Waste News articles from August 2005

Waste News archives from August 2005

N.J. pipemaker forging change.(Atlantic States Cast Iron Pipe Co.)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Joe Truini A New Jersey cast iron pipe foundry, beleaguered with federal water pollution lawsuits, is making a few changes to improve its environmental performance. Atlantic States Cast Iron Pipe Co. is restructuring its...

Capital Briefs.(environmental law for states)
August 1, 2005... Legislation General Environment California: Assembly Bill 200 adopts modifications to the Renewables Portfolio Standard Program that are applicable only to an electrical corporation with 60,000 or fewer customer accounts in the state...

Coming Events.(Calendar)(Calendar)
August 1, 2005... North America Aug. 22-25 - 2nd Sustainable Range Management Conference & Exhibition, San Antonio. Contact Heather Gatta (410) 306-8651 or visit www.battelle.org. Aug. 28-31 - National Recycling Coalition 24th Annual Congress &...

Auto's CO2 not EPA must; Appeals court decision strikes down efforts of coalition.(carbon dioxide)(Environmental Protection Agency)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman A federal appeals court has ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is not required to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from automobiles. The decision hands at least a partial defeat to attorneys...

Waste Generator Briefs.
August 1, 2005... Metal Alcoa's plan will reduce emissions Alcoa Inc. has agreed to spend $330 million to improve the environmental performance at its Warrick Power Plant in Newburgh, Ind. The aluminum producer will install flue gas desulfurization...

Allied's Zillmer points to credibility as profit returns.(Allied Waste Industries, Inc.)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Jim Johnson America's second-largest trash company needs to rebuild credibility, new chairman and CEO John J. Zillmer believes. And he sees plenty of ways to do just that. "I'm joining the company at an interesting time....

Waste Industry Briefs.(Briefs)(Baltimore County spends more on sewer system improvements )(PSC Metals Inc. buys Causey Enterprises LLC)
August 1, 2005... Wastewater Sewer upgrade near D.C. to cost $1B Two Washington-area sewer agencies have agreed to spend more than $1 billion in sewer system improvements to settle federal and state Clean Water Act lawsuits. Baltimore County and...

Inbox.(Waste management industry)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Pete Fehrenbach It would have been naive to think the waste industry was forever cleansed of its mob problem when federal officials squashed the Mafia's grip on the Gotham garbage market back in 1995. Sure enough, that delusional...

U.S., 5 in East join climate pact.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The United States has entered into a partnership with Australia, China, India, Japan and South Korea to encourage the development of technology for combating global climate change and to encourage the sharing of...

A Look Back.(News)
August 1, 2005... 1904: Postmaster General Henry Clay Payne authorizes permit mail, opening the door for direct-mail advertising and mass solicitations. Five years ago: Sonoco Products Co. names Harris DeLoach to replace Peter Browning. DeLoach is Sonoco's...

Test store may benefit other industries.(Special Report)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Joe Truini Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s experiment at its McKinney supercenter could be a stepping stone to a much more sustainable future, and not just for the retail industry. "As the world's largest retailer, we are excited that...

Wal-Mart begins green experiment.(Special Report)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Joe Truini From the time you drive into the parking lot, the giant windmill and the blinking solar-powered stop signs let you know this is no ordinary mega-retail store. The store's entrance leaves no doubt, greeting customers...

Feds raid Conn., N.Y. firms.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Jim Johnson Federal investigators are conducting a widespread probe of the trash and recycling industries in Connecticut and New York. Both the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office are involved in the investigation, which includes...

WM to cut 600 jobs; Firm trims group level.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Jim Johnson Waste Management Inc. is cutting 600 jobs, a move the company says will save $70 million per year and cut bureaucracy from within the nation's largest solid waste management company. The job cuts, according to top...

A breath of fresh air.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... After four years of trying, the U.S. House and Senate finally came to an agreement on a comprehensive energy bill. It's a good sign that different factions were able to come up with a compromise. Like any compromise, it leaves some people...

Eleven states are proof that container bills work; Battle over bottle bills vs. litter taxes.(Opinion)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Pat Franklin From Newark to L.A., and Atlanta to Detroit, our nation's roadways and waterways are awash in litter. Billions of cigarette butts, beer bottles, polystyrene cups and soda cans destroy the natural beauty of our parks,...

Energetic compromise; Renewables, ethanol survive committee; 4-year wait ends.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Congress approved an energy bill late last week that encourages the use of ethanol and renewable energy. The bill is expected to win quick approval from President Bush, and its passage ended a four-year...

New Products.(Products)
August 1, 2005... TIGG CORP. has introduced a line of liquid phase and vapor phase transportable Econosorb Adsorption Units. The adsorbers are fabricated from carbon steel with a high solids epoxy lining for a long life, the company said. PVC internals have been...

Carpet industry watching Shaw.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Joe Truini If at first you don't succeed, try another technology. The carpet industry's eyes are on Shaw Industries Group Inc.'s latest effort to deal with carpet waste after the industry has seen other attempts fail. Shaw...

Waste haulers benefiting from stock repurchases.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Jim Johnson Stock repurchasing continues to be a viable alternative for a couple of publicly traded solid waste management companies. Waste Connections Inc., the Folsom, Calif.-based trash company, said it plans to buy back an...

Federalizing e-waste; National plan touted at Senate hearing.(services of U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works)(Electronic Waste Recycling and Promotion and Consumer Protection Act of 2005)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Joe Truini A Congressional subcommittee kicked off hearings last week to address electronic waste issues, with politicians, environmentalists and businessmen calling for national collection and recycling solution. "This is a...

At Deadline: EPA classifies mercury devices as waste.(recycling mercury containing devices)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Federal environmental regulators have added mercury-containing equipment to the universal waste rule, saying it will encourage recycling and reuse among unregulated households and small businesses. The change will make it easier for...

Recycled paper giant IP mulls selling units.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Jim Johnson International Paper Co., which touts itself as world's largest paper and forest products company, plans to get smaller. The Stamford, Conn.-based company, a significant user of recycled fiber, wants to concentrate...

Coalition tries to skirt Senate committee.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Thirty-two members of the U.S. Senate have signed a petition to bypass the Senate Environment Committee and force a vote by the full Senate on a measure blocking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from...

Hauler making strides to meet Calif. air rules; WM converts more than 50% of state fleet.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Jim Johnson More than half of Waste Management Inc.'s California fleet now meets stricter state air pollution guidelines as the company continues to work to convert the entire fleet. Waste Management, which has 2,742 trucks...

GAO's report on chemicals points out a lack of data.(Government Accountability Office)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman A new report recommends that Congress consider granting federal regulators greater authority to improve their ability to assess environmental and health risks posed by chemicals. The Government Accountability...

N.J.'s litter law cleans up much more than bottles; Battle over bottle bills vs. litter taxes.(Clean Communities Act)(bottle bill law)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Sandy Huber While New Yorkers embrace container deposit legislation that is purported to clean up the state's roadways, New Jersey boasts a remarkable alternative, created by the state Legislature in 1986 with the passage of the...

The stuff syndrome; Clutterers, hoarders possessed by possessions.(At Your Disposal)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Brennan Lafferty Do you ever get the feeling that things are piling up? More and more, it's not just a feeling. All across the country stuff and more stuff are spilling out of attics and garages, taking over bedrooms and family...

Pa. imports drop 3rd straight year.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Jim Johnson Pennsylvania saw trash imports fall for the third consecutive year, but still leads the nation in the amount of trash trucked into its borders. Trash from 20 states, the District of Columbia, Canada and Puerto Rico...

Mass. ticket recycling program a hit.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Joe Truini A lottery ticket recycling program in Massachusetts has recovered some 50 tons of nonwinning tickets, and it may have just scratched the surface. "The program is just getting started,'' said Ellen Harvey, executive...

Supplier News.(Briefs)
August 1, 2005... Onyx makes deal for China landfill Onyx has signed a 30-year deal for a municipal waste landfill in China. The company will design, construct and operate a landfill in Foshan in the Guangdong Province. Foshan's population is 5.6...

Seeing the parks; EPA alternative would give states option to trade emission credits.(Clean Air Visibility Rule)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Federal regulators are proposing a new program allowing states to adopt an emission credit trading program to improve visibility in national parks and wilderness areas. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency...

Funds may aid sewers; Senate panel OKs $38 million for wastewater improvements.(powers and duties of Senate Environment Committee )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The Senate Environment Committee on July 20 approved legislation that would provide $38 billion over five years for improving the nation's water and wastewater systems. The bill next moves on to the full Senate...

Groups raise concerns about court nominee.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Environmentalists have expressed concern about President Bush's nomination of Appeals Court Judge John Roberts Jr. to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the U.S. Supreme Court. "Earthjustice is concerned that Judge...

Under control; Firefighters contain blaze at tire recycling facility in Wisconsin.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Miles Moore Tire Business As of July 21, a massive tire fire at a scrap tire recycling facility near Watertown, Wis., was still burning, although local firefighting officials said they had contained the blaze after two days. ...

Approaching critical mass; Pollution-free wind energy keeps growing.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Tracy Hayhurst Every morning Jim Nichols calls up a program on his computer and checks how much money he made while he slept. The Minnesota farmer's payoff comes not from foreign stocks or commodities but from wind power...

Hurdles remain for 6% goal.(News)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Tracy Hayhurst There are still issues to resolve if wind energy is going to supply 6 percent of the country's electricity by 2020. That's the stated goal of the U.S. Department of Energy, and a goal the American Wind Energy...

The disregarded 'R'.(Opinion)(Column)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Allan Gerlat My parents recently moved to a smaller place. Now we're sorting through a lifetime of accumulated stuff. Most of us go through this process at some point. It can be a daunting and emotional job, for a lot of reasons....

Utah radioactive waste moving away from river.(News)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The U.S. Department of Energy has completed plans to remove 12 million tons of radioactive waste in Moab, Utah, near the Colorado River. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and other local politicians expressed support...

Personnel.(appointments)(board of directors)(vice chairman)(Bayne Premium Lift Systems)(controller)(Clayton County Water Authority)(water resources engineer)
August 1, 2005... ASSOCIATION OF EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS - Michael Porcaro elected to board of directors; Mike Simpkins named vice chairman, construction. BAYNE PREMIUM LIFT SYSTEMS - Robert Williams named controller. CLAYTON COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY -...

Groups diverge on best way to recycle.(Special Report)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The beverage industry and environmental advocates disagree strongly about how beverage container recycling programs should operate, and they disagree about how many containers are being recycled, at least in terms...

Smurfit to cut production at three plants, 565 jobs.(News)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Jim Johnson Smurfit-Stone Container Corp., a major collector and user of recycled fiber, is permanently closing containerboard capacity at three locations and laying off 565 employees. The Chicago-based company said the...

Waste Industry Briefs.(divestments of PWN)(divestments of Knoxville Recycling)(appointments)(deputy administrator)
August 15, 2005... Hazardous Waste Onyx buys San Diego-based PWN Onyx Environmental Services LLC is acquiring the hazardous waste business of PWN Environmental Services in San Diego. The acquisition will join a national network of more than 45...

Milk jugs in, 10W40 out; Researchers develop process to convert polyethylene to oil.(At Your Disposal)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman A group of researchers say they believe used plastic bottles could one day be converted into a high-quality oil that could be used to lubricate car engines. Stephen Miller, a senior consulting scientist with...

A setback for states; Appeals court won't grant temporary stay for mercury rule.(News)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman An appeals court has rejected a request from several states to delay the federal government from enforcing the mercury emission rule that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized in March. The U.S....

Bush inks energy policy.(News)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman President Bush signed into law Aug. 8 the federal energy bill passed by Congress earlier this month. It's the first new federal energy policy in more than a decade. The White House highlighted provisions...

Beverage makers work to downsize packaging.(Special Report)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The beverage industry has reduced the weight of its packaging, which offers numerous environmental benefits, according to industry officials. Less aluminum, plastic and glass used in containers, plus less...

The untakeables; Airports dispose of confiscated items in multitude of ways.(Prohibited items not allowed in airports)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Jim Johnson Cigar cutters are all right, and so are plastic knives. But swords, scissors and sabers are not. Pool cues and lacrosse sticks are also prohibited, along with meat cleavers, hammers and drills. Millions of items...

In a pinch; EPA unveils backup plan to make sure power plants cut emissions.(News)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Aug. 1 unveiled plans to ensure that power plants in 28 states and the District of Columbia reduce their emissions as required under the Clean Air Interstate Rule, which...

WM to divest $400M worth of underperforming assets.(News)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Jim Johnson America's largest trash company, Waste Management Inc., plans to get rid of underperforming operations representing more than $400 million of annual business. And that number could grow before all is said and done....

Hilton Hotels joins Calif. Green Lodging Program.(News)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Roger Renstrom Hilton Hotels Corp. has joined the California Green Lodging Program under the state's Integrated Waste Management Board. Hilton, based in Beverly Hills, Calif., is the program's first partner, CIWMB Chairwoman...

Wal-Mart makes more sandwiches.
August 15, 2005... Byline: Joe Truini Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is expanding its plastic recycling pilot project, a system the company thinks will revolutionize film recycling in the retail industry. The Bentonville, Ark.-based company sandwiches plastic...

Issues swirl in green building movement.(News)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Steve Toloken, Angie DeRosa As the niche grows for environmentally friendly buildings and homes, government officials in state capitals and Washington find themselves debating thorny issues like what, exactly, qualifies as a "green...

Standards are sticky subjects; Green Building Council mulls allowing trade groups to join debate.(News)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Steve Toloken, Angie DeRosa Mandating standards for green building is a sensitive issue, and creates a potential political minefield. The country's largest home-builders' organization, for example, strongly opposes mandatory...

Signing pleases backers of wind energy.(News)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Joe Truini The stroke of a pen could lead to unprecedented development in wind energy. President Bush's Aug. 8 signing of the sweeping energy bill extends the wind-energy production tax credit, the first time the credit has...

Fire rocks EQ hazardous waste plant in Michigan.(Environmental Quality Co.)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Anjali Fluker The Environmental Quality Co. was forced to shut down its hazardous waste recycling and treatment plant near Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus the morning of Aug. 10 after an explosion caused a fire. EQ's...

Los Angeles sets date for Sunshine vote.(News)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Roger Renstrom The Los Angeles City Council plans to vote Feb. 10 on a controversial five-year contract extension with Sunshine Canyon landfill, but, meanwhile, the city will explore recycling, composting and alternate trash...

Brewers use biogas to reduce pollution.
August 15, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The beer and soft drink industries, because of the nature of their products, aren't among the largest polluting industries, but they are taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and discharges into local...

Big drywall plant in Pa. to recycle gypsum.
August 15, 2005... Byline: Jim Johnson More than 800,000 tons of potential waste will stay out of landfills thanks to plans to create the world's largest drywall line in rural Pennsylvania. About 800,000 tons annually of synthetic gypsum, a byproduct of...

LFG project planned at New Jersey site.(News)(WC Landfill Energy LLC)(Liquefied Petroleum Gas )(Brief Article)(Column)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Jim Johnson Plans are under way to create a new landfill-gas-to-energy project that will cut air pollution from methane gas currently being flared at a northwestern New Jersey landfill. A landfill owned by the Pollution Control...

Harnessing the sun; Drink makers use solar power, other means to cut greenhouse emissions.
August 15, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Representatives of the beverage industry report numerous efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption, in addition to the installation of biogas recovery systems. Coca-Cola in May was one of...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
August 15, 2005... Nutty policy Global warming is without a doubt the most serious environmental issue of our time. We are already seeing an increase in flooding, droughts, the spread of infectious diseases, and the loss of habitat, and this is just the tip...

At deadline.(groundwater contamination )
August 15, 2005... Del Monte to pay $13M at Hawaii site Del Monte Fresh Produce has reached an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to clean up soil and groundwater contamination at the Del Monte Superfund site in Oahu, Hawaii. Under...

Calif. law to aid brownfield buyers.(Opinion)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Dan Johnson As the Southern California real estate market continues to grow, the number of available sites for investment or purchase is shrinking, and new avenues of development are being found. One solution is the...

New Products & Technology.(Hendrickson International introduces air disc brake package)(Wastequip Inc. introduces 395 XHD-7 High-Pressure Home Center Compactor)(Crowcon Detection Instruments introduces Checkbox Instrument Management Hub)
August 15, 2005... HENDRICKSON has introduced an air disc brake package as a premium option on many of its Intraax and Vantraax suspension systems. Especially suitable for haulers with demanding brake usage and hazardous material carriers, disc brakes provide...

One less plant will use mercury.
August 15, 2005... Byline: Joe Truini A U.S. chlorine gas manufacturer will stop using mercury at its largest plant, leaving only a few such facilities in the United States still using the technology. PPG Industries Inc. is discontinuing the use of...

New Yucca Mt. plan draws fire.
August 15, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a new public health standard to limit radiation exposure to the public from the federal government's planned nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain in...

Report criticizes EPA on enviro justice matters; Agency cites progress in air pollution.(News)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has failed to adequately consider environmental justice issues when developing clean air rules, according to a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The...

Can't bear to part; Firms exploit niche, return prohibited items to owners.(CheckPoint Mailers Inc)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Jim Johnson Heather C. Lowery has seen plenty of strange items come through her company, CheckPoint Mailers Inc.: nunchakus, blender blades, even bear repellant spray. But there is one item that never ceases to amaze her:...

Skedaddle, quicksilver.(mercury)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Mercury is slowly disappearing from the product landscape. It probably is no longer an issue of if it will cease to be an ingredient in various items, but when it will be gone for good. Recently, PPG Industries agreed to stop using mercury...

Quote of the Week.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... It's an obscenely lax and dangerous new standard. They just threw up their arms and gave the project a pass. Nevada Attorney General Brain Sandoval blasts the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's proposed new standard to limit radiation...

Choice is the crux.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Could the honeymoon be over for the green building movement? While the popular initiative continues to grow in this country's public and private sector, debate and some controversy have gripped those involved. First, there are now two...

Coming Events.(Calendar)
August 15, 2005... North America Aug. 22-25 - 2nd Sustainable Range Management Conference & Exhibition, San Antonio. Contact Heather Gatta (410) 306-8651 or visit www.battelle.org. Aug. 28-31 - National Recycling Coalition 24th Annual Congress &...

Capital Briefs.(Briefs)
August 15, 2005... Legislation General Environment New York: Senate Bill 4962 exempts the sale and installation of solar energy systems equipment from state sales and compensating use taxes and grants municipalities the option of granting such exemption....

Waste Generator Briefs.(FedEx Corp.)(The Home Depot Inc.)(American Electric Power Company Inc.)
August 15, 2005... Renewable Energy FedEx goes solar at California airport FedEx Corp. activated California's largest solar power installation Aug. 9 at its hub at Oakland International Airport. The 904-kilowatt system will provide 80 percent of the...

Ex-Philly recycling chief, others charged with theft.
August 15, 2005... Byline: Joe Truini A federal grand jury has indicted two former Philadelphia Streets Department officials, including the city's recently fired recycling coordinator, and the former head of Keep Philadelphia Beautiful, charging them with...

Paper recovery: The good, bad; Access doesn't necessarily equate with success, AF&PA report shows.(American Paper and Forest Association)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Joe Truini Americans continue to have ample access to community recycling programs and are recycling more types of paper, but that has had its positives and negatives for the paper industry. The American Paper & Forest...

Waste Industries USA agrees to divest Va. assets.
August 15, 2005... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Waste Industries USA Inc. has reached an agreement with federal regulators to sell some of its waste hauling assets in the Norfolk, Va., area and to modify some customer contracts. The agreement, filed in a...

Inbox.(At Your Disposal)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Pete Fehrenbach A number of towns in Minnesota are grappling with rapid growth and water pollution issues, and a decision last week by the state Court of Appeals muddies the water quite a bit. The court's ruling, according a...

Neb. pays $145M to settle radioactive waste dispute.(News)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Joe Truini Nebraska paid $145.8 million via wire transfer Aug. 1 to put to rest a 16-year-old case that claimed the state violated its obligation to build a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility that also would have served...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
August 15, 2005... A story on Page 4 of the Aug. 1 issue should have quoted Sen. Jim Jeffords, I-Vt., as saying that the United States annually disposes of 220 tons of electronics in landfills and incinerators, with some 50 million computers and 20 million...

A look back.(At Your Disposal)
August 15, 2005... 1924: The Kleenex facial tissue is introduced. Five years ago: A group of war veterans clash with local solid waste planners over a proposal to build a landfill near a forest dedicated to the memory of fallen servicemen in central New York....

Following Europe's lead.(Waste management in Electronics Industries)
August 29, 2005... Byline: Joe Truini U.S. electronics manufacturers are gearing up for a set of European environmental initiatives, though significant chunks of those efforts are still up in the air. The European Union's Waste Electrical and Electronic...

Fork in the road.(Power industries Technology Application )(Brief Article)
August 29, 2005... A plan by nine Northeastern states to form a regional cap-and-trade system aimed at reducing emissions of carbon dioxide from power plants took a big step toward implementation last week. The program, should those states proceed to ratify it,...