Monthly Archives: March 2012

Business-Use Disposal of Mercury-Containing Light Bulbs

Posted on by

If you own a business and use mercury-containing light-bulbs, it’s important to know how their use and disposal of is regulated.

Use and disposal of mercury-containing lights have both state and federal regulation. Every state has different policies and some may be more stringent than the federal policies. It’s always a good idea to check with your state regulatory office or local government to know exactly what you are responsible for.

In terms of federal regulations, most mercury-containing light-bulbs are considered hazardous waste. Even if your bulbs contain less mercury, it is always a safe course of action to treat them as you would other hazardous materials such as chemicals, tires, electronics equipment, or pesticides.

Under federal regulations, a mercury-containing bulb is considered non-hazardous if it contains less than 0.2 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of mercury – all others are placed in the toxic category. Bulbs that meet this criteria are not subject to federal regulations.

General knowledge about the mercury level in the bulb may or may not be provided by a manufacturer. Some states require manufacturers to test their bulbs to determine if they are non-hazardous, however, this is not a uniform practice. Under both federal and state laws, the ultimate responsibility for determining whether a bulb is hazardous lies with the person or business disposing of the waste, not the manufacturer. If you cannot prove with certainty that the bulbs you are disposing of are non-hazardous, then it’s safest to assume they are hazardous and dispose of them accordingly.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Responsibility lies with you and your business to ensure that hazardous waste is disposed of properly. Mercury is a hazardous material and  can easily contaminate soil and water is not handled properly.

College Campus Recycling

Posted on by

During RecycleMania college campuses enter a competition to see which school can reduce, reuse and recycle the most waste. For ten weeks, starting in January, schools take part in the competition geared to increase recycling efforts by students and administrators, and evaluate how waste is disposed and recycled on campus.

Schools who choose to participate submit information about the overall amount collected for cans and bottles, paper and cardboard, food and trash each week, and then compare that rate to the what is accomplished during the ten week competition.

While winning the competition can be fun, the program is designed to be an opportunity for campuses to increase knowledge about waste recycling and environmental conservation. During the 2009 competition, schools collected almost seventy million pounds of recyclable material and compostable food waste. Saving thousands of dollars for each campus in terms of waste disposal fees.

Since the program’s inception in 2001, RecycleMania has increased its participation to over six hundred schools from forty-nine states with a total of more than five million students.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Colleges and Universities generate enormous amounts of waste every year. Get the students involved in competitions like Recycle Mania and make a difference!

Bags: Reusable Versus Disposable

Posted on by

If you’re responsible for purchasing bags for your business, this is an important question: Which is better for the environment? Paper or plastic shopping bags? Or reusable versus disposable bags?

Without a doubt, reusable shopping bags or reusing previously acquired paper or plastic bags is the best course of action. Putting items in a bag may not even be necessary – so be sure to give customers an option to go “bag-free” if they choose.

The Environmental Protection Agency encourages businesses and consumers to reduce, reuse, and recycle paper and plastic bags.  It is easy to establish recycling collection bins at your business or offer small incentives to those customers who bring their own bags.

Businesses can help to reduce waste and encourage consumers to get into the “green habit” by offering inexpensive reusable shopping bags. Using reusable bags helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve energy, and avoid environmental impacts associated with the production of new paper and plastic bags.

It is important for everyone to properly dispose of their waste and businesses can encourage this behavior by providing both trash and recycling bins and encouraging customers to use them.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: More and more consumers care about preserving the environment every day, so show your customers you’re listening but providing options and incentives to reward their green behaviors. They’ll be more loyal to you as a result!

Building Green for Today and Tomorrow

Posted on by

With every day more examples are generated showing that “green building” practices save  energy, money, and resources by creating homes and commercial space that is appealing and environmentally friendly.

In the U.S., buildings are responsible for:

  1. Thirty-nine percent of total energy use
  2. Twelve percent of water consumption
  3. Sixty-eight percent of electrical consumption
  4. Thirty-eight percent of all carbon dioxide emissions

By enacting green building practices, businesses can maximize both environmental and economic performance. Green building practices can easily be incorporated into the building process at any stage, from design to construction, renovation and deconstruction. However, the greatest benefits can be derived if the design and construction team begins their planning and implementation at the earliest stages of a project. Some of the positive environmental outcomes of green building include:

  • Environmental protection
  • Enhance and preserve biodiversity and ecosystems
  • Improve air and water quality
  • Reduce waste streams
  • Conserve natural resources

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Building green doesn’t have to cost extra “green”!  Research the materials options that are available when planning for your next building project – you’ll be surprised by the choices and their relative cost.

Certification for E-Recyclers

Posted on by

Businesses that are focused on electronics recycling should consider securing certification through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by utilizing a independent, third-party auditor to show that national safety and management standards are upheld. There are two accredited certifications that businesses can pursue: e-Stewards® and Responsible Recycling Practices. These certifications are used to assist consumers with selecting certified e-recyclers.

What are the benefits of certification and utilizing best practices in safety and management of e-waste?

  • Reducing human health and environmental impacts from incorrect recycling of e-waste;
  • Increasing availability and access to quality re-used electronics to those in need;
  • Reducing the negative environmental impact associated with mining for raw materials used in electronics and conserving natural resources.

Certification programs call for best practices and offer businesses and opportunity to evaluate their worker health, environmental, and safety practices in dealing with e-waste. Both certification programs are are focused on maximizing environmental standards for reuse and recycling and require complete removal and destruction of all information left on used electronics.

Consumers can trust certified e-recyclers as they have demonstrated to the independent certifying body that they consistently meet high standards for safely and management of pre-owned electronics. A national certification accreditation board oversees certifying bodies to ensure they qualified to audit and meet their specific responsibilities.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Certification not only helps your business to stand out from competitors but it also helps to ensure that you’re following the best possible practices. That not only saves you money but helps to save the environment as well!

Clean Sweep for Commercial Pesticides

Posted on by

Individuals states have been reducing pollution and contamination for more than twenty years by collecting chemical waste. Since many chemical waste programs are designed for individual residences, farmers and ranchers are prohibited from utilizing them. However, many states have also enacted “Clean Sweep” programs that are designed for ranchers, farmers, and others involved in industries using chemical pesticides.

In states offering Clean Sweep programs, it is often the department of agriculture which organizes and oversees the program. In some states, Clean Sweep programs are limited to ranchers and farmers, but other states make participation available to pest control businesses, golf courses, lawn maintenance companies, homeowners, etc. These programs are generally supplied funding through pesticide registration fees, the EPA, and state funds. Many states offering Clean Sweep use single day events, similar to electronic-waste collection methods, as their primary collecting effort, but the opportunities vary from state to state. Most Clean Sweep programs require preregistration so business interested in participating should contact their state’s department of agriculture or municipal transfer station to learn more. The hazardous chemical waste that is collected is then transported and disposed in a high-temperature incinerator through an appropriate contractor thus ensuring safe disposal that will not contaminate the soil or surrounding groundwater.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: If chemical waste is generated through your everyday business activities, contact your state’s Department of Agriculture to learn more about Clean Sweep programs. They can help you to help save the environment and cut back on disposal costs!

Focus on Food Waste

Posted on by

Any food material, cooked or raw, which is intended or required to be discarded at a certain time is considered food waste. Food waste is the organic residue that results from the serving, cooking, preparation, sale, storage, and handling of food.

Why is it important to think about food waste and “scraps”?
  • Food waste and scraps account for eighteen percent of waste deposited at US landfills.
  • When food waste is deposited in a landfill, it will decompose and generate methane, which is a dangerous greenhouse gas.
  • Food waste can be a valuable resource with the potential to create both renewable energy and be an amendment to the soil.
  • Using food waste as as a resource extends it’s usefulness and helps to preserve the environment.

Anaerobic digestion occurs when microorganisms break down food scraps, manure, and other organic materials , without the presence of oxygen. The completion of anaerobic digestion results in two useful products: biogas and solid residual. Biogas, comprised of methane and carbon dioxide, can be used in a way similar to natural gas. The solid residual is ideal when used as a soil amendment. The benefits of using anaerobic digestion to extend the usefulness of food waste include generating renewable energy, reducing methane greenhouse gas, and diverting material for landfills.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Every living being needs to eat, so why not help to save the environment and possibly save some money by putting a plan in place to effectively reuse and recycle food scraps and waste?

 

 

Considerations for Composting Programs

Posted on by

Composting waste is gaining in popularity, but before you start a program for your municipality, organization, or neighborhood, understanding these five conditions that require controlling will enhance you chance for success.

  1. Nutrient and feedstock balance. Decomposition needs a balance of nitrogen-rich “green” organic materials (e.g., manure, food scraps, grass clippings), and carbon-rich “brown” organic materials (e.g., wood chips, dry leaves, branches). Deriving the correct nutrient blend requires patience and experimentation.
  2. Particle size. Shredding compostable material will increase the surface area that microorganism can feed on. While smaller particles produce a more even compost mixture, if the particles are too small they can prevent the free flow of air from throughout the pile.
  3. Moisture. The microorganisms working in your compost pile require adequate moisture for survival. Organic materials will naturally contain some moisture but additional water in the form of intentional watering or rainfall may be required.
  4. Oxygen. Routine turning the compost or including items such as shredded newspaper or wood chips help to keep a steady oxygen flow. The oxygen allows decomposition to occur at a faster rate but care must be taken not to provide too much oxygen as it can dry out the compost.
  5. Temperature. A certain temperature range is required for microorganisms to thrive. This will promote more rapid composting while destroying weed seeds and pathogens. Paying close attention to oxygen, moisture, particle size and nutrient balance can help to ensure an optimal temperature.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Composting programs can save your business or municipality money while helping the environment but care needs to be taken to ensure they are done correctly for optimal success.

Importance of Paper Recycling

Posted on by

More so than any other material that Americans throw away, paper makes up twenty-nine percent of all municipal solid waste. However, making an effort to recycle paper can drastically reduce the overall amount of solid waste generated. The Environmental Protection Agency provides details and guidelines on recycling paper for professional recyclers, teachers, citizens, students, and individuals involved in the paper industry.

While Americans recycled sixty-three percent of all paper used in 2010, this number can be improved. Recycling reduces landfill space and greenhouse gasses, and preserves the environment. An overwhelming majority of America’s paper mills are equipped to use paper collected via recycling programs, and they rely on recycling to provide the raw materials needed to make new paper.

When trees are felled for the paper industry, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere contributing to greenhouses gasses. These gasses can only be removed when the rate of carbon absorption is great than the carbon dioxide emission rate.

What are some of the key benefits of recycling paper? If 1 ton of paper was recycled it would:

  • Provide enough power to supply a home for six months
  • Save water in excess of seven thousand gallons
  • Preserve 3.3 cubic yards in a  landfill
  • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1 metric ton of carbon equivalent (MTCE)

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Paper recycling is one of the easiest and most efficient things you business can do to save money and the environment. It’s never too late to start or improve your recycling program.

Small Businesses Can Prevent Waste

Posted on by

All businesses, large or small, will produce waste. In some instances, the waste may be only paper or water; but for others, hazardous or harmful wastes may be produced which require special disposal and handling methods. Regardless of the amount or type of waste a business produces, they all have one common feature – removal costs! If you want to save your businesses money, reducing your waste is the first place to start.

Recycling is a part of this waste-reducing, money-saving equation as some materials can be re-used to generated new products. While most companies understand the environmental and economic sense of recycling, the process requires handling, energy and labor use, and reprocessing. The important fact to keep in mind every bit of waste that doesn’t make it into your revenue stream is now costing you money. Better to reclaim those lost revenues by making your waste into a part of your services or products.

When an organization makes the decision to consume less and think twice before disposing, there is an automatic reduction in the need to collect and dispose of waste. There are many strategies for reducing waste generation, including:

  • Purchasing long-lasting, durable goods and materials
  • Reducing or eliminating raw materials that are not a part of your final product or service
  • Using toxic materials products
  • Cutting back on packaging, water and energy use
  • Utilizing in-process methods for recycling

Many waste reduction efforts, such as e-mail instead of printed copies and double-sided printing, are easy to implement and inexpensive, they only require a positive attitude and willingness to change!

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Waste prevention is a business strategy from which any company, regardless of size or type, can benefit.