May 2005

Regional Electronics Legislation Project Update
Well, the update is that as you are reading this we will just have held the stakeholder meeting, so I can't tell you anything of substance yet. However, the number of stakeholders that have signed-up to participate is impressive, as are the legislators. We will have legislators from at least nine of the ten Northeast States, as well as the Virgin Islands and Canada. Why nine? Because as luck would have it, the Massachusetts Budget Hearings were scheduled for that week after we had announced our meeting. So, we have two legislators from Massachusetts who will try to join us, schedule permitting.

As of the April 15^thsign-up deadline for participation we have stakeholder representatives as follows:

• Manufacturer Interests: 11
• Retail Interests: 5
• Leasing Interests: 8
• Recyclers/Reuse Interests: 18
• Local Government/Programs: 8
• Environmental Groups: 4
• Total Stakeholders Registered: 56

This is the only planned stakeholder meeting with the legislators. After this meeting, NERC and ERC staff will work with the legislators to craft the regional legislation.

As a reminder, the draft regional legislation will be released by July 15^th - and will be posted on the NERC website. The general meeting to discuss the draft legislation with legislators will take place on Monday, July 25^th, 2 - 4 p.m., Mohegan Sun Casino, CT (part of the Eastern Regional Conference Annual Meeting).

For more information about this effort, and to stay current, visit the drop down menu on the NERC homepage entitled "Regional Electronics Effort".

Waste Sort at Flower Fair

Mary Ann Remolador, NERC & Patty Dillon, Dillon Environmental Associates

NERC's USDA funded special events recycling project sprung into action at the HCS Flower Show in Keene, NH on April 3^rd. A trio of NERC affiliates - Mary Ann Remolador, Patty Dillon (see photo) and Peter Allison of DSM Environmental Services dove, dumped and divvied up 345.6 pounds of flower show waste. Putting their collective 54 years of education to work, they calculated the following percentages in the solids stream: 25% cardboard, 12% recyclable paper, 11% plates, utensils and cups, and 9% bottles and cans. The remainder - "other" contained food waste, plastic wraps and wash room waste as well as other intrigues.

This summary does not include the bottles and cans collected in the food service area recycling bins, estimated to more than double those found in the waste, some additional cardboard separated for reuse and recycling, mulch which will be reused, and cut evergreens that will be chipped. In addition, most plants not going home with vendors were sold at the end of the show. Over the next several months, waste audits will be conducted and recycling plans will be developed for five additional special events in NH, VT and ME. For more information, contact Mary Ann Remolador.

Board Planning Meeting
The NERC Board of Directors will be holding its annual planning meeting on May 11^th & 12^th in Philadelphia. This is a meeting specifically addresses NERC priorities, projects, policies, and finances, as well as preliminary planning for the Fall Conference.

Election of Officers
The process for electing Officers of the NERC Board for Fiscal Year 2006 has begun. The Officers serve on the Executive Committee, and the term runs from July 1^st - June 30^th of each year. The results of the election will be reported in the June Email Bulletin.

Spring Conference Presentations Now Posted - Members Only Section
NERC Members may now view the PowerPoint presentations from the Spring Conference on the NERC Website.

TPCH States Pursue Packaging Violation
The Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse and member states recently discovered a package, commonly found on drug and general merchandise store shelves across the US, in violation of state Toxics in Packaging laws, and are now working with the manufacturer to remove the non-compliant package from retail shelves. The dietary supplement, Flex-A-Min®, was marketed in a carton with a blinking red light, designed to catch the consumer's eye. The blinking red light was powered by a battery, which was attached to a printed circuit board with lead-based solder. As a packaging component, the printed circuit board assembly violated the Toxics in Packaging requirement that no restricted heavy metals are intentionally added to a package or packaging component.

NBTY Inc., the manufacturer of Flex-A-Min®, was unaware of state Toxics in Packaging laws, until the TPCH notified them of the suspect packaging back in December. NBTY immediately halted further use and distribution of its packaging with the blinking red light. Now, the company is cooperating with state regulators and working with its sales force, distributors, and retail customers to replace the non-compliant packaging that had already made its way onto retail shelves. The company has also posted information on its website to alert customers to the problem with its packaging and the need to properly dispose of the package. At the insistence of state regulators, customers can send the printed circuit board with blinking red light back to NBTY for proper disposal.

Seven TPCH member states - Connecticut, Iowa, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island -- are working together on the Flex-A-Min package issue. Connecticut also invoked its powers under its Toxics in Packaging statute and issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to NBTY Inc. The NOV was issued to provide assurance that, should NBTY not follow through with its promised actions, appropriate legal actions could follow. In May, TPCH member states, including Connecticut, plan to start checking store shelves to ensure that Flex-A-Min® product in non-compliant packaging is no longer for sale in member states.

"The violation is causing a stir within the industry," according to David Westcott, TPCH Chair with the CT Department of Environmental Protection. "We've received calls from suppliers to NBTY, including the manufacturer of the printed circuit board assembly. The legislation is working the way it was intended - to create supply chain responsibility for changing product design and removal of these toxic heavy metals from packaging, which for the most part, is not necessary."

More information on Toxics in Packaging legislation or the Clearinghouse are available on the web.

STATE UPDATES

CONNECTICUT

Composting Has A-Peel!
Spring has sprung and along with it comes mouthwatering thoughts of plump juicy garden tomatoes, crisp bib lettuce and visions of colorful flowers and bright green lawns. So why not feed your soil the organic way and help the environment by giving composting a try?

It's easy. No matter what your resources or level of gardening experience, you can make great compost. Sometimes, a person's resistance to composting is created by a misunderstanding about how the compost process happens and a fear of trying something new. If composting is done following some basic guidelines, the concerns people have will be unfounded. So, let's dispel some of the fears and address the more common roadblocks to composting.

Odor, that's a biggie. Rotting food by itself will smell, but when buried in the compost pile under 8 inches of decomposing leaves, the compost process destroys foul odors. And what about critters? If the compost pile doesn't smell, it won't attract animals. Keeping the food scraps well incorporated, and being sure not to add meat, fat or dairy products will eliminate odor and deter animal guests.

The amount of time and effort it takes to compost is minimal. Once your bin is set up, it only takes a few seconds to divert your kitchen scraps to a collection container, and a few minutes every couple of days to bury the scraps in your bin. Sure, it's a little more work than throwing your food waste in the garbage can, but isn't the payoff worth it? Compost is known as gardener's gold. It provides soil nutrients and improves the general health of soil allowing you to spend less money on fertilizers and disease control. You are also benefiting the environment by keeping waste out of our landfills and incinerators. Even if you are not a gardener, you can use your compost to improve your lawn.

Getting set-up for composting doesn't have to be expensive. The total cost could be close to zero if you build your bin using discarded pallets, fencing, or cement blocks. Sometimes towns will subsidize the cost of ready-made bins through a truckload sale, so check with your town's public works department. Ready-made bins can also be found in a variety of price ranges at garden centers and on-line.

Envelopes with a Checkered Past (or maybe flowery...)
Sydney Evans was surprised when he picked up a picture of a winter scene on his friend's desk and discovered it was an envelope. His friend revealed that she had made the envelope from an old magazine picture. Fascinated by the idea, Evans and his wife made over 25,000 envelopes by hand in the next year and a half from scrap materials, such as leftover wallpaper and old calendars, and sold them at craft fairs.

These unique envelopes with their colorful designs caught the eye of many, prompting the Evanses, both in their eighties, to start a company called Envelopes, Anyone? They partnered with the West Haven Community House Program - employing 23 physically and/or mentally challenged individuals, including World War II veterans, to help craft the envelopes. To meet the growing demand, they are looking for more donations of unwanted wallpaper books or rolls and picture calendars (8" x 10" or larger).

"I haven't met anyone who hasn't liked our envelopes," says Mr. Evans, "They have given disabled individuals the opportunity to work and are made from beautiful materials that would have ended up in the trash." To check out their unique envelopes (they are also reusable), visit their website for more information.

Talking Trash 2 -- Hartford Landfill Forum
Business owners, community leaders, local and state officials, and neighborhood activists attended the second in a series of forums held in response to the upcoming closure of the Hartford landfill, a regional facility that accepts waste and ash from 69 Connecticut towns. This forum was a chance for the community to discuss ways to reduce the amount of waste that the region generates and new and innovative methods of treating the waste. The Hartford Neighborhood Environmental Partnership (HNEP) co-sponsored the event. For more information, contact the DEP Office of Pollution Prevention at (860) 424-3297.

Guidance on Renovation & Demolition Requirements
DEP, along with several other state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and private-sector professionals, has put together a guide that summarizes the various environmental, health, and safety requirements that apply to renovation and demolition. This guide, Renovation and Demolition: Environmental, Health, and Safety Requirements You Should Know About, briefly describes each requirement, provides telephone numbers of the agencies involved with each requirement, and lists web site addresses for additional information. Copies are available by calling DEP's toll-free hazardous waste compliance assistance line (1-888-424-4193).

DEP and has also developed the Red Flag List, a companion to the above guide. This guide was specifically designed for local officials who may be out at renovation and demolition sites. It lists several significant violations of environmental, health, and safety requirements that local officials may observe in the field, and indicates the state or federal agencies to which they should report these violations. Copies are also available by calling DEP at the telephone number listed above.

MAINE

March Recycling Newsletter Available
This quarter's Recycle This newsletter provides information on local recycling displays. They are a great way to assist recycling committees with making local presentations as well as keeping a message out in front of the public. There is also information on pending legislative issues, how to purchase home composting bins through a state contract, and tips for improving recycling. The newsletter also contains a feature on The Box Lady, a children's book based on one family's real life commitment to reducing, reusing and recycling trash. The book was purchased and sent to each elementary school and public library in Maine.

SPO Assists in Recycling Center Rebuild
In late February, a fire swept through the Dover-Foxcroft Regional Recycling Center destroying it and causing damages estimated at more then a million dollars. Tom Miragliuolo of the Waste Management and Recycling Program met with members of the solid waste committee to discuss the construction options and schedule for a replacement facility. The goal is to make the new facility design as efficient as possible for workers while still allowing residents a simple and easy means to recycling. Primary funding for the new construction will likely come from insurance coverage. For more information, contact Tom Miragliuolo .

Legislative Bills to Impact Solid Waste Activities
The State Legislature has scheduled public hearings in late April on a number of solid waste issues, including: restrictions in the management of construction/demolition debris; actions impacting funding of state solid waste and recycling program; updating the state's recycling goal; redefining the definition of 'landfill expansion' to restrictions on landfilling of municipal solid waste. More information will be provided in the June NERC Email Bulletin. 

Students, Marketing Co-op to Recycle Athletic Shoes
Students at St. George School joined forces in April with the Maine Resource Recovery Association (MRRA) to put worn out athletic shoes back in the game. The students and MRRA were recently approved by the National Recycling Coalition and Nike Corporation to create a network in Maine that collects sneakers for Nike's national Reuse-A-Shoe program. The transfer station at St. George has agreed to act as a central collection point in Maine from which Nike trucks can haul shoes to the company's recycling facility in Wilsonville, Oregon.

St. George School will begin immediately to collect used athletic shoes on the peninsula. The students will also be inviting other schools in Maine to host local shoe collection drives. All brands-not just Nike-are eligible for the recycling program, according St. George's students, but sports shoes with metal eyelets or cleats are not recyclable. Don't bag the shoes, and don't tie the laces together when depositing a pair in the collection bins.

Bangor-based MRRA is a marketing cooperative that serves over 200 Maine towns through 50 regional and stand-alone recycling centers. Executive director Victor Horton will work with transfer stations in the state to encourage community-based shoe collections. MRRA will also coordinate intrastate transport of the shoes to the central collection point at the St. George transfer station. Horton said that "5,000 pair of used athletic shoes will be needed to fill one of Nike's 27-foot trailers. Each shipment to Nike will divert 1,536 cubic feet of old shoes from disposal at landfills in Maine", he noted.

The Nike Reuse-A-Shoe program recycles and grinds all brands of athletic shoes, giving the materials new life as surfaces for athletic fields, courts, tracks and playgrounds. Instead of worn out shoes ending up in a landfill, these Nike Grind materials are donated to communities in the United States and to developing countries overseas to support youth sports programs. Since the program began in 1993, over 16 million pairs of shoes have been recycled.

NEW JERSEY

DEP Makes Funding Available To Counties & Towns for Tire Cleanups
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell today announced $2.2 million in grants to 16 counties and towns to clean up scrap tire piles and run tire collection programs that reduce public health threats from West Nile virus and hazardous fires. "The grants will help local officials clean up tire piles to rid their towns of these unsightly hazards and improve public safety," said Acting Governor Richard J. Codey.

The 16 grants awarded range in amounts from $25,000 to $300,000.

"Cleaning up these piles, which create prime mosquito breeding grounds, is one of our strongest defenses in combating West Nile virus," said Commissioner Campbell. "Theses grants will help clear tire piles across the state that present environmental and health hazards to communities."

DEP awarded the grants to counties and municipalities on a competitive basis for the proper cleanup of abandoned tire piles. In order to fund as many complete tire pile cleanup projects as possible, a cap of $300,000 per applicant was used. The approved projects range from sites with more than 20,000 tires to sites with smaller piles. It also includes funding for some county and local tire drop-off programs. Tire pile cleanups conducted on property that has been or will be acquired by a public agency received a priority ranking since these lands must be used for open space preservation. Grant funds cannot be used to clean up tires on any land currently in commercial use.

Discarded tires when allowed to accumulate even minimal amounts of water have the potential of becoming breeding grounds for mosquitoes. West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne disease that can cause encephalitis, an infection that causes inflammation of the brain. People can become infected with the virus after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

Tire piles also have the potential to catch fire, creating an environmental threat through the release of hazardous air pollutants and potential soil contamination in the surrounding area. In 1990, there was a large fire at a tire pile site in Tabernacle that involved an estimated 200,000 tires.

DEP urges residents to report tire dumping to its environmental hotline at 877-WARNDEP (927-6337).

A list of counties and towns that received funding appears below:

APPLICANT	AMOUNT AWARDED OF LAND	OWNERSHIP
Bergen Co	$40,000.00	N/A
Burlington Co	$300,000.00	Foster Farm
Cape May Co	$65,000.00	Various/Public
East Amwell Twp	$283,000.00	Meszaros
Essex Co	$37,130.12	Various/Public
Franklin Twp	$300,000.00	Mr. Conquest
Gloucester Co	$30,000.00	N/A
Hunterdon Co	$25,000.00	Various
Mercer Co	$30,000.00	Tire recycling Program
Middlesex Co	$93,890.00	Various/Public
Millville City	$25,979.88	Millville
Morris Co	$30,000.00	Various/Public
Mullica Twp	$300,000.00	Perona
Ocean Co	$300,000.00	Gilbert Farm
Salem Co	$300,000.00	Brown/Gates
Warren Co	$40,000.00	Tire
Recycling Program Total	$2,200,000.00

For additional information, contact the Bureau of Recycling and Planning at 609-984-3438.

Is Your Life Mercury Free?
Mercury is a highly toxic metal that is found in many common household products. Improper disposal of these items can pollute our water and air causing mercury poisoning. Mercury-free alternatives are available for most of these products.

DEP Releases Solid Waste Plan to Revitalize Recycling Efforts
DEP Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell has joined with state recycling leaders to announce a new state solid waste management plan that focuses on boosting recycling rates across New Jersey.

Commissioner Campbell released the first update to the state's solid waste management plan since 1993 at the Association for New Jersey Recyclers annual meeting held in Mansfield, Burlington County. Due to court-related changes in waste disposal and decreased compliance with municipal recycling, Commissioner Campbell proposed specific measures to manage the state's 20 million tons of waste generated each year that prioritizes waste reduction and recycling.

"Recycling is not optional in New Jersey--it's the law," said Commissioner Campbell. "The new plan documents a troubling decline in New Jersey's recycling rates, planning and enforcement issues and inadequate funding that all require serious attention."

In order to meet the state's goal of recycling 50 percent of the municipal solid waste stream, an additional 1.7 million tons of material must be recycled based on current statewide rates. The new plan quantifies this estimate not only on a statewide basis, but also by what is required from each county. The plan also includes an estimate of the statewide increase needed in terms of tonnage by material, such as newspaper, corrugated cardboard and food waste.

The "Clean Communities and Recycling Grant Act" currently provides up to $4 million a year for municipal and county recycling programs. However, the plan notes that local entities require additional long-term and stable funding to meet the remainder of their recycling programs needs.

All 21 counties will be required to update their solid waste management plans to reflect the new initiatives in the state plan. Each county will have to adopt a new plan within 270 days of formal adoption of the statewide solid waste management plan. The county plans will have to identify local strategies to achieve the recycling tonnage target identified for each county. Also, the county plans will need to include methods for public promotion of new opportunities and methods for enforcing local recycling mandates.

Putting a comprehensive enforcement program in place will be essential to meeting the recycling goals. The county plan updates will identify the county and/or municipal programs responsible for enforcement of the recycling mandates, specify the minimum number of recycling inspections that will be undertaken annually and detail penalties to be imposed for non-compliance.

DEP will host a meeting in each county to brief county solid waste and recycling officials on the details of the plan and to answer questions and gather direct input.

The new plan aims to expand recycling opportunities for various materials at schools, multi-family housing complexes, and small- and medium-sized businesses. DEP will conduct a recycling initiative in late May or early June to educate the public and school age children on the importance of recycling in the state.

In 2003, New Jersey generated 19.9 million tons of solid waste, which includes construction debris and scrap iron. Of that total, 10.4 million tons or 52 percent was recycled with 9.5 million tons sent for disposal. Of the 9.5 million tons disposed, 1.5 million or 8 percent of the total waste generated went to resource recovery facilities, 3.8 million or 20 percent was disposed at landfills located in New Jersey and 3.7 million or 19 percent was sent for out-of-state disposal. The municipal solid waste stream recycling rate stood at 32 percent, down from a high of 45 percent in 1995.

New Jersey's recycling industry employs more than 27,000 people in New Jersey generating more than $5.9 billion annually.

DEP will hold two public hearings on the proposed update of the solid waste management plan to accept formal comments. The meeting dates and times will be announced in the near future.

A copy of the proposed plan is available at the DEP's Web site. Contact the Bureau of Recycling and Planning at 609-984-3438 for more information.

PENNSYLVANIA

Second On-Line Course Offering Being Planned
The Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania's (PROP) recycling professional certification program is beginning work on its second on-line course offering. The initial on-line offering, Collection Techniques and Options, is still available on the PROP website. The on-line classes are part of a comprehensive professional certification program administered by PROP in cooperation with Penn State - Altoona. Financial support comes from the Department of Environmental Protection.

PROP has been discussing cooperative efforts with other states to offer similar certification programs outside Pennsylvania. It is the organization's intention to offer a generic package of templates and materials to interested states.

"We feel that a program that can be customized for each state is the ideal model," says PROP Executive Director John Frederick. "A few subjects may lend themselves to a one size fits all approach." But Frederick contends that PROP's success has been rooted in the individualized state focus that is so important for most topics. "We have filled a niche in Pennsylvania that nationally based programs simply cannot fill."

States interested in discussing the program more can contact Frederick by e-mail or phone (800-769-PROP).

Grant Given to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance for Deconstruction Demonstration Project
A $99,466 market development grant was provided to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in Philadelphia for a one-year study to assess supply and demand issues and examine market barriers and related opportunities for reusing recovered residential building materials in southeastern Pennsylvania.

The study will serve as a resource for the city of Philadelphia and other urban areas interested in exploring ways to recover wood and bricks; architectural salvage such as light fixtures, kitchen cabinets, doors and moldings; window frames, door frames and flooring; and other building materials. Expanding the markets for these products will support emerging deconstruction and reuse companies in the region.

Finding markets for this recovered residential building material will help Pennsylvania's environment by keeping such material out of landfills, and create jobs in firms that recover and sell this material for re-use. At the same time, demolishing homes can create environmental problems relating to the disposal of this material, and safety hazards if the material is not removed quickly from the site. Neighborhood safety will be enhanced if there is an economic incentive to remove material from abandoned homes quickly so it can be sold for re-use.

In a pilot project last year, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance , or ILSR, came up with a strategy for deconstructing two homes and conducted a demonstration "architectural salvage" of a third house. The nonprofit organization identified a wide range of salvageable materials, researched existing markets for them and estimated the recovered material retail value at $8,000.

ILSR and Penn State's Hamer Center for Community Design Assistance will disseminate the findings of this study throughout the state to inform others about opportunities for similar material recovery efforts in their regions.

DEP Announces Latest Round of Municipal Recycling Grants
Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty announced the availability of Recycling Development and Implementation Grants to help finance municipal programs that give more than 10 million Pennsylvanians access to recycling.

Pennsylvania's recycling program, created under Act 101 of 1988, mandated recycling in Pennsylvania's larger municipalities, required counties to develop municipal waste management plans and created the Recycling Fund, supported by a $2 per ton tipping fee on all landfilled materials in the state to provide grants to offset local government expenses.

Recycling Development and Implementation Grants reimburse local governments for the cost of municipal recycling and composting programs. Municipalities are eligible for 90 percent funding of approved recycling program costs. Grants of up to $500,000 are available. Grant applications must be received or postmarked by June 17.

In February, DEP awarded 162 Recycling Development and Implementation Grants totaling $20 million to ensure that recycling continues to be a strong contributor to the state's economy.

Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has established the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center (RMC) to improve markets for recyclables produced from Pennsylvania municipalities, businesses, and institutions. The RMC has been established as a non-profit subsidiary of The Pennsylvania State University, overseen by and located at its Middletown Campus near Harrisburg, PA. The RMC will be governed by its own Board of Directors, and will have an Executive Director and five staff.

The Board of Directors organized and held their first Board meeting on March 23, 2005. Serving on the Board are: Richard Allan, ISRI; Bill Heenan, SRI; Charlie Cole, PSU; Joanne Shafer, Professional Recyclers Of Pa and Centre County Solid Waste Authority (Chair); David Mazza, Pennsylvania Resources Council (Secretary); John Lloyd, MANTEC; Mike Dougherty, Pennsylvania Waste Industries and Waste Management, Inc.; Bill Cook, PA Department of Community and Economic Development; and Tom Filder, Department of Environmental Protection.

Mary Ann Remolador of NERC, Linda Knapp of MACREDO (Mid-Atlantic Consortium of Recycling and Economic Development Officials) and Lee Fox of MACRO (Mid-America Council of Recycling Officials) serve as ex-officio members of the Board.

The April meeting will be a two day meeting, with one day devoted to interviewing candidates for the Executive Director position. The Executive Director will serve as President of the Board. Seventy-six applications were received at PSU for the position.

After hiring of the Executive Director is completed, technical and administrative staff will be hired. In addition to one administrative staff position, it is anticipated that 3-4 technical staff positions will be filled to support the RMC programs.

Mercury Switch Removal Program
The Department of Environmental Protection, AERC Recycling Solutions, Bethlehem Apparatus Co. Inc., Clean Air Council, Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Pennsylvania Automotive Recycling Trade Society (PARTS) and Steel Recycling Institute are partnering to invite automobile recyclers to participate in Pennsylvania's Mercury Switch Removal Program. Workshops on the initiative are being held across the state during March and April.

The goal of the program, launched last November, is to recycle at least 600 pounds of mercury through a voluntary two-year program that encourages the removal of mercury-containing switches from "end of life" vehicles.

Any automobile recycler or eligible business --- shredders and auto repair shops, for example --- in the Commonwealth can apply for the program. Registered businesses will receive free informational materials, training and removal guidance, safety equipment, free shipping and mercury-switch recycling, and a $1 incentive per mercury switch recycled.

Great Pennsylvania Cleanup
On April 23, the Second Great Pennsylvania Cleanup will be held across the Commonwealth as sportsmen groups, watershed associations and community organizations pick up litter to make PA a better place to live, work and play.

This ambitious statewide effort to remove litter and trash from the state's roadways, parks, forests, riverbanks, neighborhoods and open spaces is being supported and sponsored by a wide range of businesses, trade organizations, civic and environmental groups, as well as local and state government agencies, including the departments of Environmental Protection (DEP), Transportation (PennDOT), and Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC).

Last year during the first year of the Great Pennsylvania Cleanup, more than 182,000 Pennsylvanians took part in more than 5,100 organized cleanup projects, removing more than 233,000 garbage bags from Pennsylvania's communities.

The response for this year has been fantastic, with almost 300 Great Pennsylvania Cleanup groups registered and attendance estimated at almost 23,000 people. These cleanups, coupled with the thousands of people who registered with PennDOT's Adopt-A-Highway program, promise to make the second annual Great Pennsylvania Cleanup even bigger than last year's.

The Great Pennsylvania Cleanup coincides with Earth Day. The theme of the cleanup is "Let's Pick It Up, PA!"

This year, the Commonwealth is making a special invitation to sportsmen and sportswomen to join the cleanup since litter prevention and cleanup play such an important part in the enjoyment of fishing and other outdoor sports. Those sports in turn play a pivotal role in Pennsylvania's economy. Recreational fishing alone contributes more than $2 billion annually to the state's economy, supporting nearly 15,000 jobs.

RHODE ISLAND

Pilot Shrink Wrap Recycling Program
April was a very busy month for environmental initiatives in Rhode Island. At the beginning of the month, RIRRC together with the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association launched a new pilot recycling program that has never been tried before in the U.S. Nineteen marinas in the Ocean State will collect shrink wrap for recycling. Boaters who remove their crafts from the water at the end of the boating season winterize them by wrapping them in plastic shrink wrap, and many brand-new boats arrive in shrink wrap. In the past, most of that plastic film was discarded at the Central Landfill. Now, it will be recycled instead for a nominal fee charged to the owners. Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation and the American Plastics Council each provided a grant funding the pilot program. During 2005, 19 R.I. marinas are participating and recording the weight of material collected through RIRRC's ResourceXchange program, an online materials exchange program for businesses and industry. The collected material will be baled and trucked to remanufacturing facilities. If the pilot is successful, RIMTA is hoping that this recycling program will become mandatory for marinas who seek their Rhode Island Clean Marinas Certificate from the Coastal Resources Management Council.

Earth Day
RI Resource Recovery, R.I. Earth Day Committee, Eastern Surfing Association - Southern New England District, R.I. Chapter of Surfrider Foundation, and the Recreation Departments of the towns of Narragansett and Newport all joined forces to host 2005 Earth Day events. On April 16, Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation held an e-waste collection in Narragansett. The University of RI Cooperative Extension Education Center gave home composting demonstrations and the Rhode Island Chapter of Surfrider Foundation sponsored litter clean-ups on numerous Newport and Narragansett beaches.

Commercial Recycling News
Toray Plastics America, Inc., a plastics manufacturer in North Kingstown, RI, has become one of the largest companies in Rhode Island to institute a commercial recycling program. The company, which has approximately 700 employees, recycles mixed paper, newspaper, aluminum, plastic bottles, OCC, wood pallets, and scrap metal. The company negotiated a recycling contract with its hauler, Waste Xpress of Cranston, and R.I. Resource Recovery donated $5,000 worth of office recycling bins, 90-gallon carts and educational posters to Toray to jump-start the program. In one year, Toray recycled 44.6% of the total disposable waste produced at its Rhode Island facility.

VERMONT

No-Burn Campaign Launched
The Vermont Waste Management program has launched an extensive no-burn campaign including a web page and print, radio and television ads. 

Consumer & Youth Education Grants Awarded
The Waste Management Program awarded $47,000 for eight grants related to Consumer and Youth Education projects. The scope of work for these grants includes:

• Creating and staffing a booth at a farmer's market staff to provide educational materials and outreach on organics diversion.
• Providing school and community educational programs and information on waste reduction and toxics use reduction.
• Developing education materials on recycling and waste reduction, aimed at new parents, working the theme "for the children's future".
• Developing and delivering school and community based "Eco-parties".
• Developing and supporting the Youth Environmental Coalition, which consists of programs developed and managed by students related to waste reduction, TUR, and recycling programs, and a summit for students, the Youth Environmental Summit.
• Writing and distributing a solid waste district newsletter educating consumers and businesses about waste reduction.

For more information, contact Marc Roy.

Vermont Green Building Network (VGBN) Now Part of U.S. Green Building Council
In December 2002, the Agency of Natural Resources convened a meeting to identify organizations working to foster green building in Vermont, and to determine what structure could be developed in Vermont to coordinate the various green building efforts. The VGBN formed as a result of this initial meeting. One of the main functions of VGBN is to act as a clearinghouse for the many green building programs in Vermont. The Agency affiliation with the Green Building Network should make it easier for contractors, builders, and owners to find information on waste reduction opportunities, along with the many other green building elements, by providing access to information in one location. In addition to this work, VGBN is developing a Vermont Products and Services database, which will include Construction & Demolition waste recycling and reuse businesses.

OF GENERAL INTEREST

Details on EPEAT Now Available Online
Information on the new procurement tool for evaluating the environmental performance of computer products is now available online. The draft environmental performance criteria and program structure for the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) is the result of an ongoing effort by a multi-stakeholder development team to provide purchasers with an easy to use tool for evaluating the life cycle environmental performance of electronic equipment. NERC has been an active participant on this project since its launch, almost two years ago.

The EPEAT rating system will identify products that meet three tiers of environmental performance - bronze, silver and gold - across eight categories. To achieve EPEAT recognition, products must meet minimum performance criteria for environmentally sensitive materials (such as mercury, cadmium, lead and brominated flame retardants), energy use, recycled content, energy conservation, design for end of life, life cycle extension, corporate performance and packaging. Manufacturers may select from a list of optional criteria across these same eight categories to achieve higher performance ratings. EPEAT will initially cover computer, laptops and monitors.

EPEAT-qualified products are expected to be available in early 2006. This new system will allow purchasers to specify EPEAT-qualified products in bid specifications. EPEAT will eliminate the hassle of identifying which environmental performance criteria to include in bid specs, and then, collecting and evaluating documentation from each bidder.

For more information on the structure of EPEAT, a draft list of environmental performance criteria, and sample bid specs are now all available online.

2005 Final Program Announced for the IEEE International Symposium on Electronics and the Environment & the IAER Electronics Recycling SUMMIT® May 16-19, 2005 New Orleans, LA
The International Symposium on Electronics and the Environment (ISEE) and the Electronics Recycling SUMMIT®, co-sponsored by the IEEE and IAER, announced the final program for this year's event. The program has been revamped to provide a more compact and comprehensive schedule with something at all times for participants from all sectors.

• The ISEE technical conference tracks will have 12 sessions with 50 high quality papers selected by a committee of industry experts. The sessions span topical areas from design, to end-of-life, and public policy.
• The SUMMIT track will have 5 sessions including several interactive forums with industry leaders - including both public and private sector-driven markets.
• The conference program will also have 3 Plenary Panel Sessionsfor all attendees:
  • Global Regulatory Policy and Market Trends
  • Electronics Recycling Collaboration Network - Interactive Forum
  • Nano and other Emerging Technologies Affecting Electronics and the Environment
• The Educational track will have 2 Tutorials and 2 Short Courses.
  • Environmental Regulations Affecting Electronics Around the Globe
  • RoHS Compliance and Related Tools
  • Lean Electronics Recycling
  • Security Management in Electronics Recycling
• Three EPA-sponsored Workshopswill be held in conjunction with the event.
  • Emerging Electronics Issues
  • Management Systems for Electronics Recycling
  • Next Steps for EPEAT Procurement Tool
• Two special Guest Speakers:
  • Keynote: Brad Allenby (Arizona State University) - "Exploring the Implications of NBIC Convergence (Nanotech, Biotech, Information Technology & Cognitive Science)"
  • Luncheon: Maria Vickers (Deputy Director, U.S. EPA Office of Solid Waste) - "Beyond the Vision: Partners for Electronics Recycling"

And there will be a variety of special events including: exhibits, networking events and organization meetings.

WERECYCLE! TO WORK WITH GEEKS FOR GIVERS
WeRecycle!, Inc., a fully permitted electronics recycler headquartered in Meriden, CT, is now offering customers the option to donate used computers and other electronic equipment. WeRecycle! specializes in the resale, disassembly, and recycling of electronics, and will now work with Geeks for Givers to provide this option to customers. Geeks for Givers is a nonprofit organization that refurbishes electronic equipment and donates them to other nonprofit organizations, including educational institutions and health care facilities.