- Subject: Re: [Greenyes Digest] V2 #117
- From: "Blair Pollock" <bpollock@co.orange.nc.us>
- Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 11:47:32 -0500
Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2001 09:36:13 -0600 From: "Reindl, John" <Reindl@co.dane.wi.us> Subject: [GreenYes] Environmental impacts of alternative one-use plates Hi all ~ I got a call today from a citizen looking for some hard data on the environmental impacts of alternative one use plates, including (but not limited to): 1. Polystyrene foam plates 2. Waxed coated paper plates 3. Heavy paper "chinet" plates 4. Rigid polystyrene plates. Some detailed information would be especially useful, but any data would be welcome. Thanks much, John Reindl, Recycling Manager Dane County, WI Hi John our local compost company has no problem w/ the uncoated plates in their commercial compost, thus when there is a COunty luncheon, etc. all County offices have switched to the uncoated products and we now collect them w/the food waste and the compost collector gets them when he gets the restaurant waste from our commercial food waste program. There has to be a monitor to keep the good people from throwing their plastics in there. ------------------------------ ------------------------------ There is another potent aspect to yard waste bans and that's the economic benefits from establishing a mulch/compost industry using this feedstock Our County of 120,000 generates 6,000+ tons/year of yard waste which is all mulched, aged and sold at the landfill. We have never had a problem in eight years marketing the material and always made some money. (Could make more) Some landscapers apparently can buy it in bulk from us, screen our relativley coarse material further and resell it as a higher grade product. Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2001 16:13:50 -0500 From: "Bill Sheehan" <zerowaste@grrn.org> Subject: [GreenYes] RELEASE: Coalition Opposes WMI's Attempt to Repeal Illinois Yard Trimmings Ban FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Peter Anderson 608-231-1100 ENVIRONMENTALISTS OPPOSE WASTE MANAGEMENT INC. ATTEMPT TO REPEAL KEY RECYCLING LAW IN ILLINOIS PEORIA, Ill. Eleven leading national, state and local recycling and environmental organizations today opposed a proposal by Waste Management Inc. that is before the Peoria County Board tonight. "The Coalition to Oppose Attacks on Recycling in America is countering the waste company's attempt to amend the current Illinois law banning the disposal of yard trimmings so that the trash company can increase the volume of organic matter going to the Peoria landfill," said Friends of the Earth's Erich Pica. Such a reversal would "undermine one of the most important elements of America's recycling efforts," according to Allen Hershkowitz of the Natural Resources Defense Council. "Bans on disposal of yard trimmings in landfills have made it possible to essentially double the overall diversion rate and are absolutely vital to achieving America's recycling goals, which is why 21 other states have also enacted laws banning disposal of yard trimmings," noted Neil Seldman from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. "Repealing those bans would undermine the American composting industry," said Jim McNelly from the U.S. Composting Council. ****************************************** To post to the greenyes list, email to: greenyes@grrn.org Subscription information for this list is available here: http://www.grrn.org/general/greenyes.html ******************************************