Waste News articles from July 2008

Waste News archives from July 2008

Del. firm signs pact for offshore wind farm.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Plans for the nation's first offshore wind farm received a major boost June 23 when developer Bluewater Wind Delaware LLC revealed it had signed a 25-year contract to sell as much as 200 megawatts of electricity to...

Capital Briefs; A summary of recent developments in federal and state environmental legislation and regulation.
July 7, 2008... LEGISLATION General Environment Arizona: House Bill 2872 proposes tax incentives for solar energy technologies, including incentives for manufacturing facilities and headquarters. It includes income, business and job tax credits....

Rising fuel costs hit paper recyclers hard.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Paper recyclers continue to enjoy healthy prices for their wares, but skyrocketing diesel costs are certainly having their impact on the business. With diesel prices topping $5 per gallon in some parts of the...

Overseas shipping container problem eases but persists.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson A shortage of overseas shipping containers available to paper recyclers is easing up, but it's still clearly a problem, according to recyclers. Paper recyclers in the United States rely on utilizing empty cargo...

Wisconsin to cut emissions of mercury by 90 percent.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board has approved a measure to reduce mercury emissions to the environment by 90 percent. "This rule is a major step forward in improving Wisconsin's air quality,'' said DNR...

Court's Exxon ruling draws varied response.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Reactions have been mixed to the U.S. Supreme Court decision June 25 to reduce a jury verdict against Exxon Mobil Corp. in connection with the 1989 crash of the Exxon Valdez, which spilled millions of gallons of...

Report: More floods, droughts, storms likely.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman North America likely will see more weather extremes including floods, droughts, intense hurricanes, and unusually warm weather in the years ahead, government scientists recently warned. The U.S. Climate Change...

Buyers & sellers propel green packaging trend.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson A couple of large factors are in play to help push more environmentally friendly packaging, according to one partner in a packaging design firm: Wal-Mart and consumers. There once was a time actually not too long...

Attack risk is high, EPA official says.(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
July 7, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Environmental professionals will be key actors in addressing the aftermath of the next nuclear, biological or chemical terrorist attack on U.S. soil. It's not a question of if another attack will occur but rather...

WTE technologies face uphill battle in U.S.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini It's not new technology and other parts of the world are using it, but commercializing advanced waste-to-energy facilities in the United States faces public opinion and political challenges. Advanced waste-to-energy...

Governors, tribal leaders join to tackle green issues.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Teachers have become students in partnerships initially created to help Native Americans tackle environmental challenges. The Western Governors Association and sovereign tribal leaders have collaborated to address...

Nuke power gains, but obstacles remain.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Nuclear power is gaining momentum as a carbon-free source of electricity to meet the nation's thirst for energy, but environmental, economic and safety concerns still haunt the industry. "It's been a bumpy road in...

Faith, green groups find common ground.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The environmental advocacy and religious communities are forming closer ties, according to the Sierra Club, which has launched an effort to recognize local churches, mosques, temples and synagogues for their efforts...

WN adds editor.
July 7, 2008... Megan Greenwalt has joined Waste News as associate editor. She will be responsible for story editing and page layout, and she will manage the Waste News Web site. Greenwalt has nearly six years of daily newspaper experience. She comes...

Photo caption.
July 7, 2008... READY TO ROLL: Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., was instrumental in kick-starting Wheels4Wellness, a program that gives House employees access to bicycles.

Photo caption.
July 7, 2008... FROM ON HIGH: Workers install solar panels on the roof of the First Presbyterian Church in Elko, Nev. The church estimates it will recoup the cost of the $120,000 system within a decade through energy savings and a state rebate.

Photo caption.
July 7, 2008... SURF'S UP: The American Chemistry Council, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and Keep California Beautiful have formed a partnership to promote recycling at California beaches.

Photo caption.
July 7, 2008... PROCEED WITH CAUTION: From left, panelists Michael MacCracken, Mark Jacobson and Mark Trexlor ponder the implications of climate change. For more Air & Waste Management Association Conference coverage, see Pages 12 and 13.

Photo caption.
July 7, 2008... TROUBLE BELOW: An F/A 22 Raptor flies over Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida. The Defense Department has challenged an EPA order to clean up sites at Tyndall and two other military bases in Maryland and New Jersey.

Photo caption.
July 7, 2008... RING OUT THE OLD: Republic Services officials celebrate the company's 10th anniversary June 30 by ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange.

Norcal appoints McGrath chief operating officer.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson One of the nation's largest privately owned solid waste management companies has a new chief operating officer. George P. McGrath becomes responsible for all of Norcal Waste Systems Inc.'s facilities and operations...

New Products.
July 7, 2008... MACK TRUCK INC. has introduced the Mack MP10 engine, which comes in three ratings, with up to 605 horsepower and 2,060 pound-feet of torque. The engine will be available in Mack's new Titan truck model. For more information, visit...

A Look Back.
July 7, 2008... 10 years ago: The loss of a tax incentive for methane gas cogeneration in Illinois threatens the existence of methane-burning landfill gas plants throughout the state. 5 years ago: The latest round in a series of job cuts hits Waste...

Waste Generator Briefs.
July 7, 2008... Power Duke offers customers carbon offsets Duke Energy Carolinas has launched a program to allow its customers to offset their carbon emissions. Residential customers can buy a carbon offset for $4 per month, which represents 500...

Waste Industry Briefs.
July 7, 2008... Nev. request to block railroad nixed Nuclear Waste The Surface Transportation Board, part of the U.S. Transportation Department, has denied a request by the state of Nevada to reject the U.S. Energy Department's application to build a...

Photo caption.
July 7, 2008... UNDER THE HOOD: Attendees peruse a Toyota Prius hybrid displayed on the show floor at the Air & Waste Management Association's 101st Annual Conference & Exhibition held June 24-27 in Portland, Ore.

Photo caption.
July 7, 2008... COMING SOON: Honda is making its emission-free hydrogen fuel cell-powered FCX Clarity sedan available this summer via lease in California.

Photo caption.
July 7, 2008... CATCHING RAYS: Solar panels installed atop the Manheim auction site's detail shop in Bordentown, N.J., began operating in January.

Textile company teaches generators to recycle.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini This is the company that you want to give the shirt off your back. Since 1970, Martex Fiber Southern Corp. has recycled industrial textile waste to provide raw materials to companies large and small, from Fortune 500...

Congress enters DOD-EPA fray.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Members of Congress are stepping into a battle between the Pentagon and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Environmental and Defense officials are skirmishing over whether the EPA has the authority to...

Tour de D.C. House bike-sharing program takes capital by storm.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Elizabeth McGowan Rep. Earl Blumenauer has peddled the health, financial and ecological advantages of pedaling since he rolled his two-wheeler into the nation's capital almost 12 years ago. So it's fitting that the Oregon...

Follow EPA orders, DOD.
July 7, 2008... The Pentagon and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are two giant government bureaucracies in a turf war. Defense Department officials are challenging the EPA's authority to order three military bases to clean up sites contaminated...

Climate change one difficult fix.
July 7, 2008... It's no news that making a significant reduction in greenhouse gases will be enormously challenging for a good number of reasons. A speaker at a recent trade show underscored many of those problems. One of the many challenges in addressing...

Calif. venture launches beach recycling program.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Walt Wiley The American Chemistry Council is hitting people where they play and asking them to recycle everything, all in an effort to increase the recycling rate of plastics. In a program that began last fall and is still...

Photo caption.(Conference notes)
July 7, 2008... SEEING WHAT'S NEW: Conference attendees network among the 162 exhibitors at the Air & Waste Management Association's 101st Annual Conference & Exhibition held June 24-27 in Portland, Ore.

Look, then leap; Climate must be fixed, but carefully, officials warn.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Climate change must be addressed now, but some of today's most promising environmental and energy solutions also could be the deadliest. Relatively inexpensive fossil fuels come with a price, said Michael...

Fla. group challenges Clean Water change.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman A Florida environmental advocacy group filed a lawsuit June 27 in the U.S. Circuit Court in Atlanta challenging a Bush administration rule change involving the Clean Water Act. Earthjustice, a law firm acting on...

Overkill & backlash.(environmental behavior. )(Column)
July 7, 2008... Byline: Allan Gerlat A few weeks ago I wrote a column about the environment and guilt. A study reported that people are feeling increasingly guilty about their environmental behavior. I said then that I hoped it didn't translate into a...

Merged firm's HQ will be in Florida.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Republic Services Inc. is putting the finishing touches on a new $19 million headquarters for somebody else. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based solid waste management company was planning on becoming a Sunrise,...

Logical link-up; Allied, Republic union benefits both.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Officials at both Republic Services Inc. with Allied Waste Industries Inc. view the pending merger of their companies as a union that will benefit shareholders on both sides. The combined firm, which will have more...

Talks began 2 years ago.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Merger talks between the top leaders of Allied Waste Industries Inc. and Republic Services Inc. date back long before they started to heat up in March, leading to the biggest merger to hit the solid waste business in...

Web site links green car buyers with dealers.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Ralph Kisiel Many Web sites provide information on hybrids and other environmentally friendly vehicles. But www.earthcars.com takes "green'' a step further. The year-old site links consumers looking for hybrids or other...

Auctions seek to cut carbon footprint.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Arlena Sawyer Last November, 705 solar panels were installed at Manheim's auction site in Bordentown, N.J. The panels cover the 42,000-square-foot roof of the detail shop. In January, the panels began capturing the sun's rays...

Honda goes greener with emission-free sedan.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Jean Halliday American Honda Motor Co. snared the Union of Concerned Scientists' biennial award for greenest automaker in America in 2007 for the fourth time in a row. Nice run. But unlike many automakers dabbling in greener...

Inbox.(Waste management)
July 7, 2008... Byline: Pete Fehrenbach Battery Bonanza: As I see it, Republican presidential nominee John McCain's proposal to create a $300 million prize to stimulate development of a more efficient battery to power electric cars and hybrids hits the...

Coming Events.(Calendar)
July 7, 2008... July 8-11 10th Annual Advanced Environmental Bootcamp, Hilton Head, S.C. Contact Jay Collert (410) 897-0037 or visit www.aarcherinstitute.com. July 14-15 Carbon Counting 2008, Chicago, Ill. Contact Joanne Miner (800) 280-8440 or visit...

Home Depot to accept CFL bulbs at no cost.
July 7, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Home Depot has launched a comprehensive and, most importantly, free compact fluorescent lamp take-back program. The Atlanta-based retailer will take back CFLs at no cost at all of its 1,973 North American locations....

At Deadline.
July 7, 2008... Group: Most states have too much smog Parts of at least 37 states plus the District of Columbia already have experienced unhealthy levels of smog so far this year, according to Clean Air Watch, an environmental advocacy group. Clean...

Commotion at the top.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Allan Gerlat One thing's for certain: Republic Services' directors have been putting the board room to use lately. In mid-June, Republic, the third largest hauler in the United States, made dramatic news with its announcement...

Inbox.(imposing of recycling fee on electronic products)(Brief article)
July 21, 2008... Byline: Pete Fehrenbach Gadget Toll. The Toronto Star reports that the province of Ontario will start levying a recycling fee on TVs and computers next year in the first phase of a program that will eventually cover all electronic...

Energy target looks far off.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The United States must make dramatic progress in renewable energy technology if it hopes to produce 25 percent of its electricity and motor vehicle fuel from renewable sources by 2025 without significantly...

A Look Back.
July 21, 2008... 10 years ago: USA Waste Services Inc. and Waste Management Inc. learn they must divest in 21 areas to gain federal approval of their $19.4 billion merger. 5 years ago: President Bush's naming of Marianne Lamont Horinko as acting...

The buck is passed.(Brief article)
July 21, 2008... The Bush administration essentially will take a pass on the climate change issue, said Stephen Johnson, administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in a telephone news conference last week. That has a lot of people upset for a...

A certifiably good idea.
July 21, 2008... The certification of five companies for electronic scrap recycling might seem somewhat mundane on the surface. But with the complexity and volume of electronic waste, it's an important step toward having a more effective and efficient way to...

Photo caption.
July 21, 2008... 3-WHEELER: Instructor Masaki Otsubo shows Laureen Harper, the wife of Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, how to operate Toyota's electric-powered I-Real at last week's G8 meeting in Japan. AFP / NEWSCOM

Photo caption.
July 21, 2008... EASY BEING GREEN: Office Depot's first green store features a number of environmental benefits, including sun-tracking skylights and solar panels on the roof.

Photo caption.
July 21, 2008... NEW LINEUP: The new leadership team at Franklin Electric Water Transfer Systems. From left, seated: Paul Henderson, VP consumer-international sales; Stephanie Evans, VP operations; Ted Foti, VP marketing and engineering. Standing: Mitch...

E-scrap program certifies five firms.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini A small group of electronics manufacturers and recyclers are among the first recognized under a new electronic scrap recycling certification program. IDC, a global information technology consulting firm, certified...

Waste Industry Briefs.
July 21, 2008... Universal Waste WM to provide CFL, battery recycling In its first direct-to-consumer offering, Waste Management Inc. has launched an online service to recycle universal household waste, including compact fluorescent lamps and...

Firms use new tech to boost energy efficiency.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Frank Byrt With energy prices at record levels and no relief in sight, corporate real estate is going green, not for environmentally friendly or public relations purposes but out of simple economic necessity. Utility cost...

Petition urges more enviro risk disclosures.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Sara Hansard More than 3,000 people have signed a petition urging the Securities and Exchange Commission to tighten requirements that call for companies to disclose risks they face from environmental issues. The petition is one...

Office Depot goes green at store in Texas capital.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Office Depot Inc. has opened the doors to its first green store. The Austin, Texas, location features rooftop solar panels, energy-efficient lighting, recycled building products and an energy management system that...

Survey: 3% of people recycle cell phones.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Only 3 percent of people recycle their old cell phones, according to a worldwide survey by Nokia Corp. The Finland-based phone maker interviewed 6,500 people in 13 countries to learn more about consumers' attitudes...

WTE wants to help cure energy reliance.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini The dormant U.S. waste-to-energy industry is pointing to its European counterparts and greenhouse gas concerns as grounds for resurrecting U.S. development. The industry is trying to make a case to public officials...

Photo caption.
July 21, 2008... LONG REACH: Caterpillar's 315D L Excavator replaces the company's 315C L and is equipped with a Cat C4.2 engine with ACERT Technology.

Photo caption.
July 21, 2008... MARKETABLE END PRODUCTS: VecoPlan's RTR Tire Re-Shredder processes pre-shredded tires, separating wire from rubber and rubber from wire.

Photo caption.
July 21, 2008... VERSATILE MACHINE: Morbark's 1300B Track Tub Grinder has many options that allow it to be customized to individual needs.

Court nixes Clean Air Interstate Rule.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman A federal appeals court has rejected the Clean Air Interstate Rule, which the Bush administration said would significantly reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide and other pollutants in the eastern and Midwestern United...

EPA: Congress should regulate GHG emissions; Agency chief says Clean Air Act isn't suited to the task.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman If America wants to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, the Clean Air Act is ill-suited for the task and Congress should act on developing legislation, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson said July 11. Johnson, in...

Photo caption.
July 21, 2008... MIX & MATCH: Deborah Mielewski and other Ford researchers are working to develop bio-based plastics that can be used to make interior auto parts.

Personnel.
July 21, 2008... ADVANCED ENVIRONMENTAL RECYCLING CORP. William Smith appointed president of sustainability. ASFE PROFESSIONAL FIRMS PRACTICING IN THE GEOSCIENCES Edmond Alizadeh named president. CONSERVATION SERVICES GROUP Terryl Moreland appointed...

Ohio cites shopping center over leachate.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini The Ohio Attorney General's Office has filed a 25-count complaint against the owners and operators of a Garfield Heights, Ohio, shopping center for allegedly violating state environmental laws. The City View Center...

New tools to help oil firms comply.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Oil refineries and petrochemical companies are facing tougher regulations, but technology could make it easier to keep up. States and industry are looking at new sources of volatile organic compound emissions not...

Photo caption.
July 21, 2008... SCRAPPING SHIPS: Two ships will depart the James River Reserve Fleet at Fort Eustis, Va., this summer. The vessels were sold by the Maritime Administration to salvage companies for $1 million each. NEWSCOM

Photo caption.
July 21, 2008... SHOPPING HAZARD: Crews pump leachate from under the parking lot of the City View Shopping Center in Garfield Heights, Ohio. The state's attorney general has filed a 25-count complaint against the owners for allegedly violating state...

Photo caption.(Photograph)
July 21, 2008... NOT A DROP IN THE BUCKET: Robbie and Brittany Berquist of Massachusetts were dismayed to learn from a news report that U.S. soldiers in the Middle East have to pay for their own calls home, so they started recycling cell phones and using the...

Photo caption.
July 21, 2008... READY TO TESTIFY: EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson prepares for a Senate committee hearing on the Supreme Court's decision about the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. NEWSCOM

ISRI paper chapter starts taking stock.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Wayne DiCastri doesn't consider himself to be a history kind of guy, but he finds himself helping to spearhead an effort to record the story of the Paper Stock Industries chapter of the Institute of Scrap Recycling...

Rising paper prices push theft onto front burner.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Drive behind a strip mall, grocery or department store and there could be money just sitting there on the ground. Not cash, but bales of recycled paper. Incidents of scrap metal theft have become well known in...

EPA extends comment period for lead rule.
July 21, 2008... The U.S. EPA is extending the deadline for public comments on the proposed National Ambient Air Quality Standards for lead from July 18 to Aug. 4. The EPA will now issue final standards by Oct. 15. This new date will allow the agency time to...

Tax changes may boost acquisitions.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson At least one major solid waste management company sees the potential for the acquisition market to heat up later this year in the face of a potentially higher capital gains tax in the future. Waste Connections Inc.,...

Waste merger plot thickens; WM steps in, makes play for Republic.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Republic Services Inc. wants to acquire Allied Waste Industries Inc. Waste Management Inc. wants to acquire Republic Services Inc. Allied Waste Industries Inc. wants to merge with Republic Services Inc. A...

Bristol-Myers to reduce HCFC releases.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Pharmaceutical manufacturer Bristol-Myers Squibb has agreed to reduce the amount of ozone-depleting refrigerants released from its facilities around the country at a combined cost of $3.65 million. The agreement...

G8 nations vow to cut GHG.
July 21, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The Group of Eight industrialized nations released a declaration on global warming in which the group sets a goal of cutting in half emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050. The White House called the declaration...