Monthly Archives: July 2013

Dell Computers Aims For Waste Free

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Popular computer manufacturer, Dell Inc has.recently announced that it has set a corporate goal of achieving one hundred percent waste-free packaging by the year 2020.

Currently a little more than fifty percent of Dell’s packaging comes from sustainable materials and is able to be recycled. As part of the 2020 strategic packaging  plan, Dell is aiming to have all packing materials be either recyclable or compostable and made of recycled materials.

Dell hopes to achieve this by using wheat straw, a sustainable material, as a component in the cardboard boxes it uses to package laptops and computer systems. Beginning in The new boxes will contain fifteen percent straw, with the remainder of the materials coming from recycled fiber.

Using even fifteen percent straw will recent the company’s carbon footprint significantly.

In addition, the company last year cut over twenty million pounds of packing material by reducing and redesigning its packaging. Saving the company money while reducing the amount of waste generated by consumers purchasing Dell products.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: When was the last time your business took at look at look at how you handling packaging? What kinds of materials are your using to ship or deliver merchandise and how much packaging are you using? There are so many alternatives that are not only cost-effective but also environmentally friendly. Take a look at your options and you might finding yourself saving “green” with every order!

EPA Announces Improved Recycling Rate

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The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that the total weight of all municipal solid waste generated and disposed of in the USA remained constant for the year 2011, compared to 2010, but that the country’s rate of recycling moved upward, improving over the prior year.

The EPA reported that Americans generated over two hundred and fifty million tons of solid waste in 2011, a near identical amount to 2010. Of that total amount of waste, almost eighty seven million tons, or 34.7% was recycled or composted. The national recycling rate for 2010 was 34.0%.

The total waste generated per person was almost four and one half pounds per day, down from 2010.

The EPA  also provides recycling rates for various waste materials. Newspapers and paper materials have a recycling rate of almost seventy three percent. Aluminum cans are recycled at close to fifty five percent and glass containers and PET plastics are recycled at  thirty four percent and twenty nine percent respectively. The biggest year over year recycling gains were seen by aluminum cans and tires due to part to their high demand on the manufacturing market.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Even small improvements in your businesses recycling rate or waste disposal rate can result in savings when you compare year to year. The important thing is to track your before and after to see what works and what doesn’t. Every company has unique waste disposal and recycling needs so if you want to save money, you need to do what’s right for your business sector!

Illegal C&D Dumping Results In Jail Time

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Both a New York property owner and a New Jersey waste disposal business owner were recently convicted and sentenced for dumping thousands of tons of construction debris and asbestos illegally near government protected wetlands in upstate New York and for  lying to environmental protection agency investigators.

The owner of Mazza & Sons, Dominick Mazza, will spent over four years in prison and be required to seventy five thousand dollars in criminal fines and close to half a million dollars in restitution for damaging the preserved area. His company will be responsible for almost six hundred thousand dollars worth of fines and cleanup costs.

Cross Nicastro, the property owner, will spent close to three years in prison, and be required to pay fines and clean-up costs in excess of five hundred thousand dollars.

Both men were convicted on counts of using Nicastro’s twenty eight acre property over the as an illegal dumping site for construction and demolition debris and asbestos. The two also forged a Department of Environmental Conservation landfill permit complete with the signature of an DEC official.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: If your business is in C&D, it pays to makes sure you’re dealing with law-abiding, reputable trash haulers. Take time to do your research and make sure that your waste is going to an approved location. Cutting corners, or acting illegally can result in big fines and jail time!

New Aluminum Recycling Program

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The international aerospace and aviation corporations, Boeing and Alcoa recently announced a joint partnership for an innovative new waste management program that is expected to significantly increase their Boeing’s ability to recycle aerospace grade aluminum alloys needed for the production of the airplanes they manufacture.

Both companies estimate that an excess of eight million pounds of waste or unusable aluminum material can be expected to enter the recycling stream within the first year the program is in full operation.

The recycled materials will come from scrap  aluminum alloy materials needed in the manufacturing of fuselage and wing components of Boeing airplanes. Some of the specific waste materials to be recycled will include aluminum sheet and plate products and extrusions.

Boeing stands to benefit by reducing waste and minimizing disposal fees while demonstrating environmental stewardship and Alcoa, in turn, will have a source of high quality aluminum ready to enter the waste materials supply chain and recycling market.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: If your business produces a high volume of a specific kind of recycling waste, it may be in your best interest to find a business partner that caters to that niche.  By working together you’ll alleviate workload, share expertise, and realize cost savings. Just remember, recycling isn’t something that you have to do independently. With many recycling services and waste materials re-sellers entering the market, it’s worth exploring the opportunities available to you!

Maine Considers Waste Paint Program

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The northeastern state of Maine is expected to be the next in line to join a growing number of states in legislating producer liability for pain products. The measure has passed in the legislature and is awaiting approval by governor Pal LePage. If the measure passes Maine would be the seventh state in the United States to enact a paint stewardship law. The measures is backed and supported by PaintCare, and industry group that works with states to ensure unwanted and unused paint is properly disposed of my both individuals and commercial customers.

The proposed paint takeback program would include a small fee attached to the price of new can of paint in order to offset the costs of recycling and properly disposing of the leftover paint and paint can.

Paint is considered a toxic waste substance and must be disposed of properly in order to ensure the protection of the environment and water sources. Typically, municipalities offer times and events throughout the year when substances such as paint can be brought to landfills for proper disposal. Placing paint cans in with regular garbage disposal is dangerous and in some places, illegal.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: If paint and paint cans are a part of your business, or if you’re working on sprucing up your home with a fresh coat, be sure you know how to dispose of the waste in a correct and law-abiding way. If you’re uncertain, call your local environmental protect department or municipal transfer station. When you take the steps to protect the environment, you’ll also take the steps to avoid any fines and penalties!

 

Using Education To Boost Recycling

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The city of Detroit is hoping that improving recycling education will lead to a boost in the city’s waste recycling rate and overall trash reduction.

Up until a few years ago, the city did not offer municipal recycling services to residents or public schools. Any recycling efforts were undertaken by individuals and were minimal in scope.

Starting in 2007, the city’s public school system began partnerships with Recycle Here and Green Living Science, non-profit groups focused on providing recycling services and environmental education for schools. Stressing individual accountability, children are provided with opportunities for fostering recycling in their schools and homes and given strategies for preventing litter in their communities by learning how to manage their waste generation. School activities include contests to see who can collect the most recyclables and developing plans for managing waste and recycling more in school cafeterias.

The city now offers curbside recycling in three neighborhoods and recycling rates in those areas have increased as the school education program grows to include more children throughout all grade levels. In addition, city-wide transfer stations have reported an increase in the amount of recyclables brought in by families who do not have curbside programs.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Education and awareness are key factors when trying to increase your recycling rate at work, home, or in your community. It’s important that everyone involved understand how recycling can help the environment and cut waste disposal costs. When recycling and waste reduction actions are clearly defined everyone will know what to do and how to do it!

Largest U.S. City Bans Plastic Bags

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This past June, the Los Angeles City Council approved a new ordinance that would ban plastic bags at convenience stores, pharmacies, grocery stores, and certain retail shops throughout the city.

The decision to implement a ban goes back to 2012 then the same City Council approved the ordinance to eliminate plastic bags in grocery stores. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is fully expected to sign and approve the new law.

When the ordinance goes into effect, Los Angeles will become the largest city in the United States to enact a plastic bag ban. There are over thirteen million California residents living in the area. Combined with other municipalities in the state, by 2014 over one third of all California residents will live or work in an area where plastic grocery bags are banned. The city of Los Angeles is home to more people than the total population of most other states in the country. Only Florida, New York, Texas, and California have total populations greater than Los Angeles.

Under the new law, starting January 1, 2014, stores will no longer be allowed to distribute plastic bags to customers. A gradual roll-out of the rule is expected providing smaller shops additional time to deplete the inventory of bags and obtain cost-effective alternatives. Fines for non-compliance up to $500 will be enforced. Paper and multi-use plastic bags are still allowed and plastic bags for restaurants and produce are still allowed.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Plastic bag bans are sweeping the country and it’s only a matter of time before it’s taken up by your municipality. Take the time to investigate options now and plan ahead. Being seen as a recycling and reuse leader will gain you good press now and put you ahead of the competition when new laws are enacted!

NYC Embraces Food Waste Recycling

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New York City is getting serious about collecting food scraps to be used in composting. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has recently expressed to the media the need to create a citywide food waste recycling program.

Officials from the NYC Sanitation Department have said they expect one hundred and fifty thousand single-family residences and more than one hundred high-rise apartment and condominium buildings to sign up for the pilot program next year, with more home and building owners participating in subsequent years. It is the Mayor’s plan to ultimately made food scrap recycling and composting mandatory for everyone living within the city limits. In addition, over six hundred schools will also participate.

The city expects to deliver over one hundred thousand tons of organic waste material per year and is hoping to convert the food scraps into biogas.

The city also has several small scale food recycling programs that it is currently testing including a five-day-per-week food scrap collection program at a large residentil apartment complex and another for private residences in Staten Island.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Food scraps and other organic yard waste typically end up in landfills. What is your community or building doing to turn this waste material into an asset instead of a liability? When you go green you can save green every month!

Recycling Grants For Cities and Towns

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The Dr Pepper Snapple Group and Keep America Beautiful have recently announced the recipients in their collaborative Recycling Bin grant awards for public parks and spaces. This is the first such that the funding opportunities was made available to cities, towns, and community groups.

The focus of the grant was to help municipalities promote recycling in public settings including playgrounds, beaches and swimming areas, athletic fields, parks, walking and biking trails, and other natural settings. Increased visibility and available of recycling bins contributes to a decrease in litter and garbage waste.

In total, thirty three grants were awarded to agencies in twenty three states. A total of seven hundred and ten permanent recycling containers will be distributed. The most popular use for the bins will be at athletic fields followed by neighborhood parks and walking paths.

The grant program is part of Dr Pepper Snapple Group’s environmental strategic plan which also includes improving energy and water use in its beverage production process, reducing manufacturing waste and packaging.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: If you’re a city administrator grappling with trash and recycling problems at your local recreation spots, considering investigating grant opportunities like the one offered by Dr Pepper Snapple Group. Having a few recycling bins  may help to keep the space free of little and encourage visitors to recycle more!

Retailer Fined For Hazardous Waste Violations

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The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation recently announced that popular retailer, Wal-Mart Stores, has pled guilty to several Clean Water Act violations in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California.

The company admitted to illegally disposing of and managing hazardous waste materials including pesticides and other federally controlled chemical substances at stores throughout the country and for failing to properly education employees about federal and state hazardous waste management procedures.

Wal-Mart Stores will be required to pay more than one hundred and ten million dollars in reparations for breaking federal and state environmental laws and civil penalties. It was determined that the retailer’s non-compliance with established hazardous waste disposal practices placed gave them an unfair economic advantage against their competitors.

The fines for Clean Water Act violations will be used for various community service projects, and the retailer will be mandated to enact a comprehensive, country-wide environmental compliance plan to manage hazardous and toxic waste generated at its locations.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Businesses both small and large need to play by the rules when it comes to hazardous waste materials. If you company buys, sells, or uses any of the substances defined as hazardous by the federal government, it’s essential you train employees on proper handling, management, and disposal practices. Failure to do so can land you and your business in hot water!