WasteCap of Lincolns E-Newsletter

August 2004

 

 

 

Results from the Universal Waste Lunch & Learn a successful first time event!

 

The results from the August Electronics Collection WasteCap hosted an electronics collection in Lincoln on August 11th. 

 

SWANA Fall Training Brochureinformation regarding this falls SWANA training in Grand Island.

 

Plastic bags everywhereenvironmental impacts of those convenient little plastic bags.

 

More computer information and factoids computer report cards and more.

 

A chemical connection are common day to day chemicals the cause of detrimental health problems?

 

Waste Reduction at WasteCap In an effort to reduce office paper waste at your office and ours, WasteCap has moved to an electronic newsletter.  Please feel free to forward this newsletter to any interested parties, but refrain from printing it out in its entirety.  All past e-newsletters can be found on our website under the Archives tab.  Thank you! 

 

Check out our website at www.wastecaplnk.org for the latest events, publications, and new member listings for WasteCap of Lincoln.

 

 

Whats New for August 2004:

 

      WasteCaps New Member Profile

       Kings Enterprise

      Lunch & Learn Results

      Electronics Collection Results

      Retrofit Recycling Pick-Up Dates

      Markets Corner

      SWANA Fall Training Brochure

      Plastic Bags Everywhere

      More Computer Information

      A Chemical Connection?

 

 

 

 

WasteCaps New Member Profile
 

WasteCap of Lincoln is pleased to welcome the following business into our membership. 

 

Kings Recycling Enterprise, LLC is a limited liability corporation formed in the state of Nebraska.  The company is in the plastics reclamation and marketing field and has been responding to the need for plastic molders, compounders, and secondary markets of the recycling industries both nationwide and internationally.  The company was founded in Denver Colorado, by Sonny Emanuel with partners and later moved to Omaha, Nebraska in January of 2000 with personal funds.  The company continues to grow at a steady pace and is in the process of expanding its operations by building a 12,500 square foot facility in Gretna, Nebraska, just off of Interstate 80.  This facility will serve the purpose of reclaiming and processing of scrap plastic and polymer-based textile waste materials from industries and households in Nebraska and surrounding states. It will accept scrap plastic and plastic fiber then reprocess these scrap materials into reuseable feedstock.

 

Kings has been working with various WasteCap members over the last few years to assist with plastic recycling.  WasteCap is happy to have them on board and is looking forward to the upcoming plastic recycling opportunities!

 

 

 

Results of WasteCaps first Lunch & Learn July 27th
 

WasteCap of Lincoln, in partnership with the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, hosted its first Lunch & Learn at the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County on Tuesday, July 27.

 

The Lunch & Learn was a one and a half hour educational and networking opportunity with a catered meal from Grisantis.  The presenter was Jim Harford, RCRA Compliance Assistance Coordinator with NDEQ.   Mr. Harford discussed the upcoming changes to Universal Waste Regulations in the state of Nebraska and how the changes will affect businesses.

 

The changes include electronic items and mercury-containing items that currently only include thermostats.  The new regulations can affect current and future electronic items that are or could be considered hazardous waste and will expand the definition of mercury-containing items to include all wastes that contain elemental mercury. 

 

There were a total of 59 attendees at this Lunch & Learn.  Attendees were given pre and post surveys to determine general knowledge and handling practices of Universal Waste and the regulations.  The majority of attendees already have programs in place for handling Universal Wastes, but many stated that they will need to make changes in order to comply with the new regulations.  Attendees also stated that this presentation helped to clear up the defining properties of Universal Wastes and Hazardous Wastes. 

 

For more information about the new Universal Waste regulations, or to review the power point notes of the presentation click here.  WasteCap would like to give a special thanks to Jim Harford,  NDEQ, and all the attendees for making this first Lunch & Learn a success!

 

 

 

WasteCaps Electronics Collection Results
 

WasteCap of Lincoln, with funding from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) hosted an electronics and fluorescent lighting recycling collection event for local businesses.  The collection was held on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 at State Fair Park. 

 

Over 11,000 pounds of electronic equipment and fluorescent lighting were collected from 20 participants at this months computer collection.  Included in this total were 234 monitors, equivalent to about 7,020 pounds of leaded glass diverted from the landfill! 

 

The equipment was collected and sent to Retrofit Recycling, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based electronics recycling company, for processing.  Each participant received a What should I do with my old computer and electronic equipment? informational sheet listing information about electronics recycling, local service providers and other options available for used computer and electronic equipment.  If you missed our computer collection and/or still have materials to recycle call 402.436.2354 to get a copy of a listing of service providers who will take your electronic equipment.  Otherwise, you can visit our website Here for a listing of service providers.

 

A special thanks to all our volunteers and sponsors our event would not have been possible without your help and support!

 

 

 

Retrofit Recycling Pick-Up Dates
 

Reminder that WasteCap of Lincoln members do receive discounted fluorescent lamp, ballast, electronic and battery recycling services through Retrofit Recycling (800-274-1309) and Environmental Compliance Enterprises (466-2268).  Please let us know if you need an updated price sheet.

 

August:

24th & 25th

 

September:

9th & 10th

23rd & 24th

 

Markets Corner

 

June

July

August

OCC

90

90

85
*MOP

-

-

25

Mag

0

0

0

News

20

20

20

SOP

25

25

25

Reminder that WasteCap Members using Midland Recycling are paid $20 under the reported price for loose cardboard (OCC) and $5 under the reported price for baled cardboard in bales weighing over 800 pounds.

 

Material abbreviations:

OCC- Old Corrugated Cardboard

*MOP Mixed Office Paper

Mag- Old Magazines
News- Old Newspaper

SOP Sorted Office Paper

* New

 

 

 

SWANA Fall Training Brochure


SWANA is hosting its Fall 2004 training in Grand Island on September 1, 2004.  Tonya Bernadt, WasteCaps Technical Assistance Coordinator is on the agenda to discuss WasteCaps services and to demonstrate WasteCaps Recycling 101: Train and Maintain employee training modules.  The full training brochure is listed below.  For additional information or to register for the training, contact Gene Hanlon, SWANA Program Committee Co-Chair, at 402-441-7043.

 

 

Youre invited to the Nebraska Cornhusker Chapter

of the Solid Waste Association of NortH America
Fall Training 
Grand Island Holiday Inn (I80 and Hwy 281 Exit
Wednesday, September 1, 2004

                                                                                                          

8:00-8:30

Registration

8:30-12:00

SWANA Mercury Lamp Recycling Workshop- Ms. Kathleen Lane, SWANA Associate Director, Silver Spring, Maryland.  This is only one of eight workshops to be sponsored nationally by the National SWANA offices.  Workshop participants will gain a guidebook and instructions on how to implement recycling programs for mercury-containing lamps (e.g., fluorescent, high intensity, etc.).  Workshop materials were developed under a grant from EPA through the Lamp Recycling Program:  a partnership with the Association of Lighting and Mercury Recyclers (ALMR) and the National Electronic Manufacturing Association (NEMA).  All recycling coordinators, special waste managers, solid waste managers, and local businesses that generate these materials are encouraged to attend.

12:00-1:00

Lunch (provided)

1:00-4:30

Recycling 101 for Business Recycling - Tonya Bernadt, Technical Assistance Coordinator, WasteCap of Lincoln, Nebraska.  This session will provide an overview of the importance of commercial recycling in communities, the services provided by WasteCap of Lincoln to businesses, and a presentation on a handbook they have developed to provide businesses with information and examples of how to design and sustain a successful waste reduction and recycling program within their organization.  The presentations can either be used to train employees on how to start a successful recycling program or serve as a refresher course and recycling report for the recycling program that is already in place for businesses.  Included is pertinent waste reduction and recycling information for four common commodities:  computers and electronic equipment, fiber, fluids, and fluorescent lighting.

Participants will receive a CD Rom of the employee training presentations that are in PowerPoint format so that participants can easily transfer information in order to customize it specifically for their businesses.  Also included in the packet is an Excel spreadsheet entitled ARecycling Estimations@ to easily calculate the direct cost savings and environmental benefits of the recycling program for businesses.  After entering the volumes generated, preset formulas will provide the cost and environmental savings estimates to help put a value on the recycling program.

 

How To Register

Complete registration form attached and return by Wednesday, August 25, 2004.  Make additional copies, if needed.  If you have questions, contact:  Gene Hanlon, SWANA Program Committee Co-Chair, at 402-441-7043.

 

Registration Form

Organization Name:                                                                                                      Phone:                                    

Address:                                                                                 City:                                           ZIP:                            

Fall Training - Wednesday, September 1, 2004  - $50 (session underwritten through a grant from the USEPA)

Names of Persons Attending:  _________________________________________________________

Mail Checks (made payable to:  Nebraska Cornhusker Chapter of SWANA) and Registration To:

Solid Waste Operations, Attn:  SWANA Registration, 2400 Theresa Street, Lincoln, NE  68521

 

 

Nebraska Cornhusker Chapter of SWANA

% Solid Waste Operations

2400 Theresa Street

Lincoln, NE 68521

 

 

Plastic Bags Everywhere

According to the EPA, over 380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps are consumed in the U.S. each year.  Plastic bag litter is everywhere, from the highest tree to the depths of the ocean.  Many marine animals suffer after confusing plastic bags for food.  The litter has become such an environmental nuisance and eyesore in countries such as Ireland, Taiwan, South Africa, Australia, and Bangladesh that they have either taxed or banned their usage.  There are alternatives to the single use plastic bags (of all types, not just grocery) that can help reduce the amount of litter and plastic waste (because even when they are thrown away properly, the light weight bags can manage to get swept up in the wind and blow away).  To find out more information about the hazards of plastic bags floating through the environment check out these websites and their links.  There are also great ideas on how you can help to reduce negative environmental impacts of plastic litter.

 

http://www.plasticbagrecycling.org/

http://www.reusablebags.com/

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/09/0902_030902_plasticbags.html

 

 

More Computer Facts and Information

 

Heres some morejust in case you havent heard enough about computers and electronics.  Find great fast facts, information about why recycling computers is such an important thing to do, and a computer report below.

 

http://www.worldwatch.org/pubs/goodstuff/computers

http://www.svtc.org/cleancc/pubs/2002report.htm

 

A Chemical Connection?
 

More and more articles are hitting the news lately about the effects of every day chemicals to human health.  Some of these effects can be as common as an allergy, others are thought to be one of the leading causes of multiple brain diseases, and there are even hypotheses that claim chemicals in the environment are affecting gender ratios.  Many chemicals used day to day have not gone through long testing periods.  There is a valid uncertainty to when considering long-term health effects. To find out more about these possible effects check out these websites.  And if this spikes your interest, click here to get a safety assessment of your own personal care products

 

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1283563,00.html

http://www.bouldernews.com/bdc/health_and_fitness/article/0,1713,BDC_2431_3109696,00.html

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040731/SARNIA31/TPEnvironment/

http://www.computertakeback.com/news_and_resources/early_warnings_.cfm

http://www.ewg.org/