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06 Feb 02 - construction; transport packaging; paperless conference; AOL; job; cookware ** WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ** -- A project of the National Waste Prevention Coalition -------- Forum archive: http://www.reuses.com/nwpcarchive -------------------- From Carolyn Grodinsky, Agency of Natural Resources, Waste Management Division, Waterbury, VT: SEEKING WASTE PREVENTION TIPS AND STRATEGIES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation is updating its web site for contractors on construction waste and demolition debris waste reduction. We would like to emphasize planning and building techniques that result in less waste. I am trying to link this site to other helpful sites but have had a hard time finding web sites with substantial information on preventing waste. Several sites, including the North American Association of Homebuilders, have some helpful publications that people can order, but I want to link our site directly to some waste prevention sites rather than publications. Many provide waste prevention tips but don't go into much detail. Can anyone steer me to web sites with specific information on building techniques, handling techniques, materials storage techniques, etc., that result in less waste? Thanks! E-mail: carolyng [ A T ] dec [ D O T ] anr [ D O T ] state [ D O T ] vt [ D O T ] us Note: The state of Vermont's current web site on construction reuse and recycling is at: http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/wastediv/recycling/c&d.htm -------------------- Excerpted from a message from David Stitzhal, Full Circle Environmental, Seattle, WA: REQUEST FOR SOURCING, ECONOMIC, AND CASE STUDY INFORMATION ON DURABLE RETURNABLE TOTES AND HEAVY-DUTY PLASTIC PALLETS If you have information, case studies, economic analyses, etc., on durable reusable totes (as replacements for cardboard boxes), I would appreciate your forwarding them to me. I am focusing on totes used for shipments in the 40-pound range. As part of some work I am doing for Starbucks and King County, WA, we identified possible source reduction opportunities through introduction of return-trip totes. Any information I can gather will be most helpful in guiding Starbucks' consideration of implementing such an option. For a different application, I am also hoping to provide them with sourcing information on heaviest-duty plastic pallets. Thanks in advance for your responses. E-mail: stitzhal ( AT ) fullcircleenvironmental ( DOT ) com Phone: (206) 723-0528 -------------------- Link to a 2/4/02 column by Paul Andrews in the Seattle Times about a paperless conference (forwarded by Sharon Aller): http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/paulandrews/134399555_paul04.html ------------------- From Renee Kimball, Enuf! (an environmentally-focused band), Portland, OR, responding to the 2/1/02 posting about America Online (AOL) sending out some of its promotional CDs in a metal case: We will happily take ALL the metal CD cases anyone wants to send us! They would be GREAT to send out our own CD in. We don't do jewel cases, just the cardboard sleeves, but we can slap stickers on the AOL tins and have great fun sending/giving them out in our promo packs. Thanks ahead of time. Geez, all I got was a cheesy plastic AOL CD case. Actually, it can be reused too, but we're not big on single-use plastic items. E-mail: rrrrenee (AT) aracnet (DOT) com Mailing address: Renee Daphne Kimball, Enuf!, 2224 SE Umatilla St., Portland, OR, 97202-7417 -------------------- Excerpted from a January, 2002, Knight Ridder News Service article by Allison Kaplan (forwarded by Alexandra Scott): Jim McKenna, 33, and John Lieberman, 31, a couple of San Francisco-area techies, launched the "NoMoreAOLCDs.com" grassroots campaign to "stop the needless pollution of the environment due to distribution of unwanted materials." Their mission: Collect a million of the promotional CDs that America Online (AOL) regularly mails to consumers, and deposit them at the doorsteps of AOL Time Warner headquarters. They've collected nearly 10,000 unwanted CDs in five months. The pair says they have nothing against AOL per se. But as one of the largest producers of direct-mail CDs, AOL is an obvious target. The Internet provider has churned out as many as 300 million CDs in a year, according to an industry estimate. "Our concern is that they are producing millions and millions of pounds of what is basically crap and not easily recyclable," McKenna said. From a marketing perspective, CDs are easy to mail, cheap to produce - about 5 cents each - and they put computer software directly into customers' hands. AOL said it has added "tens of millions of subscribers" by doling out free sign-up CDs through the mail, at computer stores, at movie theaters and even in cereal boxes. Unlike most junk mail, you can't run a CD through the shredder. And unlike floppy disks, you can't record over the original message to use a CD again. GreenDisk, a Redmond, WA, computer-software recycler, estimates as many as 30 million CDs are tossed in the garbage each month. Only a small fraction are recycled. The process is expensive and inaccessible, especially to the average consumer. CDs are made of polycarbonate, a high-quality plastic, with a metal coating. There is no great concern about putting them in landfills because they aren't considered hazardous - unlike some computer monitors that contain lead and mercury. But the material takes about 450 years to break down. CDs can be recycled, and a handful of companies do just that. AOL recycles millions of its obsolete CDs in-house and invites consumers to send in any that they don't want, for recycling. AOL executives are aware of the NoMoreAOLCDs.com effort, AOL spokesman Nicholas Graham said, but they don't expect the campaign to slow down production. "We share the goal of recycling. We have the largest internal recycling program in the industry," Graham said. "As long as our members tell us they want a fast, easy way to get on (the Internet), we're going to continue providing it to them." Recycled polycarbonate is often used in appliances and cars. GreenDisk, one of the largest independent CD recyclers, is working on ways to turn the material back into CDs and other computer accessories. The company is also talking to the U.S. Postal Service about setting up collection boxes so people can conveniently recycle CDs. Contact information: - NoMoreAOLCDs.com http://www.NoMoreAOLCDs.com Accepts only CDs from AOL and AOL subsidiaries CompuServe and Netscape. - America Online. You can return unwanted AOL CDs to the company, which recycles them. Mail to: AOL, Attn: Mail Room, 22000 AOL Way, Dulles, VA, 20166. - GreenDisk. http://www.greendisk.com Accepts CDs for recycling. There is a 10-cent charge per pound to cover labor costs ($5.00 minimum). Mail them to GreenDisk, 2200 Burlington, Columbia, MO, 65202. - MRC Polymers. http://www.mrcpolymers.com Accepts CDs for recycling. No charge. Mail them to MRC Polymers, 3307 South Lawndale Ave., Chicago, IL, 60623. ------------------- Excerpted from a message and job announcement sent by Sego Jackson, Snohomish County Solid Waste Management Division, Everett, WA: Snohomish County Solid Waste Management Division is seeking a Senior Planner. Salary range is $4,277 - $5,196 per month, plus benefits. Snohomish County is located on Puget Sound, just north of King County and Seattle. This Public Works position is responsible for designing and implementing a variety of programs in solid waste, recycling, waste prevention or moderate risk waste. The applicant should have a strong background in those four areas. The specific assignments will vary, but likely will include some small-quantity generator work, sustainable building, and preparing for physical closure of a transfer station. Minimum qualifications include a Bachelors degree in a field such as planning, environmental studies, geography or a related field; and, two years experience in planning work related to solid waste, recycling, waste prevention or moderate risk waste; or, a Masters degree. Work-related experience may be substituted for the required education or training on a year for year basis. To apply, submit a letter of qualifications and structured resume detailing your education and experience (include type and years) in solid waste, recycling, waste prevention and moderate risk waste to: Ken Moser, Snohomish County Public Works, 2930 Wetmore Ave., Everett, WA, 98201-4046. E-mail: ken [DOT] moser [AT] co [DOT] snohomish [DOT] wa [DOT] us Fax: (425) 259-4945 Completed materials must be received by 5 p.m. on Feb. 15, 2002. ------------------- From Tom Watson, King County Solid Waste Division, Seattle, WA, and the National Waste Prevention Coalition: NEW PRODUCT ALERT Reynolds Metals Co., owned by Alcoa Inc., has introduced a new line of "disposable cookware." It's called "Reynolds Pot Lux Oven-Ready Cookware." It comes in four sizes. Here's how it's described on the Reynolds website: "This disposable cookware lets you bake, microwave, serve, freeze, or refrigerate - all in the same container. Reynolds Pot Lux cookware is safe for use in both conventional ovens up to 400° F and in microwave ovens, and its attractive porcelain-like appearance and decorative detail complement any table. Plus, because it is disposable, you don't have to worry about leaving Reynolds Pot Lux cookware behind." For more information on this product, see their website at: http://www.reynoldskitchens.com Click on "Our Family of Products." Then click on "Reynolds Pot Lux Oven-Ready Cookware - New!" E-mail: tom (D O T) watson (A T) metrokc (D O T) gov - end -