WasteCap of Lincoln�s Recycling E-NewsletterMarch 2003Happy St. Patrick�s Day from WasteCap Staff! This month�s E-newsletter focuses on human ingenuity. Kudos to these innovators for finding new and exciting ways to promote and save our environment! DATE CHANGE: 2nd Annual Training & Vendor Show set for November 4th, 2003- Mark your calendars! Following in the footsteps of the �Nebraska Recycling & Pollution Prevention Training & Vendor Show� of October 2002, this year�s event promises to be bigger and better! There�s still time to register for the FREE WasteCap & Latsch�s Buy Recycled Training on March 19th! Contact WasteCap to RSVP at 472-0888 or [email protected] if you are interested. We Need Input�Would you like to see us highlight a specific environmental issue? What commodities need to be highlighted for your business and employees? Contact us at [email protected] with new focus ideas for the newsletter! Check out our website at www.wastecaplnk.org for WasteCap�s 2003 Calendar of Events along with all our recent publications and press releases.
What�s New for March 2003:� WasteCap�s New Member Profile � Alter Scrap � Clean Your Files Week Plans Underway � UNL�s Memorial Stadium Proves to be Trendsetter � LES� Power Purchase Program Saves Lincoln Over $100,000 � 2003 Lincoln-Lancaster County Environmental Awards Nominations Needed � New EMS, P2 and Energy Star Resources Available � Retrofit Recycling Pick-Up Dates � Kids� Energy Powers Rural Towns � Synthetic Trees Soak Up Excess CO2 � LA Plans 70% Recycling Rate Goal � Hog Waste Converted to Diesel Fuel � New �Harmony� Town Built to Promote Sustainable Living � Grocery Shrink Wrap Packaging Made from Corn WasteCap�s New Member ProfileWasteCap of Lincoln is pleased to announce that our membership is growing and now includes some of the service providers that our current members are using. We are happy to welcome them into our membership. Alter ScrapAlter Scrap, founded in 1898, is a privately owned, fourth generation managed scrap metal recycling facility. Their Lincoln scrap yard has the capacity to service several large corporations in Nebraska, including fifteen WasteCap members. Alter is one of the largest scrap processors in the United States operating 15 scrap metal recycling facilities and three brokerage offices in six Midwestern states. With over 40% of WasteCap members� total recycling volumes coming from scrap metal, the service that Alter Scrap provides to WasteCap members is highly valuable. WasteCap staff recently had the opportunity to tour Alter Scrap to learn more about their facilities and the process of scrap metal recycling. Alter has been a part of the Lincoln community for over five years now and is looking forward to getting more involved with WasteCap of Lincoln and other local organizations.
Clean Your Files Week Plans UnderwayIt�s that time of the year again! The 4th Annual �Clean Your Files Week� event has been set for April 21st through April 25th. In the last three years, this event has helped recover nearly 87,000 pounds of paper! Clean, sorted office paper is particularly valuable to paper recyclers as it can be manufactured into a broad range of recycled-content products ranging from tissues to packaging to new office paper products. WasteCap members will be receiving a formal invitation from the mayor as well as an official entry form soon. We would like as many businesses as possible to participate in order to show a concerted recycling effort from our members.
UNL�s Memorial Stadium Proves to be TrendsetterMemorial Stadium, home of the Huskers, has proven to not only set football records, but also trends. FieldTurf, the synthetic turf composed of recycled rubber from old tires and Nike shoes and �grass� made from recycled pop bottles, has been installed in more than 550 sports surfaces in 25 nations in the last three years. The most recent additions to the recycled turf bandwagon include the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, and the Giants, Jets and MetroStars of Giants Stadium. Installed at Memorial Stadium almost five years ago, FieldTurf has helped to not only help prevent athlete injuries and reduce turf maintenance costs, but it has also increased awareness of recycled products. In addition to the publicity from HuskerVision to promote the turf, the UNL Recycling Program was recently highlighted on all the local television stations for their unique recycling pick-up following Game Days. Dale Ekart, UNL�s Recycling & Solid Waste Resource Manager, has provided extensive recycling program assistance to other colleges and organizations, such as Florida State University, Iowa State University, the NASCAR Race Circuit, and NAPCOR (National Association for PET Container Resources). Mr. Ekart will also be speaking jointly with Michigan State University about special events recycling at the upcoming conferences for MORA (Missouri Recycling Association) in May and Iowa State University in June. The University of Nebraska Lincoln�s Memorial Stadium was the site of WasteCap�s inaugural Talk & Tour last September. For more information about UNL�s Recycling Program contact Dale Ekart via e-mail at [email protected] or phone at 472-6099.
LES� Power Purchase Program Saves Lincoln Over $100,000During 2002, several local businesses partnered with Lincoln Electric System, an active WasteCap member, to help our community save money through LES� Power Purchase Program. Of those participating businesses, at least five were WasteCap Members: Linweld, Pfizer, Union Bank & Trust, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and the City of Lincoln. The Power Purchase Program allows larger commercial and industrial LES customers to help curtail energy use during peak summer periods. In the event that electricity supplies become limited, or wholesale prices become too high, participants are paid to reduce their electrical usage at LES� request. Power Purchase Program partners limit their usage, or operate their own generators, to reduce electric loads and benefit our community by:
Over the past four years, these companies, and others, have helped LES customer-owners save over $100,000 by avoiding higher wholesale costs. The amount of electricity made available during peak periods by these businesses would power about 3,700 homes. See how your larger commercial or industrial business can help benefit the entire community by becoming an LES Power Purchase Program partner. For more information on the program criteria, call 473-3270 or visit www.les.com.
2003 Lincoln-Lancaster County Environmental Awards Nominations Needed
Do you know of an individual, business,
community group, school or youth/youth group who deserves to be
recognized for their efforts in protecting the environment? If so,
nominate them for a Lincoln-Lancaster County Environmental Award. The
Lincoln-Lancaster County Health
Click here to access the nomination form on the web. Feel free to make copies of the nomination form and distribute it to your friends, staff or colleagues. Nominations may be made in more than one category if appropriate. We know there are a lot of individuals, businesses and groups in Lincoln and Lancaster County deserving recognition. Thank you for your help in promoting this worthwhile effort. Deadline for nominations is March 21st. For more information please contact Harry A. Heafer at [email protected] or 441-8035. The Awards Dinner will be held on Tuesday, April 22nd at the Cornhusker Hotel beginning with a social at 6:00 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m., and the awards ceremony starting around 7:00 p.m. There will also be a brief recognition of the Keep Lincoln & Lancaster County Beautiful�s 20th Anniversary. Reservations are $15 per person and may be made by contacting Harry A. Heafer at [email protected] or 441-8035.
New EMS, P2 and Energy Star Resources AvailableRecently, WasteCap learned of new resources for EMS (Environmental Management Systems), P2 (Pollution Prevention) and Energy Star. Any business that is interested in learning more about these subjects should check out these new resources: Free ENERGY STAR Training for Businesses EPA is offering seven different internet-based training sessions free of charge that show how to incorporate energy efficiency into an organization�s planning process. These 30 to 60 minute training sessions, which can be catered to any type of business, are held on a toll-free conference call while logged into a presentation on the Internet. Current training sessions include:
This document focuses on continual improvement by addressing environmental planning, policy, implementation, checking/corrective action, and management review. This EMS Guide is a valuable resource as it includes complete explanations of the benefits associated with environmental management systems as well as extensive case studies. Virtual Companion to �An Organizational Guide to Pollution Prevention� This guide includes information on P2 tools, checklists, and manuals and also covers P2 and how it fits with both the EMS and Quality Models. If you are interested in obtaining your own copy, it is available to order from http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/library/ppicdist.htm.
Retrofit Recycling Pick-Up DatesReminder that WasteCap of Lincoln members do receive discounted fluorescent lamp, ballast, electronic and battery recycling services through Retrofit Recycling (800-274-1309) and Environmental Compliance Enterprises (466-2268). Please let us know if you need an updated price sheet. March: 17th & 18th 26th & 27th April: 14th & 15th 28th & 29th
Markets Corner
|
|
|
January |
February |
March |
|
OCC |
50 |
50 |
60 |
|
CPO |
50 |
50 |
70 |
|
Mag |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
News |
20 |
20 |
20 |
|
SOP |
25 |
25 |
25 |
Reminder that INFORM Members using Midland Recycling are paid $20 under the reported price for loose cardboard (OCC) and $5 under the reported price for baled cardboard in bales weighing over 1,000 pounds.
Material abbreviations:
OCC- Old Corrugated Cardboard
SOP� Sorted Office Paper
The energy generated from teeter-totters, merry-go-rounds, swing sets and other playground equipment can power towns. This new research targets the 40% of the world�s population with reliable access to electricity. Each day children play in their schoolyard, they generate the same amount of power as is stored in 1,000 regular-sized AA batteries. This is enough energy to illuminate light bulbs, power radios, sewing machines and other items that provide education and training to help improve the quality of life in rural areas.
For the Complete Story, Visit:
http://www.freep.com/money/tech/mwend3_20030303.htm
Who needs to worry about deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and global climate change when we�ve got �fake� trees to save us? A Columbia University scientist has invented synthetic trees to absorb carbon dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas, from the air. Each synthetic tree could remove 90,000 metric tons of CO2 annually, the equivalent of removing 15,000 cars from our nation�s roads. But don�t expect these trees to have the aesthetic appeal of their leafy counterparts. The scientist describes the synthetic tree as �a goal post with Venetian blinds.�
For the Complete Story, Visit:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2784227.stm
Los Angeles plans to boost its 60% recycling diversion rate up to 70% by 2020. The city, which has the highest diversion rate for populous cities in California, has included several special programs to help increase their recycling rate. Included are �Recycle for Dollars,� where residents receive cash prizes for recycling correctly, nine permanent SAFE centers for special and electronic waste to be disposed/recycled, food recycling at restaurants, and expansion of the Blue Bin recycling program into local schools.
For the Complete Story, Visit:
http://www.wasteage.com/ar/waste_la_city_council/
Smithfield Farms is planning to build a $20 million waste-to-energy facility in southwestern Utah that will convert swine manure into biodiesel fuel. In addition to preventing the hog waste from polluting air, land, and water, the biodiesel fuel burns more cleanly than standard diesel. Smithfield�s hog farming operation, with over 1 million hogs are raised and slaughtered each year, will produce 500,000 pounds of solid hog waste each day!
For the Complete Story, Visit:
http://www.smithfieldfoods.com/news/news_030221.html
Ground has been broken for the first homes, shops, restaurants, and other businesses in the town of Harmony, which answers the question of how communities can accommodate a growing population and remain environmentally conscious. The town, which will be home to 18,000 people upon completion, is located on 11,000 acres of pristine forest in Central Florida�s Osceola County. Prices for homes in Harmony range from $140,000 to $500,000.
For the Complete Story, Visit:
http://www.ewire-news.com/wires/62B77733-8E3D-4AC7-8D4BCF279D2C9BBB.htm
Wilkinson Manufacturing, of Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, has begun operation of the first production line in North America to make deli and baked goods packaging from corn. The thermoformed food containers from NatureWorks PLA are a unique line of packaging that is a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional plastic used for shrink-wrapping.
For the Complete Story, Visit:
http://www.ewire-news.com/wires/687C3F5C-00E1-49EE-91AEE230CE5648F3.htm