Friday, November 18, 2005

 

Lawrence Township trustees donate $2,500 to Club 3000

By BARB LIMBACHER, T-R Staff Correspondent
November 16, 2005
BOLIVAR - Lawrence Township trustees agreed to donate $2,500 to Club 3000 toward legal fees the organization has experienced since beginning to fight the expansion of Countywide Recycling and Disposal Facility. The landfill is in Pike Township in Stark County, a mile north of Bolivar. The township and the village of Bolivar are also working with Club 3000 about the landfill.

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Thursday, November 17, 2005

 

Regula Inserts Language into House Bill to Protect Muskingum Watershed

For Immediate Release:
Thursday, November 10, 2005

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula (R-Navarre) announced today House approval of a bill that would establish criteria for new landfills in the Muskingum Watershed. Regula, Vice Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee had the provision inserted into a bill funding the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for fiscal year 2006.

Specifically, the provision would permanently prohibit the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from using its funds for the evaluation of any new landfill in the Muskingum Watershed. Regula inserted the provision into the bill after hearing concerns from constituents and local officials that the aquifer within the Muskingham Watershed has been threatened by preexisting landfills and that any new landfills could further endanger the aquifer and quality of drinking water for residents.

"Potable water is an extremely precious resource. I believe it is my responsibility as a Representative to respond to the concerns of my constituents to protect and preserve the integrity of their water supply. The risks that these landfills pose to water quality of the local community are too great to ignore," said Regula.

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Ohio EPA orders company to remove scrap tires

Recycling Today Magazine

Thursday, November 17, 2005

The Ohio EPA has ordered Crestline Auto Wrecking, Inc., to remove an estimated 285,000 scrap tires from its property in Crestline, Ohio. The company has 120 days to clean the 42-acre property.

Ohio law prohibits the open dumping of scrap tires. Facilities storing scrap tires must follow strict guidelines on their storage and disposal and must obtain a license unless the facility qualifies for an exemption.


Since March 5, 2004, five inspections by Ohio EPA and the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department noted numerous violations, including open dumping of solid waste, failure to have scrap tire piles no greater than 2,500 square feet, failure to maintain fire lanes, failure to provide mosquito control measures and establishing a scrap tire facility without registration.


On August 16, 2004, the health department ordered the company to implement mosquito controls, establish storage piles and fire lanes that meet code and begin removing all scrap tires to a legal disposal facility, all within 30 days. The company was to file monthly reports of its progress. The company has not complied.


In addition to removing tires from the site, Ohio EPA has ordered the company to implement mosquito control measures and establish proper storage piles and fire lanes. These must be maintained until all tires are removed.

 

Ohio takes one step closer to ASR exemption

Recycling Today Magazine

Thursday, November 17, 2005

A bill that seeks to exempt automotive shredder residue from generation fees was approved by both Ohio’s State Senate and State House. House Bill 100 passed overwhelmingly by both houses, according to Rep. Mary Taylor, chief sponsor of the bill.

The bill now awaits Governor Taft’s signature to be enacted into law.

If signed into law, any solid waste district in Ohio could exempt automotive shredder residue from the district’s generation fee, to extend the moratorium on the issuance of licenses for new construction and demolition debris facilities, and create an exemption to the moratorium under certain circumstances.

Under the bill, ASR would include nonrecyclable residue generated as a direct result of the shredding of autos, appliances, sheet metal and other metals through a hammermill shredder. Additionally, while the residue is considered solid waste, it is not a hazardous waste.

The law would give the various districts in the state the opportunity to exempt the fees for the ASR. At the present time districts are mandated to assess the fee to auto shredding companies.

The policy committee of a solid waste management district may establish procedures and requirements, including record-keeping procedures and requirements, that are necessary for the administration and enforcement of an exemption.


Under the law, if the district’s policy committee seeks to eliminate an exemption of automotive shredder residue from the district's generation fee, the committee shall adopt a resolution eliminating the exemption without the necessity for ratification of the resolution. After adoption of the resolution and if the district has included the exemption in its amended solid waste management plan, the committee shall subsequently amend the plan to reflect the elimination of the exemption at the time when the adoption of an amended plan is required under section 3734.56 of the Revised Code.


Taylor says there are 12 auto shredding facilities in Ohio.

 

Landfill legislation goes down to wire in House, Senate

Canton Repository
Thursday, November 17, 2005
By Paul E. Kostyu - Columbus Bureau Chief

COLUMBUS - After a setback this week, lawmakers now face a tight deadline to pass legislation that will regulate construction and demolition debris landfills.

Democrats in the Ohio Senate balked Tuesday at approving the extension of a moratorium on new and expanded landfills past Jan. 1, when the current moratorium expires, because of a conflict over who should be covered. All Senate Democrats voted against the extension as an emergency measure, which effectively killed it because Republicans could not muster enough of a majority to pass it without Democratic help.

That means the moratorium will expire before the extension goes into effect in February or March, depending on when Gov. Bob Taft signs the bill to which the moratorium was attached.

In the meantime, the House held a third committee hearing on House Bill 397, sponsored by state Rep. John Hagan, R-Marlboro Township, which would tighten regulation of construction and demolition debris landfills.

Committee Chairman Thomas Collier, R-Mount Vernon, initially said Wednesday that he didn’t think there was time to get the bill ready as the Legislature approaches the end of the year. He said he had been assured by House leadership that a moratorium extension would be attached to another bill to give his committee more time.

But Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, wants Hagan’s bill approved by the end of the year and intends to have the Senate in session for the first two weeks of December to help get it done. Harris said there would be no need for a moratorium extension with the new regulations in place.

“My hope is that they can move very rapidly,” he said Wednesday. “We will have the votes to pass it with an emergency clause.”

An emergency clause means a bill becomes law right after the governor signs it. Without an emergency clause, legislation waits 90 days after the governor’s signature before it is effective.

“That’s great,” Collier said of Harris’ comments. “We will work to get it done.”

The bill has been through five versions so far, and five Girard residents testified Wednesday that more changes are needed to further protect neighbors of landfills.

“Why make it easy for them to unload their debris,” Richard Natoli said.

Kurt Latell said the bill needs to require dumps to be placed farther away from rivers and property lines. He also wants dumps to be set back from public accommodations instead of occupied dwellings. He said the former would cover more facilities, including places such as miniature golf courses. He also said the seven dumps with license applications under way should be covered by the new regulations.

Hagan’s original bill did not allow current applications to bypass the new regulations.

“I’m asking you to protect your constituents,” Latell said.

Reach Copley Columbus Bureau Chief Paul E. Kostyu at (614) 222-8901.

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Legislative floor actions

Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Legislative floor actions in the House of Representatives and Senate from Tuesday, Nov. 15.

HOUSE - PASSED

HB 417 LANDFILL MORATORIUM (Oelslager) - To establish a moratorium on the issuance of permits for new solid waste landfills and expansions of existing landfills and licenses for new construction and demolition debris facilities and expansion of existing facilities in counties that are included in the Regional Hydrologic Study of the Tuscarawas River Basin conducted by the United States Geological Survey and to authorize solid waste management districts to expend money derived from district solid waste disposal and generation fees to provide funding for geological and hydrogeological surveys. Am. Sec. 3734.57.

 

Kentucky recycling facility relocating to Ohio

Rumpke Moving Recycling Plant
Recycling Today Magazine
November 16, 2005


Rumpke Recycling, an Ohio-based recycling and solid waste company, is relocating its Ashland, Kentucky facility to Lawrence County, Ohio. In a letter to residents of Ashland the company stated the reason for the relocation is that it has outgrown its existing facility.

The new facility will allow residential, commercial and industry and recycling services. The company broke ground on the new facility this month.


The last day the existing Ashland plant will be accepting material from the pubic is Dec. 3, 2005. The new facility is expected to be open by the next summer.


Steve Sargent director of recycling for Rumpke Recycling, says the company should have the new facility open by June 1, 2006. The new facility is located on 13 acres, and a major focus of the new facility will be maximizing the recovery of recyclables from the commercial waste stream. Sargent adds that the facility will be the first time the company has built a greenfield operation.


While the Ashland plant has seven employees, Sargent feels that within a short period of time the new facility will have between 30-40 employees.

The company hopes to use the experience at the Lawrence County facility as a “precursor” to building a large recycling and transfer station at Rumpke’s landfill in the Cincinnati area.





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Tuesday, November 15, 2005

 

America Recycles Day, November 15, 2005

Exit EPA - America Recycles DayOur country produces almost 240 million tons of municipal solid waste every year-- approximately 4 ½ pounds of waste per person per day, most of which is recyclable. Recycling has environmental benefits at every stage in the life cycle of a consumer product-from the raw material that it's made with, to the final method of disposal. When we recycle, we:
  • conserve energy and natural resources,
  • provide feedstock for key domestic industries,
  • reduce air and water pollution, and
  • cut greenhouse gas emissions.
By using our resources wisely, we strengthen our economy and national security. Literally thousands of products are recyclable, especially paper, yard waste, motor oil, tires, plastic, glass, batteries, building materials, and obsolete electronic products.

It's important to change the way we think about waste-to see the value of a used material as a product or commodity, not as a waste. You can do that on November 15, 2005, by participating in America Recycles Day . When you do, we hope you'll begin to understand your impact on our environment-whether you're reading today's newspaper, eating lunch, grabbing a bottle of water, or mailing a package. All the materials we use, and actions we take, in our daily lives affect our environment in some way. By committing ourselves to reduce more waste, to reuse and recycle more materials, to buy more recycled and recyclable products, and to reduce toxic chemicals in products and waste, we conserve energy and preserve natural resources.

Did You Know?
If we recycled the 48 billion aluminum cans that we throw away each year, we could save the equivalent of 24 million barrels of oil.





On November 15, 2005, EPA is sponsoring and participating in the 9th annual America Recycles Day . This event is one means to reduce our impact on the environment. It represents a partnership among government, industry, and environmental organizations to promote recycling and to encourage recycling nationwide. Ultimately, America Recycles Day, and other events like it, will help us achieve our 35 percent national recycling goal.

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Tuscarawas County Recycling Info

Cuyahoga County Recycling Map