Issue 47 – January 2009
IN THIS ISSUE
WASTECAP WISCONSIN’S LATEST RESULTS >>>>
WasteCap Wisconsin and its clients have diverted 294,925,997 pounds of construction and demolition waste from landfills, which is 53.1 pounds per person in Wisconsin. The equivalent of 93,756 trees have been saved by recycling wood and cardboard. WasteCap Wisconsin’s construction and demolition projects are currently achieving an average 85.6% recycling rate.
1. WasteCap Wisconsin News WasteCap WI is moving > WasteCap Wisconsin receives new project > DNR to create compost quality standards > U.S. EPA, partners kick off green building design challenge
2. Upcoming Conferences / Events / Job Openings WasteCap’s Construction and Demolition Recycling Training in cooperation with Associated Builders and Contractors Winter Convention > 2009 Southeast Lifecycle Construction Conference > 2009 AROW/SWANA/WCSWMA Joint Winter Conference > The Building Material Reuse Association (BMRA)-DECON '09 > UW-Stevens Point seeking Waste Reduction and Management Extension Specialist
> UW-Stevens Point seeking Waste Reduction and Management Extension Specialist
3. Recycling News that Affects Your Business A Visible Difference > Waste Management Sets Baseline for Environmental Plans >Congress Could Boost C&D Recycling, Deconstruction > Ekocrete Releases Recycled Concrete Product > Pacific Northwest's E-Waste 'Paradigm Shift' Launches Jan. 1 > Firms Partnering with EPA Recycle More Than 66.5M Pounds of Electronics in 2008 > Converted Organics Turns Food Waste into Fertilizer
4. Welcome New & Returning MembersGilbaneBuilding Company, Kessler Consulting Inc., and We Energies > News from WasteCap WI member The Samuels Group
5. Useful Tools / Resources for Recycling Interactive map of retail bags regulations across the United States
>Electronics Take Back Coalition, Local electronics recycler information and finder
1. WASTECAP WISCONSIN UPDATES / MEMBER NEWS
Don’t throw your money away! In today’s economy, it’s even more important to learn how to reduce waste/costs and save dumpster fees. Register today for WasteCap’s Construction and Demolition Recycling Training in cooperation with Associated Builders and Contractors Winter Convention, Feb. 19 at Chula Vista. Join this USGBC Education Provider Program and learn how to meet LEED criteria for construction waste management and run a successful, cost-effective recycling project on your construction or demolition site. To register, click here or go to http://www.wastecap.org/training.htm. Questions, contact WasteCap at wastecap@wastecapwi.org or 414-961-1100
WasteCap Wisconsin is moving
WasteCap Wisconsin’s Milwaukee office is looking for a new office space and welcomes any suggestions for new locations of about 1,200 ft2. Please email any ideas to John Lottes, jlottes@wastecapwi.org or call 414-961-1100.
Amerco hires WasteCap to help Transform Waste Into Resources
Amerco, the parent company of U-Haul hired WasteCap WI to do Construction Waste Management work for the renovation of the Old Grede Foundation for a new U-Haul facility in Milwaukee. To find out how your construction or demolition project can benefit from these services, go to http://www.wastecap.org/results.htm and contact WasteCap.
Amerco, the parent company of U-Haul hired WasteCap WI to do Construction Waste Management work for the renovation of the Old Grede Foundation for a new U-Haul facility in Milwaukee. To find out how your construction or demolition project can benefit from these services, go to http://www.wastecap.org/results.htm and contact WasteCap.
DNR to create compost quality standards
The DNR has announced that they will begin the rule making process for compost quality standards. It is expected to take about 15 months to complete, including the public hearing and comment process. The DNR secretary, Matt Frank commented that “development of compost standards will help grow Wisconsin’s compost industry and will benefit our state’s citizens by diverting organics such as food waste from landfills and reusing them as compost. This is consistent with our Waste and Materials Management Program goal to work towards zero waste and achieve organic stability in Wisconsin’s landfills.”
U.S. EPA, partners kick off green building design challenge / Contest to reward designs that save resources, costs
In the third year of the Lifecycle Building Challenge competition, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and partners including WasteCap Wisconsin are inviting the nation’s architects, product developers, educators, environmental leaders, and students to submit innovative designs that minimize waste, reuse materials, and cut greenhouse gas emissions. eas generated by the contest help jumpstart the building industry toward diverting the more than 100 million tons of building-related construction and demolition debris sent each year to landfills in the United States. This free, Web-based competition supports an on-line library of competition entries and green building resources. To learn more, visit
2. UPCOMING CONFERENCES / EVENTS / JOB OPENINGS
February 19, 2009: WasteCap’s Construction and Demolition Recycling Training in cooperation with Associated Builders and Contractors Winter Convention, Chula Vista. To register, click here or go to http://www.wastecap.org/training.htm. Questions, contact WasteCap at wastecap@wastecapwi.org or 414-961-1100
2009 Southeast Lifecycle Construction Conference, February 25-26, 2009, Atlanta, Georgia
Lifecycle construction examines the environmental and economic impacts and the overall sustainability of the construction process from planning to final use of the building.
2009 AROW/SWANA/WCSWMA Joint Winter Conference, March 11-13 2009 (Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells) Register at www.arow-online.org
The Building Material Reuse Association (BMRA) has announced that their conference on building deconstruction, material reuse and recycling—DECON '09 , will be held April 28-30, 2009 in Chicago. For more details, visit http://www.bmra.org/events/conference
Vernon County seeking Solid Waste Administrator
Click on the link for more information: http://www.co.vernon.wi.gov/employment/SWRadmin/index.htm
UW-Stevens Point seeking Waste Reduction and Management Extension Specialist
Click on the link for more information: http://www.uwsp.edu/equity/positions/08-09/09-24AS21.aspx
3. RECYCLING NEWS
A Visible Difference
Source: Recycling Today
The Henry Maier Festival Park is located on more than 80 acres of lake-front property and contains many performance stages and food and beverage areas. Every year the grounds host "Summerfest," the world’s largest music festival, as well as a series of ethnic festivals each celebrating a different culture. These events draw many people and generate considerable discards from the vending of food and beverages. In recent years the facilities and grounds staff of Milwaukee World Festivals Inc. took on the challenge of improving waste management at these events by expanding its recycling program in partnership with the City of Milwaukee. While the City of Milwaukee does not operate a commercial recycling program, it does partner with some event organizers in the community to offer recycling services at various special events. The city recognizes the importance of special events recycling to recover materials from the waste stream and also to help promote recycling at highly attended, visible public events. Having recycling programs available away from home helps promote recycling as the norm and the expectation, regardless of the location or situation. It reinforces the importance of recycling and recovering resources.To read more, visit http://www.recyclingtoday.com/articles/article.asp?ID=7650&AdKeyword=summerfest
Waste Management Sets Baseline for Environmental Plans
Source: GreenBiz
HOUSTON, Texas — In its 2008 corporate sustainability report, Waste Management looks at its long-term environmental goals and sets a baseline for each of its four main initiatives. Waste Management's landfills account for about 15 percent of all landfills in the U.S., and that land is full of plenty of trash that can provide energy in two ways, in the form of landfill-gas-to-energy or waste-to-energy.
Through the 16 waste-to-energy plants that subsidiary Wheelabrator operates and Waste Management's 100 landfill gas projects, the company produces enough energy to power about 1 million homes. By 2020, Waste Management wants to double that figure. It's already planning an additional 60 landfill gas projects by 2012, and by the end of that year wants landfill gas projects at all locations possible. Secondly, Waste Management wants to nearly triple the amount of material it recycles. Currently it handles 8 million tons a year, and wants to up that to 20 million tons by 2020.
To read more, visit http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2009/01/14/waste-management-environmental
CONSTRUCTION / DEMOLITION
Congress Could Boost C&D Recycling, Deconstruction
Source: Construction and Demolition Recycling Magazine
A bill being introduced to the United States House of Representatives in January could offer “support for green infrastructure, housing rehabilitation [and] renewable energy generation on vacant properties,” according to one of its supporters. The Community Regeneration, Sustainability and Innovation Act of 2009 (CRSI) has been designed to create a new program within the U.S. Department of Housing and Community Development (HUD) targeted toward cities and metropolitan areas experiencing large-scale property vacancy, abandonment and population losses. The act’s supporters say it will provide assistance to communities to start or expand land banks that establish public control over vacant and abandoned property so that property can be redeveloped or otherwise used in ways to “benefit the public.”
Brad Guy, president of the Building Materials Reuse Association, says he was pleased to have been asked to provide input for the language of the bill as it relates to deconstruction and the re-use and recycling of materials. Page 9 of the act, as currently proposed, says an allowable use of funding is for it to go toward the “establishment of recovered building materials reuse and recycling infrastructure, facilities, and technical support.” To read more, visit http://www.cdrecycler.com/news/news.asp?ID=4179
Ekocrete Releases Recycled Concrete Product
Source: Construction and Demolition Recycling Magazine
Ekocrete Inc., Santa Rosa, Calif., has announced the availability of a new “green” concrete that uses 90 percent recycled and by-product materials. According to the company, it achieves its high percentage of recycled content without sacrificing strength or durability. Ekocrete uses crushed recycled concrete for aggregate, as well as fly ash from coal mills. Other industrial by-products provide nano-fibers for crack reduction and nano-particles for surface density to reduce water penetration.To read more, visit http://www.cdrecycler.com/news/news.asp?ID=4170
COMPUTER / ELECTRONICS RECYCLING
Pacific Northwest's E-Waste 'Paradigm Shift' Launches Jan. 1
Source: GreenerComputing
SALEM, Ore. and OLYMPIA, Wash. — New e-waste recycling laws passed in Oregon and Washington take effect on New Year's Day, requiring electronics manufacturers to recycled old hardware, and promising to spur the growth of responsible e-waste disposal. The laws, which passed in mid-2007 in Oregon and in 2006 in Washington, require manufacturers to pay for the recycling of their electronics products sold in each state, and is expected to collect as much as 12 million pounds of electronics in Oregon and about 25 million in Washington in the first year alone. The new laws are among the toughest in the country, and highlight what e-waste and public health advocates say is the best solution to the country's — and the planet's — enormous e-waste problem. As we found in researching electronic waste in 2008's State of Green Business report, the mountain of potentially valuable (and often toxic) electronic waste is growing substantially faster than companies and governments are able to collect and recycle it. To read more, visit http://www.greenercomputing.com/news/2008/12/31/pacific-northwest-ewaste-program
Firms Partnering with EPA Recycle More Than 66.5M Pounds of Electronics in 2008
Source: GreenBiz
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Major manufacturers and retailers recycled more than 66.5 million pounds of used consumer electronics last year in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Plug-In To eCycling program. In reporting the tally yesterday, the EPA said the haul for 2008 is 30 percent greater than the amount recycled in 2007. The EPA program, launched in 2003, now involves more than two dozen firms. Several companies were recognized for their recycling efforts in the EPA's announcement of the program's progress. The firms singled out for mention included Dell, Staples, Best Buy, Sony, LG, Samsung, Wal-Mart, Panasonic, Sharp and Toshiba. The goods recycled in the agency program last year prevented the release of greenhouse gases equivalent to the annual emissions of an estimated 15,500 cars, the EPA said. To read more, visit http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2009/01/09/firms-recycle-electronics
FOOD WASTE
Converted Organics Turns Food Waste into Fertilizer
Source: GreenerBuildings
BOSTON, Mass. — Table scraps, discarded meals that never make it to the dining room and aging leftovers. Garbage to you and many in the food industry, perhaps, but it's a windfall for New England firm Converted Organics. This season, the 2-year-old company is reaching out to remind businesses dealing in food that it is happy to relieve them of the remainder of holiday repasts. The firm processes food waste into "organic biostimulants" for flowers, crops and other plant life for professional and residential use. To read more, visit http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news/2008/12/24/converted-organics
4. WELCOME NEW & RETURNING MEMBERS
WasteCap Wisconsin would like to thank Gilbane Building Company, Kessler Consulting Inc., and We Energies for their support of WasteCap Wisconsin and for sharing the vision of transforming waste into resources.
Employee of The Samuels Group, a WasteCap WI member, Receives ‘Green’ Accreditation
Wausau, WI – January 15, 2009 – Sara Hinz, Architectural Draftsperson at The Samuels Group, a Wausau-based design build firm, recently received ‘Green’ Accreditation through the U.S. Green Building Council. A recent news release “National Studies Show Green Building as Key Part of America’s Economic Future” (January 2009) from the U.S. Green Building Council states that “as green buildings help companies cut costs and build sound financial situations, the Center for American Progress’ Study show how such green investments on a wide scale can ignite the economy of the nation as a whole.” For The Samuels Group, a critical step toward strengthening the economy and supporting green initiatives is to have many LEED accredited personnel on staff. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. Individuals can become LEED accredited by successfully completing a comprehensive course and testing procedure. Hinz has recently been added to the list of The Samuels Group employees who have achieved LEED accreditation. As a result, Hinz will take part in managing the design elements of projects hoping to achieve LEED certification.
For a complete list of WasteCap’s members please visit www.wastecapwi.org/members.htm
Sign up as a member and read about member benefits at www.wastecapwi.org/join.htm
5.USEFUL TOOLS / RESOURCES ON RECYCLING
Interactive map of retail bags regulations across the United States
Electronics Take Back Coalition, Local electronics recycler information and finder:
WasteCap Wisconsin thanks its sources for the news, information, and ideas in this issue. WasteCap Wisconsin is a 501(c)(3) private nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide waste reduction and recycling assistance for the benefit of businesses and the environment. To further this mission, we have developed these e-mail bulletins to provide you with information about the latest resources, recycling technologies, case studies, and other matters helping us transform waste into resources. You can view a collection of WasteCap Wisconsin's archived bulletins at www.wastecapwi.org/bulletin_archive.htm. To unsubscribe, send an email to wastecap@wastecapwi.org with "unsubscribe" in the subject line. If you have been forwarded this email and would like to subscribe directly, send an email to wastecap@wastecapwi.org with "subscribe" in the subject line.
CONTACTS:
WasteCap Wisconsin, www.wastecapwi.org, 414-961-1100
Stephanie Chojnacki, Marketing and Public Relations Manager schojnacki@wastecapwi.org
