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Recycling Bulletin

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Recycling Bulletin #17

- news from a national leader in campus recycling

July 18, 2002
******************************************************

In this Bulletin:
1. CU Recycling Report: CU providing composting, e-waste info statewide
2. Local Recycling Info: Bolder Boulder recycling
3. Industry News: National recycling legislation
4. Frightening Fact: A Step Backward
5. Glimmer of Hope: Steel recycling moves higher
6. Get Involved / Upcoming Events: GrassCycle, volunteer, learn to compost

1. *************** CU Recycling Report ***************

CU RECYCLING CREATES COMPOSTING GUIDE FOR COLORADO INSTITUTIONS

The University of Colorado has teamed up with the Governor’s Office of Energy Management to advance food waste composting in the state of Colorado. CU Recycling received funding from OEMC to determine and recommend how to handle this challenging part of the waste stream. From this effort came the "Colorado Food Waste Composting Guide," which is now available at the CU-Boulder and OEMC web sites.

The planning guide is designed specifically for Colorado institutions like colleges, hospitals, and correctional facilities, which generate significant amounts of food waste that can comprise up to 75 percent of their total generated waste. The guide provides information to enable institutions to choose the best method of composting food waste, meet state regulations, and find equipment vendors and existing composting operations.

When done properly, composting is a cost-effective strategy for diverting materials from landfills. It has the added benefit of creating valuable fertilizer that institutions can use on their grounds or generate revenue from.

CU-Boulder was selected for this project because of its extensive experience and use of student researchers. The project’s director, Jack DeBell said, "It’s exciting to bring very committed and capable students to this challenging task. We’re proud to return a level of service to our State."

Results of the research conducted by CU Recycling staff will be put to use at the University of Colorado to help determine how best to compost food waste from CU’s dining facilities.

The Guide can be downloaded from CU’s Recycling Web site:

http://www.colorado.edu/recycle or the Office of Energy Management and Conservation’s Web site: http://www.state.co.us/oemc. Printed copies are also available by contacting CU Recycling at 303.492.8307.CU RECYCLING CONDUCTING STATEWIDE COMPUTER REUSE WORKSHOPS

The Colorado Materials Exchange (COMEx), hosted by the University of Colorado Recycling Services, is scheduling a series of workshops around the state this summer to assist businesses and institutions in making the most of their old computers and electronic equipment. A full-time VISTA volunteer, working out of CU Recycling’s office, has been assigned by the Corporation for National Service to the project.

It is estimated that 333,000 computers in Colorado become obsolete each year. Toxic metals like lead, cadmium, and mercury, housed in computer units and monitors, could pose threats to the environment if sent to landfills or incinerators. The quantity of electronic waste ("e-waste") being generated nation-wide is an increasing concern for environmental and public health officials and the toxicity of e-waste results in increased costs for businesses and institutions that have obsolete equipment to dispose of. Recent regulations in Colorado and other states require institutions and businesses to document proper disposal of old computer and electronic equipment.

In addition to this summer’s workshops, COMEx provides an on-line bulletin board for exchanging computers and electronics between businesses that have a surplus of such materials and community groups in Colorado who could use them. Donating usable equipment may be tax deductable and will help businesses comply with state laws for disposal of electronic equipment.

For more information on reuse, recycling and state regulations regarding computers, or to learn about the schedule of workshops, send an e-mail to
comex@stripe.colorado.edu, or visit http://www.cu.edu/comex.

This project is sponsored by the University of Colorado with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

[Note: University of Colorado departments are required to dispose of computers and office equipment through Property Services, (303)492-6524.]

2.*************** Local Recycling Info *******************

BOLDER BOULDER SETS THE PACE: RECYCLING BREAKS THE RECORDS AGAIN!

At the 2002 Bolder Boulder race, half of the waste generated was recovered for recycling. "Every year we try to increase our recycling efforts. This year the clean up at the stadium was a huge success. We are pleased that much of the waste could be recycled by so many of the participants at the Bolder Boulder and that it is possible to help reduce the environmental impact of such a large event," stated Cliff Bosley, Race Director of the Bolder Boulder.

CU Recycling collected over five tons (10,710 pounds) of corrugated cardboard which were generated by the lunch packaging and by the vendors at the Bolder Boulder Expo. Additionally, hot and thirsty runners and walkers who finished at Folsom Stadium recycled their beverage containers, resulting in over 1.5 tons (3,114 pounds) of plastic and aluminum for recycling.

"Everyone’s efforts added up by keeping over 175 cubic yards of recyclables out of the landfill and putting valuable materials back into use again. Bolder Boulder participants keep setting the pace and recycling better every year," said Marianne Martin, Assistant Director of CU Recycling.

It is estimated that recycling at the 2002 Bolder Boulder conserved the following natural resources:
64 forty-foot Douglas Fir Trees
322 pounds of air pollution
37,500 gallons of water
22,000 kilowatt hours of electricity
2,200 gallons of gasoline

3. *************** Industry News *****************

PROPOSED NATIONAL DEPOSIT LAW COULD INCREASE CONTAINER RECYCLING

(Excerpted from a Waste News article, http://www.wastenews.com/headlines.html)
The U.S. Senate is considering a bill that would make the beverage industry responsible for increasing bottle and can recycling.

Under the proposal, soft drink, beer and other beverage companies would be required to develop plans for a 10-cent refundable deposit on beverage containers, similar to requirements in states that have enacted their own "bottle bills", with a goal of achieving an 80 percent national recycling rate.

The number of containers recycled in the 10 states that have enacted their own deposit laws exceed the number of cans and bottles recycled in all the other states together, according to the Grassroots Recycling Network. National recycling rates of beverage containers dropped below 50% in 2001, for the first time in 16 years. Most of the 10 "bottle bill" states achieve 80% recovery.

"This legislation will increase recycling, reduce litter, save energy, create jobs, decrease the generation of waste and proliferation of landfills, and supply recyclable materials for a high-demand market," said Senator Jeffords (I-VT), who introduced the bill, SB 2220.

The Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council and 55 other national, state and local organizations and businesses - including the City and County of San Francisco - sent a letter to U.S. Senators July 11 supporting the legislation.

Hearings on the bill are scheduled this summer. For more information, visit the Grassroots Recycling Network web site, http://grrn.org/take_action/take_action.html

4. *************** Frightening Fact *****************

New York City, the largest city in the United States, has suspended residential glass and plastic recycling, the first significant rollback of a recycling program in the nation.

Announced July 2, the move to collect fewer recyclables is intended to save the city money. According to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, "the more labor intensive and less efficient recycling of glass and plastic items for which there are not current markets is not cost effective. Therefore the city is discontinuing the program temporarily until we can create an effective and efficient system for recycling glass and plastic."

Some glass and plastic bottles will still be recycled outside of the residential recycling program since many containers carry a five cent deposit in New York. But critics warn that many households do not bother to redeem these containers, which will now end up in the trash.

A recycling worker union spokesman said the new rules will cost more than 200 of the city’s 1000 private recycling jobs. One plant already has said it will close.

5. *************** Glimmer of Hope ****************

According to data collected by the domestic steel industry, the recycling
of iron and steel products rose in 2001.

The Steel Recycling Institute in Pittsburgh estimates that the steel recycling rate last year was 67.8 percent, up 3.7 percentage points from the 2000 level. SRI says that nearly 66 million tons of post-industrial and post-consumer scrap were recycled in 2001.

Steel recycling was led by the recovery of junk cars, where the recycling rate reached 101.9 percent. The automobile recycling rate is computed by comparing the amount of steel recovered from old cars to the amount of steel used in making new vehicles.

Steel structural beams and plates recovered from construction and demolition sites in 2001 represented 95 percent of new production. Reinforcement bar recovery from such sites was recycled at a 50 percent rate.

The appliance rate was 85 percent, and the steel can recovery level reached 58.1 percent, down slightly from the 58.4 percent level reported for 2000.

6. *************** Get Involved / Upcoming Events***************

KEEP YOUR YARD WASTE OUT OF A LANDFILL: For a lawn that’s healthy and beautiful, leave your clippings on the lawn after you mow. When you GrassCycle, you enrich the soil (by returning valuable nutrients and organic matter), save time (by not raking and bagging), save money (less money is needed for water and fertilizers), and save landfill space (grass clippings add 20 - 50% to the volume of residential waste between the months of March and September). For more information, call Boulder County’s Resource Conservation Division at (720)564-2220 or visit http://www.bouldercountyrecycles.net. Alternately, take grass clippings, leaves and branches to Boulder County’s Yard Waste Drop-Off Center at 5880 Butte Mill Road (Western Disposal Transfer Station near Valmont and 63rd Streets), Monday - Friday 7 am - 5 pm, Saturday 7 am - 2 pm. Waste is ground for composting, and wood chips are free for anyone to pick-up. Call (303)444-2037 for more info.

VOLUNTEER AT THE BOULDER COUNTY RECYCLING DROP-OFF CENTER: Put your recycling expertise to good use by volunteering a couple of hours each month to answer questions, help visitors unload their vehicles, assist those with disabilities, monitor safety and direct traffic through the center. "Recycling Rangers" can be individuals, two-person teams, or volunteer groups. Call EcoCycle at (303)444-6634, email recycle@ecocycle.org or visit http://www.ecocycle.org for more information or to sign up.

FARMER’S MARKET COMPOSTING MINI-SEMINARS: The City of Boulder Office of Environmental Affairs and Boulder County Resource Conservation Division are sponsoring the following free mini-seminars at the Boulder County Farmer’s Market, 13th and Canyon Streets in Boulder. The 15 minute workshops will cover what you need to know to get started composting in your own backyard, and demonstrate how to build a compost pile. Just show up; pre-registration not required.
- Saturday, July 20 10 - 10:15 am, 11 - 11:15 am, and 12 - 12:15 pm
- Wednesday, July 24 11 - 11:15 am and 12 - 12:15 pm
- Saturday, August 17 10 - 10:15 am, 11 - 11:15 am, and 12 - 12:15 pm
- Wednesday, August 21 11 - 11:15 am and 12 - 12:15 pm

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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/recycle

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