TRIBAL WASTE
ISSUE 9 I MAY 2014
Successful Household
Hazardous Waste
Management
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United States
Environmental Protection Agency
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1 Household Hazardous Waste Products that Can Cause Harm
2 Types of Household Hazardous Waste Collection Programs:
Selection Methods and Planning Cost
4 Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council: Barging to Success
with Backhaul
7 Case Study on Rural Alaska Landfill Operations (RALO) and
Backhaul in Yakutat, Alaska
8 Santa Ynez Band of the Chumash Indians: Partnering with the
County to Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste
10 Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin: Partnering with the State for
Healthy Homes
12 Outreach: Raising Awareness and Increasing Participation at
Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events
14 The Cool Factor: Certification in Refrigerant Compliance at the
United South and Eastern Tribes Annual Summit
16 Nenana Native Council: Using Indian General Assistance Program
for Household Hazardous Waste
18 Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council: Collective Conscience
Leads to Collective Success
18 Funding Sources
21 Resources
To be placed on our mailing list or to
submit future topics, please email:
Kim Katonica-Mule
U.S. EPA Tribal Waste Program
katonica.kim@epa.gov
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Household Hazardous
Waste Products that
Can Cause Harm
Household hazardous wastes (HHW) are products
that contain corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or reactive
ingredients. Everyday products such as cleaners, paints,
batteries, and fertilizers that contain potentially hazardous
ingredients require special care when you dispose of them.
Improper disposal of HHW can include pouring items
down the drain, on the ground, into storm sewers, or in some
cases putting them out with the trash. The dangers of such
disposal methods might not be immediately obvious, but
improper disposal of these wastes pollutes the environment
and poses a threat to human health. Many communities in
the United States offer a variety of options for conveniently
and safely managing HHW.
This issue of the Tribal Waste Journal offers suggestions
and examples of how to start HHW education, collection,
and disposal programs in tribal communities. Tribes share
their advice and expertise, including organizing a one-day
collection event to remove tons of waste from the community
(see pg. 10), using creative solutions to build a permanent
HHW collection site in rural Alaska (see pg. 16), and
organizing wastes to maximize opportunities to dispose or
recycle materials that otherwise fill landfill space (see pg. 18).
The ideas, examples, and resources compiled in this issue
provide tribal environmental managers and communities
with a range of options for developing a HHW program to
suit the needs of each community.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of
Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR) works closely
with individual states, industry, environmental groups, tribes,
and the public to promote safe waste management. ORCR
looks forward to hearing about the development of your
community's successful program!
Household Hazardous Waste
is any leftover household material that
is Toxic, Corrosive,
Reactive or Ignitable
Which household
hazardous waste
items are in your
home?
Cleaning Products
Bleach (laundry)
Drain cleaners
Oven cleaners
Pool chemicals
Toilet cleaners
Wood and metal cleaners
Tub, tile, and shower cleaners
Pesticides
Bug sprays and baits
Flea repellents and shampoos
Houseplant insecticides
Lighter fluid
Mouse/rat poisons and baits
Moth repellents
Automotive Products
Air conditioning refrigerants
Antifreeze
Automotive batteries
Carburetor and fuel injection cleaners
Compressed gas cylinders
Diesel fuel and fuel additives
Gas/oil mix
Motor oil
Propane
Starter fluids
Transmission and brake fluids
Workshop/Painting
Supplies
Adhesives and glues
Fixatives and solvents
Furniture strippers
Oil or enamel-based paints
Paint strippers and thinners
Stains and finishes
Lawn and garden products/fertilizers
Wood preservatives
Miscellaneous
Batteries
Driveway sealer
Fluorescent light bulbs
Home heating oil
Kerosene
Herbicides and fungicides
Mercury thermometers
MAY 2014
Tribal Waste Journal 1
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Types of Household Hazardous Waste
Collection Programs: Selection
Methods and Planning Cost
Getting Started
To prevent hazardous materials
from being improperly disposed,
communities should first
determine the best and most
feasible practices available for
the disposal of their community's
HHW. EPA encourages tribes
who have the adequate funding
and capacity to implement a
HHW collection program and/
or event. For tribes that do not
have the ability to do so, there are
other ways that a community's
HHW can be collected.
There are different types of
collection programs and varying
cost options for communities
to use when disposing of HHW.
The following describes a range
of collection programs including
one-time collection events,
permanent collection programs,
and multi-community collection
events.
Participate in a Nearby
Tribe, County, or City's
Collection Event
A great opportunity to jump start
a HHW collection event is to
participate in a nearby collection
event if your community has
access to one. Participating in an
already-established event is also
an excellent way to save money.
Check with nearby counties,
cities, or tribes to see how often
collection events are held.
One-Time Collection
Event
A one-time collection event
is an option for tribes with no
or limited access to existing
collection programs. In order to
conduct a one-time collection
event, a tribe may want to hire
a contractor to manage and
dispose of HHW. The contractor
Goals of Household Hazardous Waste
Collection
Provide proper disposal of HHW.
Remove HHW from homes, thus reducing exposure and
potential injury.
Reduce danger to waste collectors and other sanitation
workers.
Increase general public awareness of HHW found in
most homes and how these materials may impact
human health and the environment.
Educate residents as to the best methods of HHW
disposal.
hauls the waste to a transfer,
storage, or disposal facility.
The hauler then separates the
waste into materials that can be
recycled, incinerated or taken to
a landfill.
Multi-Community
Collection Event
A multi-community collection
event is a cooperatively run
program with other nearby
tribes, cities, or counties. The
entity that a tribe partners with
runs a collection event at various
locations and works with each
community to arrange for a
special collection truck or van
to pick up the HHW at each site.
This is the best option for a tribal
community that is interested in
running its own HHW program
and wishes to benefit from the
cost-sharing of a cooperatively
run program.
Tribal Permanent
Collection Program
A permanent collection is an
on-going program either through
curbside collection or through
a permanent drop-off location.
To establish this type of program
a tribe may consider hiring a
contractor to deal with the HHW
on an as-needed basis, negotiate
directly with individual vendors,
or link to a county collection
program.
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MAY 2014
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Contractor trucks picking up HHW at the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin's one-day HHW collection event.
Photo courtesy of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin.
Program Costs
Many factors affect the cost of a
collection event. Participation
rate of tribal members, the
estimated amount of HHW that
will be collected, the cost of
hiring a contractor, if necessary,
to handle wastes, and the cost
of hiring staff to work at the
event are all factors which affect
the cost of a HHW collection
program. The community also
may need to set aside funds
for advertising, outreach,
and educational materials.
Understanding what these costs
are and estimating them is
essential to a successful program
(see box below).
It is important to remember
the goals of each type of
HHW collection event and
to determine which goals the
community wishes to support
(see box on opposite page).
Identifying the goals helps with
determining which type of
collection program should be
implemented.
Calculating Costs
The cost of a HHW collection program can be calculated using the following equation:
Total cost = [participation rate x number of households x cost per pound* x number of
pounds per household] + staff time** + other costs***
*Cost of waste per pound is typically $0.50 - $2.00.
**Staff time = hourly rate x number of hours per person x number of people
***0ther costs include sending out and evaluating a request for bids; advertising the
event via newsletters, radio, TV, etc.; vehicle use and the cost of fuel and administrative
or overhead costs.
Cost formula example:
Total cost = [20% x 100 households x $1.00 x 50 pounds per household**] + ($20/hr x
100 hours x 3 people] + other costs = $6020.00 + other costs
**lt is best to use a higher estimate when calculating costs.
Source: EPA publication Household Hazardous Waste Co/lection; A Program Guide for Tribal
Governments EPA-909-K-07-001.
MAY 2014
Tribal Waste Journal 3
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Lead acid battery collection totes about to be sent out to rural Alaskan villages.
Photo courtesy of YRITWC.
Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed
Council: Barging to Success with
Backhau
Where some see only
empty space, others
see opportunity—that is what
Jon Waterhouse, the Executive
Director of the Yukon River
Inter-Tribal Watershed Council
(YRITWC) saw in the empty
vessels leaving the Yukon River
Watershed Basin after delivering
goods to native villages. Why
not use the empty space in
planes, trains, automobiles, and
boats to haul household and
other hazardous waste away? In
doing so, waste accumulation
in the Yukon River Watershed
Basin could be prevented, where
126,000 Alaskans make their
home. Utilizing the answer
to the question of how to use
available space on different
modes of transportation is how
"backhauling" became key to
preserving the ecological health
of the Yukon River Watershed
Basin. Backhauling is the mission
of the 70 members of first
nations and tribes that comprise
the YRITWC.
Mr. Waterhouse built on
the success of his colleague,
Clarence Lee Alexander, the
Chairman and one of the four
co-founders of the YRITWC.
Chairman Alexander was
awarded the 2011 Presidential
Citizens Medal for his dedicated
work to clean up the Yukon
River Watershed Basin. In 2004,
Mr. Waterhouse partnered
with tribes, the YRITWC, and
several transportation and
recycling companies to develop
a comprehensive backhauling
program to provide a method
for disposal of batteries, junk-
vehicles, electronics, and other
HHW The recycling and
removal of millions of pounds
of waste from the watershed
resulted in the closure of
Backhauling is the transportation of goods in a return trip
of an otherwise empty transporting vessel. After a vessel
distributes goods, a backhaul vessel collects recyclables,
solid or hazardous waste as agreed upon with the vessel
owner/operator and community for the vessel's return trip.
Backhauling is beneficial because it decreases the costs of
local waste management by reducing the amount of
materials sent to landfills and minimizing local contamination.
4 Tribal Waste Journal
MAY 2014
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Clarence Lee Alexander
In 2011, Clarence Lee Alexander, Chairman of the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed
Council, was awarded the 2011 Presidential Citizens Medal by President Obama. Chairman
Alexander received the award due to his meticulous work to clean up the Yukon River
Watershed Basin. He was a key figure in the closure of many open-burning dumps and aided
the YRITWC in recycling or removing millions of pounds of waste. Chairman Alexander is one
of the four co-founders of the YRITWC organization.
several open-burning dumps
and provided a model for the
proper management of HHW,
something that is a challenge
for rural Alaska due to its
undeveloped road systems.
The backhauling program
has not been without challenges.
Alaskan villages are vast
distances apart and often in
remote areas, making transport
difficult and costly. For the past
three years, vessels did not charge
a fee for backhauling waste, but
with increasing fuel costs, the
barges now charge YRITWC
ten cents per pound of refuse.
Another hurdle is the special
preparation necessary for some
items such as vehicles, which
must be drained of their fluids
(e.g., gasoline, oil, antifreeze, and
transmission fluid) to minimize
any risk of spills and ensure
they are properly prepared for
recycling.
YRITWC received support
for its backhauling programs
from EPA in 2007 through an
Alaska Tribal Multi-Media grant
designed to achieve five goals:
• Increase the capacity
among tribal solid waste
coordinators throughout the
Yukon River Watershed Basin
to operate and maintain newly
created Regional Recycling and
Reuse Hubs;
• Expand the types and
quantity of materials that are
backhauled off of the Yukon
River;
• Provide documentation
and other information in the
form of a manual for other
regions to create backhaul
initiatives;
• Provide training to region-
wide and watershed-wide efforts
throughout Alaska 4 -7 times a
year; and
• Create a "Sustainability
Plan" for the YRITWC Backhaul
Pilot Project.
The YRITWC determined
that a backhaul "how-to" manual
needed to be created so that
the YRITWC could share the
reasons and processes that
made its program successful.
Alaska and the Yukon River Watershed overlaid over the United States.
Photo courtesy of YRITWC..
MAY 2014
Tribal Waste Journal 5
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Overhead view of an empty barge ready to backhaul.
Supported by funds from the
Tribal Multi-Media Project grant,
the YRITWC wrote Backhaul:
A "How-To" Guide (the Guide)
to demonstrate to communities
how to successfully create and
implement their own backhaul
programs.
The Guide is a
comprehensive tool that
addresses how to initiate
backhauling, what types of
materials can be backhauled,
the training needed to support
the program, and how to build
partnerships, all of which are
necessary for success. It also
provides resources and success
stories of communities who have
used backhauling to reduce waste
in their communities. The Guide
is available on the YRITWC
6 Tribal Waste Journal
website for anyone to download.
To access the Guide visit: http://
www.yritwc.org/Portals/0/
PDFs/2008_backhaul_manual.
pdf.
The Guide includes a long
list of HHW that has been
included in backhauling: lead
acid batteries, white goods
(e.g., refrigerators, freezers,
and coolers), electronics (e.g.,
televisions, computers, copiers,
fax machines, microwaves, etc.),
motorized vehicles (e.g., metal
boats, outboard motors, snow
machines, ATVs, cars, trucks,
and heavy equipment), used oil,
used glycol, and fluorescent light
bulbs.
In order for a community
to be successful in backhaul
programs, municipalities and
cities should communicate
and cooperate and establish a
strong outreach and education
component. Each community
has different obstacles to
overcome, and therefore may
need different solutions to
approaching a backhauling
program. Stephen Price, the Solid
Waste Manager of YRITWC,
advises a community to talk to
EPA to see what kind of funding
is available. In addition, Mr. Price
recommends starting a dialogue
with transporters who come
to the community to initiate
partnerships.
It is a commonly held
assumption that transporters
only bring goods in and are part
of the solid waste problem. In
reality, Mr. Price has found them
to be cooperative since they "are
typically a part of the community
or come to the community and
the work they do is important to
the health and well-being of the
village."
The YRITWC's backhauling
program is overwhelmingly
successful with over 10 million
pounds of hazardous waste
having been transported away
from the Yukon River Watershed
Basin since 2008. Their leaders
have made an immeasurable
contribution to the health and
wellness of those who live and
work along the Yukon River
Watershed Basin which will be
felt for years to come.
What can you envision in
your community that turns an
empty space into a healthier
space?
MAY 2014
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COMPUTERS
MONITORS
Yakutat landfill source based separation awaiting packaging for backhaul in 2011.
Photo courtesy of Ted Jacobson.
Case Study on Rural Alaska Landfi
Operators (RALO) and Backhaul in
Yakutat, Alaska
Though Yakutat has been
known nationally for its
world-class steelhead angling
and regionally for its progressive
approach to commercial fisheries
and processing, the town of
around 660 people was behind
the times when it came to
managing solid waste.
In 2007, the landfill was a
hodgepodge of disorganized
materials scattered about several
acres. There was no controlled
access to the landfill, which
meant that local residents threw
whatever items they wanted,
whenever they wanted, anywhere
within the constraints of the
fence. There was not much in the
way of signage to direct them
around the landfill.
Ted Jacobson, a Tribal Solid
Waste Liaison for EPA and Rural
Alaska Community Action
Program (RurAL CAP), knew
that Yakutat could reap immense
benefits from proper solid
waste training and suggested
the Rural Alaska Landfill
Operators (RALO) training.
Consequently, an operator from
Yakutat attended RALO training.
Implementing the lessons he
learned, the operator began
digging through the dump and
separating and consolidating
the various forms of solid waste.
The RALO training helped the
operator develop an organized
landfill.
RALO highlights the duties
of the landfill operator, their
personal safety, and the safety
of the community. Participants
learn about landfill design and
construction, applicable Alaska
Department of Environmental
Conservation regulations and
requirements, HHW, waste
separation and screening, waste
reduction and segregation,
recycling, personal protection
equipment, and operations and
maintenance practices unique to
rural Alaskan communities.
In 2011, the Yakutat landfill
acquired seven conex containers,
which became staging units for
aluminum, HHW, and electronic
waste. Waste oil was separated
from waste gasoline, used oil,
and antifreeze. In late spring,
as a result of this new system,
the landfill operator was able
to backhaul two containers of
electronic waste aboard a barge
and send it south to recyclers
in Seattle. The organization
of the landfill facilitated the
backhauling of specific goods.
Yakutat dumpsite in 2007.
Photo courtesy of Ted Jacobson.
MAY 2014
Tribal Waste Journal 7
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Santa Ynez: Partnering with
the County to Dispose of
Household Hazardous Waste
Jesse Patterson*, the
Environmental Management
Specialist of the Santa Ynez
Band of Chumash Indians Tribal
Community, suggests looking
"for a program that is already in
place... one you would be able
to piggy back on." In 2008, the
Chumash Reservation did not
have a HHW program and Mr.
Patterson felt that there was
a need for one. He contacted
administrators in Santa Barbara
County which surrounds his
community's reservation, and as
a result his tribe has had a safe
place to properly dispose of their
HHW ever since.
The Santa Ynez Reservation
is north of Los Angeles, adjacent
to Santa Barbara County,
California. The reservation was
established in 1901 and the tribe
has almost 300 residents living
there. The Santa Ynez Band
of the Chumash Indians has
always lived along the coast of
California.
Mr. Patterson began thinking
about a HHW program for the
tribe because the Santa Ynez
Chumash Environmental Office
(SYCEO) was developing an
integrated waste management
plan with funding they received
from an EPA tribal solid waste
management assistance grant.
The plan, which was completed
Medicines: Household Hazardous Waste or not?
Prescription drugs, such as antibiotics and other medicines
are not considered HHW. However, recent studies have
shown that prescription drugs are appearing in rivers and
streams and can potentially harm fish and other aquatic
species. Scientists think this is because people are pouring
medicines down the drain or flushing them in toilets.
Wastewater treatment systems are not designed to remove
drugs, so medicines are going into our waterways. Some
antibiotics can harm the bacteria needed for septic systems
and soil treatment areas to function properly. EPA always
encourages the public to take advantage of pharmaceutical
take-back programs or HHW collection programs that
accept Pharmaceuticals, as these programs offer a safe
and environmentally-conscious way to dispose of unwanted
Pharmaceuticals. If there are none available to you, please
contact your local and state waste management authorities
for guidance on discarding any unwanted Pharmaceuticals.
For more information, please refer to the Food and Drug
Administration's Guidance: Disposal of Unused Medicines.-
What You Should Know.
in 2011, includes methods for
the proper disposal of solid and
HHW.
In order to assess the needs
of the Chumash community
pertaining to solid waste,
hazardous waste, and HHW, Mr.
Patterson distributed surveys to
the Chumash residents. At first
the surveys were postcard size
and asked basic questions such
as what types of waste residents
had and what type of assistance
they needed for disposing of the
wastes.
Mr. Patterson contacted
Santa Barbara County and asked
to participate in its HHW events,
which were held twice a year
(April and October), at the local
transfer station in the Santa
Ynez Valley. A month prior to
the Santa Barbara HHW event,
in September of 2008, SYCEO
held a community cleanup
event. Members of the SYCEO
community gathered to pick up
trash and other refuse which
had accumulated on community
lands. At the cleanup event,
participants were reminded of
the upcoming Santa Barbara
HHW collection event. SYCEO
employees informed community
members of the items they
could bring to the collection
event as well as those that were
ineligible for disposal. Prior
to the HHW collection event,
flyers were created by the county
announcing the event. The
flyers were sent to the residents
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MAY 2014
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Transfer Stations
Transfer stations are extremely beneficial to tribal communities where residents have limited
accessibility to the main collection event. A transfer station is a facility where solid waste
is unloaded from smaller trucks and reloaded into larger vehicles for transport to a final
disposal site. By combining the loads of several individual waste collection trucks into a
single shipment, communities can save money on labor and operating costs by reducing the
total number of vehicular trips traveling to and from the disposal site. However, if not properly
situated and operated, transfer stations can cause problems for residents living near them.
For more information see EPA's manual, Waste Transfer Stations: Involved Citizens Make the
Difference at-, http://www.epa.gov/waste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/wtsguide.pdf
Also check out the previous Tribal Waste Journal: Against All Odds: Transfer Station Triumphs
at: http://www.epa.gov/waste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/wtsguide.pdf
of the Chumash Reservation,
as well as to tribal members
outside of the reservation. The
flyer provided information as to
why a homeowner should not
dispose of HHW incorrectly and
the items the collection event
accepts. The tribe also advertised
the event on their Facebook
page, website, bulletin boards,
at public areas around the
reservation and in tribal offices,
and made announcements at
other community events. The
tribe participated in the county
event two weeks later.
The SYCEO made it clear it
would assist tribal community
members, including answering
their questions. For those
community members that
request assistance, SYCEO
staff provide individualized
support with HHW assessments
and disposal. For example, on
April 1, 2012, staff assisted five
residences with HHW removal.
In order to assist the community
members, personnel from the
tribal office visit the residents'
homes to review what HHW
is found in the home and how
best to dispose of it. SYCEO
staff look in garages, kitchens
and other areas of their home
and help identify wastes such
as cleaning chemicals, paints
and solvents. The tribal office
advise the residents on how
to store and properly dispose
of the waste. Ideally, residents
transport their own HHW to the
county collection events, but if
a resident is elderly or has some
other restriction, the tribal office
transports the HHW to the event
for them.
The county's collection
event is free to all members
on the reservation and county
residents. Some fees are required
for the disposal of certain items
like tires or refrigerators with
freon. Mr. Patterson says that the
tribe's members are incredibly
grateful to be able to participate
in the collection events. Every
year there is an increase in
tribal participation which Mr.
Patterson links to word-of-
mouth generated buzz.
Mr. Patterson suggests that
if the event were held on the
reservation, it probably would
have a better participation rate
among the tribal members, but
the tribe does not collect and
hold material on the reservation
because of permitting and
other regulatory requirements.
Participating in a county event
is a good way to avoid the
sometimes lengthy and costly
issues surrounding obtaining a
permit. However, the Santa Ynez
Band of Chumash Indians is
open to the idea and is looking
into the feasibility of partnering
with the county to build a
small collection center on the
reservation.
Prior to 2008, the residents
of the Chumash Reservation
were not completely clear on how
to identify and properly dispose
of HHW. Mr. Patterson asserts:
"People just didn't know and they
didn't know a way to get rid of
it... now people are aware of the
events and know what to do."
Sounds like success.
*As of the publication date Jesse Patterson moved on from the SYCEO to become Deputy Director for the League to Save Lake
Tahoe. Joshua Simmons has now taken over his position as Environmental Director of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.
Learn more about the SYCEO and find contact information here: wwwSYCEO.org.
MAY 2014
Tribal Waste Journal 9
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HHW Collection Event held by the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin.
Photo courtesy of Amy Spears.
Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin:
Partnering with the State for Healthy
Homes
wi
rhen Amy Spears,
Recycling Coordinator
and Environmental Specialist,
started working for the Oneida
Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin's
Tribal Environmental Response
Program, she realized that
many tribal members did not
know about HHW disposal
options. Many were unaware
of how to utilize the Oneida's
Tribal Environmental Response
Program. Ms. Spears wanted to
change this.
At about the same time, the
State of Wisconsin approached
the Oneida Tribe of Indians of
Wisconsin, located west of Green
Bay, Wisconsin, with a Housing
and Urban Development (HUD)
Healthy Homes Grant. The grant
was to help faciliate identifying
housing-related health and safety
hazards, including items such as
leftover paints and chemicals that
are considered HHW.
10 Tribal Waste Journal
Ms. Spears, with the help
of Victoria Flowers, Oneida
Environmental Specialist and
Jennifer Falck, Environmental
Health Supervisor, realized that
as part of the Healthy Homes
Initiative the goal of identifying
HHW could be expanded
to include proper disposal
of hazardous chemicals. Ms.
Spears and Ms. Flowers began
planning a one-time HHW
collection event with the support
of the Tribal Environmental
Response Program and the HUD
Healthy Homes Grant. The first
collection event would be used
as an outreach mechanism to
encourage tribal members to
properly dispose of HHW.
Additionally, the Oneida
Environmental Department
wanted to provide outreach
about the disposal options in
the surrounding counties. The
members of the Oneida Tribe
of Indians of Wisconsin have a
partnership with the surrounding
counties and can dispose of
HHW for free at the county's
facilities, rather than paying
typical county fees.
For the one-day collection
event, the collection planning
team had to determine whether
the goal of the program was to
encourage tribal members to
drive in to use the service or to
prevent HHW from going into
the landfill. Though the goals
of the program would evolve in
future events, the tribe decided
that the goal for the first event
was the latter.
Postcards were sent out
to all tribal households within
the reservation to advertise for
the collection event. To raise
awareness, articles defining
HHW and advertisements about
the events were placed in the
tribal newspaper six weeks in
MAY 2014
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advance.
The first collection event was held in September 2010.
Many different items were collected during the event such
as scrap metal, appliances, used tires, pieces of lamps, PCB
ballasts, antifreeze, latex and oil-based paints, compact
fluorescent lamps, electronics, and mercury thermometers.
The first event was a success with 215 tribal members
participating and 21.3 tons of HHW collected.
A significant amount of HHW also was collected
during the next two events. At the May 14, 2011 event,
which had a total of 205 participants, 22.7 tons of HHW
were collected and at the August 27, 2011 event, with 197
participants, 18.3 tons of HHW were collected. Goodwill
also collected items that could be reused from the 2011
collection events.
The attendees of the events received eco-friendly totes
which included green cleaning products and ingredients
to "make your own" green cleaning products. A green
cleaning recipe book, created by the Tribal Environmental
Response Program also was included.
In the future, the Oneida Tribe's plan is to conduct
yearly HHW collection events and they are exploring
options to secure funding for the event. Ms. Spears and Ms.
Flowers agreed that the goal of the events has shifted from
not only preventing items from going to the landfill, but
also to increasing tribal members participation. Ms. Spears
acknowledged that "we have a lot of people who are really
happy about the events and excited to participate in the
coming year."
Ms. Spears was able to combine the need for disposing
HHW, raising awareness of proper HHW disposal and
making homes more "healthy." Best of all, she found a way
to use this grant towards the Oneida's HHW program. This
HUD grant is a great example of a successful partnership
with the state and the Oneida.
Examples of
Homemade Green
Cleaning Supplies*
Furniture Cleaner and
Polish
• 1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive (or jajoba)
• 1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a
soft rag into the solution and wipe onto
wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and
store indefinitely.
Oven Cleaner
• 1 cup or more of baking soda
• Water
• A squirt or two of liquid soap
Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of
the oven, then cover the grime with enough
baking soda that the surface is totally white.
Sprinkle some more water over the top, let sit
overnight. Wipe up the next morning. When
the worst of the mess is removed, dab the
liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and
wash the remaining residue from the oven.
Window Cleaner
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap
• 3 tablespoons vinegar
Green cleaning supply kit handed out at the Oneida HHW
collection event.
Photo courtesy of Amy Spears.
• 2 cups water
Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake
it up a bit, and use as you would a commercial
brand. The soap in this recipe is important
because it cuts the wax residue from the
commercial brands you might have used in the
past.
Mold and Mildew
Cleaner
• 2 teaspoons tea tree oil
• 2 cups water
Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend,
and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse.
Disinfectant
• 2 teaspoons borax
• 4 tablespoons vinegar
• 3 cups hot water
Mix all ingredients together in a spray bottle.
For stronger cleaning power add 1/4 teaspoon
liquid soap. Wipe on with dampened cloth or
use nonaerosol spray bottle.
*AII recipes listed here are taken from the
Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin's
HHW booklet located at: http://www.
oneidanation.org/uploadedfiles/hrfbooklet.
pdf.
MAY 2014
Tribal Waste Journal 11
-------
Recycling containers at the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin's HHW collection event.
Photo courtesy of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin.
Outreach: Raising Awareness and
Increasing Participation at Household
Hazardous Waste Collection Events
What do flyers, postcards,
surveys, brochures, and
posters have in common?
All of the above can be
used as successful outreach
materials when the goal is to
raise awareness and increase
participation at HHW collection
events. Outreach is used for a
variety of purposes including,
gathering information such
as environmental surveys,
informing the community, and
most importantly, building
community support for
collection events.
There are different ways to
get the word out about a HHW
collection event. Announcements
can be made at community
meetings, school presentations,
and other public events. Public
Service Announcements (PSAs),
letters to the editor, radio or
newspaper ads are ways to reach
a larger audience. Brochures,
newsletters, door hangers, flyers,
and posters are other ways to
spread the news. Using more
than one type of communication
tool is even more effective than
using one method alone. Making
announcements at several
meetings and posting flyers in
multiple locations builds up
awareness more than simply
hanging flyers in the tribal office.
For example, the Nenana
Native Community made
announcements about HHW
collection at community
meetings and they also posted
posters at their local school.
They know that children often
go home and tell their parents
about what they saw and heard
at school. Informing and raising
children's awareness of HHW
can result in children convincing
adults to participate in the
collection event. This strategy
News from the American Association of Poison Control Centers and
The Children's Health Environmental Coalition
I According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, household
hazardous products make up 30 percent of the substances most frequently involved in
poisonings.
I The Children's Health Environmental Coalition estimates the average household has 3-10
gallons of hazardous materials in the home at all times.
I According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, 60 percent of all
poisonings involve children under six years of age. The most common products involved in
these poisonings are household chemicals, cleaning products, drugs (prescription and over-
the-counter), and cosmetics.
12 Tribal Waste Journal
MAY 2014
-------
worked well for Nenana and
was a great precursor to the
community involving the youth
as well as the elders in Nenana's
clean-up event.
The Oneida Tribe of Indians
of Wisconsin sent out postcards
to all of the tribal residents and
advertised the event in the tribal
newspaper. They also distributed
brochures documenting what
items would be accepted at
the event. Outreach was an
important part of generating
awareness of the event as well
as providing information about
identifying HHW items.
Another approach to
spreading the word about HHW
events is to gather volunteers to
canvas or go door-to-door to
talk individually to community
members about an upcoming
event. The first year the Santa
Ynez organized a HHW
collection, volunteers went to
elderly community members
and helped identify and collect
the HHW waste in their homes
that could then be brought to the
collection event. If a tribe has
an environmental program that
is able to field phone calls from
residents with questions related
to HHW, this typically makes the
collection event run smoother.
Most importantly, don't give
up! Many of the HHW collection
Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians
Environmental Survey
Please take a few moments to fill out the following survey regarding waste management and water use at
your residence. This information will help its (the Chumash Environmental Office) identify any
environmental needs that you may have and areas where we can provide assistance and information to you.
With your help we can keep the Chtmia-sh Reservation a beautiful place to live.
We are here to serve you.
General Information
1. Do you currently live oil the Reservation?
Yes , No (if you answered No skip to question 4.)
2. Do you rent or own tile residence you arc currently living in?
Rent , Own
3. How many people (including youreelf) live ill this residence fulltime (more than <
General Waste Management
4. Do you currently have trash service (pick-up) at this residence?
Yes , No
l_^
Would you like information about trash service (pick-up)?
Yes , No
5. Do you currently have recycling service (pick-up) at this residence? (Typically Ltii* is a blue coniaincO
Yes , No
I—K Would you like information about recycling service (pick-up)?
Yes , No
fi. Do you currently have yard waste service (pick-up) at this residence? (Typically ihiw is a green
container.)
Yes . No
* Would you like information about yard waste service (pick-up)?
Y'es . No
Above is an example of an environmental survey.
Document courtesy of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.
events were even more successful
the second or third time they
were held because of the
increased awareness raised from
the first event and continued
outreach. As the featured tribes
in this issue can attest, outreach
was critical in the success of each
event and perseverance ensured
increasing participation in
subsequent events.
As with any event, the more
it is advertised, the more people
will come—and the more they'll
tell their neighbors to come, too!
Personal-Care Products: Household Hazardous Waste or Not?
Some personal care products are considered HHW. In particular, nail polish, nail polish
remover, and products in aerosol containers have flammable chemicals and are considered
HHW. Nail polish should not be poured down a drain and instead should be brought to a
HHW collection center along with other HHW. Aerosol cans should be recycled for a number
of reasons, the most important being safety. When aerosol cans are thrown into landfills,
they become a hazard. If a fire were to break out, these containers could explode and cause
physical harm to landfill workers and firefighters. Extra care should be taken to recycle
empty aerosol cans or dispose of partially filled aerosol cans as HHW. Most other personal
care items like cosmetics, or skin and hair-care products, can be thrown away in the trash.
In general, it is best to finish using products completely before disposing of them.
MAY 2014
Tribal Waste Journal 13
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The Cool Factor:
Certification in Refrigerant
Compliance at The United
South and Eastern Tribes
Annual Summit
What do effluent
microbiology, Hurricane
Sandy emergency response, and
safe refrigerant handling have in
common? These were training
and continuing education sessions
provided at the 2013 fourth
annual United South and Eastern
Tribes, Incorporated (USET)
Tribal Utility Summit (TUS), held
in Nashville, Tennessee. From
April 9-11, more than 130 tribal
water, wastewater, and solid waste
professionals gathered for the
event. This collaborative effort
was sponsored by USET, EPA, and
the Nashville Area Indian Health
Service (IHS).
Headquartered in Nashville,
Tennessee, USET was formed
around the shared idea of
"strength in unity' What the
organization is discovering
by hosting annual tribal
summits is that there is also
unity in strength—when tribal
Refrigerant
Freon refers to chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons, or
CFCs, that are used in refrigeration products. While CFCs
are typically not toxic to humans, they are harmful to the
environment because when released into the atmosphere,
CFCs destroy ozone molecules faster than nature can repair
the ozone layer. The ozone layer is important because it
protects us from harmful UV rays. Freon is so harmful
that it is illegal to release it into the atmosphere. Before
recycling or disposing of an appliance containing freon, the
freon must be removed by a certified technician. The cost
to hire a removal technician or to get certified depends on
variables such as the cost of the technician or instructor's
time, the cost of the certification exam, refrigerant disposal
fees, refrigerant handling equipment, and the cost of
shipping any materials.
For more information on freon and examples of Alaskan
tribes with freon experience visit:
http://www.zendergroup.org/docs/Freon_removal.pdf
For information on complying with the Section 608
Refrigerant Recycling Rule visit:
http://www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/608/608fact.html
employees convene under a
common purpose, they have an
unprecedented opportunity for
networking and community.
USET is a non-profit inter-
tribal organization founded
in 1969 that has grown to
include twenty-six federally-
recognized tribes, operating
through various workgroups
and committees and providing a
forum for the exchange of ideas
and information among tribes,
agencies, and governments.
USET s mission is "dedicated to
enhancing the development of
Indian Tribes, to improving the
capabilities of Tribal governments,
and assisting the member Tribes
and their governments in dealing
effectively with public policy
issues and in serving the broad
needs of Indian people."
Several training opportunities
were available to tribes at the
2013 Tribal Utility Summit.
Tribal employees had the
opportunity to train and test
for their 608 Certification — an
EPA certification for all who
perform maintenance, service,
repair, or disposal of equipment
or appliances that could be
reasonably expected to release
refrigerants into the atmosphere.
EPA Region 4 and the Nashville
Area IHS provided travel
14 Tribal Waste Journal
MAY 2014
-------
Collected appliances containing refrigerant.
Photo courtesy of Robin Campbell of the Nenana Native Council.
scholarships to USET-affiliated
tribal water, wastewater, and solid
waste professionals to increase
accessibility to the program.
The mandatory EPA
certification program requires
individuals to be trained before
servicing, disposing of, or
recycling air-conditioning and
refrigeration equipment. The
program also certifies to the
appropriate EPA Regional Office
that these individuals have
acquired (built, bought, or leased)
refrigerant recovery or recycling
equipment and that they are
complying with the applicable
requirements. This certification
must be signed by the owner
of the equipment or another
responsible officer and sent to the
EPA Regional Office.
The Tribal Utility Summit
608 Certification sessions were
conducted by Earl Delatte of
the ESCO Institute. Mr. Delatte
was the lead in training and
testing participants on how to
handle solid waste products
such as freon, the refrigerant
that can affect air quality if not
properly handled and discarded.
Participants must pass an EPA-
certified test to get their 608
credentials and the credentials do
not expire.
The USET Office of
Environmental Resource
Management (OERM) is the lead
on the Summit and programs
such as an Operator Certification
Program, related drinking
water activities, and solid waste
training assistance programs. The
mission of the OERM is "to assist
member tribes in addressing
environmental concerns, such
as clean and safe drinking water,
health community ecosystems,
and climate change impacts to
tribal homelands, traditional
practices, and overall economic
well-being." Any tribal employee
is eligible to take the 608
Certification course and test. The
annual Summit is a convenient
alternative to independently
searching for and attending local
certification programs.
In addition to waste-related
training, USET also supports
efforts in inter-tribal agriculture,
clean water, and wastewater. Aside
from the environmental services,
USET also has programs in tribal
health programs and legislative
priorities and policies. With all
that USET and its member tribes
have accomplished, it is easy to
see how unity and strength are
related.
MAY 2014
Tribal Waste Journal 15
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Containers used for organizing a HHW collection event.
Photo courtesy Robin Campbell.
Nenana Native Council: Using Indian
General Assistance Program (IGAP)
for HHW
T!
town of Nenana, located
55 miles southwest of
Fairbanks in Alaska's interior,
at the confluence of the Tenana
and Nenana Rivers, is a small
community of 578 members.
The town has implemented an
impressive and comprehensive
recycling program. Flyers
encouraging residents to
participate in Nenana's recycling
program are prominently
posted on bulletin boards
nearly everywhere in the town,
including the city office, the
school, and the tribal office.
How did such a successful
program get started and how
is it maintained? This is the
story of an exceptional HHW
outreach effort and a responsive
community that had a stake in its
success.
Prior to the establishment
of the recycling program, the
Tanana River banks and the
surrounding areas were being
used as make-shift dump sites for
the community's HHW. These
wastes included abandoned
16 Tribal Waste Journal
cars, and other refuse, such as
paints, cleaners, oil, batteries,
pesticides, refrigerators,
detergents, and adhesives—all
examples of HHW. Since Nenana
had a history of working with
the Yukon River Inter-Tribal
Watershed Council (YRITWC)
on issues related to waste oil, the
Nenana Native Council decided
to partner with the YRITWC
to create a recycling plan. In
2009, Nenana was awarded
an Indian Environmental
General Assistance Program
(IGAP) grant from EPA. Robin
Campbell, the IGAP coordinator
employed by the Nenana Native
Council, spearheaded the
recycling program.
Initially, the program
focused on businesses and
promoted the bulk collection
of cans and cardboard boxes
from restaurants and bars. Soon,
the local store, city office, and
courthouse were all recycling.
The residents of Nenana were
not far behind. Community
members joined forces and soon
the town was overwhelmed with
the amount of recyclables—so
much so that they had to locate a
place to store the materials until
they could travel to Fairbanks to
dispose of it.
The Nenana Native
Council embodied their own
environmental principles in
the construction of a facility
using recycled materials. The
Council gained approval from
the owners of an abandoned
and flooded house to have it
torn down so the lumber could
be recycled. The new recycling
center was constructed by the
community from 85 percent
recycled lumber. Even the paint
used on the building was earth-
friendly. Leftover paint collected
from community members
was used so that it did not have
to be disposed of or stored,
which could potentially pose an
environmental hazard.
It took nearly three months
to complete the 20x20-foot
recycling drop-off center. Nenana
held a community ceremony
MAY 2014
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to celebrate the opening of the
facility. To build on its success,
in 2011, the program expanded
to include the HHW program.
At that time, the Nenana Native
Council applied for a small
grant from the Alaska Forum of
the Environment in an effort to
fund storage of HHW. They were
awarded the grant funds, and the
Council has since obtained two
40-foot condexes to store HHW
before transport to Fairbanks
for disposal. The Nenana HHW
program is now an ongoing,
weekly HHW and solid waste
collection effort carried out by a
local disposal company.
Still, the program's leaders
wanted greater participation.
Every May, Nenana has a
community-wide spring cleaning
event. Just before the end of the
school year, Nenana distributes
approximately 800 bags to the
community for trash collection.
The children have a day off from
school and participate in the
cleanup activities from morning
until lunch time. Then, the
community comes together for a
picnic at the baseball park. This
is a great example of the power
of community involvement. The
tribe supplies the labor and food,
HHW recycling containers at the Nenana Recycling Center.
Photo courtsey of Robin Campbell.
while the children learn the value
of recycling.
In addition to recycling,
most of the tribes HHW is also
collected at this event. The event
provides a great opportunity
to educate the community
about HHW. In particular,
the community learns how
important it is to separate the
HHW materials from the regular
trash.
To what can the success of
this program be most attributed?
Ms. Campbell stressed that
Nenana's successful HHW
Construction of the Nenana Recycling Center.
Photo courtsey of Robin Campbell.
program is due to strong
partnerships. She advised,
"Our coordinator for EPA in
Anchorage is so helpful, and you
have to have the Tribal Council's
support... you have to get the
approval of the Council to do
these things; if they see you are
doing good things, they are going
to support you." She also pointed
out that the IGAP coordinator
has to be involved and should
find dedicated workers to
support collection. "Recycling is
an outdoor job—the guys [have
to] have all their winter gear
on.. .it's a hard job in the winter,
especially for Alaska."
The Nenana Native Council
of Nenana, Alaska and their
HHW management effort
embodies the term "helping
hands." The local recycling
center is now decorated with
community members' handprints
to symbolize that each citizen
of the Nenana community is
involved in, and has a "hand" in
the program.
MAY 2014
Tribal Waste Journal 17
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Eight Northern Indian Pueblos
Council: Collective Conscience^
Leads to Collective Success
The Eight Northern Indian
Pueblos Council, Inc.
(ENIPC) is a non-profit
organization located in north
central New Mexico. Member
tribes include the Tesuque,
Pojoaque, Nambe, San Ildefonso,
Santa Clara, Ohkay Owingeh,
Picuris, and Taos Pueblos.
ENIPC was founded in the
1960s by a group of visionaries
who realized that with a united
effort of combining resources
ENIPC leads environmental
initiatives, as well as successful
health, education, and economic
programs for nearly all of the
pueblos and tribes in New
Mexico. In 2005, the Office
of Environmental Technical
Assistance (OETA) was created
to provide technical assistance,
infrastructure development
and training services related to
environmental protection and
health. OETA is housed within
Materials collected at the ENIPC HHW collection event.
Photo courtesy of Sage Deon,
and populations, they would be
in a better position to compete
for federal funds. Since that
time, ENIPC has evolved into
a conduit for federal and state
programs that not only serve
the Eight Northern Pueblos,
but many of the surrounding
tribes and communities as well.
18 Tribal Waste Journal
the Environment Department of
ENIPC.
This mission-driven
consortium organizes HHW
collection events which provide
community members the
opportunity to identify, gather
and transport HHW to a central
location. OETAs efforts have
resulted in a very successful
endeavor, which not only
educates citizens about how to
dispose of waste responsibly, but
also provides an opportunity for
the community to come together
for proper disposal of HHW.
OETA began the tradition of
HHW collection events in 2008
and has held events every other
year since. The first collection for
the Eight Northern Pueblos was
a collectively coordinated effort.
They weren't certain what volume
of waste they would collect from
their community members,
but suspected that it would be
a fairly small amount for each
of the individual pueblos. Each
pueblo had their own small
collection event within their
individual communities, then
they transferred the wastes to a
central location. In addition, a
contractor was hired to collect,
sort, and properly dispose of
the various types of HHW.
This shared and coordinated
collection effort seemed to work
well for the OETA and they
repeated this collection method
for the next four years.
Each pueblo provides
outreach materials about
individual programs, such
as posters, brochures, and
advertisements. OETA also
creates and distributes outreach
materials, and provides answers
to questions that tribes may
have about HHW disposal,
such as identifying HHW
items. OETA extends strategic
outreach to schools to develop
MAY 2014
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Additional materials collected at the ENIPC HHW collection event.
Photo courtesy of Sage Deon.
an environmental ethic and
in the hope that young people
will encourage their parents to
participate in the collection event
for their community.
The ENIPC/OETA
recognizes the need to make
these programs sustainable into
the future, by funding the costs of
the collection events. Historically,
ENIPC/OETA was able to obtain
funds through the Hazardous
Waste Management Grant
Program for Tribes and a New
Mexico Recycling and Illegal
Dumping (RAID) grant, for
collection events through 2011.
Officials are working to secure
resources into the future. Sage
Deon, an OETA Environmental
Specialist, has gained experience
from managing the HHW
collection program for various
pueblos and tribes. She advises
tribes who hire contractors
for their HHW collections
to consider that contractors
may provide different kinds of
assistance. Some may help with
specific aspects of the collection,
while others execute the entire
collection and transfer of HHW
waste. When hiring a contractor,
the organizers should clearly
communicate which jobs are to
be completed by the contractor,
and which are expected to be
completed by the tribe.
OETA also provides advice
to pueblo and tribal residents
who have questions or request
assistance. This open line of
communication has been the
key in educating the tribes and
is one of the reasons the HHW
collection events have been so
successful.
Successes of the 2O10 ENIPC Tribal Hazardous Waste Management
Program
The ENIPC Hazardous Waste Management Program worked with 22 pueblos, tribes and
Ysleta del Sur Pueblo in Texas.
The program increased public health and environmental health through hazardous waste
management training, public education, and land protection.
Through a grant received from EPA, ENIPC/OETA removed more than 10,500 pounds of
HHW collected from the eight pueblos that participated in the collection events.
The main types of waste collected were paint related materials, aerosols, corrosive acids,
corrosive bases, gas cylinders, used oil, antifreeze, and alkaline batteries.
MAY 2014
Tribal Waste Journal 19
-------
Recycled wood used in the construction of Nenana's Recycling Center.
Photo courtesy of Robin Campbell of Nenana Native Council.
Funding Sources: Grant Opportunities
To Support the Groundwork for HHW
Programs
EPA provides funding
opportunities in the
form of grants, cooperative
agreements, and interagency
agreements to assist tribes
and inter-tribal consortia
with HHW management
activities. These activities
may include tribal capacity
building for the development
and implementation of waste
management programs,
outreach/education, and
compliance assurance/
enforcement. General
information on these and other
HHW grants and funding for
tribes is available at: http://www.
epa.gov/region9/waste/tribal/
house-waste.html#fund. More
specific information on the
funding sources below may be
found through the Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) website at: www.cfda.gov.
In addition, some states offer
grant programs to help fund
HHW management activities.
Listed below are examples of
EPA-funded grant programs
and other federal/state grant
programs.
Environmental
Protection Agency
Grant Opportunities
Indian Environmental General
Assistance Program (IGAP)
CFDA Reference Number 66.926
Authorized under the Indian
Environmental General
Assistance Program Act of 1992,
the Indian General Assistance
Program (IGAP) provides
funding for capacity building
and management capabilities for
federally-recognized tribes and
inter-tribal consortia to develop
environmental programs. These
grants can be used toward
activities such as planning and
conducting HHW collection
events and/or programs, and
establishing recycling collection
areas and support facilities.
Funding for IGAP has increased
from $8.4 million in the early
1990s to an estimated $64
million for fiscal year 2013.
IGAP funding may be applied to
identify baseline environmental
needs; establish administrative,
legal, technical and enforcement
capability; foster compliance
through programs, ordinances,
education and outreach;
communications capability; and
management. IGAP grants are
administered by EPAs American
Indian Environmental Office and
are negotiated by EPA Regional
Indian Program Managers and
Coordinators.
The list of regional
coordinators is located on-line
at: www.epa.gov/tribalportal/
contactinfo/regcontacts.htm. For
more information, visit EPAs
IGAP website, at: http://www.epa.
gov/tp/grantsandfunding/gap.htm.
Tribal Waste Journal
MAY 2014
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Community Action for a
Renewed Environment (CARE)
Program
CFDA Reference Number 66.035
Community Action for a
Renewed Environment (CARE)
Program is a competitive grant
program that supports analyses,
studies, evaluations, surveys,
investigations, conferences,
demonstrations, and special
purpose projects which
empower communities to
reduce risks from exposures to
toxic pollutants in the air, in the
water and on the land through
collaborative action at the local
level. For more information, visit
EPAs CARE website at: www.epa.
gov/care.
Alternative or Innovative
Treatment Technology
Research, Demonstration,
Training and Hazardous
Substance Research Grants
CFDA Reference Number: 66.813
The Alternative or Innovative
Treatment Technology
Research, Demonstration,
Training, and Hazardous
Substance Research Grants are
awarded for: (1) a program of
research, evaluation, testing,
development, and demonstration
of alternative or innovative
treatment technologies which
may be utilized in response
actions to achieve more
permanent protection of human
health and welfare and the
environment; (2) a technology
transfer program including
the development, collection,
evaluation, coordination and
dissemination of information
relating to the utilization
of alternative or innovative
treatment technologies for
response actions; (3) a program
of training and evaluation of
training needs in the procedures
for the handling and removal
of hazardous substances for
employees who handle hazardous
substances and training in the
management of facilities at
which hazardous substances are
located and in the evaluation
of the hazards to human health
presented by such facilities
for state and local health and
environmental agency personnel;
and (4) a program of research
with respect to the detection,
assessment, and evaluation of
the effects on and risks to human
health of hazardous substances
and detection of hazardous
substances in the environment.
For more information visit:
http://www.epa.gov/tp/
grantsandfunding/topic-waste.
htm#hwr.
Brownfields Assessment
and Cleanup Cooperative
Agreements
CFDA Reference Number 66.818
Brownfield sites are properties
whose expansion, redevelopment,
or reuse may be complicated
by the presence or potential
presence of a hazardous substance,
pollutant, or contaminant. The
objectives of the brownfield
assessment revolving loan
fund and cleanup cooperative
agreements (project grants) are
to provide funding to inventory,
characterize, assess, and conduct
planning and community
involvement related to brownfield
sites; to capitalize a revolving
loan fund and provide subgrants
to carry out cleanup activities at
brownfield sites; and to carry out
cleanup activities at brownfield
sites that are owned by the grant
recipient. For more information
visit: http://www.epa.gov/
brownfields/plocat.htm.
Region 9: Pacific Southwest
Tribal Grant Opportunities
The following website lists
current grant opportunities and
additional resources in Region
9 for tribal communities: http://
www.epa.gov/region09/waste/
solid/funding.html. Grants can be
used to pay for a new position,
contractor support, outreach
materials, and supplies.
Region 10: Pacific Northwest
Tribal Grant Opportunities
The following website lists
current grant opportunities and
additional resources in Region
10 for tribal communities: http://
yosemite.epa.gov/Rl 0/TRIBAL.
NSF/webpage/Tribal+Grants/.
Past opportunities have included
a HHW Collection and Disposal
Grant Program.
Hazardous Waste
Management Grant Program
for Tribes
CFDA Reference Number: 66.812
The Hazardous Waste
Management Grant Program
for Tribes provides assistance
to federally-recognized tribes
and inter-tribal consortia for
developing and implementing
hazardous waste programs;
building capacity to improve
and maintain regulatory
compliance; and developing
solutions to address hazardous
waste management issues that
are impacting tribal lands. The
grants support implementation
of HHW collection events
and/or programs that provide
sustainable or long-term
solutions for the disposal of
MAY 2014
Tribal Waste Journal 21
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HHW for the community. For
more information visit: http://
www.epa.gov/waste/wyl/tribal/
fmance.htm.
Grant Writing Resources
http://www.epa.gov/ogd/
recipient/tips.htm
General guidance on how to
write a successful EPA grant
application.
Department of
Housing and Urban
Development Grant
Opportunities
Indian Community
Development Block Grant
Program
CFDA Reference Number 14.862
The U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development
offers funding in three main
categories including: Housing
Rehabilitation, Community
Facilities Infrastructure
Construction, and Economic
Development in the form of a
variety of commercial, industrial,
and agricultural projects.
These grants can be used to
support a HHW program. One
tribe established a waste and
recycling center with funding
awarded from this program.
For more information visit:
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/
HUD?src=/program_offices/
public_indian_housing/ih/grants/
icdbg.
The Healthy Homes
Demonstration Grant Program
The Healthy Homes Program
addresses multiple childhood
diseases and injuries in the
home. The initiative takes a
comprehensive approach to these
activities by focusing on housing-
related hazards. Healthy Homes
Grants focus on researching and
demonstrating low-cost, effective
home hazard assessment and
intervention methods, as well as
on public education that stresses
ways in which communities
can mitigate housing-related
hazards, such as safer alternatives
to household chemicals and
safe disposal of HHW. For more
information visit: http://portal.
hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/
program_offices/healthy_homes/
hhi/hhd.
U.S. Department
of Energy Funding
Opportunities
U.S. Department of Energy
Tribal Energy Program
The U.S. Department of Energy
offers funding opportunities and
grants under the Tribal Energy
Program (TEP) for renewable
energy and energy efficiency
projects on tribal lands. For more
information visit: http://appsl.
eere.energy.gov/tribalenergy/
financial_opportunities.cfm.
State-Specific
Funding
Opportunities
New York Household
Hazardous Waste State
Assistance Program
New York passed an Environ-
mental Protection Act in 1993
which authorizes New York to
provide reimbursement funding
of up to 50 percent of the costs
of municipal HHW collection
programs including single-day
collections, mobile collections, or
a permanent collection facility.
Reimbursement funding is
provided through the Depart-
ment of Environmental Con-
servation (DEC) HHW State
Assistance Program. Any Native
American tribe or nation located
within New York State is eligible
for this grant. For more informa-
tion visit: http://www.dec.ny.gov/
chemical/8778.html.
California Integrated Waste
Management Board -
Household Hazardous Waste
& Used Oil Grants
CalRecycle, California's
Department of Resources
Recycling and Recovery, offers
HHW and used oil grant
programs. California Indian
reservations and rancherias
are eligible if they have direct
responsibility for HHW
management. Grant recipients
may apply the grant toward
establishing or expanding HHW
collection programs. Awards
range from $50,000 through
$150,000. For more information
visit: http://www.calrecycle.
ca.gov/HomeHazWaste/Grants.
htm.
22 Tribal Waste Journal
MAY 2014
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Resources
Earth 911
http://earth911.com/
The Earth 911 Recycling
Directory is a comprehensive
directory that contains
information on how to recycle
more than 240 different products.
Earth911 also offers a toll-
free, bilingual hotline (1-800
CLEANUP) to assist consumers
who wish to find local recycling
and HHW collection locations.
Example of a Tribal
Household Hazardous
Management Plan Created by
the Hopland Band of Porno
Indians
http://www.epa.gov/region9/
waste/tribal/pdf/hopland-hw-
manage-plan.pdf
The example may assist in a
community's development of a
HHW Management Plan.
General Household
Hazardous Waste Information
http://www.epa.gov/waste/
conserve/materials/hhw.htm
Household Hazardous Waste:
A Guide for Tribal Members
http://www.epa.gov/region9/
waste/tribal/pdf/HHW-Brochure-
Tribal-Members-Ready-to-Print.
pdf
The guide answers questions such
as how to avoid risks, what to
look for on container labels, why
HHW is dangerous, and how
to dispose of HHW safely. The
brochure also offers alternatives
to HHW products.
Household Hazardous Waste
Collection: A Program Guide
for Tribal Governments
http://www.epa.gov/region9/
waste/tribal/pdf/final-hhw-guide-
oct-2007.pdf
The guide, created by Region
9, provides tribal governments
with the tools to start or link
to an existing HHW collection
program. It specifically deals with
tribal issues for HHW collection.
Household Hazardous Waste:
Steps to Safe Management
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npstbx/files/
epa_house_haz_waste.pdf
The EPA publication lists steps
for the management of HHW.
It documents the dangers of
improper disposal and provides
safe management methods.
Region 5: Waste Program
Resource Guide
http://www.epa.gov/region5/
waste/solidwaste/tribal-
resource-guide/resource_guide_
program_summaries.html
Region 7: Solid & Hazardous
Waste Support for First
Nations in Region 7
http://www.epa.gov/region7/
waste/solidwaste/waste_mgmt_
indian.htm
Region 1 provides a list of solid
waste management funding
sources and creative ways to
reduce and manage municipal
solid waste.
Tribal Guide for Managing
Household Hazardous Waste
http://www.srmt-nsn.gov/news/
detail/saint_regis_mohawk_
tribe_publishes_household_
hazardous_waste_manual
The manual, created by the
St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, is a
"start-to-finish" set of guidelines
on setting up a program. The
guide provides information
on program development,
community outreach and
education, financing, the HHW
collection processes, and safe
handling techniques of HHW.
Yukon River Inter-Tribal
Watershed Council:
Backhaul A "HowTo" Guide
http://www.yritwc.org/Portals/0/
PDFs/2008_backhaul_manual.pdf
The guide, created by the Yukon
River Inter-Tribal Watershed
Council provides information
and tools that tribal communities
can use to create their own
backhaul programs.
Zender Group Household
Hazardous Wastes Handout
http://www.zendergroup.org/
docs/household_haz%20_feb05.
pdf
The factsheet explains the basics
of HHW, including how to
recognize HHW products, how
to reduce and discard HHW,
safer alternatives to HHW
products, important tips, and
additional resources.
*EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-EPA information provided by these third-party sites or any
other linked site. EPA is providing these links for your reference. In doing so, EPA does not endorse
any non-government websites, companies or applications.
MAY 2014
Tribal Waste Journal 23
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KIDS' PAGE
Maze answer on page 25.
Petroleum Jelly
Cedar Chest
Drain Cleaner
-------
Lets take a look at the items we found in
the maze and in our home and see why
some of the items are toxic.
Toilet Cleaner
There are chemicals found in toilet cleaners that are also found in pesticides (that stuff
used for killing bugs in the garden!). These chemicals can be extremely dangerous. Never
mix toilet bowl cleaner with any other cleaning products. Doing so can result in poisonous
gasses being released and cause very serious breathing problems. Toilet cleaner can be
very irritating to your eyes and skin and is harmful if you swallow it.
Oven Cleaner
The main ingredient in oven cleaners is a chemical called lye. Lye is corrosive. Corrosive
means that the chemical can eat through other materials or even burn your skin. Never
swallow anything with corrosive ingredients inside! Only an adult should use products like
this.
Antibacterial Cleaner
Antibacterial cleaners usually contain ingredients or chemicals which help break up dirt and
kill bacteria and a fragrance to make it smell good. Antibacterial cleaners are very irritating
to your eyes and skin and can burn your throat. If you get some of the cleaner on your skin
or in your eyes, wash it off immediately. Anti-bacterial cleaners can be harmful if not used
properly.
Antifreeze
Antifreeze has a hazardous ingredient called ethylene glycol. The ingredient is
extremely poisonous and can cause a lot of damage to your body. Sometimes it can
spill or leak on the ground from cars and trucks. If you see a bright green or yellow
liquid on the ground in the garage, driveway, parking lot, or street, keep your dog and
pets away from the puddle and let an adult know about it.
Drain Cleaners
Drain cleaners are toxic because they have ingredients such as lye and sulfuric acid, which
have dangerous fumes and can cause burns on your skin if the product touches you. Make
sure only adults use this product.
Furniture Cleaners
Furniture cleaners that are made for wood may contain petroleum distillates and oil
of cedar. The chemicals in furniture polish or cleaners may irritate your skin, eyes and
respiratory tract (that is your throat, lungs and wind pipe). If swallowed, furniture cleaners
can cause nausea, vomiting, and you may need to seek medical help. Before using these
products, you need to be sure to always read the label first because the label contains
valuable safety information as well as how to use the product properly.
Insect Baits
Adults use insect baits to get rid of insects inside of their homes. Usually insect
baits are enclosed in containers so if you do not open the container you will not be
exposed to the pesticides inside of them. If you do find insect bait, do not touch it
and keep your pets away from it as well.
Maze answer from page 24.
These products are explained in more depth in an interactive game called
Learn More About the Chemicals Around Your House from EPA located
here: http://www.epa.gov/kidshometour/tour.htmtfview
MAY 2014
Tribal Waste Journal 25
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HOUSEHOLD
HAZARDOUS
WASTE
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
US EPA Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery
Publication No. EPA530-N-14-001
www. epa.gov/tri bal msw
Issue 9 I May 2014
paper with a minimum 50% post-
consumer waste using vegetable-based
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