Waste News articles from August 2008

Waste News archives from August 2008

Study: Financial firms are going green.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Andrew Coen In a move that likely will make environmentalist and actor Ed Begley Jr. proud, financial services firms are taking steps to make their offices green. In a recent survey of 124 financial services firm executives, 54...

Aluminum recovery; Can recycling rate rebounds after 2006 dropoff.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini The U.S. aluminum industry is applauding a 2.2-percent hike in the used beverage can recycling rate last year after falling off in 2006. The nation's aluminum can recycling increased from 51.6 percent in 2006 to 53.8...

New Products & Technology.
August 4, 2008... TELSMITH INC. has introduced the QuarryTrax Model TI6060, a track-mounted primary impact-crushing plant designed for high-capacity production of up to 800 tons per hour. Featuring the Telsmith Model PA6060 Primary Impact Crusher, the plant is...

Photo caption.
August 4, 2008... PRETTY IN PINK: Sherman Rogers, left, owner of All Waste LLC in Shelby Township, Mich., had his companies' roll-off containers painted pink to support breast cancer awareness and his wife, Michele, right, who has been battling the disease since...

Provider paints containers pink for cancer awareness.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Michele Rogers said it as more of a joke than anything else during her anniversary dinner last year. Her husband, Sherman Rogers, said there was no way he was going to do it. But there he was, the next morning,...

Data management firm aims for high impact.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson NetApp, a data management company, is really not interested in being environmentally conscious just to jump on the green bandwagon and gain attention. Sure, the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company has been recognized by...

Photo caption.
August 4, 2008... STAINLESS STEEL FLOOR: The Allianz 3000 from Allianz Sweeper includes a center-mounted hopper for stability and even weight distribution, plus safety drive lockout when the hopper is in the raised position.

Photo caption.
August 4, 2008... VERSATILE SYSTEM: Heil Environmental has improved the integration of its Half/Pack front loader with the Curotto-Can automated system.

Teaching tots trash; Preschoolers learn where waste winds up, and why.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Chrissy Kadleck When posed with the question "Where does garbage go?'' two preschool teachers from the Central Ohio Technical College Child Development Center answered their group of young inquiring minds with more than trash talk....

Photo caption.
August 4, 2008... SEEDS OF KNOWLEDGE: Sandra Maxwell of Waste Management's Suburban Landfill in Glenford, Ohio, plants flowers at the landfill with 5-year-old Derrick Volbrecht.

Waste Generator Briefs.
August 4, 2008... Beer Brewing Anheuser-Busch turns to green energy One in seven Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc. beers will be brought to you by renewable energy by the end of 2009, according to the company. Its Houston and Fairfield, Calif.,...

Waste Industry Briefs.(Covanta Energy Corp. reports net profits for second quater)(Great Lakes beaches polluted)(Veolia Environnement S.A. is starting an ethanol recovery service)
August 4, 2008... Wastewater Beach closings, advisories up in 2007 American beaches saw the second most closing and advisory days due to sewage spills and overflows in 18 years, according to a report released by the Natural Resources Defense Council....

Company to create phone network of service providers.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Aaron Beals sees the popularity and success of toll-free phone numbers that sell flowers and contact lenses and wants to do the same for the waste business. Beals brings an advertising and marketing background to an...

EPA boss rebuffs Senate panel's request to testify.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson has declined to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, citing the "great lengths to which EPA has worked and the considerable resources we have devoted to accommodating...

Caqpital Briefs; A summary of recent developments in federal.
August 4, 2008... LEGISLATION General Environment California: Assembly Bill 2720 makes technical changes to the California Environmental Quality Act that prohibits an environmental impact report for any project involving the purchase of a school site or...

FROM COARSE TO DEFINED:.
August 4, 2008... FROM COARSE TO DEFINED: Komptech's Terminator single-shaft shredder provides continuous cutting gap adjustment that enables tailoring of the produced particle size to subsequent treatment stage, according to the company.

Wash. company creates eco-friendly sneaker.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Brooks Sports Inc. has released the industry's first biodegradable running shoe. "Runners want performance gear that not only feels good when running, but also instills pride in the brand they're sporting,'' said...

Waste Connections says it's in acquisition mode.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Waste Connections Inc. is planning for a potentially very busy last half of the year on the acquisition front, indicating that it has access to half a billion dollars to pay for deals. And the Folsom, Calif.-based...

Rising prices pique investor interest in waste.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Thao Hua One man's trash is another's alpha. Investment strategies in waste management including trash collection, separation, disposal and recycling are gaining institutional interest as landfills globally are reaching...

Chicago bids to privatize commercial biz; "Customers don't win'.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Greg Hinz Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley is moving to take control of the city's commercial trash-hauling industry in a complex scheme that would yield the city millions of dollars a year in new fee income. Under a plan that...

EPA's Johnson postpones decision on renewable fuel.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson delayed a decision originally due by July 24 on a request by Texas Gov. Rick Perry for a waiver from the Renewable Fuels Standard. The EPA, under the Energy Policy Act of 2005,...

Recycling thieves thrive in S.F., NYC, elsewhere.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini It's a wacky world when one's trash isn't even safe from thieves. Organized theft of curbside recyclables is increasing in frequency, as well as brazenness, creating financial and safety issues for municipalities,...

Ohio's challenges at forefront of forum.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Megan Greenwalt Columbus, Ohio It was appropriate that the Foundry Sands Recycling Forum was held on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Although the focus was on soil applications throughout the Midwest at the...

EPA boss puts "gag order' on employees.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The U.S. EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance sent an e-mail to managers last month instructing them to not respond to questions or make any statements if contacted by congressional investigators,...

EPA urged to address cement kiln mercury.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Two environmental advocacy groups are calling for the federal government to quickly adopt regulations reducing mercury emissions from cement kilns after they released a report that indicates the pollution problem is...

Photo caption.
August 4, 2008... LET IT SHINE: Global Green's three-bedroom, two-bath Holy Cross Project home is outfitted with solar panels and a green roof, among other features. The structure is 73 percent more efficient than the average American home.

Boxer to EPA boss: step down.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The head of the Senate Environment Committee and three of her fellow Democrats have called for EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson to resign. Chairwoman Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and committee members Sheldon...

Conming Events.(Calendar)
August 4, 2008... Aug. 11-13 Clean Air Compliance Bootcamp: Advanced Training for Air Professionals, Hilton Head, S.C. Contact Rolf von Oppenfeld (410) 897-0037 or visit www.aarcherinstitute.com. Aug. 12-13 Take Pride Statewide Conference, Birmingham, Ala....

Inbox.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Pete Fehrenbach Flash of Ingenuity. Waste Management Inc.'s introduction of consumer recycling kits for compact fluorescent bulbs, batteries and other types of household waste is drawing a lot of interest in the online news world....

Senators skip hearing to block subpoena; Meeting halfway.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Senate Environment Committee Republicans boycotted a hearing July 24, blocking efforts by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., to issue a subpoena for EPA documents regarding regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from...

Idiots good, maniacs bad.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Allan Gerlat The late great comedian George Carlin said that we all think everyone who drives faster than us is a maniac, and everyone who drives slower than us is an idiot. It's funny and it's true. A new book out examines how...

Merger struggle continues; WM to take another run at Republic.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson America's largest trash company is promising to take another takeover run at one of its chief competitors despite already being given the cold shoulder. Waste Management Inc., last week, was preparing a new offer...

Photo caption.
August 4, 2008... BREAKS DOWN FAST: Brooks Sports' Trance 8 running shoe features BioMoGo, a biodegradable midsole. The company designed the midsole to degrade 50 times faster than conventional athletic shoe midsoles. PR NEWSFOTO / BROOKS SPORTS INC.

Photo caption.
August 4, 2008... NEWSCOM FIGHTING POLITICS WITH POLITICS: Sens. Barbara Boxer, right, Amy Klobuchar and Sheldon Whitehouse prepare for a July 29 news conference on the Senate environment committee's investigation of alleged political interference in recent...

NRC, Krebs part ways, turn page; Group's ex-director says she'll stay in recycling field and in Washington area.
August 4, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini After nearly eight years, the leadership of the National Recycling Coalition is changing. Kate Krebs, who has served as executive director since October 2000, stepped down last month. "The life of a person in...

At Deadline.
August 4, 2008... SEC fines `socially responsible' fund The federal government has charged Pax World Management Corp., an investment adviser to several socially responsible mutual funds, with violating investment restrictions by purchasing stock in companies...

An ill-timed demand.(resignation of Stephen Johnson from Environmental Protection Agency)(Brief article)
August 4, 2008... Several key members of the Senate Environment Committee have called for the resignation of Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen Johnson. It's interesting to ponder how much of that pronouncement should be taken at face value...

Marrying for wrong reasons.
August 4, 2008... Republic Services clearly wants to buy Allied Waste rather than be bought by Waste Management. But Waste Management has made it just as clear that it doesn't want to be on the sidelines while its two biggest competitors join forces. Waste...

A Look Back.
August 4, 2008... 10 years ago: Financially troubled Philip Services Corp. files a $240 million lawsuit against former Metals Group President Robert Waxman, two of the company's former traders and several other companies. 5 years ago: The EPA decides to...

Photo caption.
August 4, 2008... READY TO RIP: A fleet of "poacher truckso prepare to make their nefarious early morning rounds in San Francisco.

Refrigerator maker settles air violations.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Tyler Refrigeration has agreed to pay $18,899 to the U.S. EPA to settle a complaint that the company imported banned refrigerants from Mexico in violation of the Clean Air Act. Tyler Refrigeration, a...

U.S. small wind market sees growth in 2007.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini More homeowners and businesses are turning to small wind installations to get off the grid over climate change concern and rising electricity prices. The U.S. small wind market grew 14% in 2007, deploying 9.7...

Film hails Olympic torch carriers' green successes.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Environmental champions are getting their due during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Student filmmakers profiled the environmental achievements of seven torchbearers in a documentary that premiered Aug. 13 at the...

L.A. trash/cops plan simpler than it seems.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini A move by Los Angeles City Council to increase trash fees to pay for more police officers, which has some scratching their heads, actually may have a simple explanation. City County voted 11-1 to increase monthly...

Omnisource helps snare 161 in scrap metal thefts.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini OmniSource Corp. has helped police nab 161 people suspected of stealing materials and trying to sell it as scrap during the first half of the year. The would-be thieves strip homes of copper and steal all sorts of...

$300M solid waste gem; Waste Connections acquires Harold LeMay Enterprises.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Waste Connections Inc. is paying more than $300 million to acquire what one company official calls a jewel in the solid waste industry. The deal for Harold LeMay Enterprises Inc. of Tacoma, Wash., and a portion of...

Municipal transparency; 21 U.S. cities to report greenhouse gas emissions.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Twenty-one U.S. cities, including some of the nation's largest, will disclose their greenhouse gas emissions to measure awareness and preparedness regarding climate change issues. At least nine more cities are slated...

Photo caption.
August 18, 2008... HIGH THROUGHPUT: Terex Pegson's XH250 Trakpactor horizontal impact crusher is designed to crush concrete and asphalt rubble, construction and demolition debris and limestone with low to medium hardness. The plant is designed for increased...

Photo caption.
August 18, 2008... NEW LAYOUT: Mac Trailer's end dump trailer now comes standard with the company's removable coal door.

Photo caption.
August 18, 2008... GREEN OLIVES: Global explorer Douglas Stoup, an "environmental champion'' torchbearer selected by Coca-Cola for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay, plants an olive tree in the ground at Ancient Olympia. Stoup is surrounded by other...

Ohio lawmakers unveil sewer funding measure.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Ohio's two senators have introduced bipartisan legislation that would help communities afford sewer system upgrades mandated by the Clean Water Act. Sens. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio,...

China: So far, so good.(air quality management by China for Olympics)
August 18, 2008... Byline: Allan Gerlat The Olympics are an opportunity for all of us to witness extraordinary athleticism, grace and spirit. We also are enthralled with the spectacle, the striking scenery and buildings, even the vivid colors. And now in...

WASTE NEWS EDITORIALS.(Editorial)
August 18, 2008... Infighting jostles EPA The discord at the Environmental Protection Agency surrounding Administrator Stephen Johnson keeps growing. Now it is four union officials representing the EPA staff that have publicly claimed staffers feel...

Photo caption.
August 18, 2008... SOFTER WATER: Makers of bottled water are looking at bottle bills and how they could help the industry's brand and image.

Bank of America to reduce carbon 50%.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson One of the country's largest banks expects to cut its carbon footprint in half at thousands of branches around the country through an investment in a Philadelphia-area company. Bank of America, based in Charlotte,...

Ethanol fallout: Gulf dead zone keeps growing.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The so-called dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico may reach a record size this summer, and America's push to increase ethanol production is a major contributor to the problem, according to government-supported...

Texas utility, groups reach agreement.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini A Texas utility and two environmental groups have hammered out an agreement to help meet the state's energy needs while protecting the environment. NRG Energy Inc. reached a deal with the Environmental Defense Fund...

IP leaps to No. 1 spot with acquisition.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson One of the most recognizable names in paper manufacturing is now the world's largest paper recycler. International Paper Co. vaults to the top of the scrap paper heap with finalization of its $6 billion cash deal...

Photo caption.
August 18, 2008... FLEXIBLE FLIER: SeaPort Airlines, a new commuter airline that operates in Portland, Ore., and Seattle, offsets its greenhouse gas emissions via donations to a trust that preserves forestland in the Pacific Northwest.

Photo caption.
August 18, 2008... UNPLANNED UPSHOT: The push for biofuels has led to increased planting of corn and greater runoff of fertilizer, feeding algae blooms that absorb oxygen in the Gulf of Mexico.

Photo caption.
August 18, 2008... Byline: CHRIS OBERHOLTZ EXTREME GREEN: This hybrid home in Belton, Mo., includes straw bale walls, cord wood masonry, passive solar heating, a natural stone retaining wall, an earth-sheltered lower level and an insulated green roof.

NEW PRODUCTS.
August 18, 2008... MAC TRAILER MANUFACTURING has made its removable coal door standard on its end dump trailers. When customers order a new end dump trailer with the coal door option, it will be built standard with the easy-out panel for simplification of...

CORRECTION.(Correction notice)
August 18, 2008... A story on Page 6 of the Aug. 4 issue should have said Covanta Holding Corp. reported revenue of $423.0 million for the second quarter, compared with $355.1 million for the second quarter of 2007.

COMING EVENTS.(Calendar)
August 18, 2008... Aug. 18-22 The Original Environmental Bootcamp, Williamsburg, Va. Contact Jay Collert (410) 897-0037 or visit www.aarcherinstitute.com. Aug. 19-22 2008 Bandit Dealer Meeting, Mt. Pleasant, Mich. Contact Paula Balhorn (800) 952-0178 or...

Republic nixes 2nd WM offer.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Waste Management took a run at acquiring Republic Services Inc. for the second time in less than a month. And for the second time in less than a month, the offer was turned away. Despite dangling another $500...

AT DEADLINE.
August 18, 2008... Office Depot launches fluorescent bulb line Office Depot Inc. has launched its own brand of compact fluorescent light bulbs, a first in the office products industry. The Delray Beach, Fla.-based company will sell the CFLs at its retail...

Hospitals strive to minimize footprint.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini The second-largest energy-consuming industry in the United States is looking at ways to reduce its environmental footprint, though cautiously. Health care providers rank behind only the food service industry in...

Water makers adjust bottle bill stance.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Some in the beverage industry may be quietly softening their opposition to bottle bills, though they may be just short of stumping for container deposits. "Traditionally they have opposed this kind of legislation,''...

EPA rejects Texas ethanol waiver request.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has denied a request by Texas to reduce the nationwide Renewable Fuels Standard. Texas Gov. Rick Perry had asked the EPA to reduce by half the amount of ethanol and...

Airlines: Efficiency = Lower emissions.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson For the airline industry, the best way to minimize greenhouse gas emissions is to operate as fuel-efficiently as possible. Climate change, like it has in many other sectors, has grabbed the attention of those in...

Green building goes against the grain.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson There is a bright spot in an otherwise difficult home construction market these days. Green building which takes into account environmentally friendly considerations continues to enjoy increasing interest in the...

CAPITAL BRIEFS.(oil and gas exploration law)(illegal dumping)(hazardous waste management law)
August 18, 2008... LEGISLATION GENERAL ENVIRONMENT Alaska: Senate Resolution 401d urges the U.S. Congress to pass legislation to open the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas exploration and production. Passed Senate Aug....

Photo caption.
August 18, 2008... WHIRLWIND: Two Proven 2.5-kilowatt turbines sit next to a Proven 15-kilowatt unit at the company's manufacturing facility in Stewarton, Ayrshire, Scotland.

Photo caption.
August 18, 2008... PAVING THE WAY: Workers from Alpine Waste & Recycling and Presto Products Geosystems install a parking lot at Altogether Recycling in Colorado using the eco-friendly alternative FilterPave, which is pictured in a closeup at left. The material,...

A LOOK BACK.
August 18, 2008... 10 years ago: Allied Waste Industries Inc. acquires American Disposal Services Inc. in a merger valued at $1.1 billion. 5 years ago: President Bush nominates Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, sparking...

Weather smiles on Beijing, so far.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Beijing has shined so far as the host of the 2008 Olympics, but its real test comes this week as the athletes step outside. Indoor events such as gymnastics and swimming and Michael Phelps mania have dominated the...

Photo caption.
August 18, 2008... YOU COULD EVEN SAY THEY GLOW: Hospitals annually require 249,200 Btu of energy per square foot of floor space, as compared with 92,900 Btu per square foot for offices.

Ohio firm's system converts plastic, rubber to chemicals.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Frank Esposito The future of plastics recycling might be taking shape outside of an abandoned lumber warehouse in Akron. That's where Polyflow Corp. has been testing a process that can convert plastic and rubber scrap into...

Inbox.
August 18, 2008... Misty Vistas: Does anyone think the TV networks are going a little smog-wacky in their Olympics coverage? Maybe this observation is colored a smidge by my being preconditioned to watch for it, but most of the cut-to-commercial shots and...

WASTE GENERATOR BRIEFS.
August 18, 2008... Construction N.J. builder produces excess electricity A New Jersey construction company says its headquarters is producing more electricity than it consumes. The 41,508-square-foot headquarters of Ferreira Construction in...

WASTE INDUSTRY BRIEFS.(Budget Waste Inc. will use biodiesel to save 5% fuel costs)(GreenMan Technologies Inc. reports a 42% increase in revenue for the second quarter)(Graphic Packaging International Corp. closes 3 sites)
August 18, 2008... Solid Waste Canadian firm switches to biodiesel A Calgary, Alberta, waste company is switching its fleet to biodiesel fuel, a move that's expected to save $45,000 during the next three quarters. Budget Waste Inc. said the move...

Union officials criticize EPA staff moves.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Four union officials representing Environmental Protection Agency staff have written a letter criticizing agency Administrator Stephen Johnson for opposing staff recommendations that could have led to regulation of...

Photo caption.
August 18, 2008... EXPANDING ENERGY: An artist's rendering shows the proposed Unit 3 at the Limestone Electric Generating Station in Texas. NRG Energy Inc. reached a deal with the Environmental Defense Fund and the Texas Clean Air Cities Coalition that will allow...

Sonoco Products makes plans to cut waste stream.
August 18, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Sonoco Products Co., a company that handles millions of tons of other people's recyclables every year, is out to reduce its own waste stream. The Hartsville, S.C.-based recycled packaging maker is out with its...