Describes a variety of composting techniques that may be utilized in a municipal level solid waste management program. Suggests how composting system designers should determine the amount and type of organics in the waste stream, evaluate separation approaches and assess collection techniques. Outlines the advantages of mixed waste composting and…

Examines consumer education strategies for decreasing contamination in plastics collected for recycling. Discusses research that suggests the problem may not be consumers ignoring rules but rather that consumers appear to be adhering diligently to rules of their own invention. (LZ)

Presents a catalog of recycling education materials. The list is subdivided into two categories, recycling curricular documents (23 entries) and recycling educational materials (16 entries). (MCO)

Examines the role of campus recycling and how colleges and universities can best contribute to their community and to the industry. A sampling of programs illustrate the diverse approaches taken as well as some of the lessons learned. (LZ)

Describes a program developed by the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority to teach government buyers how to buy recycled materials. The program consists of a hands-on training seminar and a manual that offers step-by-step instructions for setting up a buy-recycled purchasing program. (LZ)

Reports the results of a year-long home composting pilot program run by the city of Madison, Wisconsin. The study was designed to gather data on the amount and type of materials composted by 300 volunteer households and to determine the feasibility of a full-scale program. (LZ)

Describes a program established in Los Angeles to introduce curbside recycling and automated trash collection to multilingual residents. Discusses a grass-roots community-based outreach strategy designed to change attitudes toward waste. (LZ)

Lists seven approaches not to take when developing a public outreach campaign on recycling. Methods include: (1) environmental education will increase participation; (2) everyone cares about recycling; (3) guilt works; (4) keep repeating the same ads; (5) non-English speakers need translated literature; (6) scheduling workshops; and (7) kids will…

Reports the findings of a study that documented 1992 costs of residential curbside recycling versus disposal systems in four Washington State cities: Seattle, Spokane, Bellingham, and Vancouver. Results indicated that recycling can be less expensive than disposal when the revenues obtained from selling recycled materials are considered. (MDH)

Suggests that quantification is essential to establish the cost-effectiveness of source reduction (SR). Presents case studies of monitoring methods for seven different kinds of SR efforts: (1) packaging changes, (2) SR businesses, (3) waste exchanges, (4) individual nonresidential efforts, (5) variable garbage rates, (6) yard waste reduction, and…

Examined the results of public education waste prevention workshops whose goal was to reduce waste by 5%. Workshop participants reduced waste by 5.6% compared to nonparticipants. Describes the program, survey methods utilized, and cost effectiveness of the program. (MDH)

Provides details of a strategy employed in Portland, Oregon that is responsible for increasing the recovery of building wastes from nearly none in 1989 to over 40% of the construction and demolition debris generated in the area in 1994. (DDR)

Discusses the issue of who has the right to sell or collect recyclables and the use of recycling flow control ordinances by local governments. Cites specific examples in California. (MDH)

Explores the position that more energy is conserved through recycling secondary materials than is generated from municipal solid waste incineration. Discusses one component of a lifecycle analysis--a comparison of energy requirements for manufacturing competing products. Includes methodological issues, energy cost estimates, and difficulties…

Discusses obstacles to making recycled office paper cheaper. Explains how the economics of recycled office paper discourages recycling by commodity mills. Includes discussion of integrated and nonintegrated mills, commodity and specialty mills, specialty printing and writing mills, postconsumer material, supply and demand, and economic…