is also helping communities
across the country organize recycling campaigns. To do this,
SRI brings together organizations that can donate personnel
and help secure press time, such as local governments,
businesses, and media sources. For example, SRI is cur-
rently working with the Washington, DC, Council of
Governments, federal agencies such as EPA, and large busi-
nesses in the Washington, DC, area to launch a local
CANpaign that will start in September. SRI has supported
over 25 similar CANpaigns this year; one in Ventura County,
California, resulted in a 21 -percent increase in the amount
of steel collected by the County's recycling program.
SRI is an industry-sponsored association with the mis-
sion of promoting and sustaining steel recycling in the
United States. For more information on the Steel Recycling
CANpaign, write to the Steel Recycling Institute, Public
Service Program, 680 Andersen Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15220-
2700, or call 800 876-7274.1
Information Exchange
Acts as Waste Prevention
Switchboard
Did you ever wish you had instant access
to information on waste prevention
methods? The California Integrated
Waste Management Board has established an
information exchange service to collect and
distribute materials in the ever-changing
world of waste prevention. The "Info Ex-
change" is a free service that provides assis-
tance to government agencies, professional
associations, industry, small businesses, citi-
zen groups, and other interested parties on
all aspects of waste prevention.
The Info Exchange currently covers more
than 200 waste prevention topics and can
offer information such as:
• Waste assessments, case studies, and
money-saving tips for businesses.
• Guides, handbooks, and household hints
for consumers.
• Program ideas for local, state, and federal
governments.
• Lists and case studies of materials ex-
changes.
• Instructions on backyard composting, xer-
iscaping (dry climate landscaping), and
other organic methods.
• Information on aseptic packaging, wire-
bound boxes, and alternative packaging.
• Analysis of waste reduction and program
effectiveness.
The Info Exchange's database contains
hundreds of documents, including articles,
case studies, reports, and sample outreach
materials. Just call, fax, or send electronic
mail to the Info Exchange with your informa-
tion request, and include your name,
address, and phone number. Out-of-state re-
quests will be handled as staff time permits.
In addition to distributing materials, the
Info Exchange is seeking new materials. If
you've completed a project and have meas-
urable results or lessons to share with others,
contact the Info Exchange. Send materials
to Waste Prevention Info Exchange, c/o
Kathy Frevert, 8800 Cal Center Drive, Sac-
ramento, CA 95826; call 916 255-INFO; fax
916 255-2220; or send electronic mail on
Internet to kfrevert@wpe.ciwmb.ca.gov. B
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"Taking Action" is a Reusable News feature that spotlights the everyday efforts of individuals to reduce, reuse, and
recycle in the home, office, and community. If you know of anyone who has made an innovative contribution to meeting the munici-
pal solid waste challenge, but not as part of an environmental profession, please write to John Leigh, Reusable News, Office of Solid
Waste, U.S. EPA (5305), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460.
Recycling Whiz
Takes Top
Prize in High-
Stakes Science
Competition
A;
budding recycling engineer
won first place in the prestig-
ious Westinghouse Science
Talent Search. Forrest Anderson,
who was a senior at Helena High
School in Helena, Montana, at the
time of the competition, designed
and built a system that breaks down
plastics into their original chemical
elements, which can then be recov-
ered and reused. The project earned
the 18-year-old a $40,000 college scholarship.
Anderson's system is designed to address one of the
major challenges associated with plastics recycling: the
need for source separation. Most recyclers must sort
plastics before beginning the decomposition and recov-
ery process because different types of plastics often break
down into incompatible by-products. Anderson's inno-
vative system combines two methods of plastics recovery
to yield usable, uniform products.
The first technology used in Anderson's system is a
common method of recovering plastics called thermal
decomposition. This technology melts plastic into a
broad range of gases, liquids, and solids (e.g., waxes,
greases, and oils). The second technology, catalytic de-
composition, further breaks down solids into a narrow
range of liquids and gases. By combining the two proc-
esses, Anderson is able to decompose mixed plastics into
useful, consistent products that can be refined into fuel
or recovered into new plastic resins.
Anderson believes that his system could prove invalu-
able to smaller communities that want to recover
Forrest Anderson, winner of the Westinghouse Science Talent Search.
plastics. "Because it can process mixed plastics and even
handle most contamination from labels and leftover
food, this operation could save small municipalities the
cost of running a sorting facility," he said. "In addition,
it is compact enough that it could be mounted on a trailer
and moved between recycling sites."
Although the project took two years for Anderson to
complete, he has not spent all his high school days
laboring in a laboratory. In fact, Anderson also has man-
aged to rank first in his class of 318 and to captain the
wrestling and cross-country teams. He plans to bring his
wide range of talents to Harvard University this fall,
where he will study chemistry, physics, or psychology.
The Westinghouse Talent Search is the nation's oldest
high school science competition. Five of its past finalists
have gone on to win Nobel Prizes, and nine have received
MacArthur Foundation Fellowships. This year's winners
were chosen from a field of over 1,500 entries. The 40
finalists, who shared $205,000 in scholarship money,
traveled to Washington, DC, in March to present their
projects to a panel of eight distinguished scientists.Jl
5
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EPA is proud to introduce "Recover America" a new program designed to bolster waste prevention and recycling in the
United States. Recover America consists of two companion initiatives: "Recycling Means Business" and "Waste
Prevention Pays." These initiatives seek to shift our reliance on a society that is resource- and energy-intensive to one
that reuses and recycles materials to the fullest extent possible. EPA is conducting a number of activities under each
initiative, ranging from "Jobs Through Recycling," which will help create jobs in the recycling industry (see Reusable News,
Spring 1994), to" WasteWi$e," which challenges American companies to reduce waste, recycle, and buy or manufacture materials made
with recycled content (see update on opposite page). Watch future issues of Reusable News to learn more about the exciting new
activities being launched under Recover America.
EPA's New
Recycling
Strategy
Breaks Down
Market
Barriers
Over 6,600 curbside collection
programs currently contrib-
ute to the economic and
environmental well-being of com-
munities across the nation. The
long-term success of these pro-
grams, however, depends on the de-
velopment and expansion of
markets for recyclable materials.
Markets include businesses that
process collected materials or re-
manufacture recyclables into new
products. Although recycling pro-
grams have grown
rapidly over the
last decade, the
markets for prod-
ucts made from
collected materi-
als have not
always kept pace with supply.
In some cases, industry has not
been able to make the conversion to
recycled raw materials quickly
enough to keep up with the supply
of recyclables. For those products
that are made with recycled con-
tent, businesses and entrepreneurs
NA
can face a different barrier: convinc-
ing consumers to purchase their
products. In addition, financing for
all kinds of recycling enterprises
can be difficult to secure.
To stimulate recycling markets
and to promote economic sustain-
ability, EPA Headquarters and its 10
regional offices crafted "Recycling
Means Business," a
strategy that incorpo-
rates input from more
than 100 parties rep-
resenting public and
private recycling and
economic develop-
ment interests. The
overall objective of
the strategy is to iden-
tify and overcome technical, finan-
cial, marketing, and logistical
barriers to market development.
The specific goals of Recycling
Means Business are to 1) support
and strengthen the link between in-
creased market capacity and
sustainable economic growth,
2) leverage resources and build
partnerships at the federal level
for market development, and 3)
develop infrastructures that
support markets for recyclables
and products with recycled con-
tent (see box on opposite page for
more details).
EPA is engaged in several projects
to boost demand for recycled prod-
ucts. Acting as a catalyst within the
federal government, EPA is working
with other federal agencies to in-
crease government purchasing of
products with recycled content.
The Agency also has streamlined
procurement guidelines to desig-
nate 21 items, from ink toner
cartridges to carpet, that federal
agencies must purchase with the
highest percentage of recovered ma-
terials practicable. As part of the
procurement guide-
lines, EPA published a
Recovered Materials
Advisory Notice that
recommends practices
and ranges of recov-
ered materials content
levels to facilitate the
procurement process.
In an effort to lever-
age federal resources to help ex-
pand the nation's recycling
infrastructure, EPA has joined with
the Economic Development Ad-
ministration in the U.S. Department
of Commerce and with the North-
east Recycling Council to convene
workshops in September that will
explore methods for increasing in-
vestment in recycling processing
and manufacturing systems. In ad-
dition, EPA will distribute $2.74
million in grants as part of its Jobs
Through Recycling Initiative. This
money will be used to establish
Recycling and Reuse Business As-
sistance Centers and to support
Recycling Economic Development
Advocates. EPA is also working
with the National Institute of
Standards and Technology to de-
velop a national recycling
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Environment and Economy
technology network. EPA is
seeking additional partner-
ships with federal agencies to
further strengthen the nation's
recycling infrastructure.
Outside the federal gov-
ernment, EPA teamed with
the Environmental Defense
Fund and the Ad Council to
produce public service an-
nouncements on "buying
recycled." EPA is also sup-
porting the U.S. Conference
of Mayor's Buy Recycled
Campaign, which facilitates
the purchase of recycled
products by local govern-
ments.
By joining forces with
public and private sectors
to break down barriers and
build bridges, EPA is pro-
moting the development of
mature recycling markets
that will permanently close
the recycling loop. For
more information on Recy-
cling Means Business,
contact Lillian Bagus at 202
260-4058, or call EPA's
RCRA Hotline at 800 424-
9346.1
Recycling Means Business
Strategy Goals
Support and strengthen the link between increased market
capacity and sustainable economic growth. Through
leadership and advocacy, EPA will demonstrate that
environmental protection and economic prosperity are
complementary pursuits. Toward this goal, EPA will build
bridges between the public and private sectors, create and
expand networks to provide processors and manufacturers
with needed assistance, and encourage the use of recycled
feedstock.
Leverage federal resources and build federal partnerships
for market development. EPA will demonstrate how federal
agencies can further their primary missions while
incorporating environmental protection activities. Federal
agencies can lead the way to stronger recycling markets by
both procuring recycled products and showcasing
resource-efficient approaches and partnerships.
Develop infrastructures that support markets for
recyclables and recycled products. By promoting existing
mechanisms that support recycling markets, EPA will
strengthen the national recycling climate and establish a
foundation for the activities of various groups and activities.
In particular, EPA will help improve market development
programs at the state, tribal, and local levels; provide
opportunities for the exchange of information and lessons
learned; and promote increased procurement of products
with recycled content by public and private sectors.
EPA's WasteWi$e pro-
gram is growing
fast! On July 20,
1994, EPA hosted a kick-
off ceremony to honor
the program's 281 char-
ter members. To date, the
program has enlisted a to-
tal of over 300 companies.
Now that these companies
have made the commitment to reduce waste, their next
step as WasteWi$e members is completing the "Goals
Identification Form." The form outlines specific efforts
they will undertake to prevent waste, recycle, and buy or
manufacture recycled products.
So far, more than 10 percent of the WasteWi$e members
have sent their forms to EPA. Here is a sampling of some
of their innovative waste reduction efforts:
• A major communications firm will print customer phone
bills on two sides, reducing paper and saving up to $9
million per year.
• A petroleum company plans to shred nonrecyclable
paper for use as packing in outgoing shipments,
eliminating the need to buy other packing materials.
Through these and a variety of other efforts, WasteWi$e
members are gearing up for effective, creative waste
reduction campaigns.
In their campaigns, companies have distinguished
between recycling and waste prevention: waste preven-
tion actions eliminate waste before it is created; while
recycling actions divert waste to productive use. The two
examples above prevent waste.
For more information on EPA's WasteWi$e program, call
800 EPA-WISE.1
At the kickoff event, members received
certificates recognizing their commitment.
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I 5O
IF YOU ARE INVOLVED
in the field of municipal solid waste
(MSW) management, you probably
have heard of flow control. Flew controls
are legal provisions used by local govern-
ments to designate where MSW can be
processed, stored, or disposed of. Thirty-
four states explicitly authorize flow
control by statute; an additional nine
states authorize flow control indirectly
through home rule, the local MSW plan-
ning process, or franchises.
Flow control is a hotly debated issue
among state and local governments,
the waste management industry, recy-
clers, and environmental groups. The
basic debate is whether local govern-
ments should be allowed to exercise
flow control or whether the free market
should dictate MSW management.
EPA is preparing a Report to Con-
gress on flow control. The Report, which
will be submitted in September 1994,
will compare waste management with
and without flow control and analyze
some of the major questions in the de-
bate, including the impact of flow
control on:
Protection of human health and the
environment.
VIEW1
Service Monopolies Are
Not the Answer
by Kay Martin, Director, Solid Waste
Management Department, Ventura
County, California
Flow control is a tool for financing
government-sanctioned waste
facilities through the estab-
lishment of service monopolies. It
was born of a time when government
Development of state and local
waste management capacity.
Achievement of state and local goals
for source reduction, reuse, and
recycling.
A recent development in this de-
bate is a May 16 decision by the U.S.
Supreme Court regarding an ordi-
nance in Clarkstown, New York, that
directed local solid waste to a particu-
lar transfer station. The Court ruled
that the ordinance violated the com-
merce clause of the U.S. Constitution.
This ruling is likely to speed debate on
legislation authorizing flow control by
Congress. Although interested parties
disagree on the need for flow control
in the future, all agree that legislation
is needed to protect the contracts and
financial agreements that were in ef-
fect prior to the Supreme Court ruling.
Below are three perspectives from
county officials who are wrestling with
this issue in their jurisdictions. These
officials commented on flow control at
public meetings that EPA held last year.
For more information on flow control,
contact Angle Leith of EPA at 202 260-
4453.
was the major provider of sanita-
tion services, and when protection
of the public health relied largely
upon moving garbage from the
public thoroughfare to remote
burning and burial sites. Multi-
million-dollar facilities were built,
liabilities incurred, and public bu-
reaucracies vested. And, for a time,
the system worked reasonably well.
But eventually a broad spectrum
of private operators emerged, ready
and willing to provide these same
services to the public, and often at
more attractive rates. Waste began
to flow across jurisdictional
boundaries to more distant dis-
posal sites. More significantly,
recycling claimed an ever-growing
fraction of the waste stream for the
secondary materials markets.
Seemingly overnight, the entire
waste stream became a commodity
stream. A major paradigm shift had
occurred. And the custodians of the
old system cried foul.
Ventura County shares with other
local governments the growing pains
of this change. However, it is clear that
market dynamics and the integrated
waste management challenges of the
21 st century compel public agencies to
rethink their role, and to apply a new
set of tools. Flow control has become
obsolete because:
• Flow control is irrelevant to public
health and environmental protec-
tion. These objectives can now be
accomplished through compre-
hensive government regulation
and enforcement programs, such
as the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act (RCRA) and
the local environmental review
and land use process, rather than
through the monopolization of
services.
• Flow control is not required for
public policy implementation. Pol-
icy objectives can be realized by
regulating rather than limitingmar-
ket activity. Local governments
must learn to fully utilize their
existing police powers to set sys-
tem rules, contract for services,
establish pricing incentives, and
recover program costs. For exam-
ple, jurisdictions in Ventura
County have solicited private
(Continued on page 10)
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n/
VIEW 2
Congress Should Clarify
That Local Governments
Have "Flow Control"
Authority
by Randy Johnson, Commissioner,
Hennepin County, Minnesota
In 1993, Hennepin County, Min-
nesota, recycled and composted
50 percent of our solid waste and
landfilled less than 2 percent. The
remainder was sent to modern
waste-to-energy plants that meet
strict air emissions standards. We
have permanent household haz-
ardous waste collection facilities
and weekly curbside collection of
recyclables.
Hennepin County developed
one of the nation's most successful
and comprehensive integrated
waste management systems be-
cause a flow control ordinance
directed virtually all solid waste
generated within our county to
processing facilities. While some
haulers and landfill operators con-
stitutionally attack this
long-recognized police power of
local governments to protect pub-
lic health and safety, there are clear
public policy reasons for Congress
to act promptly to clarify that local
governments can use flow control
authority.
• Flow control allows waste to be
moved "up" the solid waste man-
agement hierarchy. The hierar-
chy encouraged by EPA and
most states is to prevent waste,
recycle or compost, and then in-
cinerate or landfill what cannot
be reduced. Some flow control
opponents contend that all "li-
censed" facilities on the hierar-
chy are equal, and it is irrelevant
which one gets the waste. Hen-
nepin County believes that the
better public policy is to dispose
of waste in the most environ-
mentally sound manner we can
afford—not just the cheapest
way that is still legal.
Flow control enables local gov-
ernments to fund programs to
promote waste reduction, reuse,
recycling, and the proper manage-
ment of household hazardous
waste. When local governments
have flow control authority,
they can add to the disposal tip
fee appropriate surcharges to
fund sound waste management
programs such as curbside re-
cycling. Where haulers use vol-
ume-based pricing for their
customers, the result is that
large volume generators pay
the most for these programs.
This funding system is much
fairer than the only other one
available to most local govern-
ments—a regressive property
tax that bears little relation to
the volume of waste generated
and allows many large-volume
generators to escape payment
altogether because their prop-
erty is not taxable.
Flow control enables comprehen-
sive long-range environmental
planning. Once a decision is
made to protect public health
and safety by building a mod-
ern waste facility, potential
lenders, investors, and bond-
holders must be assured that a
sufficient volume of waste will
be sent to the facility so that
VIEW 3
Flow Control Is
Appropriate Under Certain
Conditions
by Steve Goldstein, Project
/Comprehensive Planning,
Solid Waste Management Division,
Snohomish County, Washington
(Continued on page 10)
Snohomish County believes that
a compromise can be found be-
tween maintaining total flow
control and eliminating it entirely.
Such a compromise must meet
three goals. First, it must permit lo-
cal governments to fulfill existing
financial obligations. Second, it
must enable local governments to
set and implement public policy.
Third, it must allow private enter-
prises to compete fairly for the busi-
ness of transporting, processing,
and disposing of solid waste. We
maintain that these goals do not
conflict. A compromise proposal—
one that allows local governments
to exercise flow control in only two
circumstances—can accomplish all
three goals.
• Circumstance 1—Remaining
Debt. Like many other counties,
Snohomish County has existing
financial obligations and would
lose substantial funds if flow
control was suddenly taken
away. Therefore, we propose
that local governments be able
to maintain existing flow con-
trol arrangements to pay re-
maining debt on facilities
and/or to satisfy current
contracts. This would allow
local governments to meet fi-
nancial commitments, while
(Continued on page 10)
-------
Three Views on Flow Control
VIEW1
•ued fro
sector proposals for required facili-
ties, specified program require-
ments and performance standards,
negotiated and regulated service
rates, provided unit-pricing sys-
tems at the curb to influence cus-
tomer behavior, and assessed fees
on all hauling operations at the
point of collection to recover inte-
grated waste management program
costs.
Flow control creates facility-driven
systems. Long-term waste stream
commitments to individual facili-
ties ignore the marketplace and fore-
close future options which may be
economically or environmentally
superior. Large facilities with major
investments in limited technologies
can become albatrosses, inhibiting
the diversification of operators,
products, and markets now central
to system viability.
Flow control creates greater system
costs. Ventura County recently
abandoned plans for a large cen-
tralized processing facility in favor
of smaller, diversified operations
VIEW 3
'ued from paqe 9)
also allowing competition by per-
mitting a private entity to buy out
a contract or pay off a facility
debt. All applicable governmen-
tal bidding procedures would
have to be followed.
Circumstance 2—Competitive Bid-
ding Process. Local governments
also should be permitted to use flow
control when choosing an MSW
management facility through a com-
petitive bidding process. This would
permit private enterprises to com-
pete for business, while simultane-
ously allowing local governments to
set policy through the bid require-
ments. Government would be able to
set environmental and management
criteria, require minimum recy-
cling rates, and charge nondisposal
solid waste system costs to the sue-
by private haulers and recyclers, at
substantial savings to the public.
Our public landfills maintained
their market share by streamlining
operations and lowering tipping
fees. In both cases, flow control
strategies were replaced by market
incentives and competition, and
the ratepayers benefited.
• Flow control does not promote re-
cycling. The financing of large
processing facilities through waste
stream guarantees is not recycling.
Recycling means the return of ma-
terials to the economic main-
stream. By denying access to these
materials by the full spectrum of
potential processors, flow control
actually inhibits rather than pro-
motes the development of new
markets and technologies.
The national agenda for waste re-
duction and recycling demands
innovative market solutions. Crea-
tion of service monopolies through
flow control is not the answer. In-
stead, government must redefine
itself as a regulator and intervenor in
the new waste commodities market-
place, and become a skillful buyer of
competitively priced services.B
VIEW 2
•ued fro
tipping fees can pay long-term fi-
nancial obligations. Flow control
provides that assurance.
• Flow control creates a level playing
field among haulers. Without flow
control, large hauling companies
that own big landfills have a built-
in competitive advantage over
smaller companies with only a few
trucks and newly formed compa-
nies that may want to enter the
hauling business. With flow con-
trol, all haulers pay the same dis-
posal tipping fee, and thus all
haulers can compete more fairly.
Of course, if flow control is used to
direct waste to less environmentally
sound facilities, it is being abused.
Enforcement must also be in place so
that haulers who use cheaper facilities
that do not meet environmental stand-
ards are required to pay penalties
promptly. Now is the time for Con-
gress to clarify that local governments
managing their own solid waste with
flow control are fulfilling their re-
sponsibilities to protect public
health and safety.ll
cessful bidder. The government
would be able to take all steps
necessary to guarantee that the
successful bidder fulfills the re-
sponsibilities outlined in the bid.
Any private party, as well as the
government itself, would be per-
mitted to bid. Again, all applica-
ble governmental bidding
procedures would have to be fol-
lowed.
Snohomish County used this bid-
ding process several years ago. The
process of going through the bidding
system made us determine very care-
fully what we needed in a waste
management system, and we speci-
fied our needs to the bidders. The
contract was awarded to the company
that could meet all our goals in the
most cost-efficient manner. The re-
sulting landfill services continue to
meet Snohomish County's needs.
As to what materials should be
covered by flow control, we believe
first that separated recyclables should
not be covered. After separation, we
see recyclables as commodities, not
waste. Concerning other waste
streams, what is subject to flow con-
trol should be governed by local
government. Local governments de-
sign their solid waste management
systems around the responsibilities
they are assigned under state law. If a
local government is assigned the re-
sponsibility for managing
commercial and industrial waste, it
will have no choice but to develop
its programs and size its facilities
accordingly. While a local govern-
ment without responsibility for these
wastes has no need to control their
flow, a government given this respon-
sibility must have the ability to
control the flow of these wastes.B
10
-------
Recycling Hotline Provides Solid
Answers
Wondering who in your community accepts
used oil for recycling? Confused about how
to sort your recyclable paper for pickup?
The average person with questions about recycling
is often unsure where to turn for answers. But for
the residents of Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada,
and Texas, answers are just a telephone call away.
By dialing 800 94-REUSE,
callers from these five states can
access the Environmental/Recy-
cling Hotline. The Hotline uses
a caller's zip code to pinpoint
the closest recycling center.
Callers can then learn the cen- ^
ter's location, hours of
operation, phone number, and
types of materials accepted.
Even if no recycling center is
located within a caller's zip
code, the Hotline automatically
selects the next closest site. In addition, the Hotline
provides recycling tips, information about commu-
nity environmental activities, educational updates,
bilingual services, and a bulletin board where call-
ers can leave inquiries for future responses.
The Hotline operates through an innovative
public-private partnership. Corporate sponsors fund
• the Hotline and receive credit for
* r their contributions through
"on-the-air announcements."
State agencies control and
maintain messages, and have
the right to reject any sponsors
that are not appropriate for the
Hotline. This arrangement
benefits both partners; corpora-
tions have a way to favorably
identify themselves with recy-
cling efforts, and state agencies
can provide a valuable service
(Continued on page 12)
EPA Implementing Supreme Court Decision on WTE Ash
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on May 2 that ash
from municipal waste-to-energy (WTE) combustors
that exhibits a hazardous waste characteristic is not
exempt from regulation as a hazardous waste under the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). This
ruling affects WTE combustors that burn household
waste alone or in combination withnonhazardous waste
from industrial and commercial sources.
WTE facilities are now required to determine whether
their ash is hazardous. Facilities generating ash that is a
hazardous waste should manage the ash in accordance
with RCRA hazardous waste regulations. If the ash is not
a hazardous waste, it may be disposed of in a municipal
solid waste landfill that meets applicable RCRA
standards.
EPA recognizes that immediate compliance with all
RCRA hazardous waste requirements may be difficult
because of the short lead time afforded by the Court's
decision. The Agency is working with states and affected
facilities to bring all handlers of hazardous WTE ash into
compliance with RCRA hazardous waste regulations as
quickly as possible.
To this end, EPA issued a draft guidance document
entitled Sampling and Analysis of Municipal Refuse
Incineration Ash, which provides guidelines for testing
WTE ash. In addition, EPA issued an implementation
strategy identifying certain ash handling practices that
might warrant particular Agency attention. For example,
EPA plans to concentrate enforcement efforts on those
facilities that fail to implement an ash testing program
before September 1, 1994. Technical assistance will con-
tinue over the coming months to facilitate compliance.
EPA also published a Federal Register notice on June
7, 1994, giving handlers of hazardous ash six months
(until December 7, 1994) to file hazardous waste permit
applications. The notice also announced that EPA has
designated hazardous ash as a "newly identified waste"
for the purposes of the Land Disposal Restrictions
(LDRs). This means that current LDRs (for generic char-
acteristic wastes) do not apply to hazardous ash. EPA
will have six months to promulgate LDRs specific to ash
determined to be a hazardous waste.
If you have any questions about WTE ash management
or compliance with RCRA hazardous waste regulations,
call the RCRA Hotline at 800 424-9346. The Hotline also
has available copies of the documents described above:
Sampling and Analysis of Municipal Refuse Incinera-
tion Ash (EPA530-R-94-020), Federal Register notice for
June 7, 1994 (EPA530-Z-94-008), and Implementation
Strategy memo (EPA530-F-94-021).!
11
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Recycling Hotline Provides Solid Answers
(Continued from page 11)
for free. In fact, by working with
the Hotline, many state agencies
can avoid setting up and funding
their own hotline—a task that sev-
eral state legislatures have
recently mandated. For example,
the Hotline has eliminated Ari-
zona's need for four separate
hotlines dealing with used oil,
batteries, tires, and household
hazardous waste. One cost-benefit
analysis estimates that the Hot-
line currently provides and saves
over $3 million worth of promo-
tional services per year.
The Hotline began in Arizona in
1990, expanding after only one year
into Texas and Colorado. Expan-
sion was funded by a grant from
EPA Region 9 (Arizona, California,
Hawaii, Nevada, American Samoa,
Guam). With the support of EPA
and its own growing reputation, the
Hotline was welcomed into Hawaii
and Nevada as well. The more
states the Hotline covered, the
more sponsors signed on. After the
Hotline's first year, Why Waste
America (an Arizona recycler)
documented a greater than 100 per-
cent increase in materials brought
into its facility for recycling. And
one year later, the Hotline had
logged over 800,000 phone calls.
One reason for the Hotline's
success is that it receives millions
of dollars worth of free publicity
from news services, radio sta-
tions, and companies. Advertisers
are excited about publicizing a
single, sure-fire phone number for
recycling information. One Ari-
zona chain of grocery stores
recently printed 4.6 million gro-
cery bags prominently displaying
the Hotline number.
For more information, contact
Chris Warner, director of the Hot-
line, at 602 224-5444, or Marsha
Harris of EPA Region 9 at 415 744-
1635.1
Reusable News is the quarterly
newsletter of the EPA Office of
Solid Waste's Municipal and Indus-
trial Solid Waste Division. Reusable
News reports on the efforts of EPA
and others to safely and effectively
manage the nation's garbage and pro-
vides useful information about key is-
sues and concerns in municipal solid
waste management.
Address comments or free subscription
requests to:
John Leigh, Editor (5305)
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW.
Washington, DC 20460
Tfte mention of publications, products, or
organizations in this newsletter does not
constitute endorsement or approval for use
by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Remember:
If you're not
buying
recycled,
you're not
recycling!
EPA
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
(5305)
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
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