Our Section Constitution and By-laws prescribe the actions
to be taken by the Chair to transition the leadership into the next operating
year. Accordingly, I have begun the
officer election process by appointing the Nominating Committee. The following members have agreed to serve on
the committee:
Shawn Mendt – Chairman (smendt@mbakercorp.com)
Joe Duckett (Joseph.Duckett@snclavalin.com)
John Fillo (John.Fillo@erm.com)
The nominating committee has been charged with the
responsibility of nominating at least one candidate for each elective
office. Acceptances by the nominees must
be obtained before November 1. Offices
to be filled will include Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer, each elected to
a one-year term. Additionally, there are
two vacancies for Board Members who are elected to a three-year term. I ask that any member of the Section who would
like to take a more active role in the local operation of our A&WMA
Allegheny Mountain Section contact the Nominating Committee, or me, to place
your name in nomination. Alternately,
please also let the Nominating Committee know if you have a friend or colleague
who you think may be interested in discussing leadership opportunities in the
Section.
Also in preparation of the leadership transition, at last
month’s meeting, the Section Board of Directors conducted a vote of confidence
in our current Vice-Chair, Scott Golla. The affirmative vote of confidence clears the
way for Scott to take over the Chair’s position. In other Board activity, Arijit
Pakrasi was appointed to serve out the unfinished
Board term created when Kevin Faye stepped down. Arijit will serve
until December 31, 2007.
Another transition has occurred in the Education
Committee. Harilal
Patel, who has served on the committee since 1993, has stepped down as
Chair. Barb Hall, an active committee
member for a number of years, will take over as Education Committee Chair. Please join me in expressing our sincere
appreciation to Harilal for all of his hard work with
Training Workshops and our Adopt-a-School Program over the years, and wishing
Barb well as she takes over this important duty. I’m sure that Barb will be looking for new
committee members as she ramps up for next year’s programs – please get in
touch with Barb or me if you are interested pitching in to help.
Continuing the theme of “transitions”, Headquarters of A&WMA as distributed a request for nominations for A&WMA’s 2009 Board of Directors. Qualified candidates must have been members
of the Association for at least three consecutive years. Nominations must be received by November 1,
2007. Please contact Stephanie Glyptis (sglyptis@awma.org)
if you or a colleague may be interested in participating at the International
level.
This is also the time of year that we can recognize
exemplary achievement in the Association and in the Environmental Profession by
submitting nominations for A&WMA Awards.
Please visit www.awma.org/awards/
for more information. I encourage you to
look at the various awards and to submit a nomination if you know of a
deserving recipient. Please get in touch
with me if you are interested. Call me at 724-933-5444 or
email me at randall.york@erm.com.
Return to the top of the page
Section News
News about and of interest to
members of the
Allegheny Mountain Section
Editor-in-Chief: Arijit Pakrasi, 412/858-3921,
e-mail:Arijit.Pakrasi @ shawgrp.com
___________________________________
“Thanks For A Successful Centennial
Conference”
As a direct
result of the hard work and hospitality of the Allegheny Mountain Section, Pittsburgh’s hosting of
the 2007 Centennial Conference of the Air & Waste Management Association
was a big success. Lots of positive
comments were heard about Pittsburgh
itself, the Convention Center and the remarkably nice “environment” that
greeted participants from around the world.
The highlights
of the Conference included:
Near record attendance (2,600+),
surpassing the attendance at the Indianapolis, Minneapolis and New
Orleans meetings.
Almost 200 registrants from our Allegheny
Mountain Section, including the NW PA and WV Chapters.
A record total of sponsorship
contributions (most from local sponsors).
Sold out Exhibit Hall.
Excellent featured presentations by Lester Lave (CMU); Chuck
Bunch (PPG); Christine Whitman (Former New Jersey Governor and U.S. EPA
Administrator).
Many strong technical sessions, some of
which were standing room only.
Nightly rounds of receptions and special
events, including a moonlight river cruise and a morning after fun run.
Popular technical and social tours.
Special events for students, young
professionals and variety of “outreach” organizations with similar interests to
A&WMA.
Many thanks to more than 100 volunteer organizers, monitors
and hosts who made the last week in June of 2007 a memorable experience for
A&WMA and Pittsburgh.
Thanks to all!
Joe Duckett
Conference Chair
AMS Monthly Board of
Directors Meeting Summary
The AMS Monthly Board of Directors Meeting was held at the
ACHD Conference Room on September 10, 2007.
The Treasurer’s Report indicates that the Section is
currently about $17K ahead of budget for the calendar year. Ed Moretti has
contacted a financial advisor to perform an external review of the Section
financial books and also review its investments.
Joe Duckett reported that the
Heinz History Project is still moving forward in conjunction with the
Pittsburgh 250 Project in 2008.
The AMS was presented with a Silver level sponsor award by
Jamie for the 2007 ACE. Joe Duckett reported that a letter was sent to the Portland
Section in support of their conference next year.
Education Council is looking for sections to look for webcast opportunities within the section. Currently there is no effective pipeline of
ideas for webcast topics.
The Nine Mile Run Watershed Association is making a
presentation at our Section lunch meeting.
The Section voted to donate $100 to the Association but not to
join.
Respectfully submitted,
Ron Huffman, Past Chair
On behalf of Meghan Blaney,
Secretary.
Meet the Neighbors:
Over 20 local environmental non-profit and professional
organizations participated in the Allegheny Mountain Section Outreach Booth at
the A&WMA Convention last June. Two of these organizations were:
PA CleanWays of Allegheny County, is a non-profit organization
that helps people who are ready to take action against illegal dumping and
littering in their communities. Their core programs revolve around cleanups,
adoptions and education. This past summer they sponsored "Tireless
Fridays" riverbank cleanups where over 140 volunteers collected 12.5 tons
of trash and removed 185 tires from the shores of the three rivers. Their
website is http://www.pacleanways.org/allegheny/
Venture Outdoors, is a
not-for-profit organization dedicated to making the outdoor recreation
community a vibrant centerpiece of this region. In partnership with existing
outdoor organizations, Venture Outdoors provides opportunities for the public
to participate in many types of outdoor recreation activities including hiking,
biking, paddling and more. Their website is http://www.ventureoutdoors.org
_________________________
Internet Site Review
Internet Sites of
Interest to Environmental Professionals
with Kim Walker
You can contact me at Kimberly.walker @ erm.com
___________________________________
Environmentalresearchweb by the Institute of Physics
http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/home
Environmentalresearchweb is a central source of information on issues from
global warming to waste management to renewable energy sources, covering all of
environmental science with articles by leading environmental scientists from
academia and industry. The site combines
news articles on current issues with opinion pieces, links with environmental
journals, a comprehensive database of organizations in the field and an
up-to-date events calendar.
“Environmentalresearchweb
will provide people with much more in depth information on, for example the
science behind climate change and other environmental issues and enable them to
learn more about what is being done to tackle these problems,” stated Liz Kalaugher, website editor.
Hot topics on the website
include content relating to sustainability, climate change, and information on
the latest research being conducted. Log
on and register, as membership to the site is free. Members will gain free access to premium
content, receive a weekly newsletter and be able to update the site with their comments
and details of upcoming environmental events.
Return to the top of the page
A Word on Water
The Latest News on Water, Wastewater
and Related Topics
with Susan Z. Forney,
susan.zummo.forney@shawgrp.com
___________________________________
New Guidance on
Watershed Permitting
EPA has published a new technical guidance that will help
integrate National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits into
watershed management plans. "Watershed-Based NPDES Permitting Technical
Guidance" is a follow up to the 2003 implementation guidance and leads
permitting interested parties through the analysis of watershed data and
developing a framework for implementing an NPDES program.
The guidance supports approaches to permitting that may help
target the watershed's most pressing environmental needs. The approaches will
help achieve water quality-based effluent limitations based on water quality
standards while providing opportunities for cost reductions and improved
efficiencies such as water quality trading. The guidance includes case studies
describing how watershed approaches involving NPDES permitting have been
implemented across the country.
The agency is accepting comments on the guidance on a
continuing basis.
For an
electronic copy of the guidance: www.epa.gov/npdes/watersheds
EPA APPROVES PENNVEST'S INNOVATIVE WATER QUALITY
TRADING APPROACH
Pennvest (Pennsylvania
Infrastructure Investment Authority) received EPA approval on July 26, to use
an innovative financing approach using Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF)
money to buy, sell, and create water quality trading credits. Such trading
programs reduce the costs of improving and maintaining water quality while
accelerating the pace and success of cleaning up impaired rivers, streams, and
lakes. Pennvest's water quality trading plan is the
first in the country to use CWSRF funds to invest in the purchase and sale of
pollution trading credits and in building best management practices that will
generate these credits. For more
information on water quality trading, go to http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/watershed/trading.htm
To learn more about Pennvest, go
to http://www.pennvest.state.pa.us/pennvest/cwp/view.asp?A=2&Q=70934
EPA Issues New Technical
Document on Using Load Duration Curves in the
Development of TMDLs
EPA recently issued a new technical document called "An
Approach for Using Load Duration Curves in the Development of TMDLs." This document provides an overview on the use
of duration curves for developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). The duration
curve approach allows for characterizing water quality conditions at different
flow regimes. The method provides a visual display of the relationship between
stream flow and water quality.
The EPA document describes basic steps needed to develop
duration urves, which identify loading capacities,
load and wasteload allocations, margins of safety,
and seasonal variations. It is written for
TMDL practitioners who are familiar with relevant technical approaches and
legal requirements. The guide also discusses some considerations and
limitations in using the approach and includes several case examples.
Related to this, in November 2006, EPA issued a memorandum http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/dailyloadsguidance.html,
entitled, "Establishing TMDL Daily Loads in Light of the Decision by the
U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Friends of the Earth, Inc. v. EPA
et. al., No. 05-5015 (April 25, 2006) and Implications for NPDES Permits"
that clarified EPA's expectations concerning the appropriate time increment
used to express TMDLs in light of the recent
decision. The memorandum also indicated that additional technical information would
be forthcoming, such as this 74-page technical document, http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/duration_curve_guide_aug2007.pdf.
ELECTRONIC-BASED TOOL IDENTIFIES COST-EFFECTIVE
FUNDING FOR WASTEWATER OR DRINKING WATER MANAGEMENT PROJECTS
In the quest to restore the nation's waters, states, local
governments, nonprofit organizations and others can seek financial assistance
through federal programs designed to address current and future water pollution
control challenges. The EPA Financing Alternatives Comparison Tool (FACT) is a
new tool that can be downloaded to help municipalities, utilities, and
environmental organizations identify the most cost effective method or financing
option to fund a wastewater or drinking water management project. To download
FACT, go to http://www.epa.gov/owm/cwfinance/cwsrf/fact.htm
To learn more about EPA's options for Clean Water
financing, go to http://www.epa.gov/owm/cwfinance/index.htm
New Water Quality
Trading Guide Available
A new EPA publication will help the regulated community
design and implement voluntary water quality trading programs consistent with
EPA's 2003 National Water Quality Trading Policy. This new guide will provide
stakeholders with detailed guidance on the fundamental concepts of trading
which can accelerate water quality improvement and reduce compliance costs.
"EPA's Trading Toolkit is the first-ever how-to manual
on water quality trading," says Assistant Administrator for Water Benjamin
H. Grumbles. "This toolkit will be useful not only for permit writers but
for anyone interested in designing a trading program to improve water quality.
It is part of EPA's efforts to support and encourage innovation for water
quality progress."
Water quality trading is a voluntary option that regulated
point sources can use to meet requirements under the Clean Water Act. The Water
Quality Trading Toolkit for Permit Writers provides permitting authorities with
the tools they need to incorporate trading provisions into required permits.
The guide is focused on trading nitrogen and phosphorus, but other pollutants
may be considered for trading on a case-by-case basis. The toolkit discusses
the fundamental concepts of designing and implementing trading programs
including the relevant geographic scope, effluent limitations, and other
factors involved in defining a credit. The document also includes a set of
appendices that feature detailed case studies based on actual trading programs.
EPA is interested in public comment on the toolkit. Comments
received through the document's Web site will be considered for future updates.
The toolkit, a Web-based document, is available on the EPA's
Water Quality Trading Web site at http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/trading/WQTToolkit.html.
A limited number of hard copies are also available through
the National
Service Center for
Environmental Publications.
EPA Releases Operator
Training Guidelines for State Underground Storage Tank Programs
The EPA has released the final operator training grant guidelines
at http://epa.gov/oust/fedlaws/final_ot.htm
for states that implement a key provision of the underground storage tank
amendments of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The operator training grant
guidelines describe the minimum requirements states must meet in order to
comply with the operator training provision contained in the Energy Policy Act.
The guidelines establish three distinct classes of
underground storage tank operators, describe how and when states will implement
the guidelines, and discuss when operators must be trained. The guidelines
include a description of the classes of operators, required training for each
class of operator, deadlines when operator training is required, and examples
of acceptable state approaches to operator training. In order for states to
comply with these requirements, they must develop state-specific operator
training requirements by Aug. 8, 2009, and ensure that all three classes of
operators are trained according to state-specific requirements by Aug. 8, 2012.
EPA Seeks Nominations for National Drinking Water
Advisory Council
EPA is seeking nominations for qualified people to serve a
three-year term as members of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council.
This 15-member council was established by the Safe Drinking
Water Act (SDWA) to provide practical and independent advice, consultation and
recommendations to the agency on the activities, functions, policies and
regulations required by the SDWA.
The terms of five members expire in December 2007. To
maintain the representation required in the statute, nominees for the 2008
council should represent state and local officials concerned with public water
supply and public health protection (three vacancies), the general public (one
vacancy) and interest groups (one vacancy).
The current list of members is available at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ndwac.
The deadline for nominations is Oct. 15. More information
can be found in a Sept. 13 Federal Register notice at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WATER/2007/September/Day-13/w18065.htm
EPA Report Offers Mixed Review of Everglades'
Ecological Health
On Sept. 19, EPA released a report documenting the
ecological condition of the entire 2,063-square-mile freshwater portion of the
publicly owned Everglades. Mercury
contamination was a major focus of the study, and the results are mixed.
The report documents the third phase of an 11-year study of
the Everglades marshes, which determined that
mercury in prey fish is declining while phosphorous contamination of soil has
increased.
Ecological stressors on the Everglades,
such as poor water management, soil loss, water quality degradation and mercury
contamination, are often interrelated. EPA recommends that efforts to manage
water quality and pollutants, such as mercury, phosphorous and sulfur, be
integrated to prevent further degradation.
The study is part of the Everglades Ecosystem Assessment
Program, an innovative, long-term research, monitoring and assessment effort.
Since 1993, three phases of marsh sampling and one phase of canal sampling have
been conducted throughout the Everglades at
more than 1,000 locations. Its goal is to provide critical, timely, scientific
information needed for management decisions on the Everglades
ecosystem and its restoration.
The report and more information on the Everglades Ecosystem
Assessment Program are available at http://www.epa.gov/region4/sesd/reports/epa904r07001.html.
Return to the top of the page
In the Air
News of Air Pollution Control
and Air Related Issues
with Martha Kwiatkowski
You can contact Martha at MK @ ams-awma.org
___________________________________
Flexible Air Permits Proposed
to Prevent Pollution and Paperwork
EPA is proposing changes to air quality permitting rules to
encourage pollution prevention; provide increased flexibility, enable industrial
facilities to make rapid changes to respond to market demands; save resources
for state permitting authorities, and improve public information.
The proposed changes would affect both EPA's operating permits and New Source
Review (NSR) programs. Under the proposed changes to the operating permits
program, a facility with a flexible permit would explain its operational plans
and possible changes to those plans for the duration of the permit term –
typically 5 years. The air quality permitting authority would include permit
conditions to ensure protection of public health and the environment for all of
those operating conditions. These flexible permits do not provide approval for
operational changes not within the scope of conditions considered at the time
of the permit application, and facilities would still be required to meet their
requirements under the Clean Air Act.
The proposed revisions to the NSR program would govern when advance approvals
of certain changes would be appropriate. EPA and states have been testing many
of the flexible permitting approaches for more than a decade. Based on the
agency's evaluation of pilot projects, EPA expects that these proposed changes
will promote significant environmental and economic benefits, while reducing
administrative workload for both permitting authorities and facilities.
EPA will accept comment on this proposed rule for 60 days after it is published
in the Federal Register. See http://www.epa.gov/nsr/actions.html#aug07
National Emission
Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Iron and Steel Foundries Area
Sources and Paint Stripping and Miscellaneous Surface Coating Operations at
Area Sources
As published in the September 17, 2007 (Volume 72, Number
179) Federal Register EPA is proposing national emission standards for
hazardous air pollutants for iron foundries, steel foundries and for area
sources engaged in paint stripping and miscellaneous surface coating
operations. Comments must be received on or before October 17, 2007.
EPA Proposes Measures
to Address Direct Emissions of Fine Particulates
EPA is proposing options for calculating key program
elements in implementing the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD)
program for fine particle pollution in areas that meet clean air standards.
The PSD program uses three key measures to make this
determination: increments, significant impact level (SIL), and significant
monitoring concentration (SMC). The proposal presents options for how to
calculate each of these measures for PM2.5. EPA will accept comments on the
proposal for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. See:
http://www.epa.gov/nsr/fs20070912.html
New Study: Smog Poses
Greater Health Risk Because of Global Warming
People living in 10 mid-sized metropolitan areas are
expected to experience significantly more "red alert" air pollution
days in coming years due to increasing lung-damaging smog caused by higher
temperatures from global warming.
The analysis uses data from the 2007 journal Climatic
Change, which looks at climate change, ambient ozone, and public health in U.S. cities.
The study, "Heat Advisory: How Global Warming Causes More Bad Air Days,
projects that higher temperatures mean more smog for a given level of precursor
emissions. See: http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/heatadvisory/contents.asp
Court Overturns EPA
Incinerator Rule
A federal court June 8 overturned EPA's plan to exempt tens
of thousands of waste incinerators from the protective controls that the Clean
Air Act requires.
EPA had argued that it could set far less protective
standards for these incinerators by treating them as though they were
"boilers" or "process heaters" that burn only fossil fuels.
The court rejected that argument, making clear that facilities that burn waste
are incinerators and must meet the Clean Air Act's highly protective
incinerator standards.
The court's decision also will require EPA to redo its rules
for thousands of industrial boilers and process heaters that burn fossil fuel.
Among the provisions vacated by the ruling was a controversial decision by EPA
to allow sources to avoid controlling their emissions of hydrochloric acid and
several other air pollutants that Congress had listed as "hazardous"
in the Clean Air Act. See:
http://www.earthjustice.org/library/legal_docs/court-shuts-down-illegal-epa-incinerator-rule.pdf
Proposed Nuclear Reactors Prompt NEPA Review Process
EPA recently met with representatives of the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC) to review the permitting review process for new
reactors under the EPA National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The NRC is anticipating to license 20 new
reactors in the next 5 years and has been conducting stakeholder meetings
nationwide in preparation. NEPA regulations require EPA to document, for
review, the potential environmental impact of a nuclear reactor or other
facilities through an environmental assessment, or environmental impact
statement. http://www.epa.gov/reg3esd1/nepa/
How Clean is Your Air?
Now, you can become an informed breather. EPA recently
released "AirCompare," a tool that compares
air quality and related health concerns for up to 10 counties or 3 states at a
time. AirCompare uses EPA's Air Quality Index to
explain air quality and pollution from a health perspective to help people make
informed decisions about moving, vacationing, or living in different areas of
the country. A user selects criteria and a chart is created to show whether the
previous year's air quality was healthy or unhealthy for specific groups more
susceptible to pollution, such as those with lung or heart disease or active
outdoor lifestyles. To use AirCompare, see http://www.epa.gov/aircompare/.
Return to the top of the page
International
Focus
News of
Environmental Trends and Regulations
in Other Countries
with Kim Walker
You can contact me at Kimberly.walker @ erm.com
___________________________________
Pollution Causes 40 Percent of Deaths
David Pimentel, Cornell professor of ecology and
agricultural sciences, and a team of Cornell graduate students examined data
from more than 120 published papers on the effects of population growth,
malnutrition, and various kinds of environmental degradation on human
diseases. The Cornell researchers
concluded that about 40 percent of deaths worldwide are caused by water, air,
and soil pollution. Their research
concluded that environmental degradation coupled with the growth in world
population are the major causes behind the rapid increase in human diseases
that has been recently reported by the World Health Organization. Both of these factors contribute to the malnourishment
and disease susceptibility of about 3.7 billion people. "We have serious environmental resource
problems of water, land, and energy, and these are now coming to bear on food
production, malnutrition, and the incidence of diseases," said Pimentel.
Of the world population of about 6.5 billion, 57 percent is
malnourished, compared with 20 percent of a world population of 2.5 billion in
1950, said Pimentel. Malnutrition is not only the direct cause of 6 million
children's deaths each year but also makes millions of people much more
susceptible to such other killer diseases such as acute respiratory infections,
malaria, and a variety of other life-threatening diseases, according to the
research.
The study included the following pertinent points:
Nearly half the world's people are crowded into urban areas,
often without adequate sanitation, and are exposed to epidemics of such
diseases as measles and flu.
With 1.2 billion people lacking clean water, waterborne
infections account for 80% of all infectious diseases. Unsanitary living
conditions account for more than 5 million deaths each year, of which more than
half are children.
Air pollution from smoke and various chemicals kills 3
million people a year.
Soil is contaminated by many chemicals and pathogens, which
are passed on to humans through direct contact or via food and water. Increased
soil erosion worldwide not only results in more soil being blown but spreading
of disease and various toxins.
"A growing number of people lack basic needs, like pure
water and ample food. They become more susceptible to diseases driven by
malnourishment, and air, water, and soil pollutants," Pimentel
concludes. Adding to the concern is that
more microbes are becoming increasingly drug-resistant. Global warming coupled
with changes in biological diversity, are influencing parasite evolution and
the ability of exotic species to invade new areas. As a result, diseases such
as tuberculosis and influenza are re-emerging as major threats. Additionally, new threats including West Nile virus and Lyme
disease have developed.
(Source: online version of the journal Human Ecology
available at http://www.springerlink.com/content/101592/, to be published in
the December print issue)
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Solid Waste Views
with John Scrabis, P.E.
You can contact me at: jmscrabis @ mactec.com
___________________________________
EPA Pushes
Procurement of Materials from Recovered Waste
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is revising the
list of items designated in the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines’
landscaping products category to promote the use of materials recovered from
solid waste. EPA is expanding the description of “compost” from yard trimmings
and food waste to include compost from biosolids and
manure, but does not limit the designation to specific types of organic
materials. In addition, EPA has added fertilizer made from recovered materials
as a designated landscaping item.
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act requires
procurement officials to buy products containing recovered materials when the agencies
spend more than $10,000 a year on that item. Procuring agencies are federal,
state, and local agencies, and their contractors that use appropriated federal
funds. For example, if a county agency spends more than $10,000 a year on an
EPA-designated item and part of that money is from appropriated federal funds,
then the agency must purchase that item made from recovered materials. Agencies
are required to purchase the product with the highest recovered material
content level practicable, given reasonable competition, product price,
performance, and availability. Through the CPG requirement, EPA is harnessing
the purchasing power of the federal government to foster and support markets
for recycled-content products, thereby reducing the need for raw materials,
consumption of energy, and the release of greenhouse gas emissions.
The rule should be published in the Federal Register within the next two weeks.
More on the Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN) that outlines changes to
the list of items designated in the CPG landscaping products category: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/procure/rman5.htm
Information on EPA’s Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines Web site: http://www.epa.gov/cpg
Contact Information: Roxanne Smith, (202) 564-4355 / smith.roxanne@epa.gov
Congressional
Research Report: RL34147
Managing Electronic Waste: An Analysis of State E-Waste Legislation
Pursuant to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established
regulations regarding the disposal of hazardous wastes. Although there are
federal requirements under RCRA for the management of hazardous waste, some
states have opted to implement more stringent requirements -- particularly with
regard to the management of certain hazardous wastes generated by households
and small businesses (entities that are essentially exempt from RCRA's hazardous waste management requirements). One
category of household hazardous waste that many states are choosing to regulate
more strictly is electronic waste, commonly referred to as "e-waste."
E-waste generally refers to obsolete, broken, or irreparable electronic
equipment like televisions, computers and computer monitors, laptops, printers,
cell phones, copiers, fax machines, stereos, or video gaming systems. Cathode
ray tubes (CRTs) in televisions and computer monitors have presented a
particular concern to states, primarily due to the potentially significant
amounts of lead they contain and the large numbers in which they are generated.
State concerns specific to the landfill disposal or incineration of e-waste are
largely due to its increasing volume and often bulky nature; hazardous
constituents, such as lead and mercury, it may contain; its high cost of
recycling; and the inability of interested stakeholders, such as electronics
retailers and manufacturers, to reach consensus on how to voluntarily implement
a national e-waste management system. States have responded to this concern by
enacting their own e-waste management laws. Requirements of those laws range
from a ban only on the landfill disposal or incineration of designated e-wastes
to the implementation of a full e-waste collection, transportation, and
recycling system. To date, 13 states have enacted some form of e-waste
management law (as many as 20 states proposed e-waste laws in 2006 and 2007).
Although the goal of each law is similar -- to avoid landfill disposal and
incineration of certain types of e-waste -- approaches taken to achieve that
goal differ significantly. However, most state laws and proposals have certain
broad elements in common, such as specifying the electronic devices covered
under the law; how a collection and recycling program will be financed;
collection and recycling criteria that must be met to minimize the impact to
human health and the environment; and restrictions or requirements that
products must meet to be sold in the state. As more states propose e-waste
legislation, potentially regulated stakeholders (particularly electronics
manufacturers and retailers) have expressed concern that they will be required
to comply with a patchwork of state requirements throughout the United States.
This concern has led to an increased call for federal legislation regarding
e-waste management. To help policy makers better understand the impact of state
e-waste legislation, this report discusses issues that have led to state
action, common elements in state-waste laws and proposals, and an overview of
each enacted state law. For more
information go to http://www.opencrs.com/document/RL34147/2007-09-10%2000:00:00
EPA Reports on
Treatment Technologies for Mercury in Soil, Waste, and
Water
This report (http://www.clu-in.org/s.focus/c/pub/i/1464/)
contains information on the availability, performance, and cost of eight
technologies for the treatment of mercury in soil, waste, and water. It
describes the theory, design, and operation of the technologies;
provides information on commercial
availability and use; and includes site-specific data on performance and cost,
where available. This information can help managers at sites with
mercury-contaminated media and generators of mercury-contaminated waste and
wastewater to:
Identify proven and effective mercury treatment
technologies;
Screen technologies based on application-specific goals, characteristics,
and cost; and
Apply experiences from sites with similar treatment
challenges.
The technologies for soil and waste that are included in the
report are solidification and stabilization, soil washing and acid extraction,
thermal treatment, and vitrification. Technologies
for water include precipitation/coprecipitation,
adsorption, membrane filtration, and biological treatment. The report also
includes information on ongoing
research on mercury treatment,
including applications using nanotechnology, phytoremediation,
air stripping, and in situ thermal desorption.
$1 Million Available
to Help Pennsylvania
Businesses Increase Use of Recyclable
Material
To make the demand for recyclable materials even stronger,
Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell announced that the state is making $1
million available to manufacturers so they can buy equipment that increases
their use of recycled content in finished products. "We are investing in innovative Pennsylvania companies
that are helping us use environmental protection to improve the state's
economy," Governor Rendell said. "This $1 million will help companies
that are finding new ways to use more types of recyclable materials than ever
before. Recycling is growing in Pennsylvania,
and Pennsylvania
is investing in the future of recycling."
Pennsylvania
continues to benefit from the record-setting collection of cans, bottles,
office paper, and other recyclable materials. These recyclable materials, used
by manufacturers to produce new goods, are preserving our natural resources and
creating jobs in every corner of the state.
Last year's recipients of Recycling Markets Infrastructure Development
grants leveraged the state's $927,000 investment with more
than $3 million of their own
capital.
The Recycling Markets Infrastructure Development program
awards grants of up to $500,000 for the purchases of machinery or equipment
that will increase consumption of recyclable materials recovered in Pennsylvania. The grants
are made to businesses and nonprofit organizations that will manufacture a
product or reuse an existing product using recyclable materials.
Pennsylvanians recycled a record 4.86 million tons of
municipal waste in 2005, the latest year for which statistics are available.
The economic value of those materials was estimated at $577.4 million. The
estimated value of avoided disposal costs was more than $262.7 million, most of
which would have been paid by local governments and taxpayers.
Applications for Recycling Markets Infrastructure Development
grants will be accepted until November 1. For more information on the Recycling
Markets Infrastructure Development Grant program, or to obtain a grant
application, visit
http://www.ahs.dep.state.pa.us/redirector?varURL=http://www.depweb.state.pa.us,
keyword: Market Development
Supreme Court
Clarifies Rights of PRPs to Recover Costs from Other PRPs
A recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court has clarified that
parties who voluntarily clean up contaminated property may sue to recover their
cleanup costs from other potentially responsible parties (“PRPs”)
under section 107(a) of CERCLA. The
decision confirms that PRPs may pursue such claims
against the United States
at sites where a federal agency is a PRP.
For more information go to: http://www.martenlaw.com/news/?20070613-cleanup-cost-recovery
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ENVIROCABULARY
Environmental Acronyms, Obscure Words
and Other Lingo
with Kim Walker
You can contact me at Kimberly.walker @ erm.com
___________________________________
Each month, the Envirocabulary staff will scour the latest environmental literature for new and breaking terms of interest to our readers. This month's term is…
Rill: A small
channel eroded into the soil by surface runoff; can be easily smoothed out or
obliterated by normal tillage.
(Source: Environmental Protection Agency Terms of Environment:Glossary,
Abbreviations and Acronyms,
http://www.epa.gov/OCEPAterms/oterms.html)
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P2 Forum
News on Pollution Prevention,
Recycling and Related Issues
with Michael Stepaniak
You can contact me at michaels @ ccicenter.org
___________________________________
This
Month:
ASHRAE Publishes Energy Performance Comparison Standard
Guide to the Business Case and Benefits of Sustainability
Purchasing
SustainLane Provides
Ways to Become Green
ASHRAE PUBLISHES ENERGY PERFORMANCE COMPARISON STANDARD -
A common basis for reporting building energy use and comparison of energy
performance is now available in a new standard from the American Society of
Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). ANSI/ASHRAE Standard
105-2007, Methods of Measuring, Expressing, and Comparing Building Energy
Performance, provides a system of energy performance comparison that not only
can be used for any building, proposed or existing, but also allows different
methods of energy analysis to be compared. This helps facilitate comparison,
design, and operation improvements and the development of building energy
performance standards, according to the chair of the committee that wrote the
standard. This standard provides a framework for assuring access by all
interested parties to performance comparison or rating methods that are
developed. The biggest change to the standard, last published in 1999, is the
inclusion of building energy performance comparison, which is vital for energy efficiency
efforts worldwide. Past versions of the standard provided a basis for reporting
energy use but had limited ability to express or compare performance. Existing
standards and building rating systems include requirements related to energy
performance comparison. The guidance in the standard
progresses from the energy use index (total annual energy use per square foot)
to other indexes, such as energy use per hospital bed, followed by performance
comparison frameworks. The standard also identifies key characteristics
that users should consider reporting when performance comparisons are of
interest, such as the number of workers, weekly hours of operation, and annual
cooling and heating degree-days. The cost of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 105-2007,
Standard Methods of Measuring, Expressing, and Comparing Building Energy
Performance, is $36 (or $30 for members). For detailed
information regarding the guide visit http://www.ashrae.org/bookstore.
GUIDE TO THE BUSINESS CASE AND BENEFITS OF SUSTAINABILTY
PURCHASING – Established in 2005,
the Sustainability Purchasing Network (SPN) supports organizations in their
efforts to develop and improve their sustainability purchasing practices. The
goal of the SPN is to ultimately influence positive environmental, social,
ethical, and economic impacts in Canada and beyond. Recently, SPN
published the Guide to the Business Case Benefits of Sustainability
Purchasing. The Guide was produced to help organizations understand the triple
bottom line benefits (financial, social and environmental) and costs of
sustainability purchasing. As with any new business decision, cost-benefit
information can help support decision-making at the board, executive,
departmental, and end-user levels. The Guide outlines the business case
benefits and costs for sustainability purchasing and identifies important
process considerations that impact the business case, such as the cost of
designing and
managing a sustainability purchasing program, and the
benefits of using “total cost of ownership” or life cycle assessment processes
in purchasing. Sections include: Making the most of the Guide; Background and
Introduction; Benefits of Sustainability Purchasing; Costs of Sustainability
Purchasing; Resources; and Appendices. For information on the Sustainability
Purchasing Network visit their website at http://www.buysmartbc.com/. To view the
Guide go to http://www.resourcesaver.org/file/toolmanager/CustomO16C45F80161.pdf.
SUSTAIN LANE PROVIDES WAYS TO BECOME GREEN – SustainLane, is an internet and media company dedicated to
empowering consumers, businesses, and government to go green through three key
offerings: SustainLane.com,
The Unsustainables, and SustainLane Government. Founded in 2004, the company
began by publishing the first ranking on US city sustainability providing
unprecedented awareness and access to the topic. Today, SustainLane
makes it easier to go green by helping consumers, businesses, and government
share what they know about going green. SustainLane
Government’s knowledge base is open to the public. Individuals can search and
browse sustainability best practices whether they’re a government or citizen
practitioner. The open-source knowledge base speeds discovery, research, and
networking with more than 105 best practice documents and a secure directory of
participating government officials from over 400 cities, counties, and states
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Compliance Corner
What's New with Regulatory Compliance,
Environmental Management
and Related Issues
with Dan Hagerty, CHMM
You can contact me at daniel_hagerty @ hotmail.com
______________________________
EPA Releases List of
High-Volume Chemicals
EPA has released the first set of Hazard
Characterizations on 101 High Production Volume (HPV) chemicals. These
characterizations are based on EPA’s scientific review of the screening-level
hazard, or toxicity, data that was submitted by the U.S. chemical industry
through EPA’s HPV Challenge Program or other information previously collected
by the agency.
The HPV Challenge Program encouraged companies to provide the public with basic
health and safety data on chemicals that are manufactured in excess of a
million pounds a year. The hazard characterizations include a summary of the
data submitted, EPA’s evaluation of the quality and completeness of the data,
and an assessment of the potential hazards that a chemical or chemical category
may pose. EPA will combine this information with human and environmental
exposure information collected from EPA’s Inventory Update Reporting to develop
a risk characterization and, based on that review, determine if additional
action is needed to ensure the safety of the HPV chemicals’ manufacture and
use.
The agency intends to use this approach to
identify and assess risks as well as take needed action on 3,000 HPV chemicals
by 2012. This was one of the elements of the North American chemical
cooperation commitment announced by the United
States, Canada,
and Mexico at the Security
and Prosperity Partnership North American Leaders’ Summit
in Canada
in August. For additional information on this announcement, visit the HPV
Challenge Program website at www.epa.gov/hpv
.
EPA will continue to prepare and
periodically post additional HPV chemical hazard characterizations as they are
developed. The agency intends to post risk characterizations on chemicals when
they are developed and completed, beginning later this year. To view the first
set
of hazard characterization, visit http://iaspub.epa.gov/oppthpv/hpv_hc_characterization.get_report.
For further information on EPA’s plans for reviewing HPV chemical data, see http://www.epa.gov/chemrtk/index.htm
.
EPA Makes Toxics Release Inventory Data
Available
EPA has made available the electronic-Facility Data Release query
tool for reporting year 2006, (RY06) toxic release inventory (TRI) data. This
tool provides access to facility level, form-by-form TRI data but does not
include TRI data analysis, such as national trend analyses. These trends will
be available in the spring Public Data Release after undergoing extensive data
quality checks.
The RY06 e-FDR incorporates the changes finalized in the North
American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Rule (71 FR 32464; June 6,
2006) and the TRI Burden Reduction Rule (71 FR 76932; December 22, 2006).
For example, the NAICS Rule requires facilities to report NAICS codes instead
of Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes, and the Burden Reduction
Rule expands the eligibility to use Form A in lieu of the more detailed Form R.
A
New Era in Environmental Chemical Testing: ToxCast™
Phase I Chemicals
Riding the wave of the future, EPA's ToxCast™
program looks to revolutionize the agency's chemical toxicity evaluation
procedures.
EPA's National
Center for Computational
Toxicology has released a list of 340 chemicals that will be evaluated under
Phase I of the ToxCast™ research program. This three-phased program sets
priorities for toxicity testing of environmental chemicals in order to more
efficiently obtain critical information necessary to protect people and the
environment.
"When complete, the ToxCast™ Program will allow EPA to test thousands of
environmental chemicals quickly for harmful effects. EPA will enter a new era
of environmental chemical testing, which will allow the agency to better
protect human health and the environment," said Dr. George Gray, assistant
administrator for the Office of Research and Development.
Under Phase I of ToxCast™, the chemicals will be examined in hundreds of
different rapid computer tests referred to as high throughput screening (HTS)
bioassays. Phase I will be used to create chemical signatures of compounds.
These chemical signatures will then be compared to known toxicity data in this
proof-of-concept phase. It is expected that patterns will emerge that are
predictive of compounds that could cause harm to people and the environment.
Results of Phase I are expected in 2008, and will be
posted on the ToxCast™ Web site.
Phase II will involve a larger, more diverse set of chemicals to
test the predictability of patterns identified in Phase I. In Phase III, ToxCast™ will expand the list to thousands of environmental
chemicals, delivering an affordable, science-based system for decision-makers.
In May 2007, the National Academy of Sciences released a report
calling on EPA and other federal scientific agencies to use advances in
computers, genomics, and cellular biology to speed up toxicity testing. The ToxCast™ Program, which began in 2006, implements many of
the report's recommendations.
What Causes Hazardous Material Transport
Incidents?
The Department of Transportation has issued a report on the sources
of hazardous material (hazmat) incidents for the second quarter of 2007. During
this period, drops caused the largest number of hazmat incidents (970);
followed by human error (956); and loose closures, components, or devices
(832). Forklift accidents caused 695 hazmat incidents and inadequate blocking
and bracing caused 644. There were more than 8,000 incidents reported during
the quarter, which lead to almost $3.5 million in damages and two fatalities
caused by rollovers. The hazardous material involved in the greatest number of
incidents was paint and paint-related materials. Interestingly, there were 393
hazardous material incidents reported involving fire extinguishers, which
accounted for 3.63 percent of the total number of accidents reported. The
largest number of injuries was caused by cresols (22), followed by sodium
hypochlorite (9), and gasoline (4).
The largest number of hazmat incidents occurred in Ohio
(701), followed by California
(697) and Texas
(657). Kentucky and Florida topped the list of states with the
greatest amount in damages, at almost $3.3 and $3.5 million, respectively. To
prevent hazardous material incidents at your facility, ensure all of your
shipping and receiving personnel receive hazardous material training.
EPA
Grants TSCA Section 21 Petition On Nonylphenol
And Nonylphenol Ethoxylates
On September 5, 2007, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its response to the Toxic
Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 21 petition submitted by the Sierra Club,
the Environmental Law and Policy
Center, the Pacific Coast
Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, the Washington Toxics Coalition,
Physicians for Social Responsibility, and UNITE HERE on June 6, 2007. The petitioners requested that EPA require
manufacturers and importers to conduct certain health and safety studies under
TSCA Section 4; and also require, under TSCA Section 6(a), labeling on all
products containing nonylphenol (NP) and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE),
and limit the use of NP and NPEs where the use of
these substances presents an unreasonable risk to public health and the
environment.. EPA announced that it is
granting the petitioners’ request to initiate a proceeding for chronic aquatic
toxicity testing under TSCA Section 4 and will also request comment on potential
additional testing related to certain of the petitioners’ requests. EPA denied the petition in regard to TSCA
Section 6 and to the remaining specific TSCA Section 4 requests. EPA denied the other request in the petition
claiming that petitioners failed to meet their TSCA burden.
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