Waste Reduction at WasteCap... In an effort to reduce office paper waste at your office and ours, WasteCap utilizes an electronic newsletter. Past e-newsletters can be found on our website under the "E-Newsletters" tab. Check out our website at www.wastecapne.org for the latest events, publications, and new member listings for WasteCap Nebraska.

E-Newsletter – September 2006:

 View the Adobe PDF version

WasteCap News

WasteCap Welcomes New Staff Member

WasteCap is proud to present Rachael Wells to fill the position of Marketing and Education Coordinator. Rachael is currently a senior Environmental Science student at the University of Nebraska. Having an extensive educational background with natural resources, graphic and image design, computer software, and recycling, she is warmly welcomed to the team!

Universal Waste Collected in Hastings

On September 13th, WasteCap traveled to Hastings to host an electronics and universal waste collection including computers, fluorescent lights, ballasts, ink cartridges, and cell phones. Thanks to funding from The Nebraska Environmental Trust and in partnership with the City of Hastings Solid Waste Department, this event was a success.

Fluorescent tubes
Fluorescent lights
wait to be transported.

About 100 vehicles participated in the event, helping to divert approximately 3,500 pounds of plastic, 4,900 pounds of leaded glass, and 6,800 pounds of metal from the landfill! In total, 8.5 tons of recyclables were collected! These materials are now on their way to Retrofit Recycling, a St. Paul, Minnesota–based electronics company.

If you missed the September 13th collection and need to properly manage electronics or other universal wastes, please contact (402) 436-2383, to find out about future WasteCap collection events or to learn about other electronics recycling opportunities.

WasteCap would like to give special thanks to all who participated in the event, and to the City of Hastings for providing such a wonderful work force.

Loading recyclables into trucks
Retrofit Recycling provided trucks to haul the recyclables.

Upcoming Events

National Pollution Prevention Week: September 18–24, 2006

National Pollution Prevention Week is traditionally celebrated nationally the third full week of September, from Monday to the following Sunday. It is a time when businesses, environmental groups and citizens can join forces for a common cause. By sharing information about pollution prevention (P2), businesses can become more competitive, businesses and government can realize cost savings, and environmental quality can be enhanced. Take time this week to look at how you and your company could reduce waste at the source. For more information visit P2RIC.

America Recycles Day is November 15th

Fluorescent tubes

America Recycles Day events take place, annually, on or around November 15th, with the goal of educating and encouraging Americans about recycling and buying recycled. ARD encourages participants to fill out pledges to recycle and reduce their waste more in the coming year. Last year, residents in every state of the nation participated in America Recycles Day and pledged to recycle. This year we want to include you in celebrating this national program by filling out a pledge card.

Why fill out a Pledge Card?

The Lincoln City Recycling Department in partnership with Midland Recycling, Lincoln Public Schools, and Wastecap Nebraska is working to promote this nationwide event by encouraging local business men, women and their employees to step up their personal and business recycling efforts. By completing a pledge card each employee is entered into both the local and national prize drawing. The adult national prize for 2006 is an all expense paid Alaskan cruise for 2 while the youth drawing is for a Trek Model 4300 24 speed bicycle.

How to Participate

If your business is interested in participating in this program, contact Sue Ellen Pegg from WasteCap at 436-2383 by September 29th. She will drop off the pledge cards and other promotional materials at your place of business. Then you simply inform your employees about this program and encourage them to submit a completed pledge form. All pledge forms will be collected on or around November 15th for entry into the local and national drawings.

All local prizes come from donors within the community, and those who donate prizes receive a free advertisement in the recycling insert in the Lincoln Journal Star a week prior to ARD and are mentioned at the live radio feed on November 15th. If you business is interested in being a prize sponsor, please contact 436-2383.

Do the Right Thing, Do the Recycle Thing!

Join the ENERGY STAR "Change a Light, Change the World Campaign"

Many WasteCap members are taking steps to improve the energy performance of your facilities and to educate employees and others about ways to save energy. For those seeking a fresh way to invite your employees to keep energy-saving top-of-mind and to play an additional, vital role in helping to reduce the risks of global climate change, consider inviting them to commit to change at least one light at home this fall to an energy-efficient one by taking the ENERGY STAR "Change a Light" Pledge online.

SIDE FACT:
Lighting accounts for nearly 20 percent of the average home's electric bill, and is one of the easiest and most effective places to save energy. One compact fluorescent light bulb can save $30 or more in electricity costs and prevent more than 450 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.

This year, you can tie into this national initiative in a way that allows you to measure and promote your own energy and environmental savings, and here's how. You simply register your organization online by setting a pledge goal. You then receive materials to help you invite your employees to take the pledge, and personalized web links that allow you to both get credit for your group's combined pledges and track progress against your goal. Once you meet your goal, you receive tools to promote your energy and environmental savings back to your community or to the media. There may be no simpler way to demonstrate your commitment to saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

You can register anytime, but it's a good idea to do it soon. This October 4th will mark the second annual ENERGY STAR Change a Light Day, and hundreds of organizations across the country will announce their pledge progress or launch their pledge drive at that time.

To join, go to energystar.gov/joinCAL.

Trivia Corner

Last Month's Trivia

Last month's trivia question was "In which country is ReCellular helping to recycle phones?"

The correct answer is: Venezuela

The winning answer was submitted by Emily Wise of the City of Grand Island Utilities, who received a Bison Witches T-shirt and a $10 gift card to SouthPointe Pavilions.

September Trivia Question

You can have a chance to win this month's prize by answering the following question: Thanks to a new national program, what toxic substance will be removed from older automobiles? The answer can be found in last month's newsletter. Please send your responses to

<info@ERASE-THIS.wastecapne.org>
.

Correct responses will be included in a drawing for a Bison Witches T-shirt and a rain gauge from Garner Industries. Please submit your answers by October 1st for a chance at the drawing. Good Luck!

WasteCap Across Nebraska

WasteCap to Host Lunch and Learn in Columbus

WasteCap Nebraska is planning a Lunch and Learn in Columbus on Wednesday, October 4th. The topic will be E-waste Solutions and attendees will learn about the regulations governing e-waste disposal and ways that a business can handle its e-waste. The event will include lunch, a presentation, and a question and answer session. WasteCap members can attend the event for a reduced fee. To find out more about the Lunch and Learn, email Carrie Hakenkamp or call 436-2384.

Electronics Update

British University Researches LCD Recycling

Liquid Crystal Displays, otherwise known as LCDs, surround us. Computer screens, some televisions and calculators all have LCD screens. An LCD screen is made up of two thin sheets of glass which surround a layer of liquid crystal material. When such electronics containing LCD screens fail to work correctly, this liquid crystal usually goes unharmed and is thrown out along with the rest of the device. Now that European Union (EU) legislation has banned the disposal of electronics in landfills, the University of York scientists are hoping to find an easy way to extract this untapped resource. Scientists in the Department of Chemistry have gained some funding to pursue research and develop new technology to easily recover and re-use or recycle liquid crystals.

Find out more at RecyclingToday.com

In the News

Online Wizard Provides Information on Chemical Alternatives

As part of a goal to be environmentally responsible, MIT has provided a new online instrument to help reduce the use of toxic chemicals by businesses and homes. On MIT’s website, a Green Chemical Alternatives Purchasing Wizard will show consumers the more environmental and health friendly option to a number of substances. It is also simple to use! All one has to do is go to the website and choose to search for a chemical or a process to replace. Automatically, it then shows a list of chemicals and information for each. There is also an option to search for the information on more obscure chemicals. Check out the Green Wizard.

Kentucky Cement Plant May Have Solution to Scrap Tire Disposal

A cement plant in Jefferson County, Kentucky wishes to gain a permit to use scrap tires as a fuel. Burning tire rubber is found to be a good source to heat a kiln in the cement-making process. Before a decision can be made to allow this procedure to move forward, the plant must first conduct a test burn to see if changes to emissions would occur. The plant must also obtain local and state permits. Similar actions have been taken by a Nebraska cement plant within the past year. Since tires are banned from landfill disposal in some states, there has been a continuing search for a solution to what to do with the tires. For more information see Recycling Today.

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

The system is in brand-new condition and is still in the original packaging. Please contact (402) 436-2383 or

<info@ERASE-THIS.wastecapne.org>
if you are interested in the system.