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| RECYCLING BULLETIN | |
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Bulletin Archive: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 |
| Recycling Bulletin #20 - news from a national leader in campus recycling March 4, 2003 In this Bulletin: 1. *************** CU Recycling Report *************** TWO SEPARATE STUDIES REVIEW CU RECYCLING CU Boulder’s Vice Chancellor for Administration has commissioned a report to recommend the most cost-effective scenarios for the campus recycling program’s future. The consultant’s draft report is to be released this semester, and is expected to analyze options ranging from expanding the recycling program to privatizing the program, or even eliminating it. As a partner in the recycling program, the University of Colorado Student Union has expressed concern that the Administration study’s scope and process may not account for the full benefits of recycling. After reviewing a draft report, staff members pointed out that the study may fail to consider that cutting the recycling program could result in disproportionate increases in landfilling costs. The study may also discount the importance of an on-campus recycling facility, capable of maintaining revenue generating abilities and giving the flexibility to handle changing markets and new materials. Finally, it was noted the scope of the study does not emphasize recycling’s environmental benefits, or the demand that students demonstrate for the program. Recycling staff in UCSU, Facilities Management, and Housing began conducting a different program assessment before the Vice Chancellor’s business review was commissioned in November 2002. This assessment will compare CU’s programs with peer institutions around the country, confirm environmental benefits, and quantify full financial impacts of recycling on landfill volumes and disposal costs. Initial findings are encouraging. When released, the Recycling Program’s assessment could make the case for new, higher levels of administrative support, and help stimulate external funding. Completing this assessment is a prominent goal for CU Recycling in the coming year.
THE BOULDER COUNTY MASTER COMPOSTER PROGRAM WANTS YOU! The Boulder County Master Composter Program is now accepting applications for the 2003 Master Composter class. This award-winning program, through the help of local composting and gardening professionals, trains a group of 30 county residents to be experts in composting. After the training, the Master Composters then volunteer their time to staff tables and booths about composting at local events such as farmer’s markets, festivals, and the county fair. In addition, the group helps maintain area compost demonstration sites and runs a compost bin sale in the fall. This year’s course will be held Tuesdays, April 8th - May 13th, 6:30-9pm, with a final class on Saturday, May 17th, 9am - 12noon. All classes will be held at the Boulder County Recycling Center, 1901 63rd Street in Boulder. The cost for the training is $50 in addition to 15 hours of required community service to be completed before December 31st, 2003. For an application for the Master Composter program, call the Boulder Energy Conservation Center, 303-441-3278 or the Boulder County Cooperative Extension, 303-776-4865. You may also stop by their offices and pick one up before the application deadline of Monday, April 1st. The class is limited to 30 participants and spaces fill quickly. The Master Composter program is a partnership of the Boulder Energy Conservation Center, the CSU Cooperative Extension-Boulder County, and the Boulder County Resource Conservation Division.
The first new glass container plant in decades in the U.S. will be built 3. *************** Industry News ***************** SHOULD WASTE REDUCTION BE MANDATORY? Today there is waste reduction legislation, and environmental packaging and product stewardship requirements in more than 30 counties worldwide. These requirements include materials restrictions and bans, packaging and product fees, packaging prevention plans, certifying materials and suppliers, and design requirements. Some recent examples: - Recyclable packaging to be banned from landfill in Ireland: The Irish environment minister has announced that the disposal of recyclable packaging will be banned beginning in March. The action is aimed at helping Ireland meet mandated recycling levels adopted by the European Union. A tax placed on shopping bags in Ireland last year is estimated to have reduced the use of plastic bags by 90%. - Australia cracks down on plastic bags: Australia’s Environment Minister and state officials announced plans in December to draw up federal and state legislation to reduce the number of plastic bags that supermarket and retail chains use. Officials agreed to set a 50 percent recycling and reduction target for retailers, and possible charge to consumers, for lightweight plastic bags. - Taiwan bans some disposable plastic products: Taiwan legislation effective in January requires restaurants, supermarkets, and convenience chain stores to charge customers for plastic bags and disposable utensils. A ban on disposable tableware was already in place last year in Taiwanese schools and state-run enterprises. - Companies must pay to recycle e-waste: The European Union Parliament adopted laws last year obliging manufacturers to pay for the recycling of their electrical goods and old appliances. - UK Publishers aim for 70 percent recycled content: A voluntary agreement between the United Kingdom and newspaper publishers should result in 70% recycled content paper in UK newspapers by the end of 2006. - Cars for Recycle: European auto makers have to pay the costs of recycling old cars under the European Union end-of-life vehicles law enacted in 2001.
Every day, Americans buy 62 million newspapers and throw away 44 million. That’s the equivalent of dumping 500,000 trees into a landfill each day!
As reported in our Recycling Bulletin # 17, New York City suspended residential glass and plastic recycling last year. Under a compromise reached between the City administration and City Council, New York Times reports the City will resume its plastic recycling program this July and its glass-recycling program in July 2004. The City Comptroller reported that the city was not saving as much money by suspending recycling as it had hoped, reducing its garbage-collection runs by less than 2 percent. Read the full article on the New York Times Web site.
- WASTE REDUCTION EVENT THIS THURSDAY, MARCH 6 The Future of Packaging: Product Reuse, Recycling and Take-back Programs Thursday, March 6, 6:00pm, CU Recycling and the CU Environmental Center are pleased to announce a presentation by Victor Bell, an internationally-recognized businessman and President of Environmental Packaging International. Mr. Bell will address: -Extended producer responsibilities Mr. Bell is President of Environmental Packaging International, where he is working on global environmental packaging and product stewardship requirements with public and private sector clients worldwide. He has provided assistance to major companies in the electronics, toy, soft drink, cosmetic, medical and general merchandise industries. For additional info, visit Environmental Packaging International. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call (303)492-8308.
Subscribe to the CU Recycling Bulletin Receive monthly updates on local recycling developments, new programs, and upcoming events. Learn more about resource conservation through waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. Here's How: Send e-mail message to listproc@lists.colorado.edu. The body text of your message should read: subscribe recycling-infolist <your-full-name>. About University of Colorado at Boulder Recycling The University of Colorado's recycling program is a non-profit, campus-based organization whose mission is to instill awareness of the benefits of waste reduction and recycling. CU Recycling is widely regarded as one of the nation's leading campus programs. Awards have been given by such groups as the EPA, National Recycling Coalition, and the Office of Federal Environmental Executive, who in 2000, announced CU Recycling the model campus program in the United States. The university community is encouraged to get involved in CU Recycling's many activities. For more information, call 303-492-8307 or visit http://www.colorado.edu/cure. Please recycle this information: talk about it, pass it on, or post it!
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