Waste News articles from June 2004

Waste News archives from June 2004

PET users, recyclers facing hard times.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Steve Toloken Floyd Flexon, who runs recycling operations for bottle maker Amcor PET Packaging, said the current tough climate for polyethylene terephthalate recycling reminds him of the dark days of early 1997. "In 1997, you...

Reducing hot air; Emission-free cars to debut at summit.(News)(Global Electric Motorcars)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... World leaders from the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia will travel in electric vehicles during next week's Group of 8 Summit in Sea Island, Ga. President George W. Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Russian President...

The direct approach; Mail group mounts environmental blitz.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Joe Truini The Direct Marketing Association has gone on the green offensive to improve the environmental image of its members, even impressing some environmental advocates along the way. The group is urging its members to do...

Ignorance is ... bliss?(Opinion)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Allan Gerlat Is the very concept of environmental resolutions at companies that frightening or repulsive to shareholders? Last week less than 9 percent of ExxonMobil Corp. shareholders voted in favor of a measure to report...

Waste News Pricing Report.(News)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... (With graph: White goods prices): FAR LESS FROM THE FAR EAST: Chinese export demand for scrap steel has cooled, pushing domestic prices for white goods and steel cans lower. The price for loose material delivered to the door has fallen...

Green paper; Weyerhaeuser unveils environmental report.(News)(Weyerhaeuser Co.)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jim Johnson Weyerhaeuser Co. recycled 6 million tons of paper last year and makes paper products with an average recycled content of 37 percent, according to the company's new sustainability report. The report, available at...

N-Viro's wastewater pact with Toledo in jeopardy; Ohio city that firm calls home wants to bid out contract.(News)(N-Viro International Inc.)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Joe Truini N-Viro International Inc. could lose its biggest customer - the very city it calls home. The company, which licenses its technology for wastewater sludge treatment and removal, received word from Toledo city...

Mercury mystery; EPA to examine why material goes missing.(Environmental Protection Agency)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to requests from environmentalists to investigate what happens to at least 65 tons of mercury annually that goes unaccounted for at some of the nation's chlorine...

Supplier News.(Briefs)(Lee Supply Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... * Hagerstown, Ind. - Autocar Trucks has entered into a long-term supplier agreements with Cummins Engine, Hendrickson International and ArvinMeritor, making the trio primary suppliers of engines, suspensions and drive train components for...

Waste Industry Briefs.(Briefs)
June 7, 2004... Power GE Energy to purchase equipment maker Atlanta - GE Energy, a General Electric Co. division, has agreed to buy a leading air quality control products and services firm for $260 million, the company said June 1. GE Energy will...

Can recycling rate keeps falling; Manufacturers say aluminum containers outpace plastics, though.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Joe Truini The aluminum can recycling rate has fallen for the sixth consecutive year as Americans have thrown away more than 1 trillion cans since the introduction of the container 40 years ago. The Aluminum Association, the...

Massachusetts unveils tougher emission regs for power plants; Mercury measure will impact four plants; industry to evaluate.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Massachusetts unveiled new regulations May 26 that will significantly reduce mercury emissions from electric power plants operating in the state. Environmentalists hailed the new regulations, saying they offer...

Allied executives to sell company shares.(News; Allied Waste Industries Inc. )(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jim Johnson Top executives at Allied Waste Industries Inc. are making plans to sell off some of their shares in the nation's second-largest trash company. Officers have entered into "prearranged stock trading plans to sell a...

One for the little guys.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Waste hauler Rumpke Consolidated Cos. has developed a plan that potentially can benefit not only itself but generators and small independent haulers. It could be an important precedent. Rumpke is creating a network of local haulers to...

Waste Generator Briefs.(Briefs)
June 7, 2004... Health Care FDA revises medical-device guidance Rockville, Md. - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has revised a guidance regarding the reprocessing of single-use devices for the medical community. Reprocessing single-use...

MY DAD HAD ONE OF THESE.(News)
June 7, 2004... Rodney Owens, left, of North Texas Scale and Gary T. Anderson of Rice Lake Weighing Systems admire a 1929 Mack truck at the booth of Allied Waste Industries Inc. at Waste Expo in Dallas held May 17-20.

Balk if you must, plant makes oil from waste.(News)(Renewable Energy Solutions)(Producing oil from Turkey Waste )
June 7, 2004... Byline: Tracy Hayhurst The process that turns turkey feathers, beaks and other offal into oil still has doubters, but the Carthage plant designed and built for that purpose is now making 100 to 200 barrels of oil per day and selling it to...

Exorbitant bar tab; California attacks glass recycling deficiency.
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jim Johnson California bars and restaurants are losing out on millions of dollars every year and unnecessarily spending millions more. The culprit? Glass bottles. Some 2.7 billion glass bottles of beer were sold in...

A Look Back.(News)(Wastemasters Inc.)(Toyota Motor Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Five years ago: Wastemasters Inc. sues its former CEO, R. Dale Sterritt, alleging fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and mismanagement. A year ago: Toyota says it intends to produce no landfill waste at a new engine plant in Huntsville, Ala.,...

Power plants lead industries in air pollution, report states.(News)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Electric power plants as a group emit the most toxic air pollutants of any industry in Canada and the United States, according to a new report by the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation. ...

Two of a kind.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Leave it to California. If you run a business, that might be taken as warning. If you're a recycling advocate, it's a sign of hope or a pat on the back. Whatever the perspective, the Golden State stands at the gate of two profound environmental...

Quote of the Week.(News)
June 7, 2004... It takes the mix of age, youth and experience, to get work done. If you had a work force of 19- and 20-year-olds, what kind of hell on earth would that be? Terry Boone, a Fort Worth, Texas-based employee relations lawyer, tells attendees...

U.S. playing catch-up in stewardship.(News)(Product stewardship)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Allan Gerlat The United States lags behind much of the world in product stewardship, but it's starting to catch up, said officials from government and academia at a Waste Expo session last month in Dallas. More than 33...

Howard resigns from top federal post.(News)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Federal Environmental Executive John Howard has resigned his position effective June 11. Howard submitted his resignation May 19 to President Bush. Howard, who heads the office that promotes environmental...

Super events mean Olympic-size plans; Asking questions prepares firms for special events.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jim Johnson Handling waste generated at special events raises a company's profile and provides additional income. But there are plenty of potential pitfalls in tackling such big jobs. "You can certainly expect the...

Diverse employees bring benefits and barriers, Texas attorney says.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jim Johnson The trash business can be one of the most diverse occupations going, with employees from all sorts of racial and ethnic backgrounds coming together to collect the nation's trash. When the typical person is asked...

At Deadline.(Late News)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Senate OKs hazardous sludge at S.C. site Washington - The U.S. Senate on Thursday supported a defense bill that includes a provision that would allow the Department of Energy to leave radioactive sludge in underground tanks at a former...

products.(Waste Expo)
June 7, 2004... Hundreds of exhibitors attended Waste Expo 2004 in Dallas this year to display and demonstrate new products for use in waste management, recycling and environmental services. The following is a sampling of the products that were introduced at...

Survey: Firms addressing climate change; Participation climbs as investors seek environmental data.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Joe Truini Many of the world's largest companies are addressing climate change as the mainstream investment community becomes more involved with the issue, according to a new report. The Carbon Disclosure Project, a group of...

Customers get hauling network.(William-Thomas Group)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jim Johnson One of the nation's largest independent trash companies figures the best defense is a good offense. Faced with the growing pressure to service nationwide accounts, but not having a widespread geographic...

Garbage trucks in NYC, Detroit clean up air acts.(News)(New York City)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jim Johnson About 500 Sanitation Department vehicles in New York City are now using pollution reduction measures, including the use of special fuel and devices. And plans are under way to retrofit another 25 to 40 city trash...

Ala. pipe maker faces 2nd water indictment.(News)(McWane Cast Iron Pipe Co., Alabama)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Joe Truini A Birmingham pipe maker faces its second indictment for alleged environmental crimes in barely more than six months, while the company maintains it has worked in good faith with regulators. A federal grand jury...

Personnel.(People appointed)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... AUTOCAR TRUCKS - Doug Groff named director of service; Jim Grubaugh named national service manager; Alton Sanders named dealer warranty manager. J&J TRUCK BODIES & TRAILERS - John Skelly appointed national accounts manager. PAPER...

Mall council, EPA launch recycling initiative.(News)(Environmental Protection Agency)(International Council of Shopping Centers)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Joe Truini A new federal initiative will give incentives to malls and shopping centers to increase recycling and energy conservation while possibly educating a few shoppers along the way. The U.S. Environmental Protection...

Hailing haulers; WN solicits company info.(News)
June 7, 2004... Waste News needs your help. If your company hauls, processes or disposes of solid, hazardous, liquid or other types of waste, please visit www.wastenews.com/haulingsurvey2004.html and complete our Hauling and Disposal survey. The 100...

Army retreats on decision to cut environmental funds.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The U.S. Army halted efforts to cut environmental spending at bases across the country after environmentalists criticized the action. Army officials, however, said restoring the funding was the result of recent...

Coming Events.(Calendar)(Calendar)
June 7, 2004... North America June 21-23 - BioCycle National Conference, Philadelphia. Call (610) 967-4135 or visit www.biocycle.net. June 22-25 - Air & Waste Management Annual Conference and Exposition, Indianapolis. Call (800) 270-3444 or visit...

California nears connection; State cell phone bill affecting retailers passes first step.(News)(Old Cell Phones recycling)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Joe Truini Legislation establishing the nation's first cell phone recycling law has passed the California State Assembly and now advances to the Senate. The Assembly approved the measure May 26 by a 41-to-32 vote. It would...

Can recycling script is getting old.(Opinion)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jenny Gitlitz The aluminum beverage can recycling rate has tumbled to its lowest level in 25 years. Whether one subscribes to the Aluminum Association's figures (50 percent in 2003, down from 53 percent in 2002) or the Container...

More than 'just a garbage man'; Republic's Baylor preaches instilling pride in workers, job.(News)
June 7, 2004... Byline: Jim Johnson Pride, more than money, motivates employees in the solid waste business, Republic Services Inc.'s top labor expert believes. "What I think is the difference between winning and losing: It's pride,'' said Kenneth M....

Waste News Poll.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Q: How would you grade your company's employee safety efforts? (Pie chart) Grade: A: 45.3% B: 32.8% C: 10.2% D: 7.3% F: 4.4% From the Waste News Web site, May 24-31. To vote in the current Waste News Poll, go to...

2004 Byproducts Beneficial Use Summit.(News)
June 7, 2004... Check out this Waste News and U.S. EPA sponsored event in November. Visit www.byproductssummit.com Call (330) 865-6176 for details.

White House draws power from the sun.(Special Report)(solar electric system installation)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The White House has turned green - at least when it comes to meeting part of its energy needs. The federal government and its contractors installed the first solar electric system at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in...

Haulers, generators oppose Pa. tip fee.(Pennsylvania trash tipping fee)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Jim Johnson A battle to sway public opinion is raging in Pennsylvania on both sides of the idea to levy a new $5 per ton charge on all trash buried in the Keystone State. Millions of dollars in new fees that would be levied on...

Calif. may set auto standard; Automakers balk at emissions plan.
June 21, 2004... Byline: Bruce Geiselman California wants automakers to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent, which would set a de facto national standard. The California Air Resources Board released a draft proposal last week to reduce emissions...

A Look Back.(News)(waste management industry news)(Brief Article)
June 21, 2004... 1904: The nation's first aluminum recycling plants open in Chicago and Cleveland. Five years ago: Vivendi, the European utilities conglomerate, bids to buy Superior Services Inc. in a deal valued at $1 billion. A year ago: A group of...

BioConvertor plans 2 Calif. green waste plants.(News)(BioConverter LLC)(California)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Roger Renstrom Green-waste processor BioConverter LLC is targeting potential plant sites in Los Angeles and looking toward a late fall groundbreaking for a Lancaster, Calif., facility. BioConverter's anaerobic digester...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
June 21, 2004... Education defense This letter is in response to a remark made by Kate Krebs, executive director of the National Recycling Coalition, in a May 10 article regarding New York's recycling program and public education ["State mandates bring...

Baltimore's recycling blues; Mayor suggests eliminating curbside service, cutting trash pickups.(News)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Joe Truini The city of Baltimore is considering whacking its curbside recycling program in the face of a $40 million budget shortfall. "We're proposing cutting the recycling program unless the City Council is able to come up...

Tailgating California.(Opinion)(auto emission standards)
June 21, 2004... California is once again is setting the environmental bar for the rest of the country. The good and the bad of that are apparent in its most recent effort. The Golden State is developing a proposal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from...

Hailing haulers; WN seeks company data for survey.(News)(waste news)
June 21, 2004... Waste News needs your help. If your company hauls, processes or disposes of solid, hazardous, liquid or other types of waste, please visit our Web site and complete our Hauling and Disposal survey. The 100 largest companies in North...

Mexico trucks can roll.(Supreme court judgement)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Mexico-based trucks are free to travel U.S. highways despite environmental concerns. The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled June 7 that the Bush administration can open the nation's roads to Mexican trucks...

DOE to fund low-emission coal plant.(News)(United States. Department of Energy)(Brief Article)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The U.S. Department of Energy will contribute $107 million toward the construction of a $215 million demonstration plant that will burn coal waste to produce electricity with low levels of emissions. The new...

Correction.
June 21, 2004... * A Waste Expo new product brief on Page 21 of the May 24 issue should have said that Roll-Rite Corp. is working with truck body manufacturers to develop a new generation of bodies designed to integrate the Roll-Rite Top-Rail Design, a...

Haulers work on image.(News)(image of sanitation workers)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Jim Johnson Many factors go into creating the public image of today's trash collectors. There once was a time when the local garbage collector rated up there with the family doctor in terms of public perception - a trusted and...

Report blasts PVC for contaminating PET stream and for low recycling rate.(News)(Polyvinyl Chloride)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Steve Toloken The vinyl industry is facing increasingn pressure from a group of environmental organizations that published a new report that is critical of PVC bottle recycling. The groups also want consumer product companies...

Waste Industry Briefs.(Briefs)
June 21, 2004... Scrap Recycling ISRI seeks extension on China deadline Washington - The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries is trying to extend the deadline of new Chinese scrap export regulations set to start in July while it clarifies the murky...

Imco, Commonwealth to join.(News)(Commonwealth Industries Inc.,)(IMCO Recycling Inc.,)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Joe Truini Imco Recycling Inc. has signed a merger agreement that will create a $2 billion integrated aluminum recycler and sheet manufacturer. Imco and Commonwealth Industries Inc., a leading North American aluminum sheet...

EPA pact mandates green office supplies.(Special Report)(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Bruce Geiselman A new purchasing program could serve as a green template for all federal offices if fellow agencies follow the lead of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This purchasing effort is just a part of the...

Waste News pricing report.(News)(prices of recovered materials )(Brief Article)
June 21, 2004... (With graph: Los Angeles recovered PET): A POSITIVE SIGN FOR PLASTICS: Recovered polyethylene terephthalate prices on the West Coast saw a spike this month, primarily due to increased export interest. Overseas buyers stepped up their demand, as...

GM, Postal Service unveil plan for fuel cell vehicle.(News)(Brief Article)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The U.S. Postal Service, working with General Motors Corp., will use a nonpolluting fuel cell vehicle to deliver mail in the nation's capital. The Postal Service and GM announced the agreement June 15, saying...

Waste Generator Briefs.(Briefs)
June 21, 2004... Legislation U.S. House passes energy bill again Washington - The House for a second time in about seven months voted in favor of an energy bill that contains numerous environmental provisions. However, Republican leaders in the...

Tenn. food plant to use landfill gas.(News)(Solae Co.)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Jim Johnson A food processing plant in Shelby County, Tenn., is tapping into a 474-acre landfill to supply a portion of its energy use and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Solae Co. is partnering with Allied Waste Industries...

GeoMelt solidifying presence.(News)(vitrification process)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Tracy Hayhurst A heap of radioactive or other hazardous waste can be reduced to a harmless, shiny glass lump with blasts from patented technologies, according to GeoMelt, the firm that owns the process. GeoMelt technologies are...

Scrap lows and highs; Chicago recycler admits its payment problems.(News)(Brief Article)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Jeremy Mullman Crain's Chicago Business Metal Management Inc. said last week that some of its current and former employees may have violated state and federal laws by making payments to individual account suppliers of scrap metal....

Power industry cries foul; Report uses scare tactics, distorts science, officials claim.(News)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Joe Truini The power industry is blasting a report released this month that it claims is twisting science and using scare tactics to undermine the Bush administration's pollution reduction programs. The environmental group...

Chicago schools get e-waste assist from Dell.(News)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Joe Truini Chicago Public Schools finally will free up valuable classroom space by recycling some 18,000 pieces of obsolete computer equipment it's storing in 600 schools throughout the city. The school system has invested...

Sharing the wealth; Documents reveal WCA to sell 9 million shares.(News)(Brief Article)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Jim Johnson WCA Waste Corp. expects to sell 9 million shares of stock in its initial public offering at a price ranging from $9 to $11 per share. Documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission show the company...

Florida county proposes expansion of WTE plant.(Waste treatment equipment)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Joe Truini People are flocking to Pasco County, Fla., which is good, but they're bringing their trash with them, which is not. The county's 1,050 ton-per-day waste-to-energy plant is near capacity, and it needs a plan to keep...

War zone work; JumpStart cleans up rubble in Iraq.(JumpStart International)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Jim Johnson A charitable organization founded by a filmmaker-turned-humanitarian is tackling the daunting task of cleaning up after the war in Iraq. And it's a massive job. Destroyed buildings are not in short supply in...

At Deadline.(Late News)
June 21, 2004... Rubber companies contaminated landfill Cleveland - Five rubber companies have agreed to clean up the Industrial Excess Landfill Superfund Site in Uniontown, Ohio, and to refund the federal government about $18 million for costs it has...

Free & unclear.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
June 21, 2004... At first glance, the Supreme Court's decision clearing the way for Mexican trucks to freely use U.S. roadways seems to be simply the latest manifestation of the Bush administration's strong predilection for commerce over the environment, a boon...

Q&A with Ed Pinero.(Federal Environmental Executive's Office)(Interview)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The Federal Environmental Executive's Office encourages environmental stewardship throughout the government, offering agencies information about executive orders and other mandates and sharing information about...

Congress enlists volunteers for recycling.
June 21, 2004... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Congress has come a long way with its recycling efforts in the past four years, but there's still room for improvement, according to recycling advocates. Progress has been more rapid in the House than in the...

Gov't tries to set environmental example; Size of agenices can impact markets.
June 21, 2004... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The federal government is the nation's largest consumer in the nation, according to the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive. In an effort to make the federal government a better environmental steward,...

DOE pact ensures that carpet is recycled.(Special Report)(Department of Energy)
June 21, 2004... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The Department of Energy's headquarters is in the midst of a five-year contract that will save it money, encourage recycling and prevent about a million pounds of carpet from going to D.C.-area landfills. The...

Waste News Poll.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
June 21, 2004... Q: Environmental shareholder resolutions for publicly held corporations are: A: A good way to protect the environment: 42.9% A good way to protect investments: 32.5% A form of blackmail: 13% A fad: 11.7% From the Waste...

Looking forward, looking back.(Special Report)
June 21, 2004... Next Market Focus: Paper Industry, Aug. 30 issue If you would like to share an idea for the Paper Industry Market Focus, contact senior reporter Jim Johnson at (330) 865-6171 or jpjohnson@crain.com. Interested in environmental issues...