Regional Roundup :: BioCycle, Advancing Composting, Organics Recycling & Renewable Energy

Regional Roundup

BioCycle August 2004, Vol. 45, No. 8, p. 18

Sun Valley, Idaho
JULY "WINE AUCTION PICNIC" IS FIRST
WASTE-FREE EVENT IN IDAHO
With help from the Environmental Resource Center (ERC), the Sun Valley Center for the Arts planned a waste-free Wine Auction Picnic for late July. Compostable table settings were purchased; paper plates and napkins — along with food scraps — were collected by Cedar Grove Composting near Seattle, Washington and processed at its site there. "I have always been intrigued to see if we could further help recycling in Blaine County," said Steve Banchero, CEO of Cedar Grove and part-time Sun Valley resident. He also pointed out that the picnic "is an opportunity to explore feasibility of similar composting projects in Sun Valley."
The ERC sparked the idea. "We recycle at all events during the summer," says Vanessa Fry, ERC development director, "but plastic cups continuously generated an excessive amount of waste." When ERC approached the staff of the Arts Center, they responded with enthusiasm. About 1,500 people attend the picnic, so the logistics were challenging.

The ERC and Center recycled glass, corks, water bottles and cardboard waste generated during the picnic. Clear Creek Disposal hauled the glass, plastic and cardboard to recycling facilities, while the Center plans to reuse the corks for art projects. Last year, reports the Idaho Mountain Express, ERC recycled 505 gallons of glass and 29 gallons of plastic from the picnic. Sums up the Express: "The ERC hopes the waste-free picnic will launch greater awareness and recycling efforts in the Valley,"
On July 28th, after the Wine Auction Picnic was held and all compostable feedstocks were safely transported to the Cedar Grove site, managers there reported that the materials were in the decomposition process and a full-fledged quality compost product "will be ready for use in 60 days."

Davis, California
CALCULATING AIR POLLUTION FROM COWS
Researchers at the University of California, Davis are trying to calculate how much air pollution is generated by cows. To measure pollution, the cows will be housed in "bovine bubbles" so emissions can be measured outside. California regulations are cracking down on air pollution caused by livestock. But dairy farmers as well as researchers say the data on how much pollution a cow produces dates back to a study done in 1938. Numbers from that study indicate that cows in California will soon be emitting more air pollution than passenger cars.
UC Davis researcher Frank Mitloehner says that statistic is ridiculous. "Because that study is being used, the dairy industry is the second largest polluter in California right now," Mitloehner said. Mitloehner says the older science is wrong, and he’s created the bovine bubbles to prove it. In each of the airtight pens are 10 Holstein cows. Air goes in from one location and is tested on the way out. One pen is set up just like any dairy operation, with nothing to control dust on the ground. The other three pens have different treatments on each floor to handle waste products. One uses rice straw. "The feces stays on top, and the urine goes to the bottom. Urine and feces, if they don’t mix, ammonia is not formed. Ammonia is formed when urine and feces mix," Mitloehner explains.
Mitloehner expects that the closely monitored biobubbles will gauge the correct amount of pollution created by dairy cows and help discover ways to reduce emissions. The current experiment will last eight months, after which researchers will study how a cow’s feed affects emissions.

Brown County, Wisconsin
COMPOSTING STUDY TO EVALUATE MANURE AND
BIOSOLIDS FOR ENERGY AND FERTILIZER
A three-month, $100,000 feasibility study will evaluate the economics of converting waste residuals of the dairy industry and biosolids from the Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District into compost and energy. The study is sponsored by the Brown County Regional Composting Initiative which includes Packerland Packing Company, Anamax Corporation, Schreiber Foods Inc., Brown County Land Conservation, Environmental Defense and the Wisconsin Public Service Foundation.

According to Brad Holtz of the Brown County Land Conservation District, consultants to be involved in the study are Harvey Economics of Denver, Colorado; STS Consultants of Green Bay; and Synagro Technologies of Houston, Texas. Based on information in a news release issued in early July, consultants will be looking at the "feasibility of one or more large-scale compost centers that could create a marketable product from manure and other organic feedstocks." The report is expected to be completed in mid-October, 2004.
There are approximately 104,000 cattle in Brown County, generating about 170,000 tons of manure annually. "It takes three acres of land to accommodate the waste of each animal." However, the release continues, Brown County has only about 156,500 acres suitable for land application. Even that number is said to be diminishing "because of suburban growth as well as federal and state standards taking effect in 2005 that will make land application more difficult and more expensive."
In Brown County, notes the Land Conservation District, 25 to 30 percent of farmland may be facing some significant restrictions with regard to land application. Meanwhile phosphates and nitrates in livestock waste, local officials point out, are a primary threat to local water quality. Plus they warn that groundwater nitrate can result from over application of animal waste.

Saline, Michigan
BOOK PRINTER USES METHODS THAT PROTECT
WATER QUALITY, REDUCE POLLUTANTS AND BOOST RECYCLABLES
McNaughton & Gunn is the first printer in Michigan to be recognized for environmentally friendly practices by the Michigan Great Printers Project, a statewide program to promote pollution prevention in the printing industry. Over a ten-year period, while the company experienced 40 percent growth, the firm decreased landfill waste from 1,660 cubic yards to 120 cubic yards. Specific initiatives include the following:
Eliminated use of 20,000 pounds of isopropyl alcohol annually in the dampening systems on all presses; Replaced chemical additive processes with aqueous subtractive plates on all presses; Modified film processors to reduce amount of wash water used and increase amount of silver recovered; Recycled aluminum printing plates; Use a Cyclone Scrap Removal System which picks up paper waste and trimmings for transport to baling room where it goes to paper mill for recycling; Return scrap pallets to manufacturer for refurbishing and reuse; Going directly from computer to plate, thereby reducing film being used; Use of vegetable or soy based inks.
As an example of its continual search to "fulfill its environmental commitment," McNaughton & Gunn executives cite the example of switching to a reusable absorbent product to soak up oil around their printing presses: "Rather than throw away the saturated materials, an industrial laundry company gathers the soiled product, launders it and returns it to the plant for reuse. These products can withstand 40 to 70 launderings, thus reducing the amount of waste generated. In addition, the laundering company has the ability to trap potential contaminants and reroute them away from landfills and sewer systems while oil is captured and sold as usable fuel.

Portland, Oregon
METRO LAUNCHES FOOD DONATION PROJECT CALLED "FORK IT OVER!"

"We launched our new food donation initiative called ‘Fork It Over!’ and hope that this new effort will really institutionalize donation of prepared foods before we launch our composting program," emails Jennifer Erickson, Senior Planner with Portland Metro’s Waste Reduction & Outreach Office. Metro is working with area businesses to make sure good food gets to people who need it. The web site — www.ForkItOver.org — provides detailed information for donors and lists of participating businesses for customer reference. Many food industry professionals are not aware that Good Samaritan laws protect them from liability in donating, or that food rescue agencies are available to pick up leftover food.
Waste audits show that about 360 million pounds of food go to a landfill each year from the Metro region; half of this food could have been directed instead to food banks, because there is an established system to collect and redistribute donated food. Food waste is the single largest category of MSW being disposed of in Oregon, amounting to 15.6 percent of the total.
Concerning composting developments, Metro has completed its preliminary review of proposals received and is beginning discussions with the top ranked firm, Cedar Grove Composting. "The company has committed to developing a local facility once we reach a certain tonnage threshold. Goal is to start the program January 1, 2005," notes Erickson.

Glastonbury, England
MUSIC FESTIVAL WILL HEAR A COMPOSTING TUNE
This year’s Glastonbury music festival in the United Kingdom will introduce composting to increase its recycling rates, reports the Summer 2004 issue
of Composting News, published by the UK Composting Association. Glastonbury’s 1,000 voluntary litter collectors will also be given the added task of picking up compostable rubbish, as well as the usual cans and bottles. Clear corn starch biodegradable bags have been introduced to the festival this year for collecting compostable materials. Food traders will be banned from serving meals in the typical polystyrene plates and have been instructed to buy their disposable packaging from a single supplier of biodegradable containers. All food traders will also receive training in waste separation from the CCN volunteers.
Once collected, the bags of compostables will be visually inspected by the CCN volunteers before being bulked up and transported to one of two local composters where they will be composted using an in-vessel system.

Stallings, North Carolina
RECYCLING COMPANY GETS GRANT TO
TURN SHREDDED CARPET INTO "LANDSCAPE STONES"
The Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) awarded Blue Ridge Recycling a $23,250 grant to help develop a landscaping-type stepping stone product from shredded postconsumer carpet using a compounder and compression molding technique. The compounder is a patented technology designed to batch feed a variety of recycled plastics to make new products. "The supply of postconsumer carpet needed to manufacture stepping stones at just one location could be between 3,000 and 4,000 tons/year. Multiply that by 10 or even 50 locations and the potential to divert carpet from landfills can be enormous," says Robert Gleaves of Blue Ridge Recycling.

According to Matt Ewadinger, manager of North Carolina’s Recycling Business Assistance Center, Gleaves and his partner, Monty Thompson, got their start in carpet recycling in 1998 collecting materials from carpet retail stores in the Charlotte area. In early 2000, the partners were collecting more than 300 tons/month until a plant in Augusta, Georgia closed. As new markets develop, the partners predict increased production for their molding operation.

Seattle, Washington
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND RETAILER LAUNCH NATION’S
FIRST TV RECYCLING PROGRAM
King County, Snohomish County, Pierce County, Seattle, Tacoma and the federal Environmental Protection Agency teamed up with a retailer called Good Guys and six electronics manufacturers to collect and recycle TVs for a 30-day period last month. In the nation’s first month-long program to be offered by a large TV retailer, old sets could be taken to stores for recycling.
Northwest Washington residents will generate more than one million units of obsolete electronics in 2005, including 463,000 televisions. The TV sets contain hazardous materials like lead, cadmium and mercury, which can contaminate air, land and water if not properly disposed.
"Recycling old electronics can help us coerve valuable resources and protect our environment," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "Disposing properly of the hazardous materials in electronics is crucial to protecting our air, land and water and reusing the valuable resources inside helps conserve resources."
"Pierce County has been working hard to clean up illegal dumpsites and improve the livability of our communities. All too often we are finding old televisions illegally dumped on private properties, along roads, and adjacent to fish habitat. We are pleased to participate in this regional partnership to put old televisions where they belong in the recycling system," said Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg.
To help consumers properly dispose of old televisions, local Good Guys stores and participating manufacturers offered a four-week pilot that will subsidized the cost of recycling by 50 percent. Good Guys stores accepted TVs made by any manufacturer for a $10 recycling fee; $25 for consoles. Consumers received a 10 percent discount on the purchase of any television sold by participating manufacturers: JVC, Phillips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp and Sony. (Recycling TVs through current local government and business programs costs up to $50 per unit.)
People can recycle their electronics year-round through the Take It Back Network created by King and Snohomish Counties to help residents and businesses find environmentally sound recyclers. The network is a group of local organizations and businesses that provide reuse and recycling services for all types of electronic products including computers, peripherals, TVs and household electronics.
Local governments and environmental organizations have also brought electronics recycling to the state level as they seek long-term solutions. Earlier this year, the state legislature passed a bill requiring the Department of Ecology to conduct research and develop recommendations for implementing and financing a collection, recycling, and reuse program for electronic products. Reports are due to the legislature in December 2004 and December 2005.

Athens, Georgia
COMPOST FACILITY TRAINING WORKSHOP SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER
The annual Compost Facility Training Workshop at the University of Georgia’s Bioconversion Research & Edu- cation site will be held October 12—14, 2004. Workshop includes classroom lectures, laboratory demonstrations and field training with large-scale windrows. A marketing course will also be taught. Visit the web site: www.georgiatp.org/compost or call Jason Governo (706) 542-6119 for registration details.