Today's Topics:
ACTION NEEDED: PETITION TO END COMMERCIAL LOGGING ON NATIONAL FORESTS
are yellow plastic bags always made with cadmium for color
Composting Information
New Orleans Buy Recycled Conference
NRC Elections
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Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 09:58:15 -0500
From: "Susan K. Snow" <sksnow@1stnet.com>
Subject: ACTION NEEDED: PETITION TO END COMMERCIAL LOGGING ON NATIONAL FORESTS
I am posted this for a friend. Please help!
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ACTION NEEDED:
PETITION TO END COMMERCIAL LOGGING ON NATIONAL FORESTS
To the United States Congress: America's National Forests came into
being 100 years ago as a perpetual national asset and legacy. These
precious natural treasures clean our air and water; provide habitat for
hundreds of thousands of species of plants and animals; protect our soil
and prevent landslides; offer endless opportunities for recreation and
spiritual reneal; and enhance our economy with tourist and other
nonextractive industries.
Yet, the National Forests have been managed primarily for industrial
logging. This short-term priority has been responsible for destroying
millennia-old ecosystems; continues to silt up thousands of miles of
streams; costs taxpayers billions of dollars; and endangers the lives
and damages the property of countless numbers of people.
Our nation cannot afford the continuing degreadation of our National
Forests, nor do we citizens wish that our taxes support such
exploitation. Please support legislation to End Commercial Logging on
National Forests.
Name Address
Phone/Email
Please return to: North Group Sierra Club, P.O. Box 238, Arcata, CA
95518
John A. Keslick Jr.---Tree Anatomist & Tree Biologist.-
End Commercial Logging on Federal Lands
Organic Tree Treatment Web Site:
http://www.pond.com/~treeman
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Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 14:42:16 -0500
From: "Susan K. Snow" <sksnow@1stnet.com>
Subject: are yellow plastic bags always made with cadmium for color
Blair,
I don't know if yellow plastic bags ALWAYS contain cadmium. Some may
also contain lead.
According to the USEPA publication, CHARACTERIZATION OF PRODUCTS
CONTAINING LEAD AND CADMIUM IN MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE IN THE UNITED
STATES, 1970 to 2000, published 1989: **Plastics continue to be an
important source of cadmium in MSW, contributing 28 percent of dicards
in 1986. Cadmium is used in stabilizers in polyvinyl chloride resins and
in pigments in a wide variety of plastic resins. Cadmium is found in
nonfood packaging, footwear, housewares, records, furniture, and other
plastic products.**
**Pigments are used in printing inks, textile dyes, and paints may
contain cadmium compounds although this is not a large source of cadmium
in MSW (about 4 percent of total).** page 7 [Executive Summary and
Chapter 1, Lead and Cadmium in Municipal Solid Waste: Overview and
Summary.
**Plastics have ranked econd only to household batteries as a source of
cadmium in MSW since 1980. Like lead, cadmium is used as a stabilizer to
polyvinyl chloride resin and as a pigment in a variety of resins.**
In the paper, PRESENTATION TO THE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE OF THE CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE OF GREATER KANSAS CITY, June 22, 1988, THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND
FINCICIAL RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED WHEELABRATOR/KCP&L TRASH
INCINERATOR; RECYCLING AS THE BASIS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, author
Craig Volland, President of Spectrum Technologists, has a chart
identifying colorants. It says cadmium sulfoselenide (orange), cadmium
mercury (maroon, red, orange); cadmium sulfide (orange, yellow).
However, other heavy metals can also make yellow.
I have read someplace, not sure where, that the yellow bag which contain
infectious medical wastes make up a high amount of cadmium. But whether
or not they always contain cadmium, I know not.
Pulling cadmium out by recycling, means less cadmium will be released in
an incinerator or a landfill. However, it does not eliminate cadmium in
the environment. Cadmium can still be released in the recycling process
and/or by mixed waste or co-composting measures.
I cannot recall if either paper in its entirety has the cradle to grave
tracking record of cadmium. I have the full report of the
'CHARACTERIZATION OF PRODUCTS CONTAINING CADMIUM AND LEAD IN MUNICIPAL
SOLID WASTE...' on microfische.
You can read more about cadmium, in general at:
gopher://ecosys.drdr.Virginia.EDU:70/00/library/gen/toxics/Cadmium
**Lead is present as a pigment and as a stiffening and strengthening
agent in many plastic items, especially those made of PVC (polyvinyl
chloride). For example, the red bags themselves, in which "red bag"
medical wastes are packaged, is colored red by a lead compound. Lead is
also present in yellow bags for collecting soiled linens, yellow
bedpans, and yellow tops of urine containers. In plastics, a bright
color (yellow, orange, red, purple) is often an indication of a toxic
metal (cadmium or lead).**
http://www.envirolink.org/pubs/rachel/rhwn179.htm
The federal [U.S.] government standards for Clean Water Act section 503
<High Quality> Sludges/Sludge Composts (also known as biosolids) in
mg/kg weight follows; the second number is the CWA 503 Ceiling
Concentrations:
cadmium 39 - 85
lead 300 - 800
Code of Federal Regulations for Part 503 (sewage sludge), Chapter 40 at
http://chagrin.epa.ohio.gov/programs/sludge/503.html
Susan Snow
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> Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 10:48:02 -0400
> From: "Blair Pollock" <bpollock@town.ci.chapel-hill.nc.us>
> Subject: are yellow plastic bags always made with cadmium for color
>
> One of our local newspapers just started placing their paper in a
> translucent yellow plastic bag. Does anyone know if yellow (and orange)
> plastic bags always contain cadmium as the colorant? If so can you describe,
> or tell me where to get more info about cadmium toxicity/pathways from the
> mining through disposal/recycling. Thanks
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Date: Thu, 28 Aug 97 22:24:21 -0800
From: westin@inreach.com
Subject: Composting Information
Dear environmental enthusiasts,
I apologize now for any cross-postings.
This is the first in what will probably be a long series of requests for
information this year. As I have mentioned, I am creating an
environmental web site with two other teens. I am personally beginning
my research with composting. I will then move on to other forms and
areas of recycling. If you have any information on composting, or know
of any good sources, please let me know. If you want to simply send me
the URL of a site to look at, that's great. If you want to write a piece
about some aspect of composting, that's also great.
I'm looking for a wide variety of information on composting. I have been
working on increasing my understanding of composting, but I haven't
really begun heavy research. Anything from a general summary of the
process of composting or why we should compost to a detailed analysis of
the chemical process involved would be something that I am interested in.
I want to hear the positive and negative, the suggestions, the
possibilities, anything. One thing in particular I am curious about now
is the history of composting. One web site mentioned that composting was
mentioned in the Bible and that it originated about 2000 years ago, but
I'm looking for more than this. Who probably thought of composting?
Where did it originate? Which country was the first to implement a
national composting program? Etc. etc. etc.
Thank you SO much in advance. I really appreciate those of you who take
the time to help students like me learn about the environment. If I am
ever in a position to return the favor, be sure that I will.
I apologize for adding yet another piece of mail to your already
overflowing mailboxes. I also apologize for the lack of structure and
correct grammar and things of that sort in this email - it was written
very late at night.
Greg Westin
westin@inreach.com
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Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 16:14:16 -0500
From: "Rogers, John" <john_r@deq.state.la.us>
Subject: New Orleans Buy Recycled Conference
The Louisiana Recycling Organization in partnership with the
City of New Orleans, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
and the Louisiana Chapter of the National Institute of Governmental
Purchasers is sponsoring a buy recycled conference, "Recycling: The Next
Step" in New Orleans, September 3-5, 1997. The Conference is being held
at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The conference fee is only $125 for NRC/SRO
and NIGP members. A special hotel rate of $80.00 (single) and $100
(double) per night plus tax is still available.
To have a brochure faxed to you call: (504) 765-0249
For more information call Michele Enright: (504) 825-5135
For Hyatt Reservations call: (504) 561-1234
Exhibitor booth space still available.
John Rogers
Recycling Coordinator
La. Department of Environmental Quality
(504) 765-0249
john_r@deq.state.la.us
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Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 19:40:41 -0400 (EDT)
From: CRRA@aol.com
Subject: NRC Elections
Steve Suess, CRRA's Liaison to the National Recycling Coalition, is preparing
a survey to send to NRC Board candidates tomorrow. He will be formulating
questions regarding their positions on CRRA's Agenda for the New Millenium
policy issues which were recently adopted in principle by our members. That
Agenda calls for Zero Waste as our goal, Ending Corporate Welfare for Wasting
and Jumpstarting Jobs with Design and Discards.
If you have any suggestions for questions that we should ask NRC Board
candidates, please email those to me and Stevesuess@aol.com immediately.
If you are asked for recommendations by NRC members on who to vote for and
want to consider the results of our survey when it is done (end of next
week), we will post our survey results on the CRRA and GreenYes listserves
when completed. If you would like to consider NRC Board candidates positions
on Zero Waste, etc.we would encourage you to get proxies from your friends
that are NRC members that cannot attend the NRC Congress for you to vote them
at NRC, or you could have them send proxies to Steve Suess or me if you'd
like. Our addresses are:
Steve Suess
The Plactory
986 Tower Place
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
Gary Liss
CRRA
4395 Gold Trail Way
Loomis, CA 95650
Thanks for your support of Zero Waste at the NRC!
Gary Liss
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End of GreenYes Digest V97 #209
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