United States Environmental Protection Agency Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5305W) EPA530-N-98-008 Fall 1998 www.epa.gov REUSABLE NEWS READY, SET, BUY RECYCLED! Mark your calendars! The second annual America Recycles Day (ARD) is just around the corner! This year's event will be held on Sunday, November 15, 1998, and will again encourage people across the nation to buy recycled-content products. So far, 44 states, along with Washington, DC; Puerto Rico; and the U.S. Virgin Islands, have registered to participate in the nationwide event and are planning an estimated 5,000 local recycling activities. Even Vice President Gore is part of the action, serving, yet again, as the honorary chairman of this important day. Organizers hope to collect more than 1 million pledges from American citizens to buy recycled. With each pledge, individuals are automatically registered to win an American Green Dream House (see related article on page 8). Individuals 18 or younger can register to win a family vacation package to Walt Disney World. EPA is a premier sponsor of the event, along with a host of other public and private entities. To make your pledge or for more information, visit the ARD Web site at . You also can contact Steve Roberts of Tuerff-Davis EnviroMedia at 512 476-4368. BUILDING THE ECONOMY WITH JTR RESOURCES Is there a connection between jobs and recycling? According to EPA's Jobs Through Recycling (JTR) program, the answer is a resounding yes. In fact, EPA's 1994 JTR grantees alone have made a significant impact on their local and regional economy--creating nearly 2,500 new jobs and leveraging more than $329 million in new investment for recycling businesses. To build on this success, EPA recently awarded three-quarters of a million dollars in grants for fiscal year 1998 to six states and one multistate organization. The recipients will use their grants to work with businesses that process or manufacture recycled materials and end-products. Along the way, grantees will create more new jobs and expand the tonnage of recycled materials used. The seven 1998 JTR grantees are Arizona, Arkansas, California, Massachusetts, Missouri, North Carolina, and the Mid-Atlantic Council of Recycling Officials (MACRO). Projects range from developing and improving state recycling markets and collection infrastructures to organizing a recycling investment forum and creating a self-sustaining fund for recycling businesses. ************************************************************ Results of 1994 JTR Grants Full-Time Equivalents: 2,467 jobs Capital Invested: $329.8 million Volume of New Capacity Created: 3,596,150 tons per year Volume of Secondary Materials Processed/Manufactured: 1,340,287 tons per year Companies Assisted: 1,952 businesses ************************************************************ "While grants remain a very important part of our program," says Acting JTR Team Leader Ken Sandler, "JTR has entered an exciting new phase in which we are providing a wide menu of support and assistance to the market development community." In addition to grants, the JTR program promotes the following resources to states and organizations: * JTRnet list server, a valuable source of market development information and tips. * JTR Web site (moved to on August 29, 2008), which includes market development links to all 50 states and many other market development resources. * JTR toolkit (currently in draft), which will include publications, such as the JTR Annotated Resource Bibliography, MarketShare, grantee fact sheets, and other useful resources. * JTR meetings, such as this year's Market Development Roundtable, which brought together nearly 70 officials representing 35 states to trade market development information and experiences. See the Resources section for more details on some of these resources. For further information about the JTR program, contact Ken Sandler of EPA at 703 308-7255. TRIBAL PROGRAM BUILDS PARTNERSHIPS, LENDS SUPPORT Native American tribes throughout the country face many of the same solid waste challenges as state and local governments. Additionally, tribe location, culture, and available resources often make solid waste management in Indian Country a more challenging prospect. Against this backdrop, EPA's Municipal Solid Waste Tribal Program was established to help tribes implement the best disposal, reduction, recycling, and composting programs for their particular needs. Through technical assistance, grant funding, and education and outreach materials, the program develops tribal MSW management capacity, strengthens tribal organizational infrastructure, and builds partnerships among tribal, state, and local governments. EPA's tribal program offers the following resources: * Native American Network Newsletter: This quarterly publication features articles on tribal waste management programs, information about important laws, tips for obtaining funding, and updates on conferences and publications. * Grant Resources for Solid Waste Activities in Indian Country (EPA530-R-98-014): In addition to its abundant list of federal and private grant resources, this publication describes the elements of a strong grant proposal and offers writing suggestions. * Publications on Solid Waste Management in Indian Country (EPA530-B-98-004): This compendium offers an updated and complete list of all tribal program publications. * Tribal Program Web Site: For the latest information on EPA's tribal program, visit for MSW program financing information, regulations and guidance, resources, federal news and activities, and links to other related sites. AN ENCORE FOR IRON EYES April 22, 1998, not only marked the 28th anniversary celebration of Earth Day, but also the return of a familiar face from the 1970s environmental movement. On that day, Keep America Beautiful, Inc. (KAB), recalled from retirement the image of "Iron Eyes Cody," the Native American whose teary eyes helped raise awareness of litter prevention to a new level in the 1970s. Despite the progress made in environmental protection over the past 30 years, litter still remains an expensive problem for many cities. In fact, many larger cities, such as New York, Houston, and San Francisco, are taking litter even more seriously today, speculating there is a strong relationship between a badly littered neighborhood and a crime-ridden one. For this reason, KAB launched a new 30-second public service announcement (P.A.) with Iron Eyes as part of its "Back By Popular Neglect" litter prevention and awareness campaign. The new P.A., designed to invoke the same positive response it did almost 30 years ago, has Iron Eyes shedding a tear at the sight of people leaving litter scattered behind them at a bus stop. Like its predecessor, the new P.A. enjoyed wide media coverage on its inauguration. The spot was carried by several major television networks and their affiliate stations around the country, airing locally in several dozen major media markets. The new P.A. was also the subject of dozens of newspaper articles including a story in the business section of The New York Times. KAB hopes the 1990s version will create a memorable impression on a new generation of Americans. As a complement to the P.A., KAB is working with the U.S. Conference of Mayors on a major urban litter study that will conduct research and provide resources to cities nationwide. KAB is a nonprofit educational organization founded in 1953 with 21 statewide affiliates and 459 community-based programs supported by 100 of America's leading businesses and corporations. For more information regarding the P.A. or KAB, contact Walt Amacker or Mara Neville of KAB at 203 323-8987, or visit the KAB Web site at . HOPI TRIBE PRESERVES CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT As you travel across Route 66 through northwestern Arizona, you'll find miles of low altitude deserts surrounded by colorful rock formations and breathtaking mesas. You also will reach the home of the Hopi Indian Tribe, a historic Native American settlement, and its flourishing new recycling business. In 1996, the Hopi Tribe established Gentle Rain Designs, a unique clothing manufacturing company. Now in its second year of operation, the company creates and sells garments featuring cultural designs made of fleece fabric produced from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET)--giving a second life to hundreds of recovered soda bottles. The Hopi Tribe is just the latest example of how more and more tribes are turning to recycling to achieve economic and employment growth while preserving their culture and the environment. The Hopi tribal company has enjoyed significant success selling its products at Native American events, art shows, outdoor retailer shows, and recycled-content products trade shows. Since its inception, Gentle Rain has grown rapidly, marketing outside the reservation and expanding its labor force. So, what are the secrets of the tribe's success? First, the tribe researched the history of business and employment opportunities on the reservation. It discovered that two similar tribe-supported ventures failed due to long commutes off the reservation and neglect of cultural and ceremonial responsibilities. Gentle Rain's founders took this into consideration, deciding to produce the clothes on the reservation and combining Hopi art patterns with other Native American designs. As a key step, they also researched the potential market for their garments, finding a real interest in the distinctive products. Plus, the business serves as the perfect complement to the tribe's successful recycling program, which collects a range of materials including plastics. With its marketing strategy in the works, Gentle Rain Designs focused on its other goals of employment opportunities and economic growth. Organized under the Hopi Foundation, a local organization fostering "self-reliance, self-sufficiency, and a sense of pride," the company obtained funding to get the business off the ground. A $16,000 startup grant from the Arizona Department of Commerce provided training for home-sewing operations. By working at home, tribal employees are now earning and spending their salaries on the reservation. This opportunity also allows workers to set their own schedules and make time for family and cultural events. The tribal company continues to grow. Gentle Rain Designs recently partnered with several groups, receiving support from the Grand Canyon Trust, the First Nations Development Institute, and the Arizona Community Foundation. Interest in the garments has boosted production, which the tribe believes will lead to more employment opportunities, a true measure of the company's success. Gentle Rain Designs believes it can serve as a viable model for other tribes across the United States who are searching for practical solutions to similar problems. For more information about the company, contact Carey Shanks, one of the founders of Gentle Rain Designs, at 520 734-9535. Visit and click on "Sustaining Partnerships" to see some of Gentle Rain's products. If you would like more information about how tribes can achieve recycling and solid waste management goals, contact Beverly Goldblatt of EPA's MSW Tribal Program at 703 308-7278, or visit the program's Web site at . ************************************************************ More and more tribes are turning to recycling to achieve economic and employment growth while preserving their culture and the environment. ************************************************************ BUILDING BRIDGES WITH RECOVERED PLASTIC At first glance, the new 25-foot-long pedestrian bridge in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, looks like any other, with its solid and sturdy structure and attractive design. A closer look, however, reveals a unique characteristic. It's constructed from plastic lumber using more than 13,000 pounds of recovered plastic. That translates into more than 77,800 1-gallon milk jugs and 335,000 8-ounce polystyrene cups. In addition, while larger sized structures have been built using recycled plastic lumber, none have been built with the structural capacity of this bridge. It can hold more than 30 tons over the entire bridge. The U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories (CERL) constructed the bridge in partnership with Rutgers University, the Plastic Lumber Trade Association, several plastic lumber manufacturers, and EPA. For more information on the project, call Richard Lampo of CERL at 217 373-6765. A CAPITAL PROGRAM: DC RESUMES RECYCLING Washington, DC, has renewed its commitment to residential recycling by signing a 2-year contract to reinstate its residential collection program. According to city officials, the new program offers enhanced features designed to make it easier for residents to participate. Beginning October 19, 1998, more than 102,000 households in the nation's capital began receiving weekly curbside and alley collection of mixed paper, glass, aluminum, and plastic containers. DC's previous recycling efforts, suspended since 1997 due to a lack of funds, offered only curb-side service on a limited biweekly basis. Now, District residents can conveniently place their recyclables in new bins at the same time and location their trash is collected--either in the alley or at the curb. "We have created a program that actually makes recycling easier to do," said Dr. Camille C. Barnett, DC's chief management officer. "By making recycling and trash collection sites identical, we expect more people than ever to recycle." This improved effort is part of an overall commitment by DC officials to make recycling into a "baseline service" for District residents, the same way it provides regular garbage collection. "DC officials believe this is an important service for our residents, so we will budget for it as we would any other service," said Ken Laden, chief of environmental policy for DC's Department of Public Works. DC has budgeted $7 million for recycling into its general fund for 2 years. "At this level of commitment, recycling will be less likely to be cut from the budget in the future," Laden said. Another reason why it will continue is the District's new approach toward recycling markets. "The previous recycling programs were very market-dependent," Laden said. "We were in a position where the markets couldn't support the cost of the program, and we had not allocated enough funds in the solid waste budget to pay recycling program costs. Now, we are not expecting the markets to carry the burden of program costs." DC will still receive revenues for recyclable materials, but only if the prices rise above a specified floor. For more information on the program, call the DC Recycling Office at 202 727-4600. ORGANIZATION REDOUBLES REUSE EFFORTS Looking for low-cost construction materials? Have extra art supplies to donate? Organizations across the country are finding ways to divert these and other valuable materials from the waste stream through a variety of reuse programs. Although many of these items might not have a high price on the open market, they offer considerable value to the people who reuse them. To help reuse organizations increase and replicate their efforts, EPA has awarded a grant to the Reuse Development Organization (ReDO), a nonprofit information resource network for reuse programs across the country. "People wanted a resource where they could go for specific information on reuse--and they didn't want to reinvent the wheel," said ReDO Board President Tom Kacandes of the New York State Office of Recycling Market Development (NYSORMD). ReDO evolved from a conference convened by NYSORMD in 1995 and has been incorporated for nearly 2 years. This fall, ReDO hired Julie Rhodes, a former recycling official with the Indiana Department of Commerce, as its first executive director. "Although it sits at the top of the solid waste management hierarchy, reuse has received limited resources and attention to date," Rhodes said. "ReDO's goal is to increase the level of awareness of reuse options to support community, business, and individual environmental and social objectives." ReDO will provide a forum for reuse organizations nationwide to share information, learn from each others' experiences, and promote new initiatives to help divert valuable items from the solid waste stream. EPA's grant will help ReDO develop a database of reuse pro-grams, publish a newsletter, launch a Web site, and already helped organize conference sessions on reuse at the National Recycling Coalition's Annual Congress & Exposition in September 1998. Through ReDO, organizations will be able to share information on topics unique to reuse programs, such as issues related to inventory, storage, liability, and taxes. Communities or organizations interested in starting a reuse program will be able to contact ReDO for guidance and learn from experienced program operators. Businesses also can use the network to find homes for materials that would otherwise wind up in the waste stream. For more information, contact Marie Boucher of EPA at 703 308-8754 or or Julie Rhodes of ReDO at 317 631-5395. SUCCESSFUL REUSE PROGRAMS Successful reuse programs are diverting thousands of tons of materials from the waste stream. Following are several ReDO members that demonstrate the various ways reuse can work: * Urban Ore: Started as a salvage operation at a landfill in Berkeley, California, this retail business has grown to a 3,500 ton-per-year operation, reclaiming and selling building materials, electronics, books, records, and other household and commercial goods. * Materials for the Arts (MFA): A joint program of several New York City government offices, MFA collects unwanted art and office supplies from businesses and individuals for use by non-profit cultural groups and schools. * The Surplus Exchange: This organization has grown from a garage operation to a successful retail venture in Kansas City, Missouri. Local businesses, institutions, and individuals donate furniture, electronics, and other items, and 1,200 nonprofit members buy them at reduced prices. * Maryland Food Bank: The second food bank established in the nation, this nonprofit organization salvages more than 12 million pounds per year of unsaleable grocery products from industry and individuals and distributes it to food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters across Maryland. * Millennium Exchange: This privately owned and operated materials exchange system links thousands of buyers and sellers of reusable goods, raw materials, and chemicals across the country via the Internet and faxes. FOCUS ON MARKET DEVELOPMENT JTR Funds Recycling Economic Information Project Economic information is key to the success of any industry or business, but is particularly important for an expanding industry such as recycling. With this in mind, the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) and the Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) have begun the Recycling Economic Information Project . EPA is providing a total of $210,000 in JTR grants to NRC and NERC to develop economic information on 45 different categories of recycling and reuse businesses throughout the nation. "We have high hopes for the Recycling Economic Information Project," said Edward Boisson, executive director of NERC. "This project is intended to provide potential financiers and industry advocates with basic information on the recycling and reuse industries that, until now, has not been available." The study will obtain industrywide data for all major categories of recycling processors and manufacturers. Specifically, the study will research the number of recycling businesses currently operating and their total annual sales, total employment, total wages, and value added. NRC and NERC also will use the data to calculate total economic impacts of recycling at the local and regional levels. Most data will be aggregated at a multistate level and reported separately for each business category. The project will provide states with a list of recycling and reuse businesses and their contacts. The project is being conducted in two phases. NRC and NERC intend to apply the project methodology first at a regional level and then fine tune it before implementing the project nationwide. For the first phase, NERC has been gathering information on recycling and reuse businesses in the 10 northeastern states. NRC is managing the second phase, beginning this fall, which will involve collecting the data from the rest of the states. Phase one will wrap up at the beginning of 1999, while phase two will take 16 months to complete. For more information on this project, contact EPA's Hope Pillsbury at 703 308-7258 or Ken Sandler at 703 308-7255. MACREDO Takes on Electronics Recycling With the continued growth of the computer and electronics industry, the Mid-Atlantic Consortium of Recycling and Economic Development Officials (MACREDO) hopes to use its expertise in economic development to strengthen electronics recovery in the region. This spring, MACREDO met in Washington, DC, to evaluate options for facilitating electronics recovery. MACREDO is a working group funded by EPA Region 3 that brings together recycling and economic development officials from Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, DC. At the meeting, the group discussed its EPA-funded electronics recovery projects and toured a facility specializing in computer reclamation. MACREDO recently published a report entitled End-of- Life Computer and Electronics Recovery Policy Options for the Mid-Atlantic States. This report reviews the state of electronics recovery in the region, focusing on the recycling of personal computers and television sets. The report is located on the MACREDO Web site at (moved to on August 29, 2008). MACREDO also is organizing a public and private sector electronics working group to discuss a plan of action for the region. For more information regarding MACREDO, contact the organization at 215 686-9242 or Mike Guiranna of EPA Region 3 at 215 814-3298. Increasing Federal Procurement Continuing its efforts to pro-mote the use of recycled-content products, EPA pro-posed 19 new items for designation in the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) on August 26, 1998 (see box below). Based on public comments and other considerations, EPA will determine which of the proposed products will be designated for purchase by procuring agencies (federal, state, and local government agencies and contractors that use at least $10,000 in federal funds). Recommended recycled-content levels for the proposed products are contained in the accompanying Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN). If all 19 items are designated in this third update of the CPG, the total number of products in the CPG will grow to 55. Buying recycled-content products helps create and strengthen markets for recovered materials such as plastics, wood, rubber, and steel. Such purchases also help increase the amount of materials diverted from the MSW stream. For more information on the program, access EPA's new CPG Web site at (see Resources section for description). Recent Buy Recycled Initiatives U.S. Conference of Mayors Through its new "Buy Recycled Initiative," the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) is expanding its popular "buy recycled" program. The initiative includes the following activities: * Conducting 10 "train-the-trainer" workshops, one for each EPA region, over the next 2 years. * Developing a tool kit that contains a training manual, best practices guide, fact sheets, and more. * Establishing a Web site loaded with useful information to help procurement officials and others buy recycled. As part of the initiative, USCM will promote a different activity each year during America Recycles Day to help reach a wide audience at the federal, state, and local level. To learn more about the Buy Recycled Initiative, contact the U.S. Conference of Mayors at 202 293-7330. Buy Recycled Business Alliance The Buy Recycled Business Alliance (BRBA) of the NRC has been championing the "buy recycled" cause since the early 1990s. BRBA's latest efforts include the following: * Publishing case studies high-lighting the use of recycled-content products in building construction and renovation projects. Each case study contains details on the recycled materials used. * Conducting a business outreach program in conjunction with America Recycles Day that includes brochures, posters, and a full-page advertisement in the Harvard Business Review. Companies can use the promotional materials to educate employees about the importance of recycling and buying recycled. * Offering a training workshop in conjunction with the National Association of Purchasing Management to encourage the purchase of recycled-content products. For more information, contact Bonnie Fedchock of BRBA at 703 683-9025, Ext. 209. ************************************************************ CPG III Proposed Items EPA is proposing to designate the following 19 new items that are or can be made with recovered materials: * Nylon carpet with backing containing recovered materials * Carpet cushion * Flowable fill * Railroad grade crossing surfaces * Park and recreational furniture * Playground equipment * Food waste compost * Plastic lumber landscaping timbers and posts * Solid plastic binders * Plastic clipboards * Plastic file folders * Plastic clip portfolios * Plastic presentation folders * Sorbents * Awards and plaques * Industrial drums * Mats * Signage * Strapping and stretch wrap ************************************************************ RECYCLING HITS HOME By pledging to "buy recycled" this America Recycles Day, you can win an American Green Dream House! A random drawing will be held on December 15, 1998, to decide the winner. Last year, Sgt. Robert Portillo of Texas won the prize and his home is now being constructed on 15 acres of central Texas land. What is the American Green Dream House? It's a contemporary two-story, three-bedroom home, valued at $200,000, with two-and one-half baths and a two-car garage. What's more, this "green" dream house is primarily constructed out of recycled materials and uses energy-efficient materials. From the PET carpeting inside to the recycled steel siding outside, this house is a testament to the number of recycled-content products readily available to consumers. Designed by John D. Bloodgood Architects of Des Moines, Iowa, the house uses recycled-content materials donated by different companies nationwide. The gypsum wallboard is made from recycled newspaper. Recycled wood is used to make the kitchen cabinets, windows, and doors for the home. Even the framing, roof, and major appliances in the house use recycled-content steel as the primary material. Finally, the home's wood-polymer decking is made out of recycled plastic grocery bags and recovered shrink wrap. All of these products perform just as well as those made from virgin materials, according to their manufacturers. They provide additional benefits by reducing the amount of virgin material used in construction and giving usable scrap materials another life, which prevents them from simply being discarded. The American Green Dream House also will be rated by the National Home Energy and Resources Organization for EPA Energy Star status. For more information, see the related article on ARD on page 1. DID YOU KNOW? A new CD-ROM of EPA waste management publications contains the text equivalent of 10,000 pieces of paper. With more than 2,000 copies distributed to date, this single resource has potentially saved 20 million pieces of paper or a stack of paper more than 1 mile high! A Collection of Solid Waste Resources features more than 150 publications, including the Municipal Solid Waste Factbook, an electronic reference containing nation-al and state data on household waste management practices. Other publications cover topics of interest to the general public on both solid and hazardous waste. NEWS FROM WASTEWISE A Fourth Year of Success WasteWise partners registered a blockbuster year in waste reduction in 1997, eliminating or recycling more material than ever before. Membership also grew by a whopping 40 percent. These and other achievements are outlined in the Fourth Year WasteWise Progress Report. Specific pro-gram accomplishments include: * Eliminating more than 816,000 tons of waste (an 80 percent increase from 1996). See the chart below for waste prevention achievements since 1994. * Avoiding nearly $26 million in disposal fees and nearly $60 million in paper purchasing costs through waste prevention. * Recycling more than 6.5 million tons of material. * Purchasing nearly $3 billion of recycled-content products. For copies of the Fourth Year WasteWise Progress Report (EPA530-R-98-016), access the WasteWise home page at or call the WasteWise Helpline at 800 EPA-WISE (372-9473). ************************************************************ Graphic WasteWise Waste Prevention: 1994 to 1997 ************************************************************ Satellite Forum Pays Off In June, more than 6,000 viewers tuned in at more than 570 downlink sites when WasteWise presented "Waste Prevention Pays: Businesses Cut Costs by Cutting Waste," its first-ever national satellite forum for businesses. The 2-hour forum featured representatives from Target Stores, Stonyfield Farm Yogurt, CITGO Petroleum Corporation, and the Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance. The lively discussion covered key issues, including how to start a waste prevention program, as well as big-ticket items such as how to save millions of dollars by reducing packaging material and the associated labor costs. Call the WasteWise Helpline at 800 EPA-WISE (372-9473) to request a free videotape of the forum. Celebrating Waste Prevention at National Forum In September, the WasteWise program hosted its third National Forum in Washington, DC. EPA Deputy Administrator Fred Hansen was on hand to honor 28 outstanding WasteWise partners at a special ceremony. Eight organizations were selected as Partners of the Year (see below) and 20 other strong applicants were chosen as WasteWise Program Champions. All truly are "waste wise"--establishing innovative waste prevention and recycling programs, achieving sizable cost savings, and conducting internal and external promotional activities. The forum also featured a series of interactive technical sessions on topics ranging from sustainable development, environmentally preferable purchasing, and Extended Product Responsibility (EPR). WasteWise partners used the forum to network, learn about other programs, and return to their offices armed with new waste reduction strategies. For more information on the forum or the award winners, contact the WasteWise Helpline at 800 EPA-WISE (372-9473). 1997 WasteWise Partners of the Year * BankAmerica Corporation * Bell Atlantic * Target Stores * Public Service Electric & Gas Company * Schlegel Systems, Inc. * Southern Mills, Inc. * Applied Specialties, Inc. * Sligo Adventist School WEB SITES/SOFTWARE CPG Web Site For the latest on buying recycled-content products, visit EPA's new CPG Web site at . Geared toward procurement officials, this site offers in-depth information on every CPG designated product including lists of manufacturers and suppliers, EPA's recommended recycled-content ranges for designated items, fact sheets, and technical background information. This site also contains buy recycled news, a calendar of upcoming events, and much more, so be sure to visit frequently. Home Composting Ever wondered how to build the perfect backyard compost pile? What do you do if it's too dry? Too wet? Crawling with ants? This informative Web site, located at , has all you need to know to be a "Master Composter," including in-depth information and instructions for both beginners and more advanced home composters. Bins, worms, compostable materials, and ideal ratios of carbon to nitrogen are but a few of the topics present-ed in detail. You can even post questions to a composting message board. The site also lists local com-posting programs and contacts for each state. From Dumptown to Recycle City Visit the colorful cartoon town of Recycle City, located at , to learn "reduce, reuse, and recycle" concepts in a fun and interactive format. Once there, click on any part of the city, and you'll get environmental tips about everything from double-sided copying to products made with recovered materials. Click on the Recycle City Cafe, for example, to learn how customers purchase and reuse recycled plastic mugs with take-out orders. The site also uses simple language to explain complex MSW practices such as how materials recovery facilities operate. While this site is geared towards the general public, solid waste officials also will find valuable information. Staff at EPA Region 9 worked with city and state agencies, recycling groups, and environmental research firms to design this site. Grant Writing Tutorial This interactive software tool, located at , goes through each step of the EPA grant-writing process to help users write more competitive grants. The program requires only a Web browser and can be downloaded or accessed directly from the site. Specifically, the program provides examples of effective, complete grant packages; resources and contacts; and a mock grant-writing activity where the user is able to compare their results to a successful grant application. The tutorial is a helpful guide for all EPA grant programs but is currently tailored toward environmental education, environmental justice, and pollution prevention. Recycling Measurement Whether you are a local or state official already involved in measuring recycling or just starting out, a new EPA Web site is here to help. Visit to learn about EPA's standard methodology for measuring recycling as well as to access other relevant EPA documents and journal articles. Users also can link to related sites, research answers to common questions, and send questions and comments to EPA. LIST SERVERS WasteWise A WasteWise list server is helping partners discuss all kinds of issues--from backhauling to EPR. In addition to providing a forum for sharing ideas and success stories, the list server enables WasteWise partners to ask questions of EPA and each other. All principal contacts at WasteWise partner organizations are automatically subscribed. If you are interested in the WasteWise program and such bene-fits as the list server, please call the WasteWise Helpline at 800 EPA-WISE (372-9473). EPPNET Are you making environmentally wise purchasing decisions? Find out by joining EPPNET, the new environmentally preferable products procurement list server. This list server links a wide range of individuals-- including state and local purchasing agents, federal government buyers, and representatives from all types of environmentally minded companies. Developed by NERC, EPPNET provides quick access to information such as product specifications, vendor lists, pricing strategies to achieve recycled product procurement goals, and federal procurement policies. NERC must approve all parties interested in joining the list server. For more information on EPPNET, contact Ellen Pratt, NERC program manager, at 802 254-3636 or . JTRnet JTRnet is an active Internet list server for recycling market development professionals offered by EPA's JTR program. People in the field use the list server to seek advice, swap ideas on hard-to-find markets for materials, give updates on their projects, and discuss market development issues. Posted on JTRnet are messages about commodities, commercial and institutional issues, financing and economics as well as newsworthy announcements. For more information, including an organized archive of past JTRnet messages, see the JTR Web site at (moved to on August 29, 2008). National Waste Prevention Coalition Source reduction and reuse are the focus of the National Waste Prevention Coalition's list server, the Waste Prevention Forum. This list server allows people interested in waste prevention to discuss reuse, packaging and paper reduction, direct-mail abatement, consumption patterns, and other similar issues. Participation is limited to individuals involved in waste prevention and solid waste management and is not available to the general public. For more information, call Tom Watson, coordinator, National Waste Prevention Coalition at 206 296-4481, or e-mail him at . PUBLICATIONS Going to the Source NRC's Source Reduction Forum recently published its Source Reduction Procurement Guide. The guide, developed by a diverse group of source reduction and procurement experts, will help purchasing agents incorporate source reduction strategies (e.g., buying in bulk and modifying purchasing specifications) into their current buying practices--and achieve substantial cost savings as a result. The guide presents detailed examples of how these procurement strategies can be implemented along with a resource list to help purchasing agents learn about other source reduction procurement programs. For more information, or to order a copy of the guide, contact the NRC's Source Reduction Forum at 703 683-9025, Ext. 405. RCRA--All in One Whether it's a technical, regulatory, or an educational solid waste document you're looking for, the Catalog of Hazardous and Solid Waste Publications: Eleventh Edition is the publication for you. The "RCRA catalog" is designed for resource centers to simplify document research for EPA staff, lawyers, and the general public. The catalog includes annotated descriptions of documents and listings by title, subject, and document number as well as ordering forms. In addition to the RCRA catalog, this year three smaller catalogs for the general public, small businesses and local governments, and procurement officials also are available. These catalogs contain listings of EPA publications from the larger RCRA catalogue on subjects such as residential solid waste, waste reduction and recycling, and more. Managing Mercury Implementation of the Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act is a short EPA booklet that explains the basic tenets of this act, which was designed to ensure the proper management of certain household batteries. The booklet summarizes state and federal requirements affecting battery recycling prior to passage of the act and explains the new requirements. It also describes why proper disposal or recycling is necessary for nickel-cadmium and small sealed lead-acid rechargeable batteries, which contain heavy metals that contribute to the toxicity levels of landfills and incinerator ash. Information on successful recycling programs and options for recycling rechargeable batteries also is included. This document is avail-able online at (moved to on August 29, 2008). ************************************************************ Correction: The correct EPA document number for An Analysis of Composting as an Environmental Remediation Technology is EPA530-R-98-008. It was listed incorrectly in the Spring/Summer 1998 issue. ************************************************************ PAYT VIDEO OFFERS STARTUP ADVICE A cross the country, cities and towns are turning to EPA's Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) program to help fulfill their solid waste collection needs. PAYT is an innovative approach to solid waste management in which residents pay for their trash service based on the amount they throw away rather than a monthly or yearly set fee. The pro-gram encourages residents to recycle and reuse more, keeping their solid waste, and their trash service bill, to a minimum. To help promote PAYT programs, EPA has produced a 75-minute video, Pay-As-You-Throw: A New Trend in Sustainable Solid Waste Management. The video features first-hand accounts and design advice from fellow solid waste experts, city planners, researchers, and residents. The video begins with a 15-minute overview of PAYT, providing a perfect supplement to a city council or community group presentation. The segment introduces PAYT and dis-cusses how it can help meet a community's solid waste and recycling goals. A second, hour-long segment is divided into four parts: * Getting Started focuses on goal-setting, planning, and education issues that arise in the first stages of program design. * Operations looks at a number of implementation factors that will help planners design a program to meet their specific needs. * Economics and Rate Structure Design investigates the financial and pricing aspects of PAYT. * Program Results highlights PAYT achievements and examines the successful strategies used by more than 20 case study communities, from larger cities such as San Jose, California, to rural Falmouth, Maine. In the video, PAYT solid waste officials, private haulers, independent researchers, and other PAYT stakeholders answer commonly asked questions about PAYT and how it works in communities. Additionally, the video offers suggestions for overcoming potential barriers such as illegal dumping or public dissent, and illustrates the many variations PAYT programs can take as they are tailored to meet communities' unique needs. The video is scheduled for release in fall 1998. It will be distributed at no cost to solid waste managers, city planners, local government officials, recycling coordinators, and interest-ed citizens. For more information, call the PAYT Helpline at 888 EPA-PAYT (372-7298). ************************************************************ This issue of Reusable News also is available on the Internet. Access this and other EPA publications through the World Wide Web, at (moved to omn August 29, 2008). ************************************************************