March 2004

NERC NEWS

REGISTER NOW FOR NERC'S EXCITING SPRING CONFERENCE!
March 30 - 31, Northampton, Massachusetts
Remember - REGISTRATIONS ARE DUE BY MARCH 15TH!

NERC's Spring Conference agenda has developed into an exciting two days of newsworthy and groundbreaking topics, including:

• The impact of overseas markets on U.S. paper & electronic markets,
  
• Reframing the recycling message, and
  
• Public/Private Partnerships.

The following accomplished professionals will be speaking at the Conference:

• Stan Lancey, AF&PA;
  
• Reed Bates, Weyerhaeuser;
  
• DeAnne Toto, Recycling Today Media Group;
  
• Robin Ingenthron, American Retroworks Inc.;
  
• Greg Voorhees, Envirocycle, Inc.;
  
• Preston Read, the National Soft Drink Association;
  
• Richard Norment, National Council for Public-Private Partnerships;
  
• Kelly Palmiotto, MD Department of the Environment; and
  
• George MacDonald, Maine State Planning Office.

The Conference will take place on March 30 & 31, followed by NERC's Board Meeting on April 1, at the Hotel Northampton, in Northampton, Massachusetts. As always, the Social Hour will take place at the Northampton Brewery on March 30th, thanks to the special sponsorship of .

Major Conference Sponsors are:

Other Sponsors are:

. . . also a Display Table Vendor!

NERC PUBLICATIONS

New Market Development Resource Now Available - Market Resources for Recycling Industries
In response to numerous requests for vendor lists and market development resources from recycling businesses and organizations or agencies working with recycling businesses, NERC has developed Market Resources for Recycling Industries. This publication is a quick reference to available on-line vendor lists, other web resources, publications, trade associations, regional and national market development organizations, and Materials Exchanges. Any questions related to this publication may be directed to Mary Ann Remolador.

Two Hazardous Waste Resources for Businesses Now Available
With funding by the USDA Rural Utilities Service, NERC has completed guides for both Vermont and New Hampshire to provide businesses that generate very small amounts of hazardous waste with information on the available options for the proper disposal of hazardous waste:

• Guide to Using Municipal Hazardous Waste Collection Programs for New Hampshire Small Quantity Generators
• Hazardous Waste Disposal Options for Vermont Businesses: For Use by Conditionally Exempt Generators

Each guide provides state-specific information on: hazardous waste regulations, town hazardous waste collections that accept business waste, a directory of vendors that accept hazardous waste from businesses, and a compendium of available hazardous waste resources. Any questions regarding these publications may be directed to Mary Ann Remolador.

STATE UPDATES

CONNECTICUT

Green School Contest Winner for 2003
As part of the celebration of America Recycles Day (ARD), the Connecticut Recycler's Coalition (CRC) sponsored a "Green Schools" contest to recognize outstanding school recycling programs. The contest has been part of ARD for six out of the seven years Connecticut has celebrated this event. Southeast Elementary School in Mansfield Center was the sole winner this year. The school, under the direction of teacher Mickey Maheu and with the support of Principal Norma Fisher-Doiron, continues to do an exemplary job with their environmental programs. In fact, Southeast is no stranger to receiving awards; this is their second Green School Award, having won in 1998. They have also recently received a State Legislative Citation and the national Green Flag awards for their efforts. It is easy to see why. The school recycles all of the mandatory items, plus #1, #2 and #6 plastics, sneakers, toner cartridges and cell phones. Their composting program includes lunch-time waste from their school and two other elementary schools and the students are actively engaged in composting process from start to finished product. Members in the school's Green Thumb Club visit classrooms to demonstrate how to correctly use recycling bins. The school also purchases products, such as paper bathroom tissue, breakfast bags and cafeteria pan liners with recycled content. Even the front garden boxes are made from recycled plastic. Faculty and staff reduce waste by making double-sided copies and reuse paper as much as possible. Teachers are also encouraged to receive environmental training through SNAP, a Connecticut Audubon program. Last but not least, the school's character education program promotes respect, responsibility, cooperation and caring towards themselves, others and the environment.

C.J. May, CRC, (center) presents the Green School Award to Principal Norma Fisher-Doiron (l) and teacher Mickey Maheu (r).

On December 12, CRC president C.J. May presented the Green School Award at an assembly for the entire school. Judy Prill, Office of Pollution Prevention, represented the DEP and Virginia Walton, CRC member and Mansfield Recycling Agent were also present at the ceremony. HP Hood, Inc., a generous supporter of ARD for many years, will also provide an ice cream party for the entire school in the spring. For more information on Southeast's inspiring program, please contact Mickey Maheu.

Connecticut Recycles Day, 2004 - Already? We want to know what you think about America Recycles Day!
While the 2003 CT ARD is history, plans have already begun at the national level for next year's event. In previous years, plans for Connecticut's roll-out of the event also start well in advance of America Recycles Day, celebrated on November 15^th every year.

The Connecticut Recyclers Coalition and the DEP have worked together to make this event successful for seven years. Many of the same people have worked hard on the CT ARD committee for years soliciting prizes from sponsors, planning events in their own towns and brainstorming ways to bring awareness to CT residents about the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling.

The event planning takes time and as you are all aware, we have limited and diminishing resources at the state and municipal level. We would like to know what you think about ARD. Please take a few minutes to answer the questions listed below. You can reply to Nan Peckham.

• Do you think ARD is an effective way to promote recycling? Why?
  
• Do you have any creative ideas how we can promote ARD given that we may not have the resources at the DEP to devote to the event?
  
• Advertising works, but costs money. How can we spread the message without many resources?
  
• Soliciting and distributing prizes is time intensive. How important do you think the CT prizes are? To adults? To the schools?
  
• Are you willing to be on the 2004 CT America Recycles Day Committee?

MAINE

State of Maine, Georgia Pacific, Casella Waste Systems Close on Landfill Transfer
On February 5, 2004, title to the West Old Town Landfill was transferred to the state of Maine at no cost. At the same time, the state entered into an agreement that authorizes Casella Waste Systems to operate the landfill. Casella will pay $26 million for the service agreement. The funds will allow Georgia-Pacific (the former landfill owner) to purchase a biomass boiler that will help lower its energy costs; the biggest obstacle to the mill's economic viability.

The landfill will provide Maine with long-term secure landfill disposal capacity at stable, predictable pricing and will greatly expand recycling opportunities for construction and demolition debris, glass, and electronic products. In addition to accomplishing these important solid waste management goals, the transaction will strengthen the Old Town mill's competitiveness and help maintain 450 mill jobs.

There will be no immediate changes at the landfill, pending the approval of a licensing amendment application by the Department of Environmental Protection. The transaction fulfills a directive of the Maine Legislature, which resolved last spring that the state of Maine purchase the West Old Town Landfill and select an operator to run the facility.

Maine Resource Recovery Association February Meeting featured the Maine State Planning Office
Hank Tyler of the Waste Management & Recycling Program stepped before an audience comprised primarily of transfer station managers, town officials, and community recycling committee members to explain the annual reporting requirements for communities and add an interpretation of last year's data and reporting process. Following lunch, Bruce White explained the availability of the program's Educational Recycling Kits along with a program on the importance of networking with the local educational community. For some, this was the first time that not only the kits but also lessons on recycling from the kits had been introduced to them. For others, the session served as an opportunity to personal experiences of working in the schools and with the schools. Both presentations were well received. For more information, contact Bruce White.

MASSACHUSETTS

Municipalities Can Get "Good Surplus Cheap"
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Municipal Waste Reduction Program, is working with MRIP coordinators to facilitate the matching of surplus equipment with municipal offices that can use it. Some of the available items include: color computer monitors, Xerox printers, office wall partitions, modular office units, standard and legal size file cabinets, tables and chairs. In many cases, these items can be obtained for a nominal $10-$20 per item handling fee.

Sources of Surplus
The state's surplus property office is part of the Operational Services Division (OSD), which handles all of the state's procurement programs. This surplus office manages the disbursement of surplus equipment between state agencies and municipalities. OSD regularly updates its on-line list of state surplus that is available to agencies and municipalities. The State Surplus Property Program can be accessed at the web-site (click on "buy off state contract" and then "buy surplus property").

When a state agency decommissions office furniture or other equipment, they notify the state surplus office and make it available first to other state agencies. If, after 30 days on the state surplus list no other agency claims it, then it becomes available to municipalities. Then, if no municipality claims it, non-profit organizations can request it.

There is also a large supply of surplus equipment available from a variety of private organizations such as the Institution Recycling Network (IRN) and the Massachusetts Materials Exchange. IRN has created an E-Bay like web site called the Surplus Network that enables anyone to buy surplus on-line. The Massachusetts Materials Exchange connects businesses and receiving organizations with reusable materials and equipment such as furniture, wood, appliances, etc.

Make a "Wish List" of Needed Equipment
The DEP, working through the MRIP coordinators, recommends that municipal purchasing managers, school business officials, accounts and others develop a "wish list" of equipment they need. By providing such a list to your MRIP coordinator, you can receive help in finding the equipment needed. DEP has contacts at the State Surplus Property Office, and other private organizations, and can forward a wish list to the appropriate person who may have an inventory of the equipment a community is looking for.

If a community is building a new school, adding a library, outfitting a senior or youth facility, any office furniture or other needs should be added to the wish list.

Every two weeks DEP and the MRIP coordinators send out a brief listing of selected surplus available to cities, towns, and school departments. Municipal officials who would like to receive email notices with direct links to the IRN or state site plus selected photo(s) of surplus on a regular basis should contact John Crisley.

11^th Annual Waste Reduction Forum Held in Worcester
On January 13^th, DEP held its 11^th annual Waste Reduction Forum. The theme of this year's all-day event was "New Directions in a Changing Climate". Over 180 attendees came to the Forum, held at Quinsigamond Community College, to network and hear from municipalities and state agencies on the cutting edge of waste reduction and environmental sustainability initiatives. A dozen workshops provided examples of municipal and agency successes with public/private partnerships, innovative waste reduction programs, tools and resources. The day's agenda began with a well-attended plenary session.

Mayors Outline Successful Programs
The focus of the plenary was presentations by the mayors of Worcester, Brockton and Newton regarding their municipalities' leadership efforts to address waste reduction and environmental sustainability. DEP Commissioner Robert W. Golledge, Jr. opened the plenary by describing DEP's waste reduction programs and accomplishments. Mayor Timothy Murray of Worcester described the city's successful Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) program and a newly adopted resolution on global warming. Mayor Jack Yunits, Jr. of Brockton explained the cost-savings his city realized through implementing a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) recycling program, renewable energy and brownfields development. Mayor David Cohen elaborated on his city's sustainability initiative, recycling program, source reduction efforts, and energy conservation projects.

Four Local Leaders Earn Awards
DEP presented awards during the Forum's lunch hour to the following people and programs:

• Ruth Kaminski from Leicester won the Most Innovative Waste Reduction Program award. Ruth has been the driving force behind an all-volunteer run recycling facility that accepts over 175 items, from bowling balls to bubble wrap, and roller skates to rot tillers (not to mention the usual cans, bottles, paper, yard waste and HHW).
• Virginia Valiela of the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse District won the Best Public-Private Partnership award. In the spring of 2003 she negotiated a major expansion of her district's recycling program by securing refurbished recycling trucks from the DEP and received $10,000 from HP Hood to buy 18-gallon recycling bins. The expansion of Dartmouth's program enabled 30,000 additional residents to receive curbside collection of mixed paper.
• Sandy Totter of the Northern Berkshire Solid Waste Management District won the award for the Best Regional Waste Reduction Program. In the 6 ½ years she has worked with the district's 11 member towns, their recycling rate has increased by 29%. Sandy achieved this by promoting and providing expanded recycling and household hazardous waste services to the district's 29,000 households.
• George Russell of the Town of Natick won the award for the Best Outreach Program. To promote the start-up of Natick's Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) program, George utilized not only traditional methods of outreach such as direct mailings to residents, a PAYT hotline and e-mail address for questions, but used other visual reminders of the upcoming program in the form of signs in the town's public buildings and businesses.

The Fourth Massachusetts Organics Recycling Summit: "Links in the Food Chain"

When:	THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2004, 8:30am to 4:00pm
Where:	Boxborough Holiday Inn, Boxborough, MA.

Join 200 of your colleagues in a daylong summit focused on the food waste management and composting infrastructure in Massachusetts. Presentations will address current methods and practices of savvy commercial institutions that divert food waste, pioneering collection companies, and successful processing facilities. Visit dozens of equipment and product vendors. This will be a terrific networking opportunity. Information and registration on the Organics Recycling Summit will soon be posted on the DEP website.

Recycling Businesses to Receive DEP Grants
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced that 5 recycling businesses will receive Recycling Industries Reimbursement Credit grants for a total of $153,500 for capital equipment and a research project. Grant recipients have agreed to provide $348,000 in matching funds and create capacity to recycle and reuse an additional 37,000 tons of difficult to recycle materials.

The grants include the following:

• Greenleaf Composting Company of Jamaica Plain will purchase a tub grinder to help it double its composting of food waste to 7,500 tons per year from grocery stores, restaurants and institutions. DEP grant of $35K. Company providing matching funds of $30K.
• New Bedford Waste Services will purchase a skid steer with a bucket and roll-off containers to increase recycling by 150 tons per year of clean gypsum wallboard. In addition, NBWS will conduct research on the amount of material that could be recycled. DEP grant of $28,500, including: $23,500 for capital equipment and $5K research. Company providing matching funds of $133K.
• North Shore Recycled Fibers of Salem will purchase shredding equipment to process an estimated additional 5,000 tons of mixed paper from commercial businesses. DEP grant of $20K. Company providing matching funds of $80K.
• PJ Keating Company of Lunenburg will purchase a shed to store asphalt roofing shingles to be used in the manufacture of asphalt. The shed will keep shingles dry, thereby enabling PJ Keating to increase it use of asphalt shingles to 3,000 tons per year to a total of 7,000 tons. DEP grant of $35K. Company providing matching funds of $40K.
• WeCare of Marlborough will purchase a compost turner that will increase its efficiency and speed of composting 25,000 tons per year of food waste from municipal and commercial sources. DEP grant of $35K. Company providing matching funds of $65K.

State Awards FY04 Technical Assistance Grants
DEP has announced recycling technical assistance grants to a total of 30 Massachusetts cities, towns and regional recycling groups. Due to funding limitations, grants were awarded with "in-kind services" or funds or a combination of both. Grants totaled $98,763 in funding and $60,450 in "in-kind services". Highlights include the following:

• Twelve municipalities were awarded grants to evaluate or implement "Pay-as-You-Throw" solid waste management programs. These grants were awarded as "in-kind service" grants with staff assistance being provided by MRIP coordinators. (Amesbury, Andover, Arlington, Belmont, Beverly, Braintree, Framingham, Gardner, Lenox, Springfield, Winchester, Wrentham)
• Technical assistance grants to establish businesses recycling programs were awarded to the cities of Fall River, Revere and Quincy, as well as the regional group consisting of the towns of Mansfield, Foxborough, North Attleborough, Plainville and Wrentham.
• Eight grants were awarded for regional collection efforts for recycling (Athol/NCTA, Wales), mattresses (Springfield), C&D (HRMC), hazardous waste (Milton, Mansfield), mercury (SCRAM), and public event recycling (SSRC).
• Other communities and regional groups receiving technical assistance grants are Agawam, Dedham, Lynn, Marlborough, Milton, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, Randolph, and Stow.

NEW YORK

2004 Landfill Operator Certification & Specialty Training in the Use of GPS & Laser Equipment in Landfill Operations Seminar
On March 16 -17, The New York State Association for Solid Waste Management, in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, will present the "2004 Landfill Operator Certification & Specialty Training GPS and Laser Equipment in Landfill Operations" seminar at the Syracuse/Liverpool Holiday Inn. This training will focus on the important aspects of day-to-day operation and maintenance of modern solid waste landfills and their environmental containment systems. The agenda has been tailored to be beneficial to those individuals who are directly involved with the design and daily operation of municipal solid waste landfills. This includes equipment operators, landfill supervisors, facility managers, landfill designers and consultants, regulatory agency personnel and other solid waste management practitioners. This year's training event will be the eighth annual event of a series of such courses which have been intended to provide a forum for these solid waste management practitioners to receive technical training and to benefit from technology transfer of the latest information which directly affects solid waste management facilities in New York State.

The seminar also prepares attendees to take the landfill operator training examination which is given at the end of the first day. Attendees who pass this examination will be awarded their landfill operator training certification. This certification is required by 6 NYCRR Part 360-1.14(u) (2), which stipulates that operation of every landfill must be conducted under the direction of a facility operator, who must attend and successfully complete a course of instruction in landfill management procedures which is provided or approved by the Department, whereupon the facility operator will be issued a certificate by the Department.

In addition to the basic landfill operator training agenda, this year's seminar will devote the last half day to presentations on the use of laser survey equipment and global positioning systems (GPS) in the daily operation of landfills. Topics will include the use of lasers to control lift thickness and minimize the amount of daily cover needed and the use of GPS to maximize waste density, gain air space and track waste. This half-day specialty training session will include hands-on demonstrations of laser and GPS equipment.

NYSASWM is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote environmentally sound and efficient solid waste management throughout New York State. NYSASWM has applied to the New York State Department of Education for approval for attendees of this course to receive nine contact hours which may be used toward meeting the continuing education requirements which apply for renewing PE licenses beginning January 1, 2005. Nine contact hours is one fourth of the continuing education required for each three-year registration period for New York State licensed and registered professional engineers who do not meet the public sector exemption and are not newly licensed. For information on attending this seminar, check the NYSASWM website or call Mike Wolak at (315) 733-1224.

PENNSYLVANIA

Application Announcement for the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center Grant
Applications for the Recycling Markets Center Grant are now available from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (Department). With this program, one grant will be awarded on a competitive basis to a qualified non-profit organization or educational institution for the establishment, support and oversight of the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center. The Department will accept grant applications until 4 PM on May 28, 2004.

Businesses need marketing information to identify new opportunities for smart growth since such information enables businesses to develop strategic plans that chart a course to profitability. Developing reliable recycling market information involves: the compilation of economic, political, regulatory, societal and technological data; the interpretation of how current and anticipated events will impact business practices and relationships among solid waste, scrap and manufacturing industries; the identification of those business practices that need to be adjusted; and good communication skills in order to transfer such knowledge to a targeted audience. Furthermore, in order to remain competitive in the ever-changing recycling environment, recycling businesses need to be introduced to the latest technologies that increase efficiency and productivity in collection, processing and manufacturing activities.

The Department sees the need to assure that recycling market information is available to Commonwealth businesses. To fulfill this need, the Department is seeking a nonprofit organization or educational institution to establish, support and oversee the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center ("Center"). This Center will serve to expand and develop more secure and robust markets for recovered secondary materials by helping to overcome market barriers and inefficiencies.

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Videoconference Scheduled for March 17^th
The Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania (PROP), Pennsylvania's NRC affiliate, is hosting an environmentally preferable purchasing videoconference on March 17, 2004, from 10:00 to noon EST. The program will be broadcast via satellite to more than 20 downlink sites in Pennsylvania and will be available to other states with access to the satellite. Viewers at the downlink sites who are registered with the PROP Recycling Professional Certification Program will receive 0.2 CEU credits from Penn State University. Pennsylvania participants are encouraged to continue a dialogue on the issues following the broadcast.

The program will feature Mr. Scot Case, Director of Center for the New American Dream's purchasing program and a roundtable of green purchasing experts including Karen Hamilton, Environmental Purchasing Manager for King County, WA, and Villanova University's Kevin O'Donnell. Topics will include establishing and implementing a green purchasing policy, the environmental impacts of green purchasing, consumer preferences and how to find green products, and influencing purchasing decisions, or rather, how you the customer can get what you need. The roundtable panel will entertain live questions in the time permitted.

The program will also be available as a live web cast from the PROP website, where you can find additional details about the videoconference and the PROP Recycling Professional Certification Program. Please encourage others involved in procurement in the government, private or non-profit sectors and others who may be interested in green purchasing to participate in the videoconference via satellite or live web cast.

New Materials Exchange
The Pennsylvania DEP has announced the formation of a new Materials Exchange:

To Help Businesses Cut Costs, SBDCs Launch On-Line Marketplace for Waste Materials
Responding to the needs of Pennsylvania businesses, the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) have introduced the Pennsylvania Material Trader, a new on-line service that makes it easy to exchange and reuse traditionally discarded materials, such as outdated inventory, used shipping containers, old computer equipment, etc.

Material Trader is a free service designed to match businesses and organizations that produce wastes, by-products, or surplus materials with businesses and organizations that need them. The website, allows users to easily place materials on the exchange, as well as search for and respond to materials already listed. Participants have the option to list their materials confidentially.

"In these challenging economic times, businesses are looking for every opportunity to stay competitive and grow," explains Gregory L. Higgins, Jr., state director of the Pennsylvania SBDC program. "Using Material Trader, businesses can see reductions in their disposal, purchasing and production costs. These cost savings could make the difference in keeping businesses in Pennsylvania."

Material Trader provides a unique opportunity for businesses to save money. The materials offered through Material Trader are either free or have a nominal cost. Users may be able to find feedstock or supplies for free or at much lower costs than what they normally pay. Users who produce surplus materials and list them on Material Trader can not only reduce their disposal costs; they may even generate revenue through the sale of these materials.

Almost any business or organization can benefit. For example, an office or retail store may have used equipment or extra supplies. A manufacturer may have excess inventory, factory seconds, scrap materials, or reusable shipping containers. Any items that are currently being thrown away may have value to someone else.

Although Material Trader is a new service for Pennsylvania businesses, many other states already have successful Materials Exchanges, helping keep thousands of tons of material out of landfills each year and saving businesses thousands of dollars.

As the largest statewide provider of entrepreneurial services, the SBDCs play a unique and vital role in the Commonwealth's economic development initiatives as the only organization that:

• utilizes the expertise and resources of 1 of the best colleges and universities in the Commonwealth;
• assists entrepreneurs in all stages of business, from prospective entrepreneurs to mature small businesses looking for growth opportunities;
• works with firms in all industry sectors, including the fast growing service and retail sectors that comprise the bulk of the state's firms, as well as manufacturing, construction and wholesale;
• is nationally accredited as mandated by Congress; and
• can draw upon the resources of a national network of more than 950 Centers.

Since 1990, the SBDCs have helped Pennsylvania entrepreneurs:

• start more than 13,000 new business;
• obtain $1.3 billion in start-up and expansion funding;
• expand sales by $5.1 billion, including $1.4 billion of government contracts and $1 billion in export sales;
• create over 70,000 new jobs at an average cost of $926 per job; and
• generate nearly $500 million in new tax revenues.

The Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers are funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the private sector and the host colleges and universities. This support enables consulting services to be provided at no charge. SBDCs are located at Bucknell University, Clarion University, Duquesne University, Gannon University, Indiana University, Kutztown University, Lehigh University, Lock Haven University, Penn State University, Saint Francis University, Saint Vincent College, Temple University, University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, University of Pittsburgh, University of Scranton, and Wilkes University.

For additional information on the Pennsylvania Material Trader, please contact Nancy Crickman.

VERMONT

Legislative Report Completed on Discarded Electronics in VT
At the request of the Vermont Senate and House Institutions Committees, the Agency of Natural Resources wrote a report covering how discarded electronics are handled in Vermont, nationally and internationally. The report includes:

• Current practices regarding collection, recovery, recycling and disposal of electronic waste
• The nature and extent of electronic waste in Vermont
• Current disposal fees and district handling costs associated with processing this waste

It is available on the Agency's web site.

Staff Changes - Marci Young
Marci Young has accepted a transfer from the Waste Prevention Section of the Department of Environmental Conservation to the Department of Buildings and General Services. Her new duties involve working to develop and implement a Materials Management Plan for the State. This includes areas such as green purchasing, fleet efficiency and management, and energy conservation. Marci has a new email and her phone number is 802-828-1286.

OF GENERAL INTEREST

Carpet America Recover Effort (CARE) Announces Availability of Grants for Carpet Recovery
The Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE), the industry-led effort to reduce the flow of waste carpet to landfills in the United States, has announced its second grant cycle. CARE will be accepting grant proposals for programs that provide for the recycling and/or reuse of post-consumer carpet, or increase the demand for products made from post-consumer carpet.

Individual grants up to $50,000 will be available to private sector applicants in each of three categories: Intermediate Processing and End-Use, Enhancement of the Collection Infrastructure, and Research and Development of Markets.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria: Waste Stream Impact, Probability of Program Success, Planning/Cost Effectiveness, Need, Technology Transfer (i.e. dissemination of information regarding project methodology and results), and Sourcing and Markets (i.e. source of waste carpet and destination markets). The closing date is March 15, 2004.

The CARE Grants Committee will consider all applications. The decision to award each grant will be consistent with CARE's objective to divert carpet from landfill. Grant awards will be announced at CARE's Annual Meeting on April 29-30, 2004, in Pensacola, Florida.