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24 Feb 00 - material-specific policies; electronics; mercury; trendy simplicity ** WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ** -- A project of the National Waste Prevention Coalition -------- Forum archive: http://www.reuses.com/nwpcarchive -------------------- >From Michelle Gaither, Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC), Seattle, WA: The PPRC is trying to assist the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in researching a possible new approach to developing solid waste management policy that considers the cradle-to-grave (life-cycle) environmental impacts of various materials in the municipal solid waste stream. Historically, Oregon DEQ has developed policy and put emphasis on materials management based on volume/weight of the material in the waste stream. The materials they are specifically looking at initially are organics (yard debris and food waste); cardboard; cathode ray tubes, or CRTs (electronics); and fluorescent light tubes. Does anyone know of solid waste programs that have approached solid waste policymaking using waste-stream-specific environmental criteria rather than simply volume or tonnage? E-mail: cdickerson [ AT ] pprc [ DOT ] org ----------------- Excerpted from message from Dawn Amore, National Recycling Coalition (NRC), Alexandria, VA (forwarded by Christine McCoy): NRC's next electronics recycling online discussion, "Contracting for Proper Recovery and Recycling of Electronic Products," will be held on Thursday, March 2, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Eastern time. We are using a new discussion system that will allow virtually everyone to participate! So, if you haven't been able to participate before, you should be able to now. The discussion will cover topics including the following: - Should a request for proposals specify equipment collection by the unit or pound? - Should there be a priority for materials collection? - What research should be done to investigate end-markets before a bid is released? - How can reuse markets be employed to reduce the volume of material recycled? NRC has invited several experts to answer your questions. Some background documents, including a sample request for proposals, may be found on the website listed below (click on "Information Available Here"). Please come to the discussion prepared with your questions. Questions may also be posted in advance to the message board in the forum. You may access the documents, message board, and discussion area through this website: http://www.nrc-recycle.org/Programs/electronics/online.htm If you missed any of the previous online discussions, the discussion transcripts are on the website. We look forward to your participation. E-mail: dawna [AT] nrc-recycle [DOT] org ------------------- >From Jim DiPeso, Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center, Seattle, WA: A national on-line database of mercury reduction programs is being developed by the Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association (NEWMOA). The database is expected to be fully functional within the next few weeks. It will be a repository of information on mercury reduction activities at all levels of government that will foster information sharing. Submissions to the database may be made by visiting http://www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury, or by sending information by e-mail to tgoldberg [ A T ] newmoa [ D O T ] org or by fax to 617-367-0449. Note: The website also includes links to information on draft legislation to reduce mercury in waste. ------------------- Excerpted from "Getting Rid of the Clutter," an article by Sekai Mutunuhu in the 2/21/00 Desert Sun newspaper (Palm Springs, CA): There are several new developments in the simplicity movement. Two magazines dealing with the subject are being introduced: "Simplicity," published by Christine Carville, is scheduled to hit the newsstands Feb. 24. The first issue of a competing magazine, "Real Simple," published by Time Inc.'s People Magazine Group, will come out in March. Both magazines will downplay the self-sacrifice angle. They talk about "simplicity," but not "voluntary simplicity." "It's not about going to a cabin in the wilderness and eating beans for dinner," says Susan Wyland, editor of "Real Simple." "It's not about giving away your Range Rover and canoeing to work," adds Carville about her own magazine. "It's about choosing what makes you happy, not overburdened and cluttered." Simplicity is also a hot topic for books. Filmmaker and journalist John de Graaf, who helped develop the "Affluenza" documentary for public television, will publish a book called "Affluenza" next year. Communications expert Bill Jensen has a new book that encourages businesses to unclutter and conquer. The title is, or course, "Simplicity" (Perseus Books, $25). Not everyone is simplifying, however. The National Association of Home Builders reports that new homes grew in size by 5.5 percent between 1991 and 1998, and 16 percent of them now have garages for three or more cars. Architect Carol Kurth, of Chappaqua, NY, defends this trend, saying it is not as antithetical to the new simplicity movement as it sounds. Many of her clients, she says, are creating retreats that serve as peaceful sanctuaries, home gyms and entertainment centers that preclude the need to run off to fitness centers, movie theaters and Caribbean resorts. - end -