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29 Jan 02 - surplus; diapers; evaluations; hand dryers; definitions; job; CD cases ** WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ** -- A project of the National Waste Prevention Coalition -------- Forum archive: http://www.reuses.com/nwpcarchive -------------------- From Angie Timmons, Hennepin County Department of Environmental Services, Minneapolis, MN: I am looking for any previous research, case studies, suggestions or recommendations to increase reuse opportunities by government internal surplus services programs. At Hennepin County we had a pretty good surplus program a few years ago, then the employee who ran it for many years retired, and the reuse side of the program dwindled without him. I am looking for anything that might support my efforts to revamp our program. E-mail: Angie [D O T] Timmons [A T] co [D O T] hennepin [D O T] mn [D O T] us -------------------- From Ann Schneider, Mountain View, CA, Repair, Resale and Reuse Council, California Resource Recovery Association: It was noted in a 12/31/01 posting about adult incontinent products (AIPs) that in some parts of the country, there are no alternatives for disposables. However, in California there are a number of formerly baby diaper washable services who have expanded business to cover the growing adult incontinent marketplace. They do provide cleaning services for, sorry to call them this, but "adult diapers" and for bed pads. I believe that in general they are cotton just like baby nappies. One of the major problems to expanding reusable services in this area is that many states have embedded in their senior medical insurance programs (Medi-Cal in California) language that precludes people from being reimbursed for AIP washable services and only allows reimbursement for single-use, disposable products. It has taken several years, but we have pending legislation in California that would change a couple of words in the Medi-Cal regulations to allow for reimbursement for reusable services as well as disposables. Our bill is SB 649 (S. Sher). It was carried over as emergency legislation in order for the Department of Health Services to understand reusable services sufficiently to write regulations to prevent fraud in the reimbursement process. To my knowledge only four other states allow for AIP reimbursement (sorry I don't have the states, it was in an e-mail from several years ago). It would be great if other states changed their laws and would open up a large new reusable marketplace. E-mail: SchneiderAnn ( AT ) juno ( DOT ) com -------------------- From Nancy Judd, Southwest Public Recycling Association, New Mexico office: I am helping a county in New Mexico to evaluate their entire waste reduction program, including their residential and commercial recycling collections and landfill diversion operations that include composting. Does anyone have any such evaluations that you can share with me? I would appreciate any help you can give. E-mail: njudd (AT) cnsp (DOT) com -------------------- Excerpted from a message from Brian Foran, California Integrated Waste Management Board, Waste Prevention and Market Development Division, Sacramento, CA, responding to the 1/24/02 posting about electric hand dryers: I was curious about why the writer said that "as a recycler," he was disappointed that an article indicated that virtually any electric hand dryer is more efficient than any hand towels. What recycling advantage do paper towels have? He may have been thinking that the manufacturers of recycled paper towels provide a market for office paper. All I know is that the use of paper towels in our office building restrooms is prolific, and a waste audit we conducted years ago showed that paper towels were the single largest component of our building's waste stream. From a solid waste prevention perspective, electric hand driers certainly have the thumbs up over paper towels, and if their overall life cycle efficiency is superior to paper towels, all the better. E-mail: bforan [ AT ] CIWMB [ DOT ] ca [ DOT ] gov -------------------- From Bruce Nordman, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, responding to the 1/24/02 request for generally-accepted definitions of reduce, reuse, recycle and renew: A discussion of some waste-related definitions, with references, can be found as the second article ("Solid Waste Terms and Definitions") on: http://eetd.LBL.gov/EA/Buildings/BNordman/C/consmain.html E-mail: bnordman (AT) dante (DOT) lbl (DOT) gov -------------------- Link to a job posting from the Orange County, NC, Solid Waste Management Department for a Construction and Demolition Recycling Education and Enforcement Specialist (forwarded by Blair Pollock): http://www.co.orange.nc.us/prsnl/3043.htm This is a new position. The salary range is $32,265 to $39,219. Job duties include conducting deconstruction assessments and coordinating deconstruction activities. If you or someone you know is interested and may be qualified, please contact Orange County Personnel or Dave Ghirardelli at the Solid Waste Management Department at: dghirard (AT) co (DOT) orange (DOT) nc (DOT) us Applications are available online at http://www.co.orange.nc.us/prsnl -------------------- Excerpted from messages from Lisa Heller, Dump & Run Inc., Brookfield, MA, responding to recent postings about America Online's compact disc (CD) mailings and CD packaging: I wanted to mention a company that offers a CD jewel case for sale produced with 100 percent recycled plastic. It is very slim, and can be mailed very cheaply. They can make other 100 percent recycled plastic products for sale as well - if anyone is interested, the company's website is at: http://www.shapenet.com Their phone number is 1-800-627-5836. Although their website doesn't mention their recycled-content products, I have spoken with their CEO, and I know that they make 100 percent recycled products for many customers. E-mail: Lisakheller (AT) aol (DOT) com Note from Tom: This Forum focuses on waste prevention (reuse and reduction), not recycling, but we're running this because it's a follow-up to a waste prevention discussion. - end -