Solid wastes that go at low cost into municipal landfills contain valuable raw materials which technology is not equipped to handle on a large scale. Identifying the key stumbling blocks may help divert the flow of wastes to useful purposes rather than into permanent burial sites. First of a two-part article. (BL)

This article presents an economic analysis of the nuclear fuel reprocessing industry. It indicates that while environmental safety devices have improved the working conditions, they have also added ever-increasing costs to this necessary process. (MA)

PCB's are one of the most persistent chemicals ever introduced into the environment by man. From very early in their history of manufacture PCB's were suspected of being hazardous to health, but public awareness of the hazard was slow in coming. (RE)

Citizen action to stop the disposal of taconite tailings into Lake Superior was unsuccessful when the courts settled in the favor of industry. Although citizen research revealed a form of asbestos, as well as other toxic chemicals in the discharged wastes, company representatives stated that there were no health hazards. (MA)

This article focuses on the environmental benefits of recycling mainly iron and steel, as well as the current status of such recycling processes. It also examines some of the economic constraints working against recycling, and offers suggestions for correcting the problem. (Author/MA)

For more than a decade, the Chinese have been using biogas digesters to produce fuel for homes in rural areas. This article discusses the design, operation, and benefits of these digesters. This means of waste treatment helps improve sanitation, produce fertilizer, and save fossil fuels. (MA)

Reviews the pollution control history of the River Thames since the time of the Roman occupation. Particular emphasis is given to the restoration policies of the last thirty years. By 1950, the waters of the Thames were nearly devoid of wildlife. Today, the river is one of the world's cleanest. (MA)

This article discusses the first U.S. exchange for industrial wastes. In its first year of operation, the exchange listed 115 waste materials for sale or wanted, some of which resulted in sales. In the future, the exchange may become a clearinghouse for recycling and polluction control technology information. (MA)

Nonpoint source pollution, water pollution not released at one specific identifiable point, now accounts for 50 percent of the nation's water pollution problem. Runoff is the primary culprit and includes the following sources: agriculture, mining, hydrologic modifications, and urban runoff. Economics, legislation, practices, and management of this…