Back Page

The age of compact disks is here, but don’t worry about filling up the landfill with all of your old vinyl records. The Tunes Co., Delray Beach, Fla., recycles old 45s and LPs into second-generation products. The company makes coasters from the center of the records and uses the jacket to make notebooks and journals. The rest is ground and used to make new records by Alpha Records, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. For more information, contact Bob Ross at The Tunes Co. at (407) 279-2055.

PORTLAND SCHOOLS GET NEW PLASTICS PLAYGROUNDS

Three public schools in Portland, Ore., recently dedicated brand new playgrounds made from recycled plastic. The elementary schools were awarded complete playgrounds – including brightly colored equipment – by the American Plastics Council, Washington, after Portland residents met a challenge posed by the city of Portland and APC. The challenge was to increase curbside recycling of plastics bottles by 18.5 percent between August 1996 and March 1997. The actual increase was 23 percent.

WHAT IMPACT DOES YOUR CAR HAVE?

Ever wonder what impact your car has on the environment? You can find out by reading Industrial Ecology of the Automobile, a new book from the Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, Pa. The book examines the environmental impact of cars by addressing each automobile life stage, from materials selection to vehicle retirement and disposal.

Chapters in the book include Life-Cycle Design Framework, Materials Production, Manufacturing and Assembly, Vehicle Use and Service, End-of-Life Management and Systems Analysis.

Industrial Ecology of the Automobile (Order No. R-194) is available for $125 by contacting SAE, Dept. 2786, 400 Commonwealth Dr., Warrendale, PA 15096-0001, Phone (412) 776-4970, or Fax (412) 776-0790.

SRI and Bobby Likis Car Clinic Team Up

The Steel Recycling Institute, Pittsburgh, and the nationally-syndicated radio show Bobby Likis Car Clinic have joined forces to help consumers take care of their automobiles while also being environmentally friendly.

A new addition to the Car Clinic program is the SRI-sponsored "Environmental Minute."

During each broadcast, Likis challenges the listeners’ knowledge on environmental questions ranging from proper disposal of used motor oil and filters to buying recycled products.

Bes-Pac Website

Bes-Pac Waste Handling Equipment, Easley, S.C., has opened a web page at the address: www.bes-pac.com . Bes-Pac is a manufacturer of non-mobile recycling equipment that operates three facilities in North America and serves American markets east of and contiguous with the Mississippi River.

CRUNCH! SMASH! TRASH!

Cozzi Iron & Metal, Chicago, has donated more than 300 recycling videos to several school districts in the Chicago area, including the Chicago School District. The video, called "Crunch! Smash! Trash!" teaches children about recycling four different types of material – plastics, glass, paper and metal. The video won the Parent’s Choice Award in 1995 and has been endorsed by Vice President Al Gore.