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7/1/00 – 6/30/01

Annual Summary

Waste Reduction Partners

New Millennium Highlights

Volunteer engineers Help Businesses Divert 26,500 tons from Landfills

As businesses strive toward reduced and zero waste goals, waste materials must be viewed as a resource commodity instead of an overhead burden.  Waste Reduction Partners (WRP) assessors help businesses develop better strategies to reduce waste and create the highest value for remaining by-products.  Through WRP assistance,  WNC companies diverted over 21.2 million pounds of solid waste from landfills during fiscal year (FY)2001.  Efforts included both recycling and source reduction of paper, corrugated cardboard, paper cones, pallets, textiles, minerals, plastics, and metals at 20 businesses. 

These waste diversion efforts have saved businesses an estimated $1.03 million in disposal avoidance and revenues.

Lightweight Aggregate Project

 WRP is supporting a “Light-Weight Aggregate Project”  led by the North Carolina State University’s, Minerals Research Laboratory (MRL).  In public/private partnership, MRL is researching and developing a “light-weight aggregate” product for use in the construction industry— using fly ash and industrial sludge identified by WRP.  WRP staff is assisting MRL staff in bench-test experiments of the aggregate-making process. WRP Chemist, Elaine Marten, continues to worked extensively with the MRL in pilot testing.  WRP consultant, Howard Jaslow, is working on a marketing study and business plan for the project.  If the process can be commercially developed, up to 130,000 tons of by-product ash and sludge could be diverted from industrial landfills annually.

 Assisting the Processors

WRP is helping recycling processors address their own waste management issues.  WRP Solid Waste Manager, Tom McCullough,  has worked with Kings Kountry Klassics, a

WRP staff, Tom McCullough and Bob Legg seek to reduce non-recyclable paper wastes from local mfg.

pallet rebuilder in Edneyville, to find more cost-effective management strategies for wood scraps that cannot be rebuilt.  Wood disposal was costing this small business in excess of $40,000/year.

Mr. McCullough also has helped a carbon mineral processor in Morganton to sell a carbon by-product as a substitute for coal fuel at an area paper mill.  The carbon reuse program is in a trial phase to assure all regulatory requirements are met.  The use of this high Btu carbon as a fuel source represents a substantial cost saving for the paper mill and a desirable revenue for the processor.  WRP staff also provided consultation on adapting boiler controls to burn the new material.

Mecklenburg County Assistance

This year Mecklenburg County passed an ordnance requiring businesses to separate and recycle cardboard and office paper for generators above a 20 cubic yard/week threshold. While many NC counties have landfill bans for certain recyclable materials, this Mecklenburg business ordinance is a first in the state.  To provide technical assistance to businesses affected by the ordinance, the County has contracted with Waste Reduction Partners to conduct solid waste reduction assessments.  WRP assessor, Ray Guerrein, is heading a WRP satellite office to perform this work.  Five assessments have been performed.

Volunteers Leveraging Volunteers

WRP and Land-of-Sky Regional Council (LOSRC)staff have worked with a waste recycling pilot project at Crescent View Retirement Center.  The multi-faceted project initiated a recycling effort in a retirement complex with the assistance of volunteer residents and church youth.  The project merges environmental and Aging Program goals.  The Retirement center is now recycling an estimated 20,000 pounds per year. The program will serve as a model initiative for other retirement sectors.

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Special Accomplishments

7/1/00 – 6/30/01

¨ Saved clients $1.16 million

¨ 10,609 tons of solid waste diverted from landfills

¨ 3.4 million kWh/year of electricity savings recommended

¨ 17.5 million gallons/yr of water saving recommendations

¨ $651,519/yr new savings recommended to clients 

¨ Raising awareness of AFV  with workshops and car fairs

¨ Supporting Green Building efforts

Performed 65 new waste/energy reduction assessments in 13 WNC counties