2018 SUMMER EDITION Keyston Keystoneekeystoneswana.org/resources/Newsletters/2018... · To cover...

K e y s t o n e

The

KeystoneWritten For the Solid Waste Professionals of the Keystone Chapter SWANA

Inside this issue

2018 SUMMER EDITIONτ

The Dangers of “Wishcycling”

τChapter Calendar .............. 30

τChapter Officers ................ 31

τ Food Waste RecyclingOpportunity in Mid-Atlantic . 3

As the impacts of China’s new importpolicies to reduce trash in the recyclablesbegin to impact our collection programs,you may be seeing a lot more articlesabout the health of recycling, both locallyand across the globe. In many cases,these articles are communicating thesame basic information:

♣ Recycling contamination – or thepercentage of trash mixed with recy-clables – has increased and it’sjeopardizing the global recyclingindustry

♣ Going forward, China will not pur-chase recyclables if there is just afraction of trash mixed with theitems

♣ As a result, we all must focus ourefforts on recycling the right itemsthe right way

Collection is not the same as recy-clingSimply put, we must reduce the amountof contamination in the recycling stream,and this can only happen if the materialswe collect are the right materials. Notethe use of the word “collect” above. It’simportant to highlight “collection,” sincethe quality of the material we collect di-rectly impacts the quality of what canultimately be sold and recycled.

To that end, the following quote is from arecent article by Nina Butler of More Re-cycling, who describes the need to focuson collection:

“Many recycling entities…are facing se-vere financial challenges right now de-spite the environmental benefits thatcome when recovered materials are usedto make new products. In short, the mar-ket for recycled materials is broken. Wehave equated collection with recyclingwhen in reality that is just the first ofmany steps to ensure complete reab-sorption of resources.”

Ms. Butler drives to the heart of one ofthe key challenges we are up against aswe struggle to reduce contamination inrecycling programs. Messaging has his-torically emphasized the importance ofplacing recyclables in recycling carts. Asa result, consumers now equate theplacement of materials in their recyclingcart with recycling. From there, it is out-of-sight-out-of-mind and it is up to recy-clers to ensure that discarded materialsare recycled into new products.

This poses a difficult education chal-lenge, since it’s hard to teach consumersthat their materials are only recycledwhen they replace virgin materials – not

τ Bob Zorbaugh to becomeLCSWA CEO .................... 4

τ SWANA and ISRI to JoinForces at Wastescon ......... 6

τ The Road-E-O is ComingSoon ................................ 7

τ Philly is the Next City withLofty Diversion Goals ........ 8

τ Cosmic Cleanup: SpaceDebris .............................. 10

τ Seneca Landfill Opens NewCNG Fueling Facility ......... 12

τ National Campaign to CleanUp Mt. Everest .................. 14

τ Mini-Tech Recap:FireRover Technology ....... 15

τ The 2018 Farm Bill & What itMeans for You .................. 17

τ PADEP and MDE AmongThose to Sue EPA .............18

τ Global C&D to Double By2025................................. 21

τ Waste Management FounderHas Passed ......................19

τ Women in Waste: “Pink Trash”Interview ...........................22

τ LCSWMA Signs 15-yearExtensions for WTEs ......... 16

τ Nissan Recycles Car Batteriesto Street Lights ................. 16

τ Centre County Honors ThoseGoing Green ..................... 20

2THE KEYSTONE τ2018 SUMMER EDITION

when they’re collected. It’s only when this substitutionhappens that we realize the environmental and economicbenefits of recycling. And, in fact, placing non-recyclablematerials into the cart leads to additional economic andenvironmental costs, with no benefits and (ironically) lessrecycling. We call this wishful recycling “wishcycling” andit is lethal to our nation’s recycling programs.

Why it’s important to only recycle the right itemsSo, why is wishcycling such a problem? There are multi-ple reasons, but what it all boils down to is that non-recyclables in the recycling carts ultimately get sorted outat the recycling facility and disposed of as trash. In otherwords, “wishcycling” does no one any favors, except add-ing costs and reducing the amount of items that can ulti-mately be recycled.

For example, the average contamination rate for materialsthat we collect in curbside recycling programs has grownto about 25%. That means that 500 pounds of every2,000 pounds that we collect at the curb is ultimately dis-carded as non-recyclable. This increases the cost of recy-cling by increasing the cost of sorting materials,transporting and disposing of trash, and also in-cludes the lost value of good recyclables that areruined due to contamination.

At a global level, years of wishcycling across theworld have contributed to end markets like China toget more strict on what they’ll ultimately purchaseand recycle into new materials.

Toward the end of last year, China began institutinga new contamination limit that requires processorslike Waste Management to shrink that 500 poundsof contamination to 10 pounds (0.5%). That’s likeshrinking something the size of a grizzly bear downto a puppy. And with these new guidelines comeseven higher processing costs, while at the sametime commodity prices are at long-time lows. Mix allthis together and the economics of recycling arecertainly under pressure.

It’s time to right the shipFocusing on recycling the right things correctly has neverbeen more important. At Waste Management, we arefocusing on quality, increasing demand, and reducing theeconomic and environmental impact of the materials wemanage for our customers.

However, for recycling to be successful and sustainablefor years to come, we must all commit to recycling onlythe right things the right way.

Collecting materials is not the same as recycling them. It’sonly when a material is recycled into something else thatwe realize the economic and environmental benefits. Any-thing short of this, and we’re simply creating a problemthat results in a negative environmental impact.

Help solve this problem by learning the do’s and don’ts byvisiting RORR.com, and be sure to share this story!

Written By: Susan Robinson, Waste Management, Inc.Submitted by: Chuck Raudenbush

Photo Credit: Twitter.com #wishcycle


Most folks agree that disposal of food waste is not thebest use for this energy and nutrient-rich material, butwhat are the options? Finding a cost-effective solution forrecycling food waste can be challenging and does theoption work? The Mid-Atlantic Bioenergy Council(MABEC) will focus upon options for food waste in primetime by bringing together a dozen experts this September12-14 in Philadelphia at the MABEX major bioenergy con-ference and expo. MABEC is an organization that focuseson alternative energy from biomass and includes wastematerials.

To cover business and logistics of recycling food waste,via anaerobic digestion, MABEX will feature speakersfrom 4 different projects, private, public and USEPA,which are successfully digesting food waste. The speak-ers will cover what makes a project economically success-ful and also some of the common pitfalls that food wastedigestion projects can encounter to help others avoid simi-lar issues. Attendees will also get an early look at brandnew data on food waste digestion

On the policy front, Nic Esposito from the City of Philadel-phia will join Steve Changris from the National Waste andRecycling Association (NWRA) and some experts fromNew York City and elsewhere. They’ll discuss how organ-ics waste plans are working already (or not) and what thenext steps might be to put similar policies in place in PA,NJ, MD and NY state. The September conference willalso have information about the Renewable Fuel Stand-ard, RINs and how to generate maximum revenue fromfood waste, whether digested or landfilled. The balance

of the conference will have a variety of biomass and ener-gy topics.

The Mid-Atlantic Bioenergy Council (MABEC)’s signatureevent, the Mid-Atlantic Bioenergy Conference & Expo(MABEX) is the biggest and only bioenergy conferencefocused on the growing industry of biomass in the Mid-Atlantic. Now in its fourth year, MABEX 2018 expects todraw nearly 300 attendees to downtown Philadelphia, PA,on September 12th through the 14th. The September 12-13 conference boasts multiple sessions and tracks, withthe expo floor open all day. On September 14, two bustours will visit bioenergy sites in the Philadelphia area.CEU credit approval is pending.

For information on MABEX 2018, including registration,sponsorship, exhibitors, program, media partners, sup-porting organizations, and location, visit: www.mabex.org.

SWANA members and friends can enjoy a special dis-count on non-member registration by using the code2018SWANA.

Food Waste Recycling Opportunities in the Mid-Atlantic


The Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority(LCSWMA) announces the internal succession of Robert“Bob” Zorbaugh as the next CEP, starting January 1, 219.The decision was ratified by LCSWMA’s Board of Direc-tors at their March 16th public meeting.

“The Board has great confidence in Bob’s diverse leader-ship experience and unique abilities,” says Steve Dzurik,LCSWMA’s Board Chair. “He brings a considerableknowledge base, deep industryrespect, and great energy to thisrole. We believe Bob is well po-sitioned to lead LCSWMA tocontinue its long history of excel-lence and service to our commu-nity.”

Zorbaugh is a 28-year veteran ofthe solid waste industry, withexpertise in facilities manage-ment, operational efficiency andsafety, capital project manage-ment, environmental compli-ance, and technical services.

His career with LCSWMA beganin 1990 as a Construction In-spector at the Frey Farm Landfill.Zorbaugh then served in pro-gressing management roles forLCSWMA, including LandfillManager (1993-2001), Opera-tions Manager (2001-2010), andChief Operating Officer (2010-2018). During his tenure with LCSWMA, Zorbaugh di-rected several, critical projects and initiative that posi-tioned the organization as a nationally-recognized opera-tion within the solid waste industry, as well as a respect-ed, valued, and trusted community partner in Lancasterand Dauphin Counties.

Highlights from Zorbaugh’s career include:♣ Directing a 400,000-ton reclamation project at the

Frey Farm Landfill (1991-1996), which involved theexcavation, processing, and transportation of land-filled waste for waste-to-energy processing – the firstproject of its kind in Pennsylvania.

♣ Launching an enhanced, comprehensive Safety Pro-gram (2002), with LCSWMA receiving numerous

safety awards that recognizedits stellar record of safe opera-tions for employees, customers,and the community.

♣ Directing the design, con-struction, and operations of a$34 million revitalization ofLCSWMA’s Transfer StationComplex (2005-2007), includingthe first (and only) drive-throughHousehold Hazardous WasteFacility in Pennsylvania.

♣ Directing the operations of a$23 million revitalization of theSusquehanna Resource Man-agement Complex (SRMC) inHarrisburg (2014), includingtransforming the aesthetics ofthe site, improving operationalefficiencies, and enhancing cus-tomer service.

♣ Achieving an outstandingenvironmental compliance history at all LCSWMApermitted facilities, including over 25-years of zeroDEP violations at the Frey Farm Landfill.

♣ Fostering a culture of excellent customer services atLCSWMA, including a focus on offering a quality ex-

Bob Zorbaugh, to Become LCSWA’s Next CEO

Former Keystone SWANA Chapter President,Robert “Bob” Zorbaugh.Photo Credit: LCSWMA


perience for waste hauling customers and thecommunity.

Zorbaugh says, “I’m honored the Board selected me asthe next CEP for this great organization, of which I’vebeen a part for almost three decades. I’m also excitedabout LCSWMA’s future and look forward to continueworking with our outstanding employees to fulfill theorganization’s mission.”

Starting this August, Zorbaugh will serve as co-CEOwith LCSWMA’s current leader, Jim Warner, asZorbaugh transitions in to the CEP role on January 1,2019. He conveys gratitude for Warner’s leadership,saying, “Jim has been a wonderful Mentor during mycareer at LCSWMA, and I appreciate all that he hasgiven to not only myself, but the organization and com-munity as well.”

Warner, who is retiring at the end of the year, reflectsthat “Bob has been critical to our success as an organi-zation. He offers a unique combination of knowledge,experience, and skills that strongly positions him to leadLCSWMA into the future. I believe our Board made awise decision, and I look forward to assisting Bob’stransition into his new role as CEO.”

Beyond LCSWMA, Zorbaugh is a respected leaderwithin the local community and the solid waste industry.HE most recently served as Board President (2015-2016) for the Keystone Chapter of the Solid Waste As-sociation of North America (SWANA), LCSWMA’s in-dustry association.

Bob holds a B.S. in Geo-Environmental Science forShippensburg University, as well as several operationalcertifications from SWANA.

Written By: Kathryn Sandoe, Chief CommunicationsOfficer at LCSWMAPublished: March 16, 2018Source: LCSWMA News Release

The Lancaster County, Penn., Solid Waste Manage-ment Authority’s (LCSWMA) waste-to-energy (WTE)facility, designed, built and operated by Covanta Hold-ing Corp., has processed 10 million tons of municipalsolid waste since beginning operation in 1991.

"Almost 30 years ago, LCSWMA made the smart deci-sion to invest in an integrated waste management sys-tem that also provides clean, renewable energy to itscommunity," said Joey Neuhoff, vice president andgeneral manager of Covanta's mid-Atlantic region, in astatement. "The milestone of processing 10 milliontons shows that their investment is paying off and willcontinue to provide important benefits to the communityfor many years to come."

In addition to the 10 million-ton milestone, the facilityhas produced 5.6 million megawatt hours of electricity,recovered 180,000 tons of ferrous metal for recyclingand offset the equivalent greenhouse emission of morethan 1.9 million passenger cars on the road for oneyear.

"We are proud of this big milestone and would like tothank Covanta for their excellent partnership in operat-ing our facility for almost 27 years," says Jim Warner,CEO at LCSWMA, in a statement. "Together, we aretruly transforming waste into a resource for this commu-nity."

Written By: Waste360 StaffPublished: March 16, 2018Source: http://www.waste360.com/waste-energy/lancaster-penn-wte-facility-processes-10-million-tons-waste

LCSWMA - WTE FacilityReaches 10 Million Tons of

Waste Processed


The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)and the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) an-nounce their partnership on the 2018 MRF Summit, to beheld at SWANA’s WASTECON conference August 20–23in Nashville, Tennessee.

The MRF Summit will provide materials recovery facility(MRF) owners, municipal solid waste professionals, con-sumer products companies, and government officials witha forum to discuss MRF issues and challenges, such ascontamination, technology, and industry policy.

“SWANA is excited to host this important and timely eventat WASTECON, as MRFs struggle to address the chal-lenges posed by more stringent contamination standardsand a changing waste stream,” said David Biderman,SWANA’s executive director and CEO. “We have collabo-rated with ISRI in several areas over the past few years,and this joint MRF Summit marks another significant mile-stone in our strong relationship.”

Through the MRF Summit, stakeholders from all areas ofthe recycling supply chain can come together and addresscommon issues; the event will raise awareness amongSWANA members about ISRI’s Inbound Material Specifi-cations and encourage all participants to collaborate ondeveloping innovative solutions to current industry chal-lenges.

“This summit is the first-of-its-kind, bringing together con-sumer brand owners, material recovery facilities, massretailers, scrap consumers, trade organizations, and mu-nicipal solid waste leaders to debate the pros, cons, andrealities of recycling different types of materials,” saidRobin Wiener, president of ISRI. “With curbside residen-tial recycling upended by China restrictions and contami-nation, this is expected to host the most spirited debatesthat have ever occurred in this industry.”

Held at SWANA’s largest annual conference for the solidwaste and recycling industry, the MRF Summit will offer aspecial “track” for WASTECON attendees, featuringunique sessions, keynote addresses from environmentalleaders, and networking events for industry professionals.

About SWANA:The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)is an organization of more than 10,000 public and privatesector professionals committed to advancing from solidwaste management to resource management throughtheir shared emphasis on education, advocacy and re-search. For more than 50 years, SWANA has been theleading association in the solid waste management field.SWANA serves industry professionals through technicalconferences, certifications, publications, and a large offer-ing of technical training courses. For more information,visit swana.org.

About ISRI:The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI) isthe "Voice of the Recycling Industry." ISRI representsmore than 1,300 companies in 21 chapters in the U.S.and more than 40 countries that process, broker, and con-sume scrap commodities, including metals, paper, plas-tics, glass, rubber, electronics, and textiles. With head-quarters in Washington, DC, the Institute provides educa-tion, advocacy, safety and compliance training, and pro-motes public awareness of the vital role recycling plays inthe U.S. economy, global trade, the environment and sus-tainable development. Generating nearly $117 billion an-nually in U.S. economic activity, the scrap recycling indus-try provides nearly half a million Americans with goodjobs. For more information, visit isri.org.

Written By: Sara Swanson and Mark CarpenterPublished: April 11, 2018Source: https://swana.org/News/NewsDetail.aspx?nc=372

SWANA and ISRI Join Forces for Event at WASTECON


The Mid-Atlantic RegionalLandfill Equipment Operator & Truck Driver

ROAD-E-O

Date: Friday June 22, 2018

Location: Midshore II Regional Solid Waste Facility12236 River RoadRidgely, MD 21660410-634-9304

Directions: From MD 480, proceed on River Road pastthe main entrance to the landfill. Take thenext right on gravel road into the Road-E-Oarea. Signs will be posted. From HollyRoad, proceed on River Road taking thefirst left before the main landfill entrance.

Agenda: Thursday, June 21Welcome Dinner, 6PM to 9 PM (Confirmedguests and registrants only.)The American Legion-Denton, Maryland Post 299238 Legion Road, Denton, MD 21629(410) 479-0105

Friday, June 226:30 - 7:30 AM - Registration / ContinentalBreakfast7:30 AM - Operator Maintenance & SafetyCheck (Pre-Trip)8:00 - 12:00 PM - Skills TestsLunch and Awards Ceremony immediatelyfollowing last event on-site in the mainte-nance building.

Questions about registration?Tim Ford (410) 729-8303Angie Irwin (410) 729-8207

Hosted by the SWANA Mid-Atlantic Chapter

The Road-E-O is Coming Soonand We Want You!

On Wednesday May 9th, the Keystone Chapter of theSolid Waste Association of North America held itsannual Safety Summit at the Best Western PremierCentral Hotel and Conference Center in Harrisburg,PA.

Some of topics presented included:♣ ACT 90 - presented by Mr. Dana Aunkst from

PA Department of Environmental Protection.♣ Drive Cam – presented by Kevin Weaver from

the Lancaster County Solid Waste ManagementAuthority.

♣ Smart Phone Applications - presented by JohnAlevito from Montauk Energy.

♣ Landfill Safety (Looking at the Big Picture) - pre-sented by David Horne, Chester County SolidWaste Authority.

The summit included three morning sessions, whichwas followed by lunch and a networking period. Withour bellies full we sat in on the last presentation ofthe afternoon.

There were thirty-five (35) members in attendancerepresenting various sectors of the solid waste indus-try.

The next Chapter Safety Summit is tentatively sched-uled for the 2019 Fall Annual Conference.

Written By: David Horne - CCSWA

2018 Safety Summit aBig Success

Summit goers attending one of the SessionsPhoto Credit: Chanda Martino


In a city where city collection crews service 540,000households, thinking big is the norm. That became abun-dantly clear when the city of Philadelphia announced itsplan to send nothing to disposal by 2035.

It’s the latest and most ambitious goal for the City ofBrotherly Love, which has been recycling for more than 30years, thanks to community interest that predates Penn-sylvania’s statewide recycling requirements. “Philadelphiahas a very active advocacy history for recycling, and thecity has certainly benefited from that,” said Marisa Lau,acting recycling coordinator.

The city now has an action plan solidified by a mayoralexecutive order, and a government committee is chargedwith making zero waste happen. City officials credit itsprogress to committed elected officials and efforts to bringtogether a variety of interest groups.

Program evolutionPennsylvania’s State Recycling Act 101 passed in 1988,requiring certain communities to have recycling programsin place, based on population and density. But Philadelph-ia had been recycling for some time before the mandate,

collecting newspaper through a curbside program since1984.

Mandates and legislation have backed that advocacy upwith statutory requirements over the years, pushing thecity’s recycling initiatives forward. Commercial properties,for example, have been statutorily required to recycle atleast the same materials as residents since 1994. Andmunicipal buildings have been required to recycle since1996.

In 2009, the city fully adopted weekly, single-stream recy-cling collection, which had been phased in over severalyears. The program has gradually accepted more materi-als over the years, most recently adding aluminum andsteel baking tins and aluminum foil. Currently, the pro-gram accepts paper, cardboard, newsprint, aluminumcontainers, tin/steel/bimetal containers, plastic food andbeverage containers and packaging, aseptic cartons andpackaging, and glass.

Philadelphia has a residential diversion rate of roughly 21percent. Its commercial rate, not including C&D materials,is about 47 percent. The commercial sector generatesabout three-quarters of the material in the waste stream.Combining residential and commercial, the city states itscitywide diversion rate is about 37 percent.

City crews collect residential recycling, and commercial ishandled by the private sector. The city owns a transferstation and the recycling collection trucks. Currently, thecity contracts with a Republic Services MRF for materialsprocessing. Philadelphia city crews service 540,000 resi-dential households. A minor portion of that is small busi-nesses that are eligible for city collection, and city routesalso include small multi-family properties of up to six units.But the majority is single-family residential homes.

Public works crews collect about 12,000 tons of recycla-bles per month. The material has a contamination rate

Philadelphia Next City to Role Out Lofty Diversion Goals

Recycling Bins are kept under this nifty display of what canand cannot be recycled in Philly.

Photo Credit: Green Philly


that ranges between 15 and 19 percent. For single-familyhomes, recycling is funded through taxes without any ex-tra fees, and households are automatically enrolled in re-cycling collection service.

Philadelphia recently completed a waste characterizationstudy, which was carried out throughout 2017. The studyprovided a number of details that would guide future diver-sion planning. For instance, it showed that 30 percent ofthe city’s waste stream was organics.

“It kind of confirmed what we were thinking – it’s not pos-sible for us to get to zero waste just by increasing our re-cycling rate,” Lau said. “It’s going to take waste reduction,and adding new materials to the program.”

The plan to propel diversionCommunities statewide in Pennsylvania are required tostrive for 35 percent diversion, and Philadelphia has had a50 percent goal for years. But in 2016, the city officiallyset its goal as zero waste by 2035, and formed an actionplan of steps it will take to get there.

To hit zero waste, the city plans to reduce its waste gener-ation and increase diversion to 90 percent through recy-cling and composting. The remaining 10 percent of wastematerial would be sent to waste-to-energy operations.

That’s going to take work on a number of fronts. City-owned buildings will begin a new reporting process totrack progress toward waste reduction. The city also be-gan requiring special events to provide recycling service.The program provides city volunteers to help attendeessort their waste at these public events. In addition, Phila-delphia has a longstanding recycling rewards program runby Recyclebank.

“The key is that they’re not just rewarding people for recy-cling at home – they’re able to reward them for a wholerange of zero waste actions, which includes volunteeringat these zero waste events,” Lau said.

Connecting waste and litterThe current zero waste action plan is tied closely to thecity’s top elected official. While campaigning, PhiladelphiaMayor James Kenney made a pledge to find a solution tothe city’s “historic and seemingly intractable litter prob-lem,” explained Nic Esposito, director of the zero wasteand litter program.

“When [the mayor] studied the issue, he didn’t see wasteand litter as two separate issues,” Esposito said. The goalwas to shift waste management practices as a whole, ra-ther than only step up litter cleanup efforts. “He knew thata very ambitious goal like zero waste would not be takenseriously or even work when the city streets look the waythey do,” Esposito said.

Esposito credits the successful development of the zerowaste plan to strong community organizing and pairingwaste management improvements with litter cleanup ef-forts.

“Not every department or community stakeholder is goingto care about waste, but when you can show them howbetter waste management practices will help reduce litter– which they do care about – then you’ve got them,” Es-posito said.

Written By: Colin StaubPublished: April 2, 2018Source: https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/2018/04/02/community-spotlight-major-east-coast-city-rolls-out-lofty-diversion-goals/

The new Philacycle Program offers rewards for diverting waste from recycling streams - Photo Credit: Philadelphia Streets


Waste haulers have an incredibly dangerous job, but inone very small way, they can count themselves lucky. Thetrash they’re collecting stays put. If the garbage bagswere flying through the air at 15,000 miles per hour in-stead, it would be a bit harder to get them in the truck.

Crazy as it sounds, that’s precisely the dilemma takingplace just outside Earth’s atmosphere that John Arwood ishoping to solve. Arwood, the CEO of Jacksonville, Fla.-based Arwood Waste andthe founder of National Gar-bage Man Day, is working toremove dangerous debrisfrom Earth’s orbit through anew venture called SpaceWaste Solutions. “My wholething is to come up with asolution to handle the wasteproblem up there,” says Ar-wood.

The problem isn’t easilysolved, however. Millions ofhuman-made objects arecaught in low Earth orbit(LEO) at all times, causingreal threats to the workingsatellites and threatening tomake LEO impassable in thefuture. Arwood’s solution,dubbed the Solar SpaceWaste Incineration System (Patent Pending), is designedto latch onto dangerous debris and essentially drag it outof Earth’s orbit toward the Sun, or at least out of harm’sway.

Some objects in orbit are very large, like the Chinesespace station Tiangong-1, which weighs 19,000 poundsand recently re-entered Earth’s atmosphere. The U.S.Space Surveillance Network also tracks approximately

18,000 pieces of debris larger than 10 centimeters, 1,200of which are working satellites.

However, the vast majority of the debris is quite small.Based on research and tracking from the U.S. Space Sur-veillance Network, it’s estimated that there could be asmany as 750,000 objects about one centimeter in size,also known as flying bullets, and around 150 million ob-jects smaller than one millimeter traveling in LEO.

Most of the objects floatingin LEO were caused bythe intentional destructionof a Chinese spacecraft,the Fengyn-1C, in 2007.That explosion, along withan accidental collision be-tween an American andRussian spacecraft in2009, has increased thelarge debris floating inLEO by roughly 70 per-cent.

A one-centimeter objectmay not seem like it couldcause any trouble, but it’simportant to remember thespeed at which this debrisis hurtling through space.A tiny fleck of paint travel-

ing at four miles per second, for example, can carry thesame force as a 550-pound object traveling at 60 milesper hour. Even the tiniest collisions can make enormousdents. Collisions, when they do occur, mean even moredebris, and more debris means a greater potential for col-lisions.

The worst-case scenario, first introduced by National Aer-onautics and Space Administration (NASA) scientist Don-

Cosmic Cleanup: Understanding Space Debris

Representative Image of Space DebrisPhoto Credit: NASA


ald Kessler in 1978 and subsequently called the KesslerSyndrome, is a catastrophic domino effect in which satel-lites collide with debris and disintegrate into several largefragments that then cause their own separate collisions,on and on until LEO becomes a gauntlet too dangerousfor humans or satellites to pass through.

Such an event would have wide-reaching implications onthe way we live our lives, so many scientists and entrepre-neurs, including Arwood, are intent on tidying up before ithappens. Due to the incipient commercialization of spacetravel, says Arwood, they may have their work cut out forthem. “It’s going to be a problem that gets greater andgreater,” says Arwood.

Arwood’s incineration system would help make the LEOmore easily navigable, removing pieces of debris thatwould otherwise create a barrier between Earth’s atmos-phere and its higher orbits. The vehicle wouldn’t escortthe trash all 93 million miles to the Sun, but according toArwood, that wouldn’t really be necessary anyway.

“It may not make it all the way to the Sun, but it will get itout of the same orbit where it could possibly fall to Earth,”he says. Due to the very nature of its mission, the incin-eration system wouldn’t be able to make repeat trips, soduplicates would have to be constructed to deal with moredebris. “It’s a one off,” he says. “It’s like a kamikaze.”Even though it sounds like science fiction, Arwood is actu-ally far from the only person combating this problem.

Researchers in Europe are working on a futuristic har-poon capable of capturing arguably the largest piece ofspace debris risk currently orbiting the Earth: the defunctEuropean Envisat satellite. Eighty-five feet in length, thesatellite stopped responding unexpectedly in 2012, and, ifundisturbed, it’s expected to keep circling Earth for anoth-er 150 years before falling and burning up in Earth’s at-mosphere.

Remaining undisturbed isn’t a given for Envisat, however,since its orbit flies dangerously close to other objects,sometimes as close as 600 feet away. A collision withEnvisat could easily have Kesslerian consequences, so

the European Space Agency (ESA) and aerospace com-pany Airbus are hoping to take matters into their ownhands.

The two groups have developed a metal harpoon thatcould theoretically be shot from a “chaser” spacecraft andembed itself in Envisat, allowing the first spacecraft to towthe behemoth back into Earth’s atmosphere and out ofharm’s way. The project, which is currently undergoingtests, could be carried out in the mid-2020s.

Another strategy that has been considered and developedover the years is what’s called a “laser broom.” An ex-tremely powerful laser would fire at debris from Earth’ssurface, disintegrating a small piece of the object andthereby creating drag that could slow the junk down andallow it to burn up on re-entry.

This strategy has several practical advantages, mainlythat shooting a laser from Earth is much cheaper thanlaunching an object into space. However, hitting a smallpiece of space debris from hundreds of miles away in justthe right way is an incredibly difficult task, and it could bemany years until researchers have perfected the technolo-gy.

Researchers have estimated that removing five to tenpieces of debris each year should be enough to keep LEOsafe and avoid catastrophic collisions. Although that’s asmall number compared to millions of pieces of debris, it’sless trivial when considering that each expedition will costtens of millions of dollars to carry out.

Arwood, however, is optimistic that it can be done, andonce the safety of LEO is secure, Arwood jokes that hisnext project will be to procure the waste collection fran-chise for all of outer space. “I’ll have a bigger franchisethan Waste Management,” he says. For all our sake, let’shope business is very slow.

Written By: Hunter KuffelPublished: March 30, 2018Source: http://www.waste360.com/fleets-technology/cosmic-cleanup-understanding-problem-space-debris-and-how-fix-it


Seneca Landfill, Inc. (Seneca) recently opened a fast-fillcompressed natural gas (CNG) facility, under the name ofLego-V, at their municipal waste landfill situated in EvansCity, PA that utilizes renewable landfill biogas. Seneca isa division of Vogel Holding, Inc. (Vogel), a family-run busi-ness for 60 years. They are the first company in Pennsyl-vania to capture the landfill gas that they generate, refineit into natural gas, and then compress it into CNG fuelused by the same vehicles that collect the waste that isdeposited into the landfill. Lego-V’s CNG station will alsobe open to the public, which will make the opportunity forfleet conversion to CNG for local haulers and other fleetoperators in the area more viable.

Seneca operates an active gas collection system consist-ing of a series of vertical gas wells connected to horizontalpiping that conveys landfill gas to an on-site processingfacility that has been in operation since 2011. The facility,owned and operated by Seneca, utilizes compression,multiple stages of cleaning and filtering, and a gas sepa-ration system to separate the methane and carbon dioxideto create saleable utility grade fuel. The processed bio-

gas is directly injected into the Peoples Gas pipeline, ap-proximately 2 miles away. The biogas produced main-tains a sufficiently high BTU (heating value) that consist-ently meets the minimum 970 BTU/SCF requirements forinjection into the commercial natural gas distribution sys-tem.

Vogel recognized that the high heating value and lowmoisture content of the biogas would make it ideal trans-portation fuel. Installation of an on-site CNG facility wouldallow their hauling companies to continue their conversionfrom gasoline and diesel fuel to CNG, which would yieldsignificant economic and environmental benefits.

General specifications of the facility include: a 2000-ampelectrical service, two (2) - 250 horsepower compressor /process skids, 2600 gge of stored CNG, 4 public fuel dis-pensers / point of sale systems, automated / remote con-trol systems, and mobile CNG storage vessels. The mo-bile high-pressure storage vessels are one of the mostunique features of the system as they can be mounted totrailers and transported to other locations for mobile refu-

eling, in essence creating a “virtual pipe-line.” The mobile storage vessels will pro-vide an opportunity for the company tosupply CNG produced from landfill biogasto other entities which will give others theability to further reduce fueling costs.

This project promotes the utilization of al-ternative renewable fuels (landfill derivedbiogas) instead of conventional diesel fuelto power a fleet of garbage vehicles andreduce the reliance on foreign and domes-tic oil. Compared to diesel, renewable nat-ural gas has 27% lower carbon dioxideemissions, 80% lower greenhouse gasemissions, and 95% lower NOx emissions.Converting approximately 22 existing die-sel fueled vehicles to CNG will reduce the

Seneca Landfill Opens CNG Facility Fueled by LFG


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greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 515 metrictons per year. To put the environmental benefit into per-spective, consider the following. The annual greenhousegas emissions from the conversion of 22 diesel fueledgarbage trucks will be reduced by the following percent-ages through conversion to CNG:

♣ Carbon monoxide (CO) by 70-90 percent♣ Non-methane organic gas (NMOG) by 50-75 percent♣ Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) by 75-95 percent♣ Carbon Dioxide (CO2) by 20-30 percent

This is equivalent to the planting of 13,202 trees, remov-ing 109 additional cars from the roadway and recycling185 tons of waste instead of landfilling!

According to Edward R. Vogel, Vogel Vice-President, “Weare passionate about promoting the use of this clean, al-ternative energy while continuing to improve the public’sperception of landfills, and we are continually trying tolead by example.”

Written By: Elizabeth Bertha - Vogel Holding Companies

Image of Lego-V CNG Fueling Station after constructioncompletion.

Photo Credit: Vogel Holdings Inc.


In Mid-March, a groupof Sherpas gatheredoutside Buddha Lodgein this speck of a townnear Mount Everest,stuffing cloth sacksfilled with thousands ofpounds of garbage intoa turboprop plane.

As the number of trekkers and mountaineers windingthrough the Everest region has multiplied, so too has thetrash — empty bottles of Tuborg beer, food cans, torntents, empty oxygen bottles. Now, organizers of a nationalcleanup campaign have set a target of collecting and re-cycling 200,000 pounds of trash in the area, making it oneof Nepal’s most ambitious waste management projects todate.

“Trash has become a major problem,” said Dalamu Sher-pa, the chairwoman of a local women’s group, adding thatthe project was partly about “saving the glory of the Ever-est region.”

Nepal has taken several steps to reduce garbage in theKhumbu region, which includes Mount Everest, the high-est peak in the world. In 2014, the country’s tourism minis-try declared that anyone climbing the mountain must re-turn from the trip with an extra 18 pounds of garbage.

But rules are loosely enforced in the area, and the authori-ties have struggled to find a realistic solution to the prob-lem. Every year, thousands of people snake along steeptrails to reach South Base Camp, which sits more than17,000 feet above sea level. The spring climbing seasontypically lasts from late April to the end of May.

Collecting the trash involves days of walking. Porters andyaks ferry garbage on their backs from a string of villages

leading up to base camp, which takes about a week toreach by foot from Lukla.

Umesh Chandra Rai, the chief executive of Yeti Airlines, alocal operator, said the plan was to transport 200,000pounds of garbage to Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, by theend of the year, where it will be recycled. So far, about24,000 pounds of garbage has been collected. Along thetrails, 16 waste dumping sites, 46 trash cans and threetoilets have also been installed.

“Previously, trash dumping areas were made of plasticsheets, so yaks easily destroyed them,” said Nim DorjeeSherpa, a municipal official. “We have now installed rub-bish bins made of stone and zinc sheets.”

The challenge of hauling material away is so vast thateven the bodies of climbers who died on the mountain aresometimes left in place.

“It is very difficult not because of logistical and technicalreasons, but because of the law,” said Ang Dorjee Sher-pa, the head of the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Commit-tee, which maintains the mountain. “We can’t cremate orbury the dead bodies without consent.”

On a recent cloudless Saturday morning as the tempera-ture hovered around freezing, a dozen volunteers assem-bled at Tenzing-Hillary Airport, a busy tarmac perched ona Cliffside, where sacks of trash were piled high.

As the bags were loaded into the cargo hold of the turbo-prop, ruddy-faced locals said littering would no longer betolerated. “Tourists are not fully abiding by our rules,” saidBiruman Rai, the principal of a government school intown. “It is time to enforce the law.”

Written By: Bhadra SharmaPublished: March 21, 2018Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/20/world/asia/mount-everest-trash-nepal.html

National Campaign Attempts to “Clean Up Everest”

Photo Credit:Savingmounteverest.org


On May 4th, Michael Bodner, President ofFireRover, hosted a mini-technical seminar topresent their unique remote fire suppressionsystem. The FireRover system is an on-siteunit that uses thermal imaging, remote 24/7live video monitoring, and fire suppressionsystem. The system is able to detect fires intheir infancy, even before they flare. The mo-ment a temperature increase is detected, theFireRover team is alerted at the central callcenter. If the team verifies a spark or a fire,they remotely engage the dispensing foamthat stunts and extinguishes the fire.

While we enjoyed a hearty lunch at the Lan-caster Brewing Company, Ryan Fogelman,FireRover’s VP of Business development, pro-vided some startling facts on the extent offires in the solid waste industry. From June2017 to May 2018, there were 368 fire inci-dents reported at waste facilities in the U.S.and Canada resulting in 5 deaths and 5 inju-ries, not to mention damaged facilities and lostproduction time. More than half those fires(65%) were due to batteries (e.g., lithium, re-chargeable) with the remainder made up ofcombustibles, chemicals, and hot ashes.Alarmingly, the number of fires occurring con-tinues to increase.

After the lunch and presentation, we crossedthe street and toured the Security Partnerscall center that receives calls from the Fir-eRover system. Security Partners has twoother call centers in San Antonio, Texas andLas Vegas, Nevada to provide back-up incase there is a widespread power outage orweather event.

Written By: Denise Wessels - SCS Engineers

Mini-Tech Recap: The FireRover System

Attendees listening in to Michael Bodner provide an overview of theFireRover Technologies while enjoying lunch. (Above)

Photo Credit: Denise Wessels

Andy Stadler giving a tour of the call center that monitors traffic fromthe FireRover alert system (Below)


The Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Au-thority, owner of waste-to-energy facilities in Dauphinand Lancaster counties, has extended its workingrelationship with New Jersey-based Covanta.

The two parties said today that they have signed adeal extending until 2032 Covanta's agreement tooperate the authority's Lancaster Waste-to-Energyfacility in Lancaster County and the Harrisburg incin-erator, known formally as the Susquehanna ResourceManagement Complex.

Covanta is the largest annual expense for LCSWMA,authority spokeswoman Kathryn Sandoe said. LCSW-MA is budgeting about $33 million this year in opera-tions and maintenance for both facilities, she said.

The mid-state facilities process around 700,000 tonsof waste annually, according to LCSWMA.

The Lancaster facility processes about 1,200 tons ofsolid waste every day, enough to power 30,000homes continuously. The Harrisburg facility process-es about 800 tons daily, which generates about 23megawatts of renewable energy for the state Capitolcomplex.

Covanta has operated the Lancaster facility since1991. In 2007, it began operating the Harrisburg in-cinerator, which LCSWMA purchased in 2013 as partof the capital city's debt-recovery plan.

Harrisburg was on the brink of municipal bankruptcyand entered the state's Act 47 program for distressedmunicipalities at the end of 2010 largely because ofdebt woes tied to the incinerator.

Written By: Jason Scott,Published: January 8, 2018Source: http://www.cpbj.com/article/20180108/CPBJ01/180109868/authority-signs-15year-

LCSWMA Signs 15-YearExtension on WTE Facilities

Nissan has sold more than 300,000 LEAF electric cars.

With so many on the market, there is a growing number ofused electric car batteries that are becoming available asthese vehicles increase in demand.

Now Nissan, along with its joint venture 4R Energy Corp.,will utilize these used batteries to install and power newstreetlights in the town of Namie, Japan.

The project, called Reborn Light, aims to provide publiclighting for Namie’s residents as part of the recovery ef-forts following the earthquake and tsunami on March 11,2011. The project will use solar panels to power the usedbatteries, making the streetlights completely off the grid,requiring no electric cables or outlets.

Full-scale installation of the street lights with the used carbatteries in Namie is expected to be completed this year.

Meanwhile, Nissan has also started an exchange programin Japan to swap old LEAF batteries for refabricated ones.

Owners of the electric vehicle can turn in used batteriesand, for a fee, receive refabricated ones. Nissan says itwill use the battery-refabrication capabilities of 4R EnergyCorp., a joint venture with Sumitomo Corp.

Nissan says while demand for electric vehicles grows, thenumber of used batteries will increase significantly. Byreclaiming these batteries, it will help lower battery re-placement costs and heighten the used-car value of elec-tric vehicles to promote their use and ultimately contributeto lower CO2 emissions.

Written By: Peter BrownPublished: March 27, 2018Source: http://electronics360.globalspec.com/article/11479/video-nissan-to-recycle-old-leaf-batteries-to-power-japanese-street-lights

Nissan to Recycle Old Bat-teries to Power Street Lights


While in large parta spending bill, thenonpartisan Con-gressional BudgetOffice says H.R. 2would have a mini-mum impact on

overall federal spending. It doesn't have the kind of budg-et-expanding numbers some departments see, but thefarm bill still provides vital funding for rural waste manage-ment projects, which can be prohibitively expensive tostart from scratch.

More notable than routine spending and grant programs,however, is the establishment of a dedicated positionwithin the federal government, which focuses exclusivelyon food waste and food loss prevention. The food wasteliaison would be tasked with sharing information acrossgovernment agencies and working to reduce food wasteat the national level.

The last time food waste got much attention from the fed-eral government was in 2015, when the EnvironmentalProtection Agency and the Department of Agriculture an-nounced a voluntary goal of 50% reduction by 2030.

The full mandate of the liaison runs from coordinating theimplementation of food waste reduction programs be-tween USDA, EPA and the Food and Drug Administration;educating and being a resource for those interested infood waste reduction; drawing special attention to the pro-tections enumerated under the Bill Emerson Good Samar-itan Act; and making recommendations to expand foodrecovery efforts. The liaison may enter agreements withgovernment research entities, institutions of higher educa-tion or nonprofits to produce material, lead workshops orconduct research.

As with many positions in the government, while the suc-cesses of the food waste liaison will largely depend on

who fills the spot (and whether other officials in otheragencies are willing to cooperate), it undeniably bringsfocus to the issue. The numbers behind food waste showit remains a critical issue, with some increase in consumerawareness, but one that hasn't fully been addressed bystate and local policymakers. Food is wasted at every lev-el (including $15 billion-worth at farms), so national coor-dination could be useful in developing more effective strat-egies.

Emily Broad Leib, director of the Food Law and PolicyClinic at Harvard Law School, said the liaison "representsa step in the right direction," but "we hoped to see more,and will continue to work with members of Congress tounderstand the importance of food waste reduction andthese key ways that the farm bill can make a difference inthis fight."

Though aside from this position, the current farm bill textdoesn't go as far as many had hoped. A bill which wouldestablish a national food waste policy is still sitting in com-mittee. The bill would have given a boost to AD that usesfood waste as a feedstock; encouraged schools to pur-chase "ugly" produce; standardized date labels; expandedprotection under the Good Samaritan Act; and requiredstudies about increasing the shelf life of food.

In addition to the Food Waste Liaison, the bill changesfunding levels for some grants related to waste manage-ment programs in rural areas. It also appropriates fundingfor biorefining projects, and extends technical assistanceprograms for rural waste management programs by add-ing that such programs should "identify options to en-hance long term sustainability of rural water and wastesystems."

Written By: Cody BotelerPublished: April 18, 2018Source: https://www.wastedive.com/news/2018-farm-bill-rural-development-grants-food-waste-liaison/521430/

2018 Farm Bill May Extend Rural Development Grants;Establish a Food Waste Liaison

U.S. Capital Building


Leading a coalition of seven Attorneys General and thePennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection,California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and the Cali-fornia Air Resources Board (CARB), in late March, sub-mitted a 60-Day Notice of Intent to Sue over the U.S. En-vironmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) failure to enforce acritical landfill methane regulation.

The regulation at issue, known formally as the 2016 Emis-sion Guidelines and Compliance Times for Municipal SolidWaste Landfills, reduces emissions of volatile organiccompounds, hazardous air pollutants, carbon dioxide, andmethane. It went into effect on October 28, 2016, but theEPA has not enforced it. Instead, with no legal basis fordelaying implementation and enforcement of the regula-tion, the EPA stated that it intends to complete a reconsid-eration of the regulation by Spring 2020. This is a blatantviolation of the Clean Air Act.

“Climate change is the most important global environmen-tal issue of our time. We must act to address it now for thesake of our children,” said Attorney General Xavier Becer-ra. “EPA Administrator Pruitt has a legal responsibility toenforce this critical landfill methane regulation. If he failsto do his job, our coalition is ready to go to court.”

“Landfills that leak gas stink. They also contribute to ourair quality problems and emit potent climate-changinggases," said CARB Executive Officer Richard Corey.“The EPA has laws on the books to control this problembut it’s refusing to follow its own rules. We deserve betterand we’re putting them on notice today to do better."

Landfills are the third-largest source of human-relatedmethane emissions in the United States, accounting forapproximately 18.2 percent of national emissions in 2015.The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to regulate all catego-ries of stationary sources, such as landfills, that cause orcontribute significantly to air pollution that may endangerpublic health or welfare. The regulation at issue would

lead to numerous public health and environmental bene-fits, including:

♣ •Preventing 7.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxideequivalent emissions per year, which translates to:⇓ 1.6 million passenger vehicles driven for one

year; or⇓ 1.1 million homes’ electricity use for one year.

♣ •Protecting against asthma and other respiratory dis-eases, especially among the country’s most vulnera-ble populations, its youngest and oldest residents;and

♣ •Protecting against cancer-causing hazardous airpollutants.

Joining Attorney General Becerra in sending today’s 60-Day Notice of Intent to Sue are the Attorneys General of:Illinois, Maryland, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island,and Vermont. The California Air Resources Board andthe Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protectionare also a part of the coalition.

Since taking office, Attorney General Becerra has takenswift and broad action to hold EPA Administrator ScottPruitt accountable. A copy of the 60-Day Notice of Intentto Sue is available for review at oag.ca.gov/news.

Written By: California Department of JusticePublished: March 23, 2018Source: https://www.oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-if-epa-administrator-pruitt-fails-enforce-critical

PADEP and MD Among Those Planning to Sue EPA


H. Wayne Huizenga, the founder of Waste ManagementInc., died at age 80 on March 22 at his Fort Lauderdale,Fla., home after succumbing to "a decades-long battlewith cancer," Bob Henninger, executive vice president atHuizenga Holdings, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Huizenga took a risk in 1968, when he conceived WasteManagement at the age of 25 with a single garbage truck.But that risk quickly turned into a successful move, asWaste Management became a Fortune 500 company andthe largest waste disposal company in the U.S.

“We were deeply saddened to hear the news of WayneHuizenga’s passing today. As a founder of our company,he was greatly admired for his visionary spirit, entrepre-neurial leadership and ‘roll up your sleeves’ work ethic,”said Jim Fish, president and CEO of Waste Management,in a statement. “While he and I never met, Wayne is a truelegend at Waste Management, known for waking up at2:30 in the morning to drive a truck and then knocking ondoors in the afternoon to introduce himself to current andnew customers. His legacy is a gift to us all. Our thoughtsand prayers go out to the entire Huizenga family on thepassing of their patriarch and our friend and founder,Wayne Huizenga.”

After completing 133 acquisitions of small haulers andletting Waste Management go public in the early 1970s,Huizenga teamed up with a group of other investors tofound Blockbuster in 1985. Huizenga and the investorsended up growing the video rental company from about10 stores to more than 3,000 stores worldwide. The com-pany had a good run and was eventually sold to Viacomin 1994 for $8.4 billion. In 2013, Blockbuster closed al-most all of its stores, but a few locations in remote areasremain open.

Huizenga’s career didn’t stop there. He re-entered thewaste management industry by serving as chairman ofRepublic Services, and in the 1990s, he launched Auto-

Nation, the first nationwide auto dealer in the U.S., whichalso became a Fortune 500 company.

He also entered the Florida sports world, serving as thefounding owner of the Florida Marlins, the baseball team,and the Florida Panthers, the hockey team.

In 1994, he purchased the Miami Dolphins NFL franchiseand its stadium for $168 million, but he eventually sold allthree teams by 2009. He also sold the Marlins in 1999and the Panthers in 2001.

Throughout his career, Huizenga earned many awardsand honors, including receiving Financial World maga-zine’s “CEO of the Year” award five times and beingnamed as Ernst & Young “2005 World Entrepreneur of theYear.”

In addition, Huizenga inspired a number of individuals andcompanies within the waste and recycling industry, thesports industry and the automobile industry, which arepaying tribute to him via social media posts, televisionspecials, articles and more.

Written By: Mallory SzczepanskiPublished: March 23, 2018Source: http://www.waste360.com/business-operations/waste-management-founder-h-wayne-huizenga-has-died?

WM Founder, H. Wayne Huizenga, Has Passed

Statement from Florida Panthers Owner & Governor Vin-cent J. Viola on the passing of H. Wayne Huizenga. Credit:

Florida Panthers Twitter Account


The landfill on theedge of the Russiantown of Volokolamskhas long been an irri-tant to the communi-ty’s 20,000-odd resi-dents, worried aboutemissions of noxiousgases.

The concerns escalat-ed sharply this monthwhen two protestswere held in the townsome 100 kilometers(60 miles) west of Moscow, then burst into national attentionon Wednesday when scores of schoolchildren sought medicalhelp because of nausea, fainting and other symptoms of pos-sible gas poisoning. Officials said 57 were hospitalized.

That day, hundreds of people gathered outside the local hos-pital and surrounded local administrator Yevgeny Gavrilov,with one man in the crowd trying to punch him. Gavrilov wasescorted to safety as the crowd shouted “Killer!”

A 10-year-old girl in a pink cap became a hit on the internetwhen video showed her making a throat-cutting gesture atAndrei Vorobyov, governor of the region that includes Voloko-lamsk.

Vorobyov’s office announced Friday that Gavrilov, the districtleader, has been removed from office. Vorobyov has promisedto get the landfill problem solved by mid-June, but anxiety re-mains high among residents.

Written By: Alexander ZemlianichenkoPublished: March 24, 2018Source: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/mar/24/ap-photos-russian-landfill-attracts-national-atten/

Russian landfill attractsnational attention

Centre County HonorsGreen Businesses,

Schools, & Organizations

The Centre County Recycling & Refuse Author-ity held an awards luncheon in April to honor 60of our area’s best green businesses, schoolsand organizations.

Over 100 area business owners, teachers,school administrators and employees were pre-sent at the awards luncheon, held in coordina-tion with Earth Day, to receive recognition fortheir efforts both in recycling and sustainability.

CCRRA’s Recycling Coordinator, Joanne Shaf-er addressed the crowd and spoke of our threespecial Emerald Award Winners:

♣ DEP Moshannon District Mining Office,♣ Grace Lutheran Church; Grace Lutheran

Pre-School & Kindergarten; and♣ State College Friends School.

A list of all 60 honorees can be found atwww.centrecountyrecycles.org.

For additional information on this awards lunch-eon, please contact Amy Schirf at 814-238-7005, or by e-mail [email protected].

Written By: Amy Schiff - Centre County Recy-cling & Refuse Authority

Volokolamsky District, RussiaPhoto Credit: Wikipedia


A new report by Transparency Market Research forecaststhat the global volume of construction debris is set to bal-loon in the coming years. According to a report by theWorld Bank in 2012, there is a global collective of 1.3 bil-lion tons of solid waste every year. This volume is ex-pected to increase to 2.2 billion tons every year by 2025.Building material accounts for half of the solid waste gen-erated every year worldwide.

Construction waste as classified in the report includesmaterials from excavation, roadwork, and demolition, aswell as complex waste like plastics, metal, ceramic, andcardboard. Making up more than half the constructionwaste generated annually are building materials such aswood, shingles, asphalt, concrete, and gypsum.

The study states "reduce, reuse and recycle" policies arenecessary to control the amount of construction waste;however, such progress has been prevented by insuffi-cient resources, lack of standardization, slim profit mar-gins, policy apathy and lack of education regarding theissues. The Asia Pacific region is expected to generate amajority of the construction waste in the upcoming year,followed by North America. The report shows Europe hasdeveloped the best construction waste management tech-nologies.

Policies are being drafted to increase recycling of con-struction debris, as countries around the world are con-cerned about environmentally sustainable development.The solution for a sustainable future is to reduce, reuseand recycle. Various certifications such as LEED are inplace in different countries to encourage the proper man-agement of construction debris. However, lack of stand-ardization, low margins, poor policy push, lack of aware-ness, and lack of resources are the key barriers for theexpansion of the construction debris market.

Disposing of construction waste often is a safety issue. InDecember 2015, a pile of construction debris caused alandslide in Shenzhen, China, that killed more than 70

people and left 900 individuals displaced. The slide alsodestroyed buildings, including 33 factories, workers' livingquarters, and apartments. Because of the constructionboom in the area, the Chinese government had set upmore than 10 dump sites for debris, but the pile of exca-vated dirt and material waste reportedly was too high atthis location and became unstable. Some analystsblamed the landslide on the unwillingness on the part oflocal officials to enforce regulations regarding disposal ofconstruction debris.

In the U.S., Texas officials are struggling with how to han-dle waste created by Hurricane Harvey in the Houstonarea last year. The Federal Emergency ManagementAgency has said the area will take years to clean up, andthe Texas Commission on Environmental Quality haswaived some solid waste disposal regulations (including:air quality, emissions, wastewater, and hazardous wastestorage) to quicken the clean-up process.

Additionally, in Minnesota, construction debris is affectinggroundwater and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agencyis pushing for tougher standards for demolition landfillsthat provide no barrier between deposited materials andgroundwater. However, county officials across the stateare pushing back against proposals to tighten regulationsuntil the agency can pinpoint the exact source of ground-water contamination.

The report, "Construction Waste Market: Global IndustryAnalysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017-2025," is available for sale on Transparency Market Re-search's website.

Written By: Adam RedlingPublished: March 5, 2018Sources: h p://www.cdrecycler.com/ar cle/global-volume-construc on-demoli on-waste/h p://www.nrca.net/RoofingNews/global-construc on-waste-expected-to-almost-double-by-2025.3-15-2018.6626/Details/Story

Global C&D Waste Predicted to Double by 2025


The North Carolina counties of New Hanover, Brunswick,Pender, and Onslow are your average East Coast com-munities, where neighborhood streets are abuzz withschool buses, busy commuters and parents shuttling theirchildren around town...Oh, and giant pink trash trucks.

In 2011, Kelly Buffalino, a new Wilmington, NC residentand mother of two, launched Pink Trash with her husbandas a way to offer affordable trash collection service to theneighboring communities. Buffalino's personal journeywith breast cancer inspired the vibrant color of the trucks,as well as the overall mission of the business: to savelocal lives through partnerships with the local breast can-cer foundations, Going Beyond the Pink and Pretty in PinkWilmington.

The business, heavily operated and led by women, hastaken off in the area through community engagement,loyal service and a recent partnership with Rubicon, whichled the company to increase its customer base by 10%.Waste Dive caught up with Buffalino, Pink Trash presi-dent, and Shaun Kiviat, CFO, to learn how the businesshas impacted local families, how recent industry changeshave rocked the business model and how fellow femaleexecutives should combat stereotypes.

The following interview has been edited for clarity andbrevity.

Can you tell me a little bit about how you got startedin the waste management industry?KELLY BUFFALINO: My husband and I moved to Wil-mington about eight years ago and we own an apartmentcomplex here. I have an accounting background, and wewere just basically analyzing the financial statements andlooking for ways that we could save money. We realizedthat the trash fees were getting a bit excessive. When wecalled about our account, we were routed to a customerservice representative that was not even in our city of Wil-mington. We really didn't feel like we had a direct person

to speak to regarding our fees and such. So we thought[waste collection] might be just another business thatwould be good to get into.

What's your personal experience with breast cancer?BUFFALINO: I was diagnosed with breast cancer eightyears ago at 41 years old and it was quite a shock. Ithappened at the same time that we moved here. Westarted the trash business and we wanted to also get in-volved in a charitable organization and with everythinghappening at the same time, I met other people in charita-ble foundations here, and we decided that we would startthe trash company and give back to a local breast cancergroup and help people in the community at the same time.

Can you share a bit about the business model?SHAUN KIVIAT: So back in 2011 the economy was still indown time. Charities are great because you're able toraise money and do good things and help people, but thenyou got to go back the same people and ask for moremoney. And back in 2011, it was very, very difficult. Sowe put together a financial model where you didn't have toask anybody to write a separate check. Included in every-body's commercial and residential invoices is a 1% contri-bution that is [sent] to the foundation, and pays for cancertreatment for local women and men.

How much money have you raised since launching?KIVIAT: Our first check was back in December 2011, forlike, eight dollars and change. Now, to date, we've donat-ed almost $200,000 in cash which actually pays for almost$2 million in lifesaving cancer treatment. The foundationhas a tremendous network of doctors who basically con-tribute part of their service fees. So for every $1 in cashthat we're able to contribute, depending on which doctorthey get, it's an average of $10 in treatment.

BUFFALINO: We also meet with the foundation on aquarterly basis when we give them our check and our por-tion also goes toward financial needs. So our checks can

Women In Waste: An Interview with “Pink Trash” Founder


pay for a doc-tor's visit, co-pays, mammo-grams, food onthe table,transportationto and fromtheir doctor'svisits. Some-

times they give us names, sometimes they don't. Noteverybody wants to share that information, but we get tohear the stories directly from the foundation.

Do you have any stories you can share about the suc-cess of advancing breast cancer treatment in thearea?KIVIAT: One of my favorite stories to tell is, back whenwe first started, we got a call one day in the office andthey asked if we can donate a couple of pink trash cansfor a charity run for Anne, a [physical education] teacherin the local school district and we said sure, we'd love toparticipate. So, I remember it was a Saturday morningand it was raining and [we] got in the pink pickup truckand we loaded up with pink trash cans and we got ourpink "I Ran For Anne" t-shirts...and we ended up doing thecharity run in the rain. Now, six or seven years later,Anne is one of our closest friends. Kelly and Chris got ustickets to go to an NFL football game because it was onher bucket list one year, and you know, we built a tremen-dous personal relationship meeting her through the foun-dation.

As a small business owner, can you tell me how Chi-na's import ban is affecting you, especially being acompany that has a charitable aspect to it?KIVIAT: It's affecting the entire country, really. You lookacross from California to New York and there's a numberof MRFs that are shut down in the last 12-24 months. Themore facilities that are shut down, the harder it becomeson national, regional and local haulers like us. Our pricehas almost doubled in the last 30 days [for disposing recy-clable materials].

BUFFALINO: And unfortunately a big part of that is to get

the education out to the consumer, which is where Rubi-con comes in. They are working on decontaminating therecycling which is the big problem with China. So we'dlike to see some of that put in place here. Maybe that'ssomething we can get into in the future, to educate theconsumer and get them to recycle more and not think thatwe're out there to get them. We're really there to makethe world a better place to live in.

How does having a charitable aspect to your businessaffect competition and getting people to interact withyou?KIVIAT: It's a major part of what we do as an organiza-tion. You know our employees, this is very important tothem. They actively participate in all of the charitableevents that we go to throughout the year. At the end ofthe day, everybody needs trash service whether they're abusiness or resident, but we hope they choose us be-cause they see what we're doing in the community, theysee the impact, they see us helping local people. Whenyou get to meet a lot of these people that you're helping, itbecomes more than just a business.

BUFFALINO: And we never really spent a dime on adver-tising, all these years. We've gotten our name out thereby sponsoring our local school's soccer team, baseballteam, doing the annual "Touch a Truck" event every year.We do Healthy Kids Day and Wounded Warrior Project. Imean 1% of our invoices does go to the cancer supportgroup, but we also use our money to help support thecommunity in those other ways.

What advice would you have for other women who arehoping to become part of the waste management in-dustry and maybe launch a business similar toyours?BUFFALINO: Well they have to plan to work really hard.Don't give up and don't back down. Don't believe thatwe're the minority.

Written By: Kristin MuslinPublished: March 8, 2018Source: https://www.wastedive.com/news/women-in-waste-how-pink-trash-strives-to-be-more-than-just-a-business/518649/

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Ann Digital


For more Information, eventregistrations, and updated infor-mation please go to the Key-stone Chapter's website:

http://www.keystoneswana.org/

Some events to plan for include:

JUNE 2018

∂ Thursday, 6/7, 10 am - Board Meeting ConferenceCall.

∂ Friday, 6/22, 7 am - Mid Atlantic Road-E-O at theMidshore II Regional Solid Waste Facility, MD

∂ Review Annual Budget.∂ Distribute Summer Edition of The Keystone.

JULY 2018

∂ No Activities Planned.

AUGUST 2018

∂ Thursday 8/2, 10am - Board Meeting ConferenceCall.

SEPTEMBER 2018

∂ Wednesday - Thursday, 9/5 - 9/6, 19th Annual JointFall Conference, Hilton Harrisburg.

∂ Thursday 9/6, - Chapter Annual Business Meetingand Election, immediately following Fall Confer-ence.

∂ Wednesday - Friday, 9/12 - 9/14, 4th Annual Mid-Atlantic Bioenergy Conference & Expo, Philadel-phia, PA

∂ Friday, 9/14, Deadline to submit articles for fall editionof The Keystone.

∂ Chapter Fiscal Year Ends

**NOTE Schedule is subject to change**

The SWANA Newsletter is published 3 times ayear in February, June and October.

If you would like to have your article included inThe Keystone, please submit it by the 15th of themonth prior to the scheduled release date. Anylate articles will be held until the next issue.

**As a reminder articles are accepted throughoutthe year and while we encourage original articlesthey do not have to be originally written as longas a proper source is cited.**

Interested in becomingmore active in your

Chapter?

We are currently looking for membersto join the Safety and YoungProfessionals Committees.

Email Chanda at:[email protected] for more

details.

SWANA Keystone Chapter Calendar of Events

Be on the Lookout!

The 2018 Board of Directors Election is coming up soonand the ballots will be hitting your inbox!


τ International Board Member

Bryan M. Wehler, P.E. P.G. .................... PresidentSr. Engineer / COOARM Group, Inc.

Michele Nestor ....................................... SecretaryPresidentNestor Resource, Inc.

Robert Zorbaugh ..........Immediate Past PresidentChief Operating OfficerLancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority

Sean C. Sweeney, P.E. ...................Vice PresidentSr. Managing EngineerBarton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

Larry Taylor, P.E. ....................................TreasurerExecutive DirectorGreater Lebanon Refuse Authority

Scott McGrathEnvironmental Services DirectorStreets Department, Sanitation Div. City of Philadelphia

David W. HorneSuperintendentChester County Solid Waste Authority

Scot SampleExecutive DirectorNorthern Tier Solid Waste Authority

Mike EngelAssistant Operations ManagerWayne Township Landfill

Robert Hasemeier, P.E., B.C.E.E.Sr. Managing EngineerBarton & Loguidice, D.P.C.

Charles Raudenbush, Jr.Public Services ManagerWaste Management

Tom LockNortheast Region ManagerSCS Field Services

Denise Wessels, P.E.Project ManagerSCS Engineers

Robert WattsExecutive DirectorChester County Solid Waste Authority

Chapter Officers and Board of Directorsτ Officers

τ Public Sector Directors

τ Private Sector Directors

τ Young Professional DirectorTessa M. Antolick, P.E.Project ManagerArm Group, Inc.


Michele Nestor - Co-ChairPhone: [email protected]

Scott McGrath - [email protected]

Kelly MegonnelPhone: [email protected]

Keystone SWANA Chapter Committee Members

Chapter Safety Ambassadors

Membership & Marketing Committee

Sean C. Sweeney - ChairPhone: 717-737-8326 x [email protected]

Robert WattsPhone: 800-626-0067 x [email protected]

Continued on Next Page

Personnel & Nominating Committee

Sean C. Sweeney - ChairPhone: 717-737-8326 x [email protected]


Bryan M. WehlerPhone: [email protected]

Larry Taylor - ChairPhone: 717-867-5790 x [email protected]


Audit / Budget / Financial Committee

John B. Aliveto IIPhone: [email protected]

David W. HornePhone: [email protected]

Charles Raudenbush, Jr. - ChairPhone: [email protected]

Robert Hasemeier - ChairPhone: 717-737-8326 x [email protected]

Alison D’Airo - Newsletter EditorPhone: 717-737-8326 x [email protected]

George BarstarPhone: [email protected]

Michele NestorPhone: [email protected]

Charles Raudenbush, Jr.Phone: [email protected]

Denise WesselsPhone: [email protected]

Communications & Newsletter Committee

Legislative / Policy CommitteeArticles and By Laws


Secretariat Subcommittee

Young Professionals CommitteeTessa M. Antolick - ChairPhone: 814-272-0455 x [email protected]

Kathryn SandoePhone: [email protected]

Michele Nestor - Fall Conference ChairPhone: [email protected]

Denise Wessels - Mini Tech Seminar ChairPhone: [email protected]

Larry TaylorPhone: 717-867-5790 x [email protected]

Charles Raudenbush, JrPhone: [email protected]

Tom LockPhone: [email protected]

Robert Watts - ChairPhone: 800-626-0067 x [email protected]

Scot Sample - Road-E-O Site CoordinatorPhone: [email protected]


Bobby BartonPhone: [email protected]


Roger RussinPhone: [email protected]

Karl SchmitPhone: [email protected]


Daniel Brown - ChairPhone: [email protected]

Tom LockPhone: [email protected]



Bryan M. Wehler - ChairPhone: [email protected]


Scot SamplePhone: [email protected]

Program and Training Committee

Road-E-O Committee

Scholarship Committee

Thank you to all of ourcommittee members for

everything that you do tomake the Keystone SWANA

Chapter great!


This publication was produced by Barton & Loguidice on behalf of the SWANA Keystone Chapter.

τ This Publication is for the Solid Waste Professionalsof the Keystone Chapter of SWANA

The Keystone is published three times per year (winter, summer, and fall). If youhave ideas for future articles, updates, or general suggestions for The Keystone,or you would like to advertise with us, please contact the Newsletter Editor,Alison D’Airo at Barton & Loguidice, or any member of the NewsletterCommittee members listed below:

Chapter members: please freely share this info with others that you workwith or who have an interest in waste news in PA. Please remember to sendChanda Martino, Administrative and Marketing Director, your current emailaddress as all future newsletters, as well as informational broadcasts andother communications, will only be sent via email.Chanda’s email is: [email protected]. If you did not receive your copyof this newsletter emailed from Chanda, you are not on our email list for news.

Robert Hasemeier - ChairPhone: 717-737-8326 x 2310Fax: [email protected]


Michele NestorPhone: [email protected]

Alison D’Airo - Newsletter EditorPhone: 717-737-8326 x [email protected]


Denise WesselsPhone: [email protected]

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