Waste News articles from March 2002

Waste News archives from March 2002

Waste News Stock Report.
March 4, 2002... graphic: see printed publication.

Roadmap to reduction ; Automakers tackling various waste streams.(Toyota Motor Corp.)(Statistical Data Included)
March 4, 2002... The bottom line is this: The amount of waste heading out the back door affects the bottom line for car companies. Automobile makers, the biggest manufacturing industry in the country, deal with massive amounts of waste every day. ...

Chrysler makes 2 Cherokees from plastic shredder waste.(DaimlerChrysler Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... DaimlerChrysler Corp. is out to prove the commercial viability of widespread use of recycled plastic in its vehicles. America's No. 3 automaker believes it's on the right track with a couple of Jeep Grand Cherokees dubbed Care Car II that...

Ala. fights incineration of old weapons.(Alabama)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman has filed a federal lawsuit to block the incineration of old, deadly nerve agent weapons stored at the Anniston Army Depot east of Birmingham. The governor wants an injunction to prevent the federal government...

Companies convert wipes to pellets, fuel.(DaimlerChrysler Corp. works with Mobile Fluid, Matrixx Group to see its used wipe clothes recycled)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... An Ohio firm is out to eliminate a hazardous waste coming from automotive assembly plants: used wiping cloths. DaimlerChrysler Corp.'s truck plant in Warren, Mich., alone annually accounts for 30,000 pounds of polypropylene wipes soaked in...

Stream of junked cars never ends for recyclers.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 4, 2002... Scrapping a car takes a lot of work, but it's a lucrative business that can make hard-working folks wealthy. Thousands of pounds of metal, glass, plastic and assorted other materials are combined in an engineering marvel to create today's...

An active retirement ; The 280 million tires scrapped in the United States each year find new use in a myriad of applications.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 4, 2002... Each year, motorists in the United States generate about one scrap tire for every man, woman and child living in the country. With the average used passenger car tire weighing 20 pounds, that's a whole lot of used rubber. ``Twenty...

U.S. to follow Europe's lead.(recycling for automobiles)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 4, 2002... Sweeping changes in the European Union regarding scrapped vehicles are sure to have an eventual influence on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. A directive regarding end-of-life vehicles lays out aggressive goals for the recycling and reuse...

Switch controversy under the hood ; Automobile makers, recyclers debate mercury responsibility.
March 4, 2002... There's a tug of war these days over who is ultimately responsible for ensuring that mercury is properly recycled from junked cars. Mercury is toxic to humans, but it's also a versatile metal that is used in a variety of automotive...

Waste News Commodity Pricing Report.(Los Angeles plastic prices)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... SOUTHERN CAL SURGE: Los Angeles scrap plastic prices got a shot in the arm due to an export punch in January that continued into February. Prices for PET and HDPE saw increases of 1 to 2 cents per pound from the increased demand.

Rags = riches: Textile market stable.(recycling textiles)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 4, 2002... There may be no end in sight for the recycling downturn, as a recent article in Waste News noted. But there are many towns and recyclers that have found relief with an often-overlooked recyclable commodity: textiles. In one of the worst...

A green medal ; Olympics crowds create less waste.(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... Visitors generated about half as much waste as organizers anticipated during the Winter Olympics, according to preliminary figures. Some 983 tons of material was processed by Green Valley Recycle and Compost as of Feb. 20, said Laynee...

Sleeker profile.(auto industry waste management)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... You can argue that no single industry has a greater impact on waste management, recycling and reduction than the auto industry. Combine the size of its waste stream and the industry's high profile, and you've got a business segment with a lot...

E-waste's wild frontier.(recycling computers and parts)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... As an industry, electronics recycling is a toddler. Breaking down computers and finding new uses for their parts became a big business only relatively recently, and industry officials are still feeling their way to devise a system that can walk...

Quote of the Week.
March 4, 2002... They call this recycling, but it's really dumping by another name. Jim Puckett, coordinator of the Basel Action Network based in Seattle, discusses the practice of exporting used electronics from the United States to countries in Asia. ...

At Deadline: Lack of action spurs EPA official to quit.(Eric Schaeffer resigns position for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... One of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's top officials resigned late last week, blaming the Bush administration for trying to weaken the laws the agency is supposed to enforce. Eric Schaeffer, director of the Office of Regulatory...

Biosolids use draws flak ; EPA neutralizes stance; Iowa senator raises concerns.(Senator Charles E. Grassley questions the Environmental Protection Agency)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... A report due this year has resurrected concerns regarding the safety of land-applying biosolids and has gained the attention of at least one U.S. senator. The Environmental Protection Agency may not have adequate resources to manage the...

New Products & Technology.(briefs)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... LOEGERING MANUFACTURING INC. has added heavy-duty pallet forks to its line of attachments for skid-steer loaders. The attachments feature recessed forks to prevent damage to pallets, boxes or other bulky materials. Adjustable forks enable...

In Brief.(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... Waste Connections to buy 7 operations Folsom, Calif. - Waste Connections Inc. said it has struck deals to acquire seven waste operations with total annual revenue of $32 million. The acquisitions include operations in Colorado,...

No sale ; Birmingham Steel rejects Nucor's bid.(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... Nucor Corp. has offered $500 million in cash for almost all of the assets of Birmingham Steel Corp., but the price isn't right, Birmingham Steel officials said. Daniel DiMicco, Nucor's president and CEO, pitched the deal to Birmingham...

A Look Back.
March 4, 2002... 1980: Polypropylene is introduced in the marketplace. The plastic is used to make drinking straws and butter and margarine tubs. Five years ago: Two longtime scrap metal processors in Nashville, Steiner-Liff Iron and Metal Co. and M. Cohen...

Pepsi spears content goal.(announces plans for recycled content in polyethylene terephthalate bottles)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... Pepsi-Cola Co. plans to use 10 percent recycled content in its polyethylene terephthalate bottles by 2005, a significant step that comes after archrival Coca-Cola Co. announced similar plans last year. The plan, announced quietly to...

Updating our blend.
March 4, 2002... Making changes is often difficult. One reason for that may be you're basically happy with what you've been doing. Even so, it doesn't mean there isn't a better way. In this issue of Waste News we've changed three of our features. The most...

Is there a need for greater regulatory oversight of electronics recycling?
March 4, 2002... Do you have an opinion on this question? Submit comments online at www.wastenews.com; by e-mail to editorial@wastenews .com; by fax at (330) 836-1692; or by mail to Waste News, 1725 Merriman Road, Akron, Ohio 44313. Please respond by March 11....

Firms liable for PCBs, jury says ; Monsanto, successor to pay huge sum for cleanup at Ala. site.(Monsanto Co. and Solutia Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... Plaintiffs in Anniston stand to potentially gain hundreds of millions of dollars in damages after a jury found Monsanto Co. and a successor firm liable for contamination of their town with polychlorinated biphenyls. Monsanto manufactured...

Groups compromise on air emissions.(new standards from the Environmental Protection Agency)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has published interim toxic air emission standards and revised compliance provisions for hazardous waste incinerators and cement kilns. The standards, published in the Federal Register on Feb. 13,...

Clean Harbors buys Safety-Kleen unit.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 4, 2002... Tens of thousands of hazardous waste generators are witnessing a big change in their world. Clean Harbors Inc. is swallowing the much larger Chemical Services Division of Safety-Kleen Corp. to create a $750 million-a-year company serving...

Eastern states clean up mess ; Med/Waste's fall proving costly.(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... Several states are cleaning up the mess left from the demise of Med/Waste Inc., a medical waste management company that operated in the eastern United States. A few states reported concerns after discovering closed-down buildings...

Report blasts U.S. recyclers.(Basel Action Network and the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition release report)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... A new report paints a chilling picture of the damage U.S. recyclers may be causing by exporting electronic scrap overseas. U.S. electronic scrap recyclers are flooding Asia with massive quantities of hazardous waste, wreaking environmental...

New home ; NYC reshuffles waste, crime commissions.(New York City)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... New York is folding its Trade Waste Commission into a new, larger organization designed to battle against organized crime on various fronts. New York voters last fall approved the formation of a citywide Organized Crime Control Commission,...

Mountain of debate ; Bush OKs nuclear waste plan in Nev. despite opposition.(President George W. Bush, Yucca Mountain in Nevada)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... Gov. Kenny Guinn is challenging President Bush's decision to recommend Yucca Mountain as the nation's nuclear repository. Bush notified Congress that he accepted Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham's site recommendation Feb. 15. Guinn said he...

Many bid for Med/Waste assets.(prospective buyers negotiate for Med/Waste Inc. following Chapter 7 bankruptcy)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... A court-appointed receiver is talking with numerous parties interested in buying the assets of Med/Waste Inc. The Miami-Dade Circuit Court placed Soneet R. Kapila, of Fort Lauderdale, in charge of Med/Waste assets on which banks have liens....

New Products & Technology.
March 18, 2002... THERMO GASTECH has introduced the GT-Innova portable gas monitor, which detects combustible gases, oxygen and up to two toxic gases, the company said. Among the gases the monitor detects are carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, chlorine,...

Hefty allegations ; Ford denies recyclers' claims it sold defective parts.(Environ Inc. lawsuit)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... Ford Motor Co. used an auto salvage subsidiary to sell damaged vehicles and parts, including defective Firestone tires, a group of 75 former employees allege in a lawsuit. But Ford insists such sales never occurred. ``These allegations are...

WN unveils Web exchange.(Environmental Network International, Waste News)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... Waste News and software provider Environmental Network International have agreed to a deal in which buyers and sellers of equipment and services can come together via the Waste News Web site. The exchange can cut procurement costs for users...

Tariffs cut both ways.(impact of steel tariffs on domestic steel, scrap metal industries)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... While President Bush is attempting to help the U.S. steel industry with his recent tariff decision, many believe he may be doing more harm than good to the overall economy. That double-edged sword can apply to waste management's interests in...

Firms forge recycling pact for electronics.(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... More than a dozen major electronics manufacturers have agreed to charge fees or pay front-end costs on their equipment in the United States to help fund recycling, including supporting related federal legislation. The agreement, announced...

Rhetorical footprints.(corporate responsibility is focus at Globe 2002 environmental business conference)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... Corporate responsibility comes in many forms. For global companies like Nike Inc., it can be improving working conditions in factories for foreign workers. For other firms, it's recycling industrial byproducts to save money and disposal...

Will tariffs on foreign steel help or hurt scrap metal use?
March 18, 2002... Do you have an opinion on this question? Please submit your comments online at www.wastenews.com; by e-mail to editorial@wastenews.com; by fax to Waste News Q&A at (330) 836-1692; or by mail to Waste News, 1725 Merriman Road, Akron, Ohio...

Late News.(Boise Cascade Corp. pays fine for violating Clean Air Act, Senate rejects amendment to energy bill)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... Boise Cascade faces fine for violations Washington - Boise Cascade Corp. has agreed to pay a $4.35 million penalty and to spend another $17.9 million to upgrade air pollution equipment at several plants. The Justice Department and the...

Moving up; Republic names operations chief.(Mike Cordesman named chief operating officer of Republic Services Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... Republic Services Inc.'s new chief operating officer has seen his share of challenges and will face even more in his new job, the company said. Mike Cordesman was named the company's top operational man this month after joining Republic in...

Obituaries.(Joseph R. Graziano, Sydney Ann Millberry Izzo)(Obituary)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... Joseph R. Graziano Cinnaminson, N.J. - Joseph R. Graziano, a retired vice president of market development for Waste Management Inc. of Fairless Hills, Pa., died Jan. 29 at his home in Cinnaminson after a bout with cancer. Graziano, 69,...

Coming Events.
March 18, 2002... North America March 19-22 - Landfill Gas Annual Symposium, sponsored by the Solid Waste Association of North America, Dallas. Call (800) 467-9262. March 20 - Construction Materials Recycling Association Annual Meeting, Las Vegas. Call...

Fla. firm preps nuclear waste for landfill.(Perma-Fix Environmental Services Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... Barrel after barrel of low-level nuclear radioactive waste, some of which dates back to the 1940s, is moving out of storage at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to a nearby treatment plant that will render it suitable for safe disposal. ...

Toxic access ; White House urges EPA to expedite release of data.(White House Office of Management and Budget)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... The White House Office of Management and Budget is calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to improve the public's access to key environmental information, a request that is drawing support from environmental and public interest groups....

A Look Back.(Metal Management Inc. acquisitions)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... Five years ago: Metal Management Inc. extends its yearlong expansion spree with deals to acquire three companies: Cozzi Iron & Metal Inc. of Chicago, Proler Southwest Inc. of Houston and Proler Steelworks LLC of Jackson, Miss. A year ago:...

Nuclear waste worries ; Western groups oppose reclassification proposal.(Natural Resources Defense Council)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... Two environmental groups and a group of American Indians in Washington state have asked a federal court to block U.S. Department of Energy plans to reclassify some radioactive waste buried in storage tanks at three nuclear weapons sites in...

Have an opinion?
March 18, 2002... Waste News welcomes letters and opinion pieces from readers. Letters intended for publication must be signed and contain a phone number for verification. Waste News reserves the right to edit letters for content, length or potential libel. Send...

Allied sues N.J. over transfer station siting.(Allied Waste Industries Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... Allied Waste Industries Inc. is claiming the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is illegally blocking development of a $350 million transfer station to handle New York City's trash. A subsidiary of the Scottsdale-based solid...

Med/Waste cleanup continues.(Tony Dean cleans up Med/Waste Inc. buildings)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... Untreated medical waste has been removed from two vacant Med/Waste Inc. buildings in Alabama and safely incinerated, state officials said last week. The former owner of Target Medical Waste Services, Tony Dean, spent $10,000 to remove...

Ambiguous signals.(the state of the US economy)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... It seems like almost every day lately there's another piece of positive news about the economy. Manufacturing is on the rise, consumer spending continues strong, the stock market is surging, employment has started heading up. Federal Reserve...

Driving toward sustainability ; Business leaders pushing brethren toward environmental responsibility.(also looks at steps taken by Nike)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... Corporate sustainability is becoming part of the bottom line, whether companies are ready for it or not. ``I suggest business as usual is no longer an option,'' David Anderson, Canada's Minister of the Environment, told attendees of Globe...

S.C. recycler plans large Carolina plant.(United Resource Recovery Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... Spurred by increased interest in recycled-content polyethylene terephthalate beverage bottles, South Carolina recycler United Resource Recovery Corp. plans to build its first commercial-scale plant in the United States. URRC said last...

In Brief.(waste removal cases and programs)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... Steelmaker must address coal waste Pittsburgh - The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has ordered LTV Steel Co. Inc., of Independence, Ohio, to address environmental concerns at its southwestern Pennsylvania facilities....

Trouble for two ; Fla. metal recyclers face litter charges.(Hobbs Metal Recycling)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... The owners of a Tarpon Springs metal recycling company were arrested on two counts of felony littering for allegedly illegally disposing of waste tires and chemicals, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. ...

Businesses could feel impact of climate pact.(between United States, Canada)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... The United States and Canada have agreed to expand and intensify bilateral efforts to address climate change that could affect agriculture and industries that burn coal. Canadian Environment Minister David Anderson and U.S. Environmental...

BP cuts emissions ; Petroleum firm hits goal 8 years early.(British Petroleum)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 18, 2002... BP PLC, the nation's largest supplier of oil and gasoline, has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 9 million tons in the past five years, reaching the goal eight years ahead of schedule. John Browne, the company's CEO, told...

Pa. penalizes Philly concrete crusher.(Hawthorne Recycling)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 18, 2002... There are two sides to the story of Hawthorne Recycling's downfall. Officials with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection says the company was operating outside the law at a concrete crushing operation in the Hunting Park...

North Carolina loses ground on waste reduction target.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 18, 2002... If current growth rates continue, waste generation in North Carolina could grow to 13 million tons by the end of the decade, about twice the amount the state produced a decade ago. This projected doubling of waste production in just 20...

Pork producer fouls river with waste.(Cargill Pork Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... A pork producer is paying a million-dollar fine for illegally discharging hog waste into a river that killed thousands of fish. Cargill Pork Inc. allowed the waste to flow from holding ponds at its pig farm in Martinsburg to the Loutre...

Pa. steelmaker faces fine.(Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... A federal district court has ordered a Pittsburgh steelmaker to pay $8.2 million for violating the Clean Water Act, the second-highest penalty ever awarded to the United States under the act. Judge Robert Cindrich of the U.S. District Court...

Earnings.
March 18, 2002... table: see printed publication.

A mixed review ; President's tariff plan pleases steelmakers, scrap firms; rankles buyers of steel products.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 18, 2002... The scrap recycling industry is applauding President Bush's tariffs on imported steel as the lifesaver the industry has been reaching for, but some manufacturers say the tariffs ultimately could be harmful. On March 5, the president...

Proposed tax would fund Ky. cleanups.(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... The Kentucky Legislature is seriously considering levying a half-cent tax on beverage containers and disposable cups as a way to fund environmental cleanups. The measure recently passed the state's Democratically controlled House and has...

NRC taps Krebs for top spot.(National Recycling Coalition, Kate Krebs)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... The National Recycling Coalition's search for a new executive director has ended. The NRC board voted unanimously March 6 to give Kate Krebs a two-year contract to serve as executive director. Krebs stepped in as interim director in...

Supplier News.(includes several articles)
March 18, 2002... Safety Vision opens warehouse Houston - Safety Vision has opened a new 25,000-sq.-ft. global logistics warehouse. Safety Vision had to make room for $2 million in inventory and fixed assets, company President Bruce Smith said. ``We are...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
March 18, 2002... * The Waste News Stock Index on Page 22 of the March 4 issue should have indicated a gain. * An article on Page 1 of the March 4 issue should have identified an association as the Electronic Industries Alliance.

WMI: Cuts won't affect service.(Waste Management Inc. reduces workforce)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 18, 2002... Waste Management Inc. says its 27 million customers will not see a difference in service as a result of its decision to eliminate 3.5 percent of its work force. The Houston-based company is axing 2,000 jobs by cutting out a management...

Haulers win in Va. with court's denial.(regulations on trucks carrying out-of-state trash)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2002... The Supreme Court has upheld a challenge to a series of Virginia laws designed to prevent New York City from transporting trash to landfills in Virginia for disposal. On March 4, the high court declined to hear the state of Virginia's...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
March 18, 2002... Overturned on review Leslie Goldsmith's letter to the editor in the Feb. 4 issue of Waste News [``Incomplete pass,'' Page 8] criticized the polyethylene terephthalate beer bottle as being less than recyclable in rural Iowa. Ms. Goldsmith...