E-Newsletter – August 2006:
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- WasteCap News
- Upcoming Events
- Trivia Corner
- WasteCap Across Nebraska
- Electronics Update
- In the News
- WasteCap Connections
WasteCap News
WasteCap Welcomes Two New Members
WasteCap Nebraska is proud to recognize two new members, the Grand Island Utilities Department and Recycling Connections, Inc., and we'd like to take this opportunity to introduce them.
Grand Island Utilities Department
The Grand Island Utilities Department (GIUD) generates and distributes electricity and water to homes, businesses, and industries in and near Grand Island Nebraska. Within the boundaries of its service area, the Utilities Department supplies 22,600 customers with electrical service and provides water distribution service to 14,100 customers.
Employees at GIUD's Platte Generating Station are committed to managing the plant site in a manner which promotes the establishment and maintenance of wildlife species such as deer, quail, pheasant, migratory waterfowl, turkey, birds-of-prey, song and shore birds, and fish. Some of the volunteer habitat improvement projects which have taken place at PGS include the maintenance of sheltered tree and tall grass areas which were originally planted in the early 1980's, installation of nesting platforms for Canada Geese on plant site ponds, and placement of wooden bluebird houses by local junior high school students.
The Utilities department has also participated with the Partners in Pollution Prevention industrial assessment team. By implementing their recommendations, GIUD has eliminated 500 pounds of solid waste and 120 gallons of hazardous waste annually through recycling measures and replacement of parts washer. In addition, GIUD recycles office paper, non-regulated waste, and coal ash.
Recycling Connections, Inc.
Recycling Connections aims to provide investment recovery opportunities to businesses and individuals through environmentally safe recycling solutions and proper disposition of non-ferrous metals and retired electronic equipment. Their goal is to redefine the image of metals recycling by creating a customer-friendly and transparent business. They make recycling easy by customizing programs to fit each customer’s needs and addressing customer concerns with detailed reporting and an open door policy.
Recycling Connections was created in 1998 with the original purpose to provide labor and administration services to the recycling industry, specifically to recyclers of telecommunications electronics and scrap copper cable. By 2001, Recycling Connections had nearly 50 employees in 4 states.
In 2003, the company shifted its focus from simply providing labor to recyclers to full participation in the recycling industry. That same year, the company leased a warehouse in Omaha, NE, and invested over three hundred thousand dollars to purchase equipment capable of processing scrap copper cable. Currently, through its warehouse in Omaha, Recycling Connections receives and processes over six million pounds of scrap copper cable and three million pounds of electronics and computer equipment per year.
Their Henderson, CO location opened for business in January 2006. Currently, they service commercial customers from throughout Colorado and the surrounding region with their primary focus being non-ferrous and electronics recycling.Upcoming Events
WasteCap Plans Hastings Electronics Collection
WasteCap Nebraska will host a computer collection in Hastings on Wednesday, September 13th and is pleased to partner with the City of Hastings and the Nebraska Environmental Trust to present this recycling event. The collection will be held at the Adams County Fairgrounds. Businesses will be able to dispose of electronic waste, including computer monitors, CPUs, peripherals, other office equipment, fluorescent lighting tubes, cellular phones, and toner cartridges. Each business can recycle one complete system (a monitor and up to 50 lbs of peripherals) for free, after which the cost will be $10 per monitor ($9 for members), $0.35 per pound for peripherals ($0.30 for members) with fluorescent lights priced at $0.40-$0.60 per tube ($0.34-$0.55 for members). Cell phones and toner cartridges will be accepted free of charge. The e-waste collected will be processed by Retrofit Recycling. For more information call WasteCap at 436-2383 or email
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Retrofit Recycling Pick-Up Dates
WasteCap Nebraska members 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. Pick up dates are subject to change, please call 7–10 business days ahead of time if you wish to schedule additional pick ups.- Week of August 21st
- Week of September 18th
WasteCap Nebraska at the Lincoln Products Show
Mark your calendars to visit WasteCap Nebraska staff on September 27-28 at the Lincoln Products Show for Business and Industry. This biennial event will be held at the Lancaster Event Center and is sponsored by the National Association of Purchasing Management in Nebraska and Central Nebraska. The Lincoln Products Show will feature products, services, and ideas from diverse vendors, and this year’s show will include two new pavilions on technology and safety, health, and wellness. Additional information may be found at their website.
If you are interested in exhibiting at the show, contact Bob Mancuso, Jr. at Mid-America Expositions, Inc. at 1-800-475-7469 or info@showofficeonline.com.
Trivia Corner
Last Month's Trivia
Last month's trivia question was "According to last month's newsletter, which company began a free take-back program on May 31st?"The correct answer is: Apple
The winning answer was submitted by Kelly Danielson of Waste Connections of Nebraska, who received a rain gauge from Garner Industries and a Bison Witches t-shirt.
July Trivia Question
You can have a chance to win this month's prize by answering the following question: In which country is ReCellular helping to recycle used cellular phones? The answer can be found in last month's newsletter. Correct responses will be included in a drawing for a Bison Witches T-shirt and a $10 gift card to SouthPointe Pavilions. Please submit your answers by September 1st for a chance at the drawing. Good Luck!WasteCap Across Nebraska
WasteCap to Host Events in Two Nebraska Communities
WasteCap Nebraska will continue its commitment to statewide expansion by hosting events in two new Nebraska communities this fall. On October 4th, WasteCap will host an E-waste Options Lunch and Learn in Columbus. The following week, WasteCap is sponsoring a computer collection event for businesses in Omaha. WasteCap is pleased to offer these events and looks forward to providing more educational events and recycling opportunities throughout the state.
To find out more about these and other upcoming events, contact WasteCap director Carrie Hakenkamp at (402) 436-2384 or e-mail Carrie Hakenkamp .
Electronics Update
EPA Unveils New CRT Rule
EPA is streamlining the federal hazardous waste management requirements for cathode ray tubes and CRT glass destined for recycling. These safe, yet simplified, standards aim to increase the collection and recycling of CRTs. Safely recycling CRTs saves energy and conserves resources, allows the recovered lead to be reused in other ways, and reduces the amount of lead in landfills.
Under these new regulations, used, unbroken CRTs are not regulated as hazardous waste unless they are stored for more than a year. EPA is setting simpler, more manageable standards for unbroken CRTs because the risk of lead releases from them is very low. Limited storage requirements apply only to CRT recyclers and collectors.
Used, broken CRTs are not regulated as hazardous waste as long as certain good-housekeeping practices are followed. To remain unregulated, CRTs undergoing glass processing must follow the same simplified requirements, except that they must be processed so that lead from the glass is not volatilized. CRT glass that has been processed and sent to a CRT glass manufacturer or a lead smelter also is unregulated, as long as it is kept in storage less than a year.
To read the press release or learn more about the new CRT rule, visit the EPA’s website.
Production Increases for "Environmentally-Friendly" Electronics
More environmentally friendly computer equipment will soon be available to large volume purchasers thanks to manufacturers like Dell, HP and others that now have products that meet the Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) standard, EPA announced on July 24.
EPEAT-registered computer products have reduced levels of cadmium, lead and mercury to better protect human health, and are easier to upgrade and recycle, in addition to meeting the government's Energy Star guidelines for energy efficiency. "These new environmental standards can guide the manufacturing of green computers, laptops, and monitors," said James Gulliford, assistant administrator for the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. "Now purchasers can factor environmental considerations into their decisions when choosing computer equipment."
For more information on the EPEAT, go to http://www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/products/epeat.htm
In the News
Groups agree on national program to recover mercury from autos
Recyclers expect to eliminate up to 75 tons of mercury through what is being called a landmark national program to collect the toxic metal from old automobiles. The new program, announced Aug. 11, will be funded by the automotive manufacturing industry. The program targets mercury switches, which commonly have been used for hood and trunk lights. Vehicle makers no longer use mercury in the switches, but millions of cars are still on the road with them. This program will target the removal of those switches when vehicles are recycled. Several states already have passed their own laws governing mercury switch recycling, and the national program will complement those efforts.
New standard developed for recycled-content latex paint
A new national environmental standard for recycled-content latex paint has been developed in an effort to encourage increased use. "Developing a standard for this product will boost the use of recycled paint, cut local disposal costs, and create value from a material previously considered a waste," said Scott Cassel, executive director of the Product Stewardship Institute. His group, along with Green Seal Inc., which promotes the use of environmentally preferable products, worked on the standard. Green Seal will evaluate paints, and those meeting the new standard will earn the Green Seal of approval. Paints earning the seal are certified to perform as well as virgin paint and be environmentally beneficial.
WasteCap Connections
Aerosol Can Recycling System for Sale
A WasteCap Nebraska member has an Aerosolv Model 5000 Aerosol Can Recycling System for sale. The following components are included:- Puncturing Device
- # 6163 Combination Coalescing Activated Carbon Filter
- Anti-Static Wire
- Safety Goggles
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