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18 Dec 00 - reused boxes; computers; California grants; Verizon; bags; holiday waste; cartoon ** WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ** -- A project of the National Waste Prevention Coalition -------- Forum archive: http://www.reuses.com/nwpcarchive -------------------- From Rick Hlavka, Green Solutions, South Prairie, WA: The post office recently rejected one of the packages I had mailed because the cardboard box I reused had a label on it identifying the previous contents as a possible hazardous material. The box came back to my local post office, where the postmaster and I searched the box for a clue as to what the problem was. The only thing we could find was mention of "limonene" on an old label, plus that label included a warning to "keep out of reach of children." That label had been crossed out so as to be just barely legible. The central U.S. Postal Service station in Seattle (where the package went because it was being air-mailed), apparently thought there had previously been an alcohol-based product in the box, because they sent it back with a sticker that said (complete with typos): "Recycled cartons/boxes with the wording that identify's the contents as an alcohol product., are not mailable. Alcohol is prohibited!!!" This sticker was on a Postal Bulletin (PB 22034, October 5, 2000), which explains the Postal Service's policy on reused boxes with labels that identified the previous contents as a hazardous material. Bottom line - these boxes must have the old labels completely removed, and "merely crossing out a label... is insufficient." The irony in my case is that the box had been reused once already. It was shipped via United Parcel Service to me from a seed supply store in California, and they had even placed a label on the box that explained the store's policy to reuse boxes when possible. Also, I'm not sure that the compound in question, limonene, qualifies as a hazardous material. It is a natural product and in this case was the sole active ingredient in cleaning solution, although in such a concentrated form it probably would make a child sick if they drank it. And a child might be tempted to drink some - I'm guessing the compound has a fruity smell since it is extracted from orange peels and similar sources. But it is a terpene, not an alcohol, so it would seem that the Postal Service should at least provide better hazmat training to their employees. I'm guessing that the policy only applies to air mail packages, as the postal bulletin was apparently prepared by Aviation Mail Security, but last-minute Santas shipping packages should be warned about this. In my case, there was a happy ending, as there was plenty of time to re-ship the box. E-mail: RickHlavka [AT] aol [DOT] com --------------------- From Maggie Clarke, Hunter College, New York City: Here's an interesting article on what to do with an old computer: http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/0,10738,2663060,00.html I wish we could get similar sorts of brief helpful stories like this into real newspapers on December 26. E-mail: mclarke ( AT ) shiva ( DOT ) hunter ( DOT ) cuny ( DOT ) edu --------------------- From Sarah Weimer, California Integrated Waste Management Board, Sacramento, CA: The California Integrated Waste Management Board is offering up to $336,118 for the second cycle of Reuse Assistance Grants to provide incentives for local public agencies to promote and apply the concept of reuse in their community. All cities, counties, regional agencies, or combination of jurisdictions in California are eligible to apply, and may partner with a California nonprofit or commercial business. Questions may be sent via e-mail or Postal Service. Applications are due March 9, 2001. For more information, or to download the application, visit: http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Reuse/ E-mail: sweimer [ AT ] ciwmb [ DOT ] ca [ DOT ] gov ---------------------- The next two postings are in response to the 12/15/00 posting about the new program from Verizon Wireless, "New Every Two," where if you sign up with them for a digital plan, you can trade in your old phone for a new wireless phone every two years "for free." --------------------- From Kinley Deller, King County Solid Waste Division, Seattle, WA: This program, as it is being marketed, does indeed give the impression that cell phones are disposable, but Verizon's program may actually be making them more reusable. I see Verizon's "New Every Two" program as an excellent opportunity for product stewardship to take place. Hopefully Verizon has found that by taking back their phones in a scheduled way they can design their new phones to incorporate the usable components of the old phones. This would cause them to design their current phones to be easily dismantled and the parts segregated into reusable and recyclable parts. This would most likely save a considerable amount of money (and resources) on the production end of the "new" phones. Making this an official program, and pitching it to the customers, is a tremendous benefit to the company as it will provide them with a steady flow of components for reuse. It allows them to estimate ahead of time the amount of reusable parts which will be coming back to them and they can plan accordingly. People seem to want new toys and new technology and if Verizon needs to appeal to that desire in people in order to begin practicing product stewardship, so be it. From what I've observed, when you just ask people to return electronics, so it can get reused or recycled responsibly, the receiver doesn't have much control over what they get, how old it is, etc. And sometimes the amount they get back just isn't sufficient to make a dependable supply stream. Perhaps I'm overly optimistic in proposing that Verizon may be turning their thoughts toward product stewardship, but one can always hope. E-mail: kinley (DOT) deller (AT) metrokc (DOT) gov --------------------- From Margaret Kitchell, Seattle, WA: In response to the posting about the Verizon program to give people new phones regularly: This is the same company that was GTE, and puts out the very wasteful telephone books, and has inadequate response to requests to stop. They have also had trouble with their employees, and from '98 to '99 there were postings on the web from consumers as "WhyGTEsucks." I have been trying to find out more about the company - I spoke with someone at the Calvert Group, which are socially and environmentally screened funds, and he told me they have no investments in Verizon. I will keep working on learning more about it. E-mail: kitchell [ A T ] Seanet [ D O T ] com --------------------- Also from Margaret Kitchell, in response to the 12/15/00 posting about grocery bags: In regards to "plastic or paper": I have been shopping with my own bags for years - at every store - grocery, variety, gift, department, you name it. At many stores, clerks are under a lot of pressure and shove all items into their own plastic bags, even when being reminded that I have my own bags. I always take the items out, and hand the bags back. It is frustrating that there is so little incentive to go through this trouble, however. Our co-op had the green stamp program, but has eliminated it, and now a small credit goes to charity. At other grocery stores I think I have gotten a 1-cent credit, but in the great majority of the transactions there is no incentive. E-mail: kitchell (AT) Seanet (DOT) com -------------------- From Rob Arner, Washington D.C. area: I thought people might be interested in this article that I wrote, "'Tis the Season to... Consume or Celebrate?", which is on the SolidWaste.com website: http://www.solidwaste.com/read/sp20001216/376862 E-mail: rarner [ AT ] shentel [ DOT ] net --------------------- From Paul Dunn, City of Omaha Public Works Department, Omaha, NE: Not much new in this story on the Environmental News Network about reducing waste during the holidays, but thought I would forward it anyway: http://enn.com/news/enn-stories/2000/12/12182000/holidaywaste_40822.asp E-mail: pdunn ( A T ) ci ( D O T ) omaha ( D O T ) ne ( D O T ) us --------------------- Excerpted from a message from Lynn Warner, King County Commission for Marketing Recyclable Materials, Seattle, WA: A cartoon in the latest issue of the New Yorker deals with waste reduction. They probably have their tongues in cheek, but I loved it nonetheless. The cartoon can be seen online at: http://www.cartoonbank.com/cartoon_closeup.asp?pf%5Fid=44848&dept%5Fid=1001&mscssid=BCSR9NA0S2S92MD000GPBQXDM6M699G2 E-mail: lynn ( D O T ) warner ( A T ) metrokc ( D O T ) gov - end -