Solid & Hazardous Waste Education Center News

Welcome to the Solid & Hazardous Waste Education Center’s Blog. SHWEC staff post information and updates related to the center’s programs and areas of expertise. Many have relied upon our newsletter for these updates, our hope is this format will allow for a more timely sharing of information.

Also, please be sure to visit our traditional WEBSITE to learn more about SHWEC programs and review our many PUBLICATIONS.

Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that the systems used at gas station pumps to capture harmful gasoline vapors while refueling cars can be phased out.

Gasoline vapors from refueling, if allowed to escape, can contribute significantly to ground-level ozone, sometimes called smog, as well as to other types of harmful air pollution. Breathing air containing high levels of smog can reduce lung function and increase respiratory symptoms, aggravating asthma or other respiratory conditions and other health conditions. Gasoline vapors also contain toxic air pollutants associated with a variety of health threats.

Beginning later this year, states may begin the process of phasing out vapor recovery systems at the pump since approximately 70 percent of all vehicles are equipped with on-board systems that capture these vapors. As required by the Clean Air Act, automobile manufacturers began installing onboard refueling vapor recovery (ORVR) technologies in 1998, making gas stations’ systems increasingly redundant. Since 2006, all new automobiles and light trucks (pickups, vans and SUVs) are equipped with ORVR systems.

http://www.epa.gov/air/ozonepollution/actions.html#may12i

Wisconsin has delegated authority from EPA to implement and enforce Clean Air Act regulations. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) has prepared a fact sheet, Stage 2 Vapor Recovery Rule Changes for Gasoline Dispensing Facilities, on these changes in regulations.

For additional information on vapor recovery rule changes in Wisconsin, please contact WDNR  at:

855-889-3021 or DNRCleanAir@wisconsin.gov

Filed under: Air Pollution, Toxics/Green Chemistry | Tagged: clean air act | No Comments »

Green Chemistry in Action: Lubrication Technologies Develops Water Based Paint Booth Cleaner

Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/359653190

Lubrication Technologies developed a product for the St. Paul, Minnesota Ford Motor Plant that would be safer, more effective, and able to replace high VOC emitting solvents used in their glass cleaning, floor cleaning and paint booth maintenance operations.  Lubrication Technologies worked with the Ford Motor Company to develop and test a cleaning product that works better than a solvent, contains less VOC’s per gallon, improves worker safety, and is competitively priced.  After 17 prototypes, a formula was developed that breaks the paint sludge bonds by separating the solvent from paint solids thereby causing it to work effectively and longer on more  surfaces than originally intended.  As a result, Ford Sludge Remover (FSR) reduced paint department costs both in product and labor, provided a more employee friendly product, and significantly decreased Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions. Pollution is prevented at the source due to the reduced VOC content of the product coupled with the product’s ability to perform at a reduced usage rate.

Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/359653190

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements:
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh-based attendees
Required: Mac OSR X 10.5 or newer

This webinar is funded through a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant.

Filed under: Hazardous Waste, Pollution Prevention, Product Stewardship, Toxics/Green Chemistry | No Comments »

Massachusetts state environmental officials are preparing to ban hospitals, universities, hotels, large restaurants, and other big businesses and institutions in Massachusetts from discarding food waste in the trash beginning in 2014, a measure that in coming years they hope to extend to homes as well. Officials said the proposed rules, designed to save space in landfills and reduce emissions of gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, will make Massachusetts the first state with such a comprehensive prohibition on commercial food waste.

read more @:

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2012/05/03/state-propose-banning-commercial-food-waste-from-landfills/uXVV6DXZXbf0vW0WfcHsQN/story.html

Filed under: Climate Change, Compost, Energy, Pollution Prevention, Solid Waste, Uncategorized | Tagged: anaerobic digestion, compost, food | No Comments »

Compost is an effective storm water and soil erosion control technique, when applied as a layer on the soil surface. This material fills in small rills and voids to limit channelized flow, provide a more permeable surface to facilitate stormwater infiltration and promotes revegetation. Reducing stormwater runoff and soil erosion protects surface water quality and increases stormwater infiltration, which replenishes grounwater aquifers. EPA  has just updated their Best Management Practice fact sheet for compost use in stormwater and erosion control.

http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/compostblankets.pdf

Filed under: Compost, Stormwater Managment | Tagged: blanket, compost, erosion, stormwater | No Comments »

The Midwest Extension Compost School will be held July 24-26, 2012 in Ames, IA.  Program attendees can expect to learn about the science of composting, handling feedstocks, enhancing compost product quality and analytical processes. The three day program will include instruction in a classroom setting, discussions with compost facility operators, hands on activities, and visits to local compost facilities. The program is being organized by Iowa State University Extension and is being supported by staff from University of Wisconsin Extension, Illinois State University Extension, Texas A&M University and University of Minnesota Extension.

The web site for the compost school is up and running where further details and  registration materials can be found. http://www.aep.iastate.edu/compost/

Filed under: Compost | Tagged: Food waste, training | No Comments »

The Legislature has given final approval to the Department of Natural Resources’s updates to compost facility regulations. The new rules are scheduled to go into effect June 1, 2012. Changes to the rules are designed to make it easier for compost facilities to accept food scraps and other organic materials for composting. The rule will also create a standard for especially high-quality compost that large-scale composters can opt to meet with their products and market accordingly. The revisions will impact portions of state administrative code NR 500, 502 and 518. The DNR is in the process of developing guidance documents to assist compost facilities to understand the impact of the revised regulations. Here is a link to DNR’s informational page on compost facilities: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Recycling/regs.html.

Filed under: Compost, Recycling, Solid Waste | Tagged: Food waste, organics, waste | No Comments »

A new study released the Environmental Business Council and MassRecycle looks at the current employment situation for Massachsetts as well future needs of the recycling industry of the state. The study points towards an expected job growth of 15% in the private sector and a 5% growth in public sector recycling jobs over the next two years. The full report “Recycling and Jobs in Massachusetts” is now available online.

Filed under: Recycling | Tagged: Business, jobs, recycle | No Comments »

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded more than $1 million in grants to 15 university and college teams from across the country who participated in  EPA’s People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) competition. Teams developed sustainable projects designed to protect the environment, encourage economic growth and use natural resources more efficiently.  Winners of this year’s awards include:

•  Vanderbilt University for developing a biohyrid solar panel that substitutes a protein from spinach for rare metals (mined) and is capable of producing electricity

 and

•  Appalachian State University for developing an artificial wetland suitable for recycling of grey water from small businesses for immediate reuse.

read more @ http://www.epa.gov/ncer/events/news/2012/04_25_12_feature.html

Filed under: Sustainability | Tagged: EPA, Sustainability | No Comments »

This competitive grant program provides funds for projects that reduce emission from existing diesel engines. The projects can include strategies such as emission control, idle technology, cleaner fuels, engine upgrades or replacements and/or vehicle replacement. Entities listed as eligible applicants include state, local or tribal agencies, certain nonprofit organizations. The deadline for responding to this request for proposals is June 4, 2012. Please see the EPA’s Website for additional information.

Filed under: Air Pollution, Energy, Pollution Prevention | Tagged: clean energy, Energy Efficiency, EPA, grant | No Comments »

The WI Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) has clarified its position with regard to the ban on used oil filters from landfills and modified the law banning oil absorbent materials.  Previously, under Wisconsin Act 86,  WDNR took the position that oil filters from boats, planes and trains were exempt from the landfill ban. Recently, WDNR changed its position so these types of oil filters are now  subject ot the landfill ban. The law also stated that only oil absorbent materials, with a volume of less than one gallon, were permitted to be disposed of in landfills. With the enactment of  Wisconsin Act 152, the disposal of oil absorbent materials containing waste oil is now permitted in landfills if no free-flowing oil is present and the absorbent materials are not considered hazardous.

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/recycling/oil.html#tabx2 

For additional information, please contact:

Jack Connelly, WDNR Solid Waste Program Coodinator

(608) 267-7574

johnston.connelly@wisconsin.gov

Filed under: Pollution Prevention, Recycling, Solid Waste | Tagged: absorbents, boats, oil fiters | No Comments »