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04 Oct 99 - appliances; packaging; grants; business junk mail ** WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ** -- A project of the National Waste Prevention Coalition -------- Forum archive: http://www.reuses.com/nwpcarchive ------------------- The first two postings are in response to Betty Patton's 9/30/99 query about appliance repair and recovery. ------------------- >From David Stitzhal, Full Circle Environmental, Seattle, WA: I just got back from the National Recycling Congress where there was a session on appliance recycling. Two folks spoke from an Ohio program targeting appliances. The only one I have the name for is Arley Owens with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. He can be contacted at 614-265-6333 or by e-mail at arley (DOT) owens (AT) dnr (DOT) state (DOT) oh (DOT) us Unfortunately, the portion of the presentation I caught showed no hint of producer responsibility. Given that there is starting to be a lot of heat put on computer manufacturers regarding EPR (extended producer responsibility), it seems only fair that local governments also start looking at major appliance manufacturers to chip in as well. E-mail: Fullcircle (AT) nwnexus (DOT) com -------------------- >From Julie Rhodes, Reuse Development Organization (ReDO), Indianapolis, IN: Environmental Enterprises in Baltimore has a reuse, repair, recycling program for appliances. For information, contact one of ReDO's members, Mark Benson, at 410/362-1252. ------------------- Also from Julie Rhodes, ReDO, responding to Kathy Frevert's 9/30/99 request for printed materials or videos on packaging systems to reduce waste: It seems like Sherrie Gruder, University of Wisconsin Extension, would provide the best hope for info of this type. Also, you could contact ReDO member Paul Rankin of the Reusable Industrial Packaging Association (trade association) in Washington, DC, at 301/577-3786, or at prankin [ A T ] igc [ D O T ] apc [ D O T ] org Or, you could contact the new Reusable Pallet Association (I don't have the contact info handy, but they have just come out with a new report on the benefits of returnable pallets). ------------------- >From Truett Degeare, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (forwarded by Barbara Nichols): EPA is soliciting applications for environmental education grants. Applications are due to EPA Nov. 22. See details at: http://web.fie.com/htdoc/usoa/epa/any/any/proc/any/fr09229901.htm ------------------ >From Tom Watson, coordinator, National Waste Prevention Coalition (NWPC): The NWPC is getting close to launching our new Reduce Business Junk Mail website. This will be one of the first national resources designed to help businesses, agencies and organizations reduce their unwanted mail. There are many resources our there to help households cut down on junk mail, but we were unable to find much to help businesses, so we decided to put something together ourselves. It's coming along well, but we could still use some more testimonials about the costs to your business or office (in time and resources) to deal with unwanted mail. We could also use more case studies (keep them short, please) on how your office has reduced unwanted mail. The website will feature: -- Successful strategies for reducing unwanted "business-to-business" mail (as it is known in the direct mail trade). -- A sample postcard that businesses can send to mailers to ask to be removed from lists. -- Toll-free phone numbers of business-to-business mailing list brokers, which you can call to get off lists; -- An e-mail address where businesses can submit complaints about mailers. If we receive a number of complaints from businesses about the same mailer - for example, that the mailer will not take them off their list - the NWPC will contact that mailer on behalf of the businesses. -- Documentation of the costs to businesses of dealing with unwanted mail. Please let me know if you have any information or materials we might be able to use on the site, or any questions or comments. Thanks! E-mail: tom ( D O T ) watson ( A T ) metrokc ( D O T ) gov - end -