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17 Oct 00 - phosphorus; coffee pods; old clothes; websites ** WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ** -- A project of the National Waste Prevention Coalition -------- Forum archive: http://www.reuses.com/nwpcarchive -------------------- Excerpted from message from Dave Waddell, King County Local Hazardous Waste Management Program, Seattle, WA, responding to the 10/13/00 item about two crafts websites, one of which was "MakeStuff.com", a site that includes instructions for dozens of craft projects, many of which utilize used materials (forwarded by Anne Moser): After looking at the MakeStuff.com website, I sent the following e-mail to them about one of their projects: "Dear MakeStuff.com: Just wanted to suggest you drop this one: 'HOW YOU CAN MAKE GLOW-IN-THE-DARK INK WITH 2 SIMPLE INGREDIENTS.' The instructions require the craftsperson to use 1/4 oz. phosphorus with cinnamon oil. Maybe you meant something else besides pure phosphorus. I hope so. Phosphorus comes in three forms - yellow, white and red. All three are deadly poisons and extremely flammable metals. Yellow and white phosphorus are pyrophoric materials (which means they spontaneously ignite in air). If you are really suggesting that people use pure phosphorus, you run the risk of creating a very dangerous fire hazard and potentially poisoning any young child that decides they want to lick the "glow-in-the-dark ink" or is exposed to fumes or smoke from burning phosphorus. Your disclaimer states: 'NOTE: It should be remembered that phosphorus, or any chemical, can be very dangerous when used or handled improperly. Children should not attempt this project without direct supervision of an adult. The publisher of these formulas IS NOT responsible for any mishaps associated with these formulas. THEY ARE OFFERED AS INFORMATION ONLY!' Though I appreciate the disclaimer, there are some serious flaws with it. Phosphorus is very dangerous whenever it is handled, whether properly (with personal protective equipment in a laboratory setting) or improperly. Children should never attempt this project. If done, it should be as a demonstration performed by a trained adult with proper protective equipment. I'm guessing if you talked to a lawyer, you'd find your disclaimer probably won't really protect your liability in case of an accidental poisoning or fire, since there is no specific step required by any of your readers accepting responsibility in case of accidents. Maybe your recipe is improperly listing this ingredient. Maybe it's sodium phosphate or some other less hazardous phosphorus compound rather than pure phosphorus. If not, I strongly recommend that you delete this project from your website and suggest it not be tried by your audience. Keep all the rest. They're great and not dangerous to your readers. Sincerely yours, Dave Waddell, Concerned Parent and a Lead Environmental Investigator with the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County" E-mail: dave [ D O T ] waddell [ A T ] metrokc [ D O T ] gov ----------------------- From Michelle Portman, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Boston, MA: Coffee-makers have done it again! This time, Starbucks has come out with coffee pods - little single-serving packs of coffee (available in regular and decaf) for espresso machines. The pods themselves are probably not too wasteful, as the filter might be biodegradable. However, the fact that the pods are individually wrapped in a plastic foil makes them particularly deleterious to the waste reduction cause. The pods could easily be wrapped together in a resealable package that holds a dozen or so. Here they are though, in individual packets as if we need to cart these little buggers around for use on the road. We bought a few boxes of these and then I realized - wait a second, what's wrong with ground coffee scooped out by the tablespoon? I won't be buying any more "pods" until they change their packaging. E-mail: Michelle (D O T) Portman (A T) state (D O T) ma (D O T) us ---------------------- Excerpted from "The Great Hand-Me-Down Heap," an article by Helen Thorpe in the 10/15/00 New York Times Magazine: - As America's primary economy has boomed, so has its second-hand economy: In 1997, Americans spent about $12 billion on used goods, 30 percent more than they did in 1992. - It's estimated that Americans give away as much as 2.5 billion pounds of clothes each year. - Used goods from the United States are sold in vast quantities to the third world. The U.S. now exports between $500 million and $1 billion worth of used clothing per year, according to Daniel Rothenberg, an anthropologist at the University of Michigan. ---------------------- Link to the new website for Conservatree, a nonprofit organization that provides information about environmentally sound papers and market development (forwarded by Susan Kinsella): http://www.conservatree.com Click on "Reducing Waste" to get to the Source Reduction section. ---------------------- Links to four websites, from "What's New in P2 (Pollution Prevention)," the monthly bulletin sent out by Jim DiPeso, Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center, Seattle, WA: XSMaterials.com: http://www.xsmaterials.com This is a "gateway" website, operated by a private company, with links to more than 70 materials exchanges that businesses and government agencies can use to buy and sell chemicals, electronic equipment, metals, plastics, paper, and other materials. SEAHOME: http://www.epa.gov/seahome This is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website where people can download free software on a variety of environmental topics suitable for many audiences, including small businesses, environmental professionals, teachers, farmers, and individuals. SEA stands for "Software for Environmental Awareness." Design for the Environment Toolkit: http://www.moea.state.mn.us/berc/dfetoolkit.cfm This website, from the Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance, helps companies incorporate environmental criteria into the product design process. The City of Portland's Green Building Initiative: http://www.ci.portland.or.us/energy/greenbuilding.htm --------------------- Reminder from Tom: I'll be out of the office Wednesday, Oct. 18, through Tuesday, Oct. 24, so there will be no Forum postings during that time. Thanks! - end -