Municipal Recycling Department

NEW ENVIRONMENTALISM?

Is there a "new environmentalism," and is it somehow different from the "old environmentalism"? A study released by the Reason Public Policy Institute, Los Angeles, looks at what it believes is a new breed of environmentalism that is becoming more common within state regulatory agencies.

Race to the Top: The Innovative Face of State Environmental Management, by Alexander Volokh, Lynn Scarlett, and Scott Bush profiles of individuals and initiatives the authors believe should serve as models for other agencies—including those at the federal level.

Among the programs examined:

* The State of Illinois established the "Clean Break" program as a means of addressing the problem businesses faced stepping forward and seek help in correcting environmental violations due to fear of punishment.

* In New York state, a coalition of individuals, businesses, and organizations was formed—and encouraged by state government—to step in and fund the reintroduction of the river otter to central and western New York. The coalition was formed when the State could not afford to fund the otter reintroduction program.

The study’s authors praise approaches they say are flexible and "value outcomes over process, progress over punishment, and local decision-making for local problems."

"The sea change we have witnessed is simply amazing," says co-author Scarlett. "Out in the field, we have watched the command and control, one-size-fits-all doctrine of environmental protection give way to a vision that promotes flexibility, encourages innovation and gets real results."

LAIDLAW’S SAFETY-KLEEN ACQUISITION ON TRACK

Laidlaw Environmental Services, Columbia, S.C., has made a $1.8 billion offer to purchase Safety-Kleen Corp. that has been tentatively accepted by the Elgin, Ill. industrial cleaning and recycling company. Safety-Kleen, which bills itself as the nation’s largest recycler of used lubricating oils, had rejected a previous offer from a partnership that was led by Philip Services Corp., Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

The Laidlaw offer has been unanimously recommended for acceptance by Safety Kleen’s board of directors. "We fully support the exchange offer and are committed to seeking a smooth transition for the combination of these two companies," says Safety-Kleen chairman and CEO Donald Brinckman.

Laidlaw, which at one time had a significant presence in the municipal waste hauling industry, now provides hazard- ous and industrial waste management services.

CALIFORNIA HONORS SEA WORLD

Sea World of California was recently awarded a 1997 Waste Reduction Award Program "WRAP of the Year" plaque by the California Integrated Waste Management Board.

The marine park, honored as one of California’s Top 10 "waste busters," diverted tons of materials from landfills and generated thousands of dollars from the sale of recycled materials.

Since embarking on its waste management program, Sea World has diverted more than 1.5 million pounds of refuse from area landfills. It recycles more than 450,000 pounds of green waste and 576,000 pounds of cardboard annually. Each year, Sea World diverts more than 300,000 pounds of paper waste, wooden pallets, and horse manure from landfills. Sea World recycled more than 26 percent of its solid waste in 1996.

"That a business like Sea World can be wildly successful and still care enough about the environment to help California reach its goal of cutting its trash in half by the year 2000 says a lot of good things about recycling that other businesses would be wise to follow," said Waste Board Member Janet Gotch, a former video producer and manager of Sea World. Gotch established Sea World’s first recycling project for its employees in the 1980s.

A $52,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources will help solid waste districts in 54 Ohio counties recycle unwanted refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, ovens, air conditioners and other appliances. The Steel Recycling Institute, Pittsburgh, and the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc. (ISRI), Washington, are also helping co-sponsor the program being funded by the grant, which is known as the Ohio Appliance Recycling Round-Up.

1998 marks the fourth year for the Ohio Round-Up. Last year’s program garnered nearly 30,000 appliances weighing in at nearly 3,000 tons. "Ohio residents who recycle appliances are helping divert solid waste from our landfills and return a valuable resource to the state’s steel industry," notes Jenni Worster of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

PAPER RECYCLING ALLIANCES ANNOUNCED

The terms ranged from "marketing alliance" to "acquisition," but three separate deals involving paper recyclers were announced in early 1998.

* A letter of intent for a new joint venture was announced by the principals of four New Jersey companies: Zozzaro Brothers Inc., Clifton, N.J.; Joseph Damato Paperstock Corp., Paterson, N.J.; R. Lobosco & Sons Recycling, Paterson, N.J.; and M. Politinsky & Sons Inc., Clifton, N.J. The four scrap paper dealers have combined to form ZDL Recycling LLC. The new ZDL entity will initially process more than 300,000 tons of scrap paper per year in its 200,000 square feet of space located at facilities in Clifton, Paterson and Hackensack, New Jersey. The company’s goal is to process one million tons annually by the year 2003.

* Also on the East Coast, two New York City paper companies have announced a marketing alliance. Perry H. Koplik & Sons Inc., a brokerage, exporting and marketing company, has become the exclusive marketer of secondary fiber processed by Triboro Fibers Inc. in the Bronx.

* In the Midwest, Arrow Recycling Inc., Omaha, Neb., has purchased Dennis Paper Sales, Lincoln, Neb. Dennis Paper Sales, with facilities in both Lincoln and Omaha, processes scrap paper as well as glass and some nonferrous metals. Arrow Recycling Inc. is also a multi-material recycling company. Arrow president Jeff Bolton says his company will continue to process materials at both former Dennis Paper Sales locations.

MRC POLYMERS, INC. WINS SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR AWARD

MRC Polymers Inc., a manufacturer and custom compounder of specialized high quality engineering resins for the automotive as well as other industries, was recently selected "Supplier of the Year" by the Textron Automotive Company plant in Port Hope, Ontario, Canada.

Textron Automotive, with headquarters in Troy, Mich., bills itself as the largest injection molder in North America and bases their "Supplier of the Year" award on many criteria including quality, on-time delivery, continuous improvement and environmental responsibility.

MRC has been a supplier to Textron’s Port Hope plant for the past four years, providing them with approximately five million pounds of impact polycarbonate annually. Textron uses MRC’s resin to produce instrument panels for Chrysler minivans.

"MRC’s Naxell polycarbonate provides us with the consistency and performance lot after lot that is necessary for problem-free production in our plant," said Robert Cox, Textron purchasing manager.

Chicago-based MRC offers scrap resource management services to the marketplace and produces prime thermoplastic resins using recycled raw materials.