Waste News articles from November 2008

Waste News archives from November 2008

Awards.(University of New Mexico researcher Andrew Schuler honored)
November 10, 2008... WERF presents Busch Award The Water Environment Research Foundation has given University of New Mexico researcher Andrew Schuler its annual Paul L. Busch Award for applied water quality research. Schuler, an assistant professor in the...

Top 3 waste companies post strong 3Q results.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson The nation's three largest solid waste management companies saw earnings increase during the third quarter, the firms reported. The nation's largest trash company posted higher profits during the quarter, thanks in...

Waste Industry Briefs.(Waste Connections Inc. acquires Harold Lemay Enterprises Inc.)(Waste Management Inc. pays $27,200 penalty for excessive idling of vehicles)(American Securities Corp. acquires Liberty Tire Services LLC.)
November 10, 2008... Solid Waste Waste Connections acquires LeMay Waste Connections has completed the largest acquisition in its history, purchasing Harold LeMay Enterprises of Tacoma, Wash. The deal includes collection, recycling and transfer services...

Waste Generator Briefs.
November 10, 2008... Wind Energy Duke begins operating Texas wind farm Duke Energy Corp. has begun commercial operation at its Ocotillo Wind Farm in Howard County, Texas. The company began building the 59-megawatt site, which consists of 28 turbines,...

From trash to treasure.(TerraCycle Inc. )
November 10, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Where some see trash, TerraCycle Inc. sees tote bags. And pencil cases. And homework folders. And lunch boxes. The Trenton, N.J.-based company, which originally made a name for itself by creating plant food from...

Report shows big year for wind.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Wind energy development is poised to have its biggest year in 2008, following last year's record-breaking wind farm installations. During the third quarter, the industry installed 1,389 megawatts of generation...

Calif., Pa. pass mercury thermostat recycling laws.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini California and Pennsylvania have joined four other states in passing mercury thermostat collection and recycling laws. The comprehensive legislation is based loosely on a model developed by the Product Stewardship...

Materials Processing joins network to fight electronic exports.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Materials Processing Corp. has joined the Basel Action Network and its fight against electronic scrap exports to developing nations. The Minneapolis-based electronics recycler will become a leading member of BAN's...

Election signals policy shift; Dems' wins point to new directions for climate, energy.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The election of Democrat Barack Obama as president, along with a strengthening of the Democratic hold on Congress, should make it easier for the party to adopt its long-discussed policies to slash greenhouse gas...

Dems expected to push for green energy.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Representatives of "clean energy'' industries applauded Barack Obama's election as president, while representatives of the older, traditional energy industries vowed to work with the new president and Congress. ...

Nestle Waters seeks recycling increase.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Nestle Waters North America wants to improve the nation's plastic beverage container recycling rate to 60% or better and plans to develop a bottle made entirely from recycled plastics or renewable resources. The...

Incoming president to focus on education.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The incoming president of the Solid Waste Association of North America is calling on the solid waste trade association to put an emphasis on energy conservation education during the upcoming year. "I've asked...

Capital Briefs.(Electronic Waste Recycling Act )
November 10, 2008... LEGISLATION Montana: Draft Bill 631 relates to reporting requirements for nonferrous metals. Request received Oct. 23. Nevada: Draft Bill Request 643 makes various changes concerning penalties for theft of certain metals from public...

Voters OK 1 energy initiative, nix 2 others.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Missouri voters approved a ballot measure Nov. 4 that calls for 15% of the state's electricity to come from renewable sources by 2021, but energy issues in at least two other states failed. Missouri voters by a...

Fuel for discussion; Landfills getting a grip on their climate impact.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Landfills are an emerging issue in the discussion of global warming. Second only to something called enteric fermentation and that's a topic for later landfills accounted for about 23% of all methane emissions...

Group pushes EPA to update methane rules.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Harvesting methane from landfills represents what one environmental group calls a trifecta for the economy, environment and energy security. But not enough is being done to regulate emission standards for landfills...

Industry "recession-proof' despite decline.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Allan Gerlat They were a long way from Wall Street, but Wastecon attendees in Tampa are feeling the financial crisis. There's the general impact that all businesses are feeling, and there are manifestations specific to the...

A Look Back.
November 10, 2008... 10 years ago: Millions of dollars in severance benefits await top employees when they leave Jefferson Smurfit Corp. and Stone Container Corp. after the two firms merge. 5 years ago: Eliot Spitzer, New York's attorney general, wants the...

Republic confident shareholders will approve merger.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Shareholder reaction has Republic Services Inc. feeling confident about this week's vote regarding a merger with Allied Waste Industries Inc. Leaders from the Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based solid waste management...

Inbox.
November 10, 2008... Bins Bloom in NYC: New York City expanded its street corner public space recycling program late last month with 105 new blue and green recycling bins at 33 locations around the city. The blue bins are for metal, glass and plastic; the green...

Personnel.(Dan Weider appointed at Arsenault Associates)(Chad Jones appointed at Bandit Industries Inc.)(Charlie Benton appointed at East Manufacturing Corp.)
November 10, 2008... ARSENAULT ASSOCIATES Dan Weider named regional account manager. ASHKIN GROUP Jeff Pease named senior project manager. BANDIT INDUSTRIES INC. Chad Jones named regional sales representative for the Southwest United States. CITY...

Coming Events.(Calendar)
November 10, 2008... Nov. 11-14 47th Annual Paper Stock Industries Fall Conference, Orlando, Fla. Contact Nini Krever (561) 627-9191 or visit www.paperstockindustries.org. Nov. 12 New York State Solid Waste Association of North America Chapter Waste...

Obama brings us hope.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Allan Gerlat I'm cynical about politics, about the continental divide between well-intentioned promise and hard reality. But I find a lot of reason for hope with the election of Barack Obama as president, and his political views...

Remaining proactive.
November 10, 2008... Landfills and methane gas have been part of the global warming and alternative energy discussion for some time now. It's likely about to get a lot more attention. Methane gas is much more potent than the most familiar villain in the...

Solid start.
November 10, 2008... Plastic beverage bottles and particularly water bottles have exploded in numbers recently. While it's not a giant part of the waste stream, it's a very visible and symbolic part of the mix. So kudos to Nestle Waters for taking some real steps...

SWANA picks locations for conferences.(Conference news)
November 10, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The Solid Waste Association of North America has selected the dates and locations for its Wastecon conferences in 2011, 2012 and 2014. SWANA Executive Director John Skinner announced the locations during the...

U.S. must act now to stabilize emissions.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman If the United States wants to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions at current levels to try to avoid significant, irreversible global warming, it must act now, said Jean Bogner, a speaker at this year's Wastecon 2008....

Oregon governor unveils climate change proposals.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski unveiled a number of climate change legislation proposals he wants the state Legislature to consider in 2009. The governor's plans include requiring future green building construction...

HP, Staples to recycle cartridges.
November 10, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Hewlett-Packard Co. Inc. is doubling the capacity of its North American recycling facility, anticipating the success of a pilot program launched with Staples Inc. to collect empty printer cartridges. Staples began...

At Deadline.(Brief article)
November 10, 2008... Mass. initiative aims to spur fiber recycling A coalition promoting paper recycling in Massachusetts hopes to spur the collection of a million tons of recycled fiber annually through a new advertising campaign. The Mass Recycles Paper...

PERSONNEL.(David Aronson appointed at Tube City Inc.)(Michael Kvach appointed at Peterson Pacific Corp.)(Jim Loeffler appointed at Bayne Premium Lift Systems)
November 24, 2008... ALUMINUM ASSOCIATION Five board members have been elected: Dale Chittum, senior national account executive, Aramark Uniform Services; Jean-Marc Germain, president, Novelis North America; Kevin Person, vice president of sales and marketing,...

Survey: Americans unaware of main cause of emissions.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson A new survey shows the vast majority of American adults still don't realize that the operation of buildings is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in the country. "It's not a huge surprise because there's...

CORRECTION.(Correction notice)
November 24, 2008... The article "System eases disposal for Colorado med firm'' [Oct. 27, Page 13] should have said that for the last 30 to 40 years the standard way of dealing with biomedical waste has been hauling.

WASTE INDUSTRY BRIEFS.
November 24, 2008... Waste-To-Energy Covanta reopens plant in Oklahoma Covanta Holding Corp. has reopened a Tulsa, Okla., waste-to-energy plant it acquired this year. The Walter B. Hall Resource Recovery Facility can process up to 1,125 tons of...

A LOOK BACK.
November 24, 2008... 10 years ago: The U.S. Department of Justice and three states have joined in a federal lawsuit to block the $1.2 billion merger of Waste Management Inc. and Eastern Environmental Services Inc. 5 years ago: Republican lawmakers' failure to...

HP's programs show enviro commitment.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini The nation's number two computer maker has upped its game in its quest to become the number one green electronics company. Hewlett-Packard Co.'s resource reduction, recycling and emission reduction efforts earned the...

Nordex to manufacture wind turbines in Ark.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Nordex USA Inc. plans to build a wind turbine manufacturing plant in Jonesboro, Ark. The Chicago-based company, the U.S. subsidiary of German parent Nordex AG, will invest approximately $100 million in the new...

Price meltdown roils markets.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Scrap commodity prices are tanking right along with the economy. That's the gentle, family-friendly version. And it is a great concern to recyclers, businesses, municipalities and everyone else who realizes there are...

CAPITAL BRIEFS.
November 24, 2008... LEGISLATION GENERAL ENVIRONMENT Michigan: House Bill 6609 exempts certain certified solar, wind and water energy conservation devices from property tax. Introduced Nov. 6. Michigan: House Bill 6612 increases the amount of civil...

Companies: Planning is key to merger.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson With the merger of trash companies Republic Services Inc. and Allied Waste Industries Inc. now on track to be completed in December, those close to the deal are promising their union will be different than previous...

Summit to look at Congress, Obama.(Brief article)(Conference notes)
November 24, 2008... The impact of the newly elected government on environmental management will flavor the next Waste News Capitol Hill Summit, scheduled for late March of next year. One of the featured panel discussions will be on the election of a new...

Obama promises to tackle climate change.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman In a speech to more than 600 climate change leaders, President-elect Barack Obama reiterated his promises to tackle global warming once he comes into office despite the economic challenges facing the nation. ...

Electronics makers' recycling venture launches.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini It's an electronics recycling company put together by electronics manufacturers with the goal of building a national recycling infrastructure to collect and recycle end-of-life electronics on behalf of all electronics...

NEW PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGY.
November 24, 2008... PHOTOVAC INC. has introduced the MicroFID flame ionization detector for landfill gas detection. The MicroFID is portable and easy to operate with just one tutor key which prompts the operator through the basic operations. Readings can be stored...

Don't scrap recycling.
November 24, 2008... The economic downturn is starting to hit everyone hard, and one place where the impact has been dramatic is scrap recycling. Markets for commodity metals and paper that were soaring just five months ago have plummeted quickly and dramatically....

Waxman snatches energy chair.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman Rep. Henry A. Waxman, D-Calif., wrested control of the House Energy and Commerce Committee away from Chairman John Dingell, D-Mich. Waxman won a narrow 137-122 majority vote among the Democratic members of the...

UPS to use seven hybrid hydraulic trucks in Ga.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson United Parcel Service of America Inc. expects to boost fuel economy and cut emissions by adding a different type of alternative fuel vehicle to its fleet. The Atlanta-based company plans to put a total of seven...

Perma-Fix decides to retain industrial waste facilities.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Perma-Fix Environmental Services Inc., in what the company calls a "strategy shift,'' is not getting out of the industrial waste business after all. The Atlanta-based company has decided to retain locations in Fort...

COMING EVENTS.(Calendar)
November 24, 2008... Nov. 25-27 European Paper Week 2008, Brussels, Belgium. Call +32 2 627 4911 or visit www.cepi.org/epw. Dec. 2-3 Stormwater Management Permits and Plans, Honolulu, Hawaii. Contact Jay Collert (410) 897-0037 or visit...

King County station is nation's greenest.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman King County, Wash., opened what may be the "greenest'' recycling and transfer station in the country last year, and county officials say it is a reflection of their approach toward providing government services...

EPA board blocks Utah power plant permit; Agency regional office, Sierra Club both claim victory in dispute over coal-fired unit.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman A decision by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency appeals board regarding carbon dioxide emissions from a power plant has both environmentalists and power industry representatives proclaiming victory. The...

EPA finalizes manure rules for CAFOs.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Bruce Geiselman The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a rule requiring concentrated animal feeding operations, also known as CAFOs, to safely manage manure. The EPA estimates CAFO regulations will prevent 56...

32 recyclers join e-scrap certification program.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Joe Truini Thirty-two electronics recyclers have joined two nongovernmental groups to identify North America's most responsible electronic scrap processors. The Basel Action Network and the Electronics TakeBack Coalition are...

Ohio officials investigate buried trash truck, tires.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Officials in Central Ohio are investigating a rather unique case of illegal dumping involving the burial of a garbage truck, more than 1,000 tires and tons of trash. A tip to the Solid Waste Authority of Central...

Archbishop Tutu says green building makes big impact.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Jim Johnson Green building, said Archbishop Desmond Tutu, is part of a revolution that puts a smile on God's face. The Nobel Peace Prize winner helped kick off the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo last week in...

Inbox.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Peter Fehrenbach 12 Miserable Minutes: Many of you have probably heard about the CBS "60 Minutes'' report on the illegal exportation of electronic waste that aired two weeks ago. If you haven't seen it, here it is:...

WASTE GENERATOR BRIEFS.
November 24, 2008... Manufacturing Report: Green collar jobs on the rise A Duke University report finds green collar jobs present the next frontier for U.S. manufacturing and could create five million new positions in the environmental industry. The...

Striking a balance.
November 24, 2008... Byline: Allan Gerlat The issue of bailing out the Detroit automakers is front and center. And a good case can be made that environmental issues play a significant role in the matter. The Wall Street Journal made that argument last...

Waxman's win: Get ready.(Brief article)
November 24, 2008... Rep. Henry Waxman's ascent to the chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee portends potentially difficult times ahead for American industry in regard to climate change legislation. Waxman's narrow victory over former...

AT DEADLINE.
November 24, 2008... Teamsters, groups query waste pricing Teamsters and a pair of consumer groups are raising concerns about what they allege are questionable pricing practices in the trash business. The union, along with the National Association of...