Waste News articles from May 2008

Waste News archives from May 2008

Oil firms settle MTBE lawsuit.
May 12, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman More than a dozen oil companies have agreed to pay $422 million in cash to 153 public water providers nationwide to settle complaints they were responsible for contaminating water supplies with the chemical additive...

Panelists ponder ways to cut emissions.(News)(Discussion)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The United States must pass legislation establishing caps on greenhouse gas emissions similar to the Lieberman-Warner bill pending in the Senate, said two executives of major power companies and an environmental...

Virgin America joins Ceres network.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Virgin America, a California-based airline, has joined the Ceres network of companies, having been recognized by the Ceres board of directors for its efforts at sustainability. Richard Branson, the British...

Perception is everything; Waste companies in constant battle for positive public image.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Picking up the trash on time is not enough. Building a positive company image is as much about treating customers and the community right as it is about tending to the garbage routes. "Perception is...

Ford, Timberland honored for sustainability reporting.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Ceres recognized Ford Motor Co. and the Timberland Co. with the top sustainability reporting awards during its annual convention in Boston. Ford and Timberland, a New Hampshire-based footwear manufacturer, tied...

Study: GHG bill would raise energy prices.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Elizabeth McGowan Co-authors of the leading climate change bill are still convinced their cap-and-trade legislation is the appropriate economic and environmental prescription for the country - even though it would likely raise...

Turn rubbish into resources.(Opinion)
May 12, 2008... Waste Management Inc. is undertaking an excellent close-the-loop idea with its plan to operate trash trucks in California using gas generated at its own landfills. The company is envisioning the world's largest facility to convert landfill...

Memories flood at expo.(Opinion)(Personal account)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Allan Gerlat Last week's Waste Expo in Chicago brought back memories for me. When Waste News started in 1995, the first Waste Expo I went to was in Chicago. The solid waste industry was different back then. It was more just...

Sucking wind for a gallon of gold; Garbage haulers feel the fuel price pinch deeply.
May 12, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson This is how bad it's getting: Thomas DeVivo's company recently spent more money on a load of 11,000 gallons of diesel fuel than he paid for his first home. Solid waste and recycling companies around the country are...

Veolia relocates offices.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Veolia is relocating its North American headquarters to Chicago, combining all of the company's top-level employees under one roof to help better manage the company. The move, scheduled for later this year, brings...

Interest increasing, but some recycling rates still stay flat.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Despite booming markets for recyclables, recovery rates remain relatively flat and even are dropping off in some cases. Secondary materials, in virtually every case, are far more energy-efficient to use to...

Mandatory state e-scrap program popularity grows.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Mandatory state electronic recycling programs have gained steam in the last couple of years, as more are requiring manufacturers to pay for collection and recovery of their equipment. After California became the...

Minn. utility plans major investment; Otter Tail announces plan to pursue $121 million wind energy project in North Dakota.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini A Minnesota utility is making its largest investment in new power generation in over a quarter century, and it's in renewable energy. An Otter Tail Corp. division plans to spend at least $121 million to build and own...

A LOOK BACK.(News)
May 12, 2008... 10 years ago: Jefferson Smurfit Corp. of Clayton, Mo., and Stone Container Corp. of Chicago begin discussing their eventual merger. 5 years ago: A new study by the University of Arizona shows that food ends up becoming trash quicker than...

WM opens single-stream facility in N.J.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Waste Management Inc. has opened a regional single-stream recycling facility to make it easier for New Jersey residents and businesses to recycle. The company's Waste Management Recycle America subsidiary invested...

JP Morgan Chase to cut emissions by 20 percent.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Financial giant JP Morgan Chase & Co. wants to cut its global emissions by 20 percent through a series of steps including conservation and use of renewable energy. The New York-based company also will offset all...

Safety video depicts fire.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson A new safety video using computerized animation to show the events leading to the hazardous waste fire in Apex, N.C., is now available through the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. The 16-minute...

Where there's smoke; Agency recommends specific fire rules for hazwaste plants.
May 12, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson A federal agency is calling for national fire standards specifically covering hazardous waste facilities following a spectacular 2006 fire that destroyed one site and caused a widespread evacuation. But a trade...

Sonoco to keep scaling back.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Sonoco Products Co. is expanding waste reduction services beyond its own plants and is offering to help customers of its wire and cable reels division. Dubbed Sonoco Sustainability Solutions, or S3, the service...

Awards.(News)(Brief article)
May 12, 2008... Former board member honored Walter Carey has received the Hi Kellogg Award for Outstanding Service to the Composting Industry from the United States Composting Council. Carey held a U.S. Composting Council board of directors position...

Coming Events.(Calendar)(Calendar)
May 12, 2008... May 19-21 - Third Annual Renewable Energy Finance and Investment Summit, Scottsdale, Ariz. Contact Corrine Smart (704) 889-1287 or visit www.frallc.com. May 19-21 - 16th Annual North American Waste-To-Energy Conference, Philadelphia, Pa....

Rockefellers urge Exxon to invest in green.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Relatives of Exxon Mobil Corp. founder John D. Rockefeller are asking shareholders to call for the appointment of an independent chairman of the board and for the company to invest more in renewable, clean energy...

Personnel.(People)
May 12, 2008... APPLIANCE RECYCLING CENTERS OF AMERICA - Thomas Hunt appointed independent member of the company's board of directors. ASSOCIATION OF EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS - Douglas Oberhelman named to the board of directors. BABCOCK POWER INC. -...

Eco-efforts suffer with economy.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The U.S. economy is facing challenging times, which has caused some people to wonder whether investment capital will continue flowing into sustainable development and climate change projects. The subprime...

Waste Industry Briefs.(Briefs)
May 12, 2008... Solid Waste Management Casella puts initial hybrid on the road Casella Waste Systems Inc. is putting the company's first hybrid diesel electric collection vehicle into service, the Rutland, Vt.-based firm said. Casella expects the...

WASTE GENERATOR BRIEFS.(Briefs)
May 12, 2008... Greenhouse Gas Emissions EU trading plan provides guide for U.S. The European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme offers valuable lessons for the U.S. Congress as it develops a cap-and-trade system for use in this country, according to...

INBOX.(At Your Disposal)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Pete Fehrenbach Bay State Debates Nonbubblies. A group of Massachusetts lawmakers is taking another run at expanding the state's bottle bill to include noncarbonated beverages - bottled water, juice, iced tea and sports energy...

Green movement hits toy stores.(At Your Disposal)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Eco-marketing is one of the hottest new trends. Manufacturers are marketing everything from energy-efficient homes, cars and appliances, to recycled-content clothing and compact fluorescent light bulbs as being...

Sustainable SC Johnson.(Special Report)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Addressing sustainability issues has been a priority for generations at Racine, Wis.-based SC Johnson. One of the company's most recent actions was signing an agreement to purchase nearly half of the electricity...

At Deadline.(Late News)
May 12, 2008... Mining firm settles wetland violations Black Beauty Coal Co., of Evansville, Ind., and its subsidiary Arclar Co., of Equality, Ill., have resolved allegations brought by federal regulators that the companies filled in streams and wetlands...

Energy providers team up for zero-emission power; Companies will work to develope pilot oxy-fuel facility.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini ThermoEnergy Corp. and Babcock Power Inc. are partnering on an effort to development technology that will convert coal, natural gas, oil and biomass into energy with nearly no emissions. The companies have signed a...

Congress continues e-waste research.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Elizabeth McGowan While state legislatures forge ahead with homegrown laws to regulate electronic waste, Congress remains at the information hunting and gathering stage. That absorption mode continued April 30 as the House...

Restructuring plan means closures; Wastequip of Cleveland announces reduction in costs, emissions, energy use ... and employees.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Wastequip, a Cleveland-based company that manufactures equipment and containers for use in the waste handling industry, has announced a restructuring plan that will close several older plants while implementing...

CORRECTIONS.(Correction)(Correction notice)
May 12, 2008... * In the story "Mutual funders warm up to global warming'' on Page 40 of the April 28 issue, Nell Minow should have been identified as co-founder and editor of The Corporate Library. Jackie Cook and Bill Baue co-authored the report "Mutual Fund...

EPA delays could trigger congressional bans.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Elizabeth McGowan If the EPA continues its slothlike pace on defining the health dangers of toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, Congress will ramp up its intervention by legislating bans. That's the directive from Sen....

Waste Management goes natural.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson By this time next year, Waste Management Inc. should be operating trash trucks in California on gas created at one of its own landfills. The nation's largest solid waste management company is planning the world's...

Waste firms post profitable first quarter.(News)(Financial report)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Allied Waste Industries Inc. saw profits rise during the first quarter as the company's CEO said the nation's second-largest solid waste management company met expectations. Allied Waste earned $72.6 million, or 17...

WN adds to sales team.(News)
May 12, 2008... Waste News has added Linda Hickey to its sales staff. Hickey's title is new business development. She will be in charge of developing new sales accounts for the publication. Hickey has been in sales for 22 years, working in real estate...

CAPITAL BRIEFS; A summary of recent developments in federal and state environmental legislation and regulation.(Briefs)
May 12, 2008... LEGISLATION SOLID WASTE Hawaii: House Bill 2589 requires scrap dealers to pay for copper purchases by check payable to the seller and requires the seller to present photo identification at the time of the sale. Sent to the governor...

GM hybrids get off to slow start in 1Q.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Jamie LaReau Automotive News Sales of new General Motors hybrids, including its touted full-sized SUVs, are taking off at a crawl. GM sold 843 hybrids in the first quarter - 655 of them the Two Mode hybrid versions of its...

Waste Expo New Products.(Products)
May 12, 2008... Hundreds of exhibitors attended Waste Expo in Chicago this year, bringing new products for use in waste management, recycling and environmental services. Some of the new products that were displayed are listed below. Additional new...

Penalty is karma.(Opinion)(Financial report)(Brief article)
May 12, 2008... The $422 million fine 13 oil companies must pay for their part in contaminating groundwater over the last nearly 30 years seems like a lot... at first. Considering this will come down to at least $32.5 million for each company also seems...

Former WM exec tells a turnaround tale.(News)
May 12, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson When the wheels came off the nation's largest solid waste management company in 1999 amid an accounting scandal, turnaround specialist Steve Miller felt personally embarrassed. And he felt obligated to clean up the mess...