GreenYes Digest V97 #73

GreenYes Mailing List and Newsgroup (greenyes@ucsd.edu)
Fri, 22 Jan 1999 16:57:36 -0500


GreenYes Digest Wed, 9 Apr 97 Volume 97 : Issue 73

Today's Topics:
ACT: Stop A Corporate Subsidy For Wasting!
China
CHINA: OFFICIALS PLAN TO SEND POLYSTYRENE PACKING
COKE ACTION PRESS RELEASE
COKE Chants and Song
GreenYes Digest V97 #72
just testing
Paul Watson Arrested in Amsterdam

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Date: Tue, 08 Apr 97 21:32:41 PST From: jennie.alvernaz@sfsierra.sierraclub.org Subject: ACT: Stop A Corporate Subsidy For Wasting!

[Background and Action Alert on Interstate Waste=20 - Forwarded from Sara Kendall]

April 3, 1997

It's time for Congress to give us the RIGHT TO SAY NO TO OUT-OF-STATE WASTE

Increasingly, local governments are closing down old public landfills, getting out of the waste business, and yielding control of the waste we all generate to private companies. At the same time, waste companies are consolidating rapidly, with four international giants now dominating the industry.

As these trends progress, more waste is being hauled long distances from urban centers to rural areas where mega-landfills are being built, and citizens are being shut out of the decision-making process. Urban residents have less input into how much of their waste gets recycled, and rural residents find themselves living near landfills they don't want or need.

Until Congress acts, a community cannot simply say "no thank you" to a waste company that wants to build an out-of-state waste landfill. Under current law, if a company can satisfy zoning and environmental standards, it is entitled to receive a permit, build a landfill and fill it with waste from wherever it wants.

that would give states and communities control over interstate waste shipments for the first time. In the past, this bill has been stalled by a few members of Congress who sit in positions of power, led by Representative Thomas Bliley (R-VA), but the bill's bipartisan support, strenghtened by grassroots demand, could make 1997 the year that we win the "Right to Say No."

Details

Local Control. A "presumptive ban" would prohibit interstate municipal solid waste shipments unless the elected officials of the affected community signed an agreement with a waste company that specifically authorizes importation. Before such an agreement could be signed, the company and elected officials would have to disclose information about the proposal to the public and hold a public hearing.

Many waste companies are already negotiating "host community agreements" before they build new landfills, but, under current laws, communities don't have much leverage at the negotiating table because, if they choose not to negotiate, the company can build the landfill anyway. If a company can meet state and local permitting standards, agencies have no choice but to issue a permit, or face a lawsuit. A "presumptive ban" would give communities that want a landfill more leverage at the bargaining table, and those that don't the ability to say "no."

Further, current law does not ensure that the public is notified before the deal is made. The presumptive ban would require that the public be given information about the proposal and that a public hearing be held before a "host community agreement" is signed.

Time after time, the public does not find out about a proposed facility until after officials have made up their minds to sign a host community agreement. Waste companies sell elected officials by touting the benefits that out-of-state waste landfills offer to host communities-jobs, income from fees, and free or cheap disposal for their own waste. But, all landfills also bring risks and costs, such as litter, odors, wear and tear on roads, and water contamination. It is only just that community members be given the opportunity to make an informed decision as to whether they think the benefits of hosting a landfill outweigh the costs.

States Rights. These days, many disposal facilities are so large that they have the potential to impact more than just a host community. Many mega-landfills take in 1 million tons of waste each year or more. That's more than many states generate.

States should have some control over these facilities, which impact the entire host region. One way to give states some control is through a "permit cap," which would allow states to moderate the size of landfills by capping the percentage of capacity that could be filled with out-of-state waste. For example, in a state with a 50% permit cap, 50% of any landfill's capacity would have to be filled with in-state waste, and 50% could come from other states. Such a "permit cap" would effectively mean that waste companies could not import more waste than the state generates on its own.

Another state authority is "local needs," which would allow states and communities to deny permits to landfills that aren't needed by the host community.

ACTION ALERT

Strong pressure from the grassroots is the best way to motivate the majority in Congress to demand action! Send the message to your state's Congressional delegation that we do not want to be dumped on! Here are some= =20 ideas of how you can make an impact:

1. The Senate has already announced that the "Interstate Waste" bill will be a priority, but they've passed weak Interstate Waste bills in past years. Get in touch with your Senators, and ask them to support a strong "Interstate Waste" bill that includes the three provisions listed above. You can reach any member of Congress by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Or, better yet, get ahold of them when they're home from Washington.

2. The House is dragging its feet. Call Representative Thomas Bliley (R-VA), the House Committee Chairman, and ask him to schedule a vote o the "Interstate Waste" bill as soon as possible. His phone number is 202-225-2815.

3. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper. Follow up by asking the paper to write an editorial in support of the "Interstate Waste" bill.

4. Send press clippings to your Congressional delegation. You can write to any Representative at U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515. Write to any Senator at U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510. While you're at it, send copies to WORC, too.

5. Join WORC's "Interstate Waste" phone tree by sending us a note. You'll get regular updates on the bill, a complimentary subscription to WORC's newsletter, the Western alert whenever there's something brewing in Congress.

For more information, call Sara Kendall at (202) 547-7040.

_________________________ This email was sent by Sara Kendall, Washington, D.C. Representative Western Organization of Resource Councils 110 Maryland Avenue, NE, Suite 307 Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 547-7040 (phone) (202) 543-0978 (fax) dc@worc.org (email) http://www.worc.org

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Date: Wed, 9 Apr 97 10:03 EET From: muna@aztec.co.za Subject: China

Hi All!

Does anyone have contact details for this replacement for polystyrene products in China?

Much appreciated! Mr. Muna Lakhani CATALYST

Cellphone:082-416-9160=20 Cellfax: 082-131-416-9160 e-mail: muna@aztec.co.za 28 Currie Road - Durban - 4001 - South Africa Phone: +27-31-20-28-291

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Date: Tue, 8 Apr 1997 19:53:26 -0700 From: cdchase@qualcomm.com (Carolyn Chase) Subject: CHINA: OFFICIALS PLAN TO SEND POLYSTYRENE PACKING

CHINA: OFFICIALS PLAN TO SEND POLYSTYRENE PACKING

*18 CHINA: OFFICIALS PLAN TO SEND POLYSTYRENE PACKING Chinese officials on 3/31 announced plans to discontinue use of non-biodegradable polystyrene food containers and instead use easily-biodegradable containers made of wood pulp, according to the CHINA DAILY . Polystyrene containers take about 200 years to disintegrate, and have been widely used by the Chinese since the 1980s. The "white pollution" of polystyrene containers makes up about 4% of the country's 120 million tons of garbage annually, according to National Environmental Protection Agency Vice Director Wang Yuqing. A Beijing company has invested $3.6 million to build a production line that will create about 300 million wood pulp containers per year (Deutsche Presse-Agentur).

Greenwire 4/3/97

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Date: Wed, 09 Apr 97 00:43:42 PST From: jennie.alvernaz@sfsierra.sierraclub.org Subject: COKE ACTION PRESS RELEASE

[NOTE The Coke Action reported below was covered by network TV=20 (ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN) in Atlanta. Stay tuned for Earth Day=20 opportunities in your community!]

GRASSROOTS RECYCLING NETWORK PRESS RELEASE

EMBARGOED TO 10:45 AM, EDT APRIL 7, 1997

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Lance King: (916) 492-2924

GRASSROOTS ACTIVISTS TELL COKE THEY WANT=20 'THE REAL THING'

ATLANTA -- Recyclers and activists representing more than=20 fifty community organizations from seventeen states gathered at=20 the World of Coca-Cola Pavilion today to demand that Coke do=20 the Real Thing - Recycle! =20

The newly-formed Grassroots Recycling Network (GRN) is=20 calling upon Coca-Cola to fulfill a prior commitment to use=20 recycled content in its plastic bottles and to take responsibility=20 for the reuse and recycling of its empty containers.

"Coca-Cola made a commitment in 1990 to turn its old bottles=20 into new bottles," said Richard Anthony, steering committee=20 member of the Grassroots Recycling Network. "Seven years=20 later, Coke still isn't using recycled plastics here in the United=20 States - but Coke is using recycled plastics in New Zealand, in=20 Australia, and in Europe. And, in other countries they use=20 refillable bottles that need deposits. If Coke can do the Real=20 Thing there, why not here?"

"Ten states put a deposit on soft drink and beer containers to=20 encourage people to recycle, but here in its home state of=20 Georgia, Coca-Cola has been vigorously fighting local efforts to=20 have deposits," said Bill Sheehan, Chair of the GRN.=20

"We are calling upon Coke to take the GRN challenge," Said Eric=20 Lombardi, Executive Director of EcoCycle in Boulder, Colorado,=20 at a rally held in front of the World of Coca-Cola Pavilion=20 announcing the GRN's campaign. In a March 19th letter to=20 Chairman and CEO, Roberto C. Goizueta, the GRN asked Coca- Cola to do four things: (1) begin using recycled PET plastics=20 immediately in its plastic bottles; (2) disclose the percentage of=20 post-consumer recycled content on product labels; (3) re- establish a nationwide system of refillable containers during the=20 next 5 years; and (4) commit to reinstate deposits on all=20 containers within 18 months.

"We are now taking this campaign to the public and university=20 campuses and asking them to sign a petition calling on Coke to=20 do The Real Thing!" said Alicia Lyttle, Tulane University=20 student and GRN steering committee member. "We are looking=20 for Coca-Cola to take these steps voluntarily, just as more than=20 100 million Americans have made the voluntary commitment to=20 recycling."=20

The soft drink and beer industries generate over 130 billion=20 containers each year. Over 6 billion pounds of these containers=20 end up as garbage in landfills. The public must ultimately pay=20 the enormous economic and environmental costs of wasting=20 resources, including air and water pollution, energy and water=20 usage, loss of habitat due to mining and production, and high=20 material production and disposal costs.

"By turning these wasted materials into new products, we=20 benefit the environment and create career and entrepreneurial=20 opportunities for our poor rural communities and inner cities,=20 which need them the most," added Brenda Platt, of the Institute=20 of Local Self Reliance and member of the GRN. "On a per-ton=20 basis, recycling creates many more jobs than landfills."

The Grassroots Recycling Network is a coalition of community- based reuse, recycling, and composting activists and=20 organizations engaged in conserving our human and natural=20 resources. The GRN has been formed to give a voice to the=20 conservation ethic that more than 100 million Americans=20 express daily by recycling.=20

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Date: Wed, 09 Apr 97 00:46:53 PST From: jennie.alvernaz@sfsierra.sierraclub.org Subject: COKE Chants and Song

CHANTS

Plastic pollution ... we have a solution!

Coke ... you broke ... your promise to recycle!

You WILL ... REFILL!

SONG

It's Not the Real Thing by Tedd Ward, Alicia Culver and John Young To the approximate tune of: I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing

I'd like to buy the world a Coke In recycled PET. But even better fill it up again for you and me.

It's not the real thing=20 Coke isn't, recycling=20 Coke isn't=A7 It's not the real thing Coke isn't recycling, Coke isn't=A7.

I'd like to buy your soda sweet but not your plastic waste. Pollution of our lakes and streams has made me lose my taste.

It's not the real thing Coke promised and were listening Coke promised=A7 It's not the real thing. It's not the real thing. It's not the real thing.

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Date: Tue, 08 Apr 1997 14:05:42 -0400 From: "Blair Pollock" <bpollock@town.ci.chapel-hill.nc.us> Subject: GreenYes Digest V97 #72

> >------------------------------ > >Date: Mon, 07 Apr 1997 18:20:59 -0500 >From: "Susan K. Snow" <sksnow@1stnet.com> >Subject: co-mingling pre-sorted resources > >From a newspaper report in our area (Chatham Record, Pittsboro NC Feb 27, 1997, by Jeralie Andrews), a subsidiary of the WORLD'S LARGEST has stopped doing curbside sorting of recyclables they're contracted to collect and citizens who spotted them dumping recyclables into their rear packer trucks ("not clearly marked as recycling trucks") were informed that this subsidiary was no longer curbsorting but commingling recyclables with each other, not with waste, and then trucking the commingled recyclables to a transfer station and thence down to a merchant facility where they were sorted and sold. Said sorting facility Uwharrie Environmental, Troy NC (not to our knowledge owned by the WORLD'S LARGEST) is located at a privately-owned landfill and also operates its sort lines as a dirty MRF for other communities whose waste it accepts for landfilling.=20 >

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Date: Tue, 8 Apr 1997 17:52:39 -0400 (EDT) From: JeaDavies@aol.com Subject: just testing

just testing

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Date: Tue, 8 Apr 1997 03:39:29 -0400 From: Jonathan Sumby <nonni@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au> Subject: Paul Watson Arrested in Amsterdam

Hi, Please read the below and respond as best you can, the matter is urgent and the more people that know and get involved the better! Please cc any response to me. Thanks Jon Sumby=20 Sea Shepherd Conservation Society - Australia: Tel/Fax +61 3 9482 4668 P.O. Box 334, Clifton Hill, Victoria, 3068, Australia <nonni@ariel.its.unimelb.edu.au>

Paul Watson, president of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, co-founder of Greenpeace and one of the originators of direct action environmentalism, has been arrested in the Netherlands by order of the Norwegian Government. Norway has 20 days to request extradition. THIS IS AN URGENT APPEAL TO ACTIVISTS. What happened: -=20 * In 1992, Norway announced its intention to return to the commercial slaughter of whales despite the International Whaling Commission's ban on whaling, declared in 1986. Sea Shepherd announced that it would act to enforce the ban on whaling as well as international treaties protecting endangered wildlife.=20 * On October 4th, 1993, US President Clinton announced that he would not enforce a mandated US embargo against Norway. * On May 31st, 1994, Sea Shepherd's Paul Watson and Lisa Distefano were=20 convicted in absentia by a Norwegian court on the charge of sinking an illegal Norwegian whaing vessel dockside in 1992. No summons was issued to the defendants. Watson and Distefano offered to appear if the Norwegian=20 Government would guarantee their safety or agree to a change of venue from the Lofoten Islands district of Norway, a source of numerous death threats against them. The request was ignored and the trial was held without the defendants present. (Norway's current extradition warrant claims Watson and Distefano personally sank the vessel, but the Lofoten District Court Record notes, "the two accused were not in the country and could not take direct part.").=20 * In July 1994, off the northern coast of Norway, the Sea Shepherd whale conservation vessel Whales Forever was rammed by the Norwegian coastguard, fired on twice and four depth charges were detonated under the hull by Norwegian commandos. Norway accused Watson of ramming their vessel. They failed to serve papers on the charges and abandoned the case in October 1996. * Last year Norway's pro-whaling Prime Minister formally handed over the reins of power to her successor, Tor Jageland. For the last several months the High North Alliance, a Scandanavian wise-use group, has been steadily lobbying the Norwegian Government to extradite and gaol Watson and Distefano. This is an election year in Norway and the un-elected Prime Minister Jageland desperately needs the support of the politically powerful northern coastal districts - home of the whaling industry. * On March 31st, while supervising the transfer of a Sea Shepherd ship in preperation for a campaign against illegal driftnetiing in the Mediterranean, Paul Watson was arrested by harbour police in the German port of Bremerhaven acting on Norway's Interpol warrant. German authorities chose not to extradite him and he was released. Three days later, Paul was arrested again by Dutch police in Amsterdam. At a preliminary hearing held on the 3rd of April, Judge Toeter of the Haarlem District Court ordered Paul Watson to be held for 20 days to allow Norway to make an extradition request. * DO NOT MISTAKE IT:-=20 IF PAUL WATSON IS EXTRADITED TO NORWAY HE WILL DIE IN PRISON.=20 Norway is going after the only real threat to their plans for a vastly increased whale slaughter. Their stockpile of Minke blubber is enormous, they are trying to change CITES regulations so they can export it. They want the pressure taken off. They want Paul Watson and Sea Shepherd gone forever. Paul Watson has been getting direct death threats from Norwegians and Norway will not guarantee his safety inside Norway.

WE MUST NOT LET THIS HAPPEN=20 Help by immediately calling, faxing or writing to the following and ask them please; Do Not Allow Paul Watson To Be Extradited To Norway! * Send to; Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Tel: +31 70 348 = =20 4196, Fax: +31 70 348 5559, Bezuidenhoutseug 67, 2594AC The Hague. = =20 Airmail to The Hague! * Write to Paul Watson, Penitentiaire Inrichting Lelystad, Larserdreef = =20 300, 8233HB Lolystad, The Netherlands. * Contact your nearest Netherlands Consulate and ask for Paul's release and to relay your message to the Netherlands...time is crucial! * Please try and spare some money for his defence, send to:- Sea = =20 Shepherd Conservation Society, P.O. Box 334 Clifton Hill, Victoria, = =20 3068, Australia. Tel/fax 03 9482 4668 * Inform Sea Shepherd Headquaters in the USA, (tel +1 310 301 7325/=20 fax +1 310 574 3161) asap if you have any way of putting pressure on = =20 the Dutch. * Call or fax your local MP and anybody of influence you think might = =20 help, write to your local paper and forward any result to Sea Shepherd asap.

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End of GreenYes Digest V97 #73 ******************************