Today's Topics:
>CALIFORNIA BUSINESSMAN CONVICTED IN SLUDGE CASE
EPA dioxin reassessment
Expert on Euro Mfr Responsibilty?
NER's action on DPPEA (2 msgs)
Request for Examples of Industry Retreat from Recycling
Sign-on letter for HOPE
Waste prevention at food service facilities
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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 08:14:17 -0700
From: cdchase@qualcomm.com (Carolyn Chase)
Subject: >CALIFORNIA BUSINESSMAN CONVICTED IN SLUDGE CASE
>CALIFORNIA BUSINESSMAN CONVICTED IN SLUDGE CASE
>
>Gordon Cooper was found guilty on Feb. 28, by a jury in U.S. District
>Court in San Diego, Calif., on five federal felony charges. The
>charges included one count of conspiracy, one count of violating of
>the Clean Water Act (CWA) and three counts of wire fraud. Cooper and
>Chino-Corona's co-owner Robert Vaughn had contracted with the city of
>San Diego to take the sludge from the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment
>Plant and dispose of the sludge at a composting site on the Torrez-
>Martinez Indian Reservation in Riverside County, Calif. Instead of
>composting the sludge, the defendants simply stockpiled it on tribal
>land until the sludge became a 200,000-ton pile. Sludge was also
>shipped to Mexico for disposal and to a farm for land application in
>Imperial County, Calif. These actions were taken without the approval
>of the appropriate state authorities. The defendants commited wire
>fraud by falsely billing and over-charging the city of San Diego by
>approximately $2 million. Vaughn previously pleaded guilty to one CWA
>violation. He has been sentenced to a six-month jail term, five years
>of probation and a $50,000 fine. This was investigated by EPA's
>Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI.
Anyone have any idea how much this cost the City and what happened to the
pile 'o sludge?
Carolyn Chase, Editor, San Diego Earth Times, http://www.sdearthtimes.com
Please visit ;-)
Tel: (619)272-7423 (SDET)
FAX: (619)272-2933
email: earthday@qualcomm.com
P.O. Box 9827 / San Diego CA 92169
'You've got to conserve what you can't replace'
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Please send contributions to: C-QUAL
Californians for Quality of Life, Citizen's Political Action Committee
P.O. Box 9212, San Diego CA 92169
"Every citizen is involved in politics; it's just that some people do
politics, some have it done to them."
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 21:24:20 -0600 (CST)
From: s_hammer@ix.netcom.com
Subject: EPA dioxin reassessment
(My apologies for any cross-postings.)
In 1994, the U.S. EPA released a draft assessment investigating exposure to
dioxin-like compounds. The assessment came under fire from a number of
industries which claimed that the analysis overstated the risk and/or their
role in dioxin generation.
Does anyone have any ideas of what's happened since then? Is EPA planning
to release a final report in the near future?
Thanks.
Steve Hammer
Hammer Environmental Consulting
5294 Sycamore Ave.
Bronx, NY 10471
(718) 548-5285
s_hammer@ix.netcom.com
Steve Hammer
Hammer Environmental Consulting
5294 Sycamore Ave.
Bronx, NY 10471
tel: (718) 548-5285
fax: (718) 548-5257
s_hammer@ix.netcom.com
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 16:04:43 -0800 (PST)
From: bplatt@igc.apc.org (Brenda Platt)
Subject: Expert on Euro Mfr Responsibilty?
Can anyone recommend an expert who can speak/facilitate a discussion on
manufacturer responsibility legislation implemented in other industrial
countries (Japan and Europe)?
Thanx. Brenda
=====================================
Brenda A. Platt
Institute for Local Self-Reliance
2425 18th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009
(202) 232-4108 fax (202) 332-4108
e-mail: bplatt@igc.org
ILSR web page http://www.ilsr.org
=====================================
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 11:36:13 -0500
From: "Blair Pollock" <bpollock@town.ci.chapel-hill.nc.us>
Subject: NER's action on DPPEA
The references here pertain to North Carolina's Division of Pollution
Prevention and Environmental Assistance, a technical assistance agency. I
hope those of you in NC reading this will write/call right away. The thing
has an apparent short fuse. Thanks
The Joint Committee on Natural and Economic Resources (NER) has flagged
DPPEA for possible cutting or elimination. DPPEA was the only environmental
division flagged.
Senator Martin (D-Pitt), one of NER's co-chairs, appears to be
giving tacit approval if not direct encouragement to some of the Republican
members (eg, Betsy Cochrane, Senator, R-Davie) to lead this attack. It is not
a new attack - DPPEA in its old form, OWR, has been likewise targeted in the
past, just as the funding of the RBAC was almost stopped by Martin last year.
Supporters may want to be alerted to this issue and take the
opportunity to express support of DPPEA to NER
members, as well as to the leadership (Rep. Brubaker, Senator
Basnight) and to key members such as Senator Odom. NER is expected
to make its final recommendations as early as Friday, March 14th.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 12:18:24 -0500
From: "Blair Pollock" <bpollock@town.ci.chapel-hill.nc.us>
Subject: NER's action on DPPEA
The references here pertain to North Carolina's Division of Pollution
Prevention and Environmental Assistance, a technical assistance agency. I
hope those of you in NC reading this will write/call right away. The thing
has an apparent short fuse. Thanks
The Joint Committee on Natural and Economic Resources (NER) has flagged
DPPEA for possible cutting or elimination. DPPEA was the only environmental
division flagged.
Senator Martin (D-Pitt), one of NER's co-chairs, appears to be
giving tacit approval if not direct encouragement to some of the Republican
members (eg, Betsy Cochrane, Senator, R-Davie) to lead this attack. It is not
a new attack - DPPEA in its old form, OWR, has been likewise targeted in the
past, just as the funding of the RBAC was almost stopped by Martin last year.
Supporters may want to be alerted to this issue and take the
opportunity to express support of DPPEA to NER
members, as well as to the leadership (Rep. Brubaker, Senator
Basnight) and to key members such as Senator Odom. NER is expected
to make its final recommendations as early as Friday, March 14th.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 11:26:39 -0600
From: RecycleWorlds <anderson@msn.fullfeed.com>
Subject: Request for Examples of Industry Retreat from Recycling
Lance King and I (Peter Anderson) are looking for documented instances =
in each state where industry made promises or commitments to support =
markets and related infrastructure for recycled material and then later =
reneged on them.=20
As an example, on a national level, of course, in regard to plastics, =
many have watched the APC establish a 25% recycling rate goal and then =
withdraw that goal after its polling suggested to them that the public =
was no longer focused on recycling.
Added to this, the Center for Plastics Recycling at Rutgers shut down, =
the Council for Packaging in the Environment disbanded, Occidental sold =
its PVC bottle recycling facility, Uniion Carbide and Quantum sold their =
HDPE recycling facilities, etc.
What I'm looking for in terms of an example of local specific instances =
is this. Between 1990-91 the Wisconsin Legislature had pending =
legislation to ban clam shells. Amoco established a PS recycling =
facility in Chippewa Falls and told legislators that the plant =
eliminated the need to ban clamshells because everything would be =
recycled. A year after the threat of bans had passed, Amoco withdrew =
support and sold the facility in 1993.
Lance says we'll need both examples specifically worded with dates, =
places and amounts, as well as newspaper articles, letters or other =
documentation if at all possible.
Another major sector to look for examples besides plastics is =
newspapers. We very much want to know everything about newspaper =
publishers seeking relief from existing minimum content mandates, goals =
or policies, documented as much as possible.
You can email me at recycle@msn.fullfeed.com, fax at 608-233-0011 or =
mail at 4513 Vernon Blvd.-Suite 15, Madison, WI 53705-4964. I'll =
distill everything I get into a report for the GRN Atlanta meeting.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 14:33:17 -0800 (PST)
From: ilsr@igc.apc.org (ilsr)
Subject: Sign-on letter for HOPE
Dear Greenyes listserve participants:
The Grassroots Recycling Network has signed on to the following letter.
The group, HOPE, is looking for additional groups to sign-on. Their
deadline is March 18th to add names/organizations to the letter. Please
email Joy Towles Cummings, HOPE, directly at hope@igc.apc.org.
Jennifer Leahy
Institute for Local Self-Reliance
>>>Dear GRN,
>>> We are in agreement with your three messages and want to join with
>>>you in the Zero Waste Action Campaign.
>>> I will not be able to attend the conference as I have already made
>>>plans to attend the Gulf Restoration Network annual meeting here in Florida
>>>that same weekend, but will tell other members of our group who might wish
>>>to be there.
>>> I (we are) am particularly interested in working and planning
>>>actions to bring about change in forestry, the pulp and paper industry,
>>>toxic waste, and environmental justice, and local economic development
>>>issues.
>>> We have a Procter & Gamble/Buckeye chlorine-bleaching pulp mill
>>>here in our community; it is one of the worst polluters in the nation, and
>>>we have been working towards making the mill clean up for many years now.
>>>You probably know that P&G is one of the worst corporate bad big boys when
>>>it comes to greenwashing what happens to Luvs & Pampers disposable diapers
>>>in the "waste stream"; P&G tried to convince everyone that disposable
>>>diapers 'compost' in landfills. That's just one of the company's lies.
>>> Our local small but dedicated group is HOPE; we have 372 members.
>>> We are also "dedicated to environmental stewardship and achieving a
>>>sustainable economy by eliminating waste and reusing, recycling and
>>>composting
>>>resources in order to support community economic growth, create jobs, save
>>>forests and wilderness, reduce pollution and conserve natural resources".
>>> I am sending to you below our sign-on letter regarding our local
>>>mill, in hopes that you and your group will sign on. The deadline for
>>>receipt of the letter to DEP is March 25.
>>> Please count us in on the campaign.
>>> And thank you for your good work. Joy
>>>
>>>From:
>>>Joy Towles Cummings, President
>>>HOPE (Help Our Polluted Environment) In Taylor County, Florida
>>>P. O. Box 327
>>>Salem, Florida 32356
>>>904 584-4544 phone & fax
>>>email: hope@igc.apc.org
>>>----------------
>>>Here's our sign-on letter:
>>>
>>>In 1947, Florida passed a state law that classified the Fenholloway River
>>>as an "industrial river", these are the results:
>>>
>>>>>> PULP-MILL POISONED DRINKING WATER, THE DEAD FENHOLLOWAY RIVER,
>>>>>> 3 SPECIES OF SEX-ALTERED FISHES, 2 SPECIES OF DEFORMED INSECTS,
>>>>>> DIOXIN-CONTAMINATED FISH,
>>> AND A 25 SQUARE MILE GULF OF MEXICO DEAD ZONE IS ENOUGH!
>>> Just to make bleached white disposable diapers.
>>>
>>>>>> HELP STOP 15-MILE TOXIC EFFLUENT PIPELINE FROM P&G/BUCKEYE PULP MILL
>>>>>> At Perry, Florida TO THE GULF OF MEXICO
>>>>>>
>>>>>> IT'S SHOWDOWN TIME!
>>>>>> URGE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TO REQUIRE
>>>>>> NO CHLORINE AND INSTALL A CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM
>>>>>> AT NATION'S THIRD WORST PULP MILL NOW
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Join HOPE In Taylor County, Florida and the Clean Water Network
>>>>>> to stop the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
>>>>>> from issuing permits to allow the chlorine-bleaching P&G/Buckeye
>>>>>>pulp mill
>>>>>> at Perry, Florida to merely build a 15-mile pipeline to carry the
>>>>>> mill's toxic wastes to the Gulf of Mexico.
>>>>>> Showdown time is real, here and now. Here's your opportunity
>>>>>> to help force this terrible polluter to stop poisoning the environment,
>>>>>>this rural community, and the fish you eat from the Gulf of Mexico.
>>>>>> Here's our chance to demand that this mill stop using chlorine and
>>>>>>chlorine dioxide, and install a closed loop system. When this bad
>>>>>>polluter stops using chlorine and moves to a closed loop system, other
>>>>>>mills will follow.
>>>>>> Please help to accomplish this goal by signing on to the following
>>>>>>letter, or write directly to DEP to demand a real change at this pulp
>>>>>>mill. Please note: we must have a mailing address & daytime phone # for
>>>>>>letter. Your sign-on will be presented to DEP at a public hearing in
>>>>>>Perry, Florida concerning permitting this pipeline on March 18, 1997. (
>>>>>>The deadline for receipt of letters is: March 25, 1997.)
>>>>>>---------------
>>>>>> Here's the Sign On/Sample Letter:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Date:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Florida Department of Environmental Protection Fax #: 904 487-4938
>>>>>>Office of the General Counsel
>>>>>>3900 Commonwealth Boulevard MS 35
>>>>>>Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000
>>>>>> &
>>>>>>Mr. Dick Batchelor, Chairman Fax #: 407 841-4311
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Florida Environmental Regulation Commission
>>>>>>3900 Commonwealth Boulevard MS 18 Phone # 407 841-4313
>>>>>>Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Re: Buckeye Florida, L.P. Proposed Pipeline Construction Project
>>>>>>(DEP File #: 622768899), In Taylor County, Florida
>>>>>> (a.k.a. the Procter & Gamble Pulp Mill)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Dear Sirs:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>It is now been shown by independent researchers that at least three
>>>>>>species
>>>>>>of fishes are exhibiting sexual changes and at least two species of
>>>>>>aquatic
>>>>>>invertebrates are exhibiting nymphal abnormalities, caused by the Buckeye
>>>>>>mill's toxic effluent discharged into the Fenholloway River. The
>>>>>>possibility of general mutagenic effects on other species demands closer
>>>>>>scientific investigations of the Fenholloway and the Gulf of Mexico. EPA
>>>>>>found 17,000 times its allowable limit of dioxin in Fenholloway
>>>>>>bowfin fish
>>>>>>in 1986; Florida's HRS finally issued a no-consumption warning on that
>>>>>>species in 1991. That one warning has been woefully inadequate. Local
>>>fishermen, shellfishermen, and Fenholloway estuary crab traps supply food
>>>to local residents and people all over the world.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Since 1952, the Buckeye mill has poisoned the Floridan Aquifer and the
>>>>>>drinking water of the people of Taylor County, Florida with hundreds of
>>>>>>toxic chemicals so complex that scientists cannot even identify most of
>>>>>>them. The Buckeye mill has been legally allowed to seriously pollute the
>>>>>>Fenholloway River and the Gulf of Mexico for the past 45 years because it
>>>>>>has been classified as Florida's only "industrial river".
>>>>>>
>>>>>>The mill's effluent has destroyed 23 square kilometers of seagrass beds in
>>>>>>the Gulf of Mexico, and is suspected of contaminating fish and shellfish
>>>>>>destined for dinner tables everywhere. The company has spread toxic sludge
>>>>>>over the land in the county, further contaminating streams, rivers, soil,
>>>>>>and the Floridan Aquifer. The mill's sludge and settlement ponds have
>>>>>>repeatedly developed sinkholes, further poisoning the water supply. The
>>>>>>Buckeye mill is rated by EPA for cancer risk as the third worst in
>>>>>>the U.S.
>>>>>>Many people in Taylor County are suffering from many ill health effects
>>>>>>caused by the mill's pollution. This mill is well known by EPA and DEP to
>>>>>>be the cause of one of the worst environmental disasters in United States
>>>>>>history. Both DEP and EPA should have acted to protect the environment,
>>>>>>wildlife, and the health of the people years ago.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Of the more than 100 proposals for improvement considered by the company
>>>>>>and DEP, none require that the mill stop using chlorine in all its forms.
>>>>>>Buckeye officials insist that the high quality cellulose it produces
>>>>>>cannot
>>>>>>be produced any way except by its current processes, using chlorine and
>>>>>>chlorine dioxide. Other companies have proven Buckeye's assertion wrong.
>>>>>>Several European pulp and paper mills have already achieved economical
>>>>>>quality production of dissolving pulp without the use of chlorine, despite
>>>>>>Buckeye's assertion that it cannot be done. The pulp and paper industry's
>>>>>>own publications tout the use of closed-loop systems. This company
>>>>>>must now
>>>>>>become accountable to the DEP and to the people. The environment and human
>>>>>>health must no longer be sacrificed in order for this mill to achieve its
>>>>>>recently reported record profits.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>DEP's intention to allow the P&G/Buckeye mill to pipe such toxic effluent
>>>>>>to the Gulf of Mexico is short-sighted. No pipeline can solve the serious
>>>>>>environmental problems of this mill. The groundwater (drinking water),
>>>>>>Fenholloway River, Floridan Aquifer, soil, water, and air, and Gulf of
>>>>>>Mexico contamination by this mill must stop immediately. Today's
>>>>>>technology
>>>>>>must be used, not a 1940's pipeline. Process changes must occur at this
>>>>>>mill.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Due to the serious pollution problems of this mill, I recommend that the
>>>>>>Florida DEP require the P&G/Buckeye mill at Perry, Florida to:
>>>>>>1. Stop discharging its pollutants, by using a closed-loop system.
>>>>>>2. Stop using chlorine and chlorine dioxide in its bleaching process.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>A closed-loop system is an absolute necessity in this mill's case. DEP and
>>>>>>EPA can and must stop the further destruction of the environment in Taylor
>>>>>>County, Florida by requiring that the mill stop the use of chlorine and
>>>>>>chlorine dioxide now.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>The phase-out of chlorine is possible and most urgent. The International
>>>>>>Joint Commission on Great Lakes Water Quality (IJC), the U.S./Canada
>>>>>>Federal monitoring body of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, has
>>>>>>been monitoring the health of the Great Lakes and has issued reports
>>>>>>to the
>>>>>>Federal Governments of Canada and the United States. The IJC
>>>>>>recommends the
>>>>>>phase-out of the use of chlorine as an industrial feedstock and that the
>>>>>>philosophy must be zero discharge of persistent toxic substances. Canadian
>>>>>>companies are well underway in implementing this recommendation.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>The clean-up plan should include adequate restoration
>>>>>>(not just 25 acres, as proposed) of many square miles of upstream wetlands
>>>>>>(the San Pedro Bay) for filtration of water into the Floridan Aquifer, the
>>>>>>Fenholloway, and the other rivers and streams of this area, with no
>>>>>>further
>>>>>>wetlands being destroyed or disturbed. After all, the company itself
>>>>>>drained the San Pedro Bay years ago, destroying the original wetlands.
>>>>>>Mitigation credits for wetlands the company destroyed itself should not be
>>>>>>allowed.
>>>
>>>This is not a "job's versus the environment" issue. The issue is this
>>>>>>mill's recently admitted huge profits versus human and environmental
>>>>>>health. The environmental health issue must immediately be addressed by
>>>>>>DEP. This serious matter requires your attention.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I, like you and millions of other people, eat fish and shellfish from this
>>>>>>area. I am very concerned that neither the EPA, the Florida DEP, nor any
>>>>>>other agency, has adequately tested the fish, shellfish, insects,
>>>>>>amphibians, wildlife, nor mammals that can still inhabit the Fenholloway,
>>>>>>its estuary, and the Gulf of Mexico. Because of the possibility of general
>>>>>>mutagenic effects, the fragility of Gulf marine ecosystems, and in view of
>>>>>>the serious toxicity of this mill's effluent, I ask that a complete
>>>>>>industry-independent investigation and adequate independent testing of
>>>>>>fish, shellfish, other aquatic and wildlife species be accomplished and
>>>>>>reported to the public before any decision is made concerning permitting a
>>>>>>pipeline at the P&G/Buckeye, Perry, Florida pulp mill. DEP can and must
>>>>>>accomplish that necessary action. Upgrading to a totally chlorine-free
>>>>>>process is necessary to eliminate this mill's very serious and extensive
>>>>>>pollution problems.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Sincerely,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Address & Daytime phone:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>-----------------
>>>>>>Further comments:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>-------------------
>>>>>> Please respond with an email message to hope@igc.apc.org(Joy Towles
>>>>>>Cummings) if you and/or your group would like to sign on to the letter.
>>>>>>Please feel free to add your own comments to the letter.
>>>>>> If you prefer to send letters directly to DEP, please copy HOPE with
>>>>>>your letter. HOPE will present them all together to DEP at the public
>>>>>>hearing. (If you print your letter, please use recycled, chlorine-free,
>>>>>>or tree-free paper)
>>>>>>----------------------
>>>>>>*For additional information about pulp and paper mills in the southeastern
>>>>>>U.S., contact Linda Young at the Clean Water Network, via email:
>>>>>>llyoung@igc.apc.org or call 904 222-4567, fax 904 934-5663 regular mail:
>>>P.O. Box 254, Tallahassee, FL 32302
>>>--------------
>>>>>>*This message was originally sent by Joy Towles Cummings, HOPE President.
>>>>>>If you would like to reply or send a message to HOPE, please send an email
>>>>>>message to hope@igc.apc.org phone & fax 904 584-4544,
>>>regular mail: P. O. Box 327, Salem, FL 32356 Thank you for helping to stop
>>>the use of chlorine and chlorine dioxide in pulp and paper mills.
>>>
>>>>>>"Passionate Persistence Without Impertinence Produces Progress, but
>>>>>>Polite People Get Poisoned."
>>>>>>***-------
>
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 21:30:57 -0600 (CST)
From: s_hammer@ix.netcom.com
Subject: Waste prevention at food service facilities
(My apologies for any cross-postings.)
I'm currently working on a waste prevention handbook for food service
facilities. I know that the City of San Francisco and a restaurant trade
group in Chicago have put out similar publications in the last few years.
Are there any others I should be aware of?
Also, does anyone have suggestions of restaurants/bars that do an
exceptionally good job at waste prevention? The handbook will have a New
York City orientation, and will feature case studies of local
establishments, but I'm willing to put in highlights of what's going at
other places around the country.
Thanks for any feedback you can provide.
Steve Hammer
Hammer Environmental Consulting
5294 Sycamore Ave.
Bronx, NY 10471
(718) 548-5285
s_hammer@ix.netcom.com
Steve Hammer
Hammer Environmental Consulting
5294 Sycamore Ave.
Bronx, NY 10471
tel: (718) 548-5285
fax: (718) 548-5257
s_hammer@ix.netcom.com
------------------------------
End of GreenYes Digest V97 #52
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