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Product Stewardship Institute, Inc.
29 Stanhope Street
Boston, MA  02116

617-236-4855 (Main)  
617-236-4766 (Fax)
www.productstewardship.us

   Newsletter Vol. 5 Issue 3 Late Summer 2009   

Letter from the Executive Director

Dear Members, Friends, and Associates:

These past few months have been very rewarding. Maine passed the nation’s first product stewardship law on lamps, and Oregon became the first state to pass a product stewardship law on paint. PSI played a key role in the success of the lamps law, while the paint law was the culmination of seven years of PSI effort that has resulted in a model for productive collaboration among manufacturers, retailers, and government agencies.

However, these and other accomplishments take a back seat when confronted with the sad loss of our colleague, Joe Truini, who at 37 passed away suddenly from a heart attack, despite being a marathon runner. Joe was a reporter for Waste News since1997, covering the full range of waste and recycling issues, and of course product stewardship. He covered our conferences, and I would often see him at other events. Joe was a fair and balanced reporter who was excellent at saying what was needed in a concise way. He understood the product stewardship movement, and helped create it through his reporting. He deciphered the details, captured the nuances, and explained the action…all in brief articles. And in this way, he was really part of the movement. Joe will be sadly missed for his great contribution to the field, as well as his kind and friendly manner. On behalf of PSI, I want to express our deepest condolence to Joe’s family and his Waste News colleagues.

Scott Cassel
Executive Director/Founder

 
Contents Menu

 PSI in the News

 Product Updates
 

PSI/NAHMMA Forum in June 2009 a Success
Over 225 attendees joined us in Seattle for the 2009 PSI/NAHMMA Northwest Chapter joint conference held June 1-4, 2009. The event brought together for the first time people working on product stewardship, chemicals policy, and household hazardous waste management to share strategies and plan future activities. Over 95% of our attendees said in evaluations that PSI should join with NAHMMA for future conferences and that the event was either good or excellent.  The keynote speech by one of the founders of Green Chemistry, John Warner, President & CTO of the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry, was considered by many to be exceptionally inspiring and motivational. A video of Dr. Warner’s speech is available through PSI’s website along with the presentations given by over 40 public, private, and environmental advocacy organizations. Photos of the event, including the trip to three British Columbia’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs, can be viewed at the PSI website as well.  Contact Lisa Gould, Executive Assistant at Lisa@productstewardship.us or 617-236-2866 for more information.
 

Three New Members Join PSI’s Board of Directors
PSI is delighted to welcome three product stewardship leaders as new board members: Resa Dimino (New York Department of Environmental Conservation), Ann Pistell (Maine Department of Environmental Protection), and Becky Jayne (Illinois Environmental Protection Agency). We thank outgoing Directors:  Frank Coolick (NJ), Shirley Willd-Wagner (CA) and Jan Whitworth (OR) for their many fruitful years of service on the PSI Board.
 

PSI Staff Member Appointed to US EPA’s Subcommittee on Promoting Environmental Stewardship
PSI congratulates Jennifer Nash, PSI’s Director of Policy & Programs, for her recent appointment to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Subcommittee on Promoting Environmental Stewardship. The subcommittee will advise EPA on ways the agency can encourage private sector firms, organizations, and individuals to take actions that complement and go beyond environmental regulatory requirements. If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer at Jennifer@productstewardship.us, or (617) 236-4853.
 

PSI Member Spotlight: Fenton Rood, Oklahoma DEQ  

Fenton helping to clean the planet by getting his hands dirty recycling. 		 The job of a state or local government PSI member is varied and demanding. Take, for example, the work of PSI member Fenton Rood, Director of Waste Systems Planning at Oklahoma’s Department of Environmental Quality. Fenton’s interest in recycling and protecting the environment began with a field trip he took to a Tulsa, OK landfill while in high school. After seeing all that people throw away, Rood remembers thinking, “there has to be a better way.” He was motivated to help organize the first Earth Day in Oklahoma in 1970. In his current job, Fenton travels throughout the state to provide technical assistance to communities setting up municipal recycling programs. Rood works on environmental guidelines and legislation, gets involved in permitting of projects by companies working in OK, inspects landfills, and helps with efforts to clean up Tar Creek in northeastern OK and remediate former oil refineries. He also periodically teaches an urban ecology course at the University of Oklahoma. Regarding his role as an environmental specialist, Fenton says, “If it has to do with waste, I probably will have a role…. It’s been a field of dramatic innovation, and that’s kept it interesting to me.” Rood said that Oklahoma is a national leader in unique aspects of recycling. “The law directs DEQ to use materials recovered from solid waste to restore lands damaged by oil and gas production and mining … Through the application of organic materials we have been able to restore barren waste lands into productive pastures.”
 

8 New Government Members Join PSI
The City of Spokane (WA) moved up to a Full Member from their Affiliate Membership, and secured many valuable Full Member benefits doing so, and the City of Millbrae (CA) also became a Full Member! New Affiliate Members (6) include City of Redmond (WA), City of Tacoma (WA), Clallam County (WA), Klickitat County (WA), Kittitas County (WA), and Whatcom County (WA). A complete list of PSI Full and Affiliate Members is available on the PSI website. To become a member, check the website for general membership information, or contact Gena Folts, Development Associate, at Gena@productstewardship.us, or (617) 236-4771. 

 

New Corporate Partner Joins PSI
PSI welcomes our newest Sustaining Partner,  Mercury Technologies of Minnesota, a company that provides appropriate recycling and disposal for used mercury products, especially fluorescent lamps.  This new PSI Partner joins more than 50 corporate and organizational partners dedicated to reducing the health and environmental impact of consumer products. Partners support PSI’s mission and recognize our Principles of Product Stewardship.To learn more, contact Jennifer Nash, Director of Policy and Programs, at Jennifer@productstewardship.us, or (617) 236-4853.
 

ECOS Re-Endorses PSI Principles of Product Stewardship
In July, PSI Executive Director Scott Cassel updated ECOS, the Environmental Council of the States, on product stewardship activities in the United States. ECOS, which is comprised of the lead environmental official appointed by each state’s governor, endorsed the ECOS Principles of Product Stewardship in March based on PSI’s Principles. This is the third such endorsement from the organization, showing the continuing interest to use the PSI Principles to guide state waste management policies. The first endorsement came in 2002. 
 
Financial Benefits of Product Stewardship Programs
PSI has started a project to estimate financial benefits to local governments from product stewardship. The project will include case studies of local government programs, and we welcome your involvement. Please contact Jennifer Nash, Director of Policy & Programs, at Jennifer@productstewardship.us, or (617) 236-4853.
 
NEW Product Stewardship Member/Partner Update Calls
Interested in getting monthly briefings on product stewardship legislation? Wondering about the likely impacts of OR’s recently passed paint stewardship law? Or want to learn more about PSI’s efforts to establish a national system for recycling fluorescent lamps? PSI now offers monthly update calls to all affiliate and full government members, and all corporate and organizational partners. These calls are an excellent way to keep abreast of product stewardship activities and collaborate with others around the country. Our next call will be August 4th from 2:00 – 3:00 PM EDT. Please join us!  For more information on becoming a PSI government member or corporate partner, contact Gena Folts, Development Associate, at Gena@productstewardship.us, or (617) 236-4771.
 

NEW Corporate Leadership Calls 
PSI recently initiated Leadership Calls for Corporate Partners. These calls network businesses working to implement product stewardship, provide an opportunity to share experiences about the impacts of product stewardship policies, and strategize solutions. If you are interested in becoming a Corporate Partner of PSI or learning more about these calls, please contact Jennifer Nash at Jennifer@productstewardship.us, or (617) 236-4853. 
 
NYPSC Forms – PSI Assists
NY has become the first state to make it possible for all local governments within the state to be Full Members of PSI by taking advantage of PSI’s new Local Government Coordination offer. For a yearly fee of $15,000 (total for an entire state), all local governments in that state can receive full member benefits. PSI Board Member Resa Dimino (NY Department of Environmental Conservation) was a founder of the NY Product Stewardship Council, which PSI supports in monthly strategic calls that are included as part of NY’s membership for local governments. PSI is in discussions with over a dozen states to provide similar services. For more information, please contact Scott Cassel, Executive Director, at Scott@productstewardship.us, or (617) 236-4822.
 
Fall 2009 PSI Networking Conference Calls
Planning for PSI’s 8th Networking Conference Call Series (the Fall Series) is now underway and a final list of topics will be available in September on the PSI website. To access the audio recordings of the Spring 2009 call series, go to this link.  These recordings are free for members and may be purchased by non-members. Please send suggestions for the Fall 2009 Series to Lisa Gould at Lisa@productstewardship.us or contact Lisa at (617)236-4866 with any questions. Check out past PSI Networking Conference Calls.
 
Enjoy Reading, Movies, and Shopping – in Product Stewardship Style!
Staff members at PSI are always looking for the latest good read, movie, and green product. The movie pick for this season may literally turn you green:  Food, Inc. What has the PSI staff buzzing about this new film is the powerful message of producer responsibility in the food industry. Watch the trailer here. Our product pick is for those who love club soda (a.k.a. bubbly water, or seltzer) but hate lugging plastic bottles from the store and the waste they create (or recycling they require): a seltzer machine!  This nifty counter-top product makes 100 to 200 liters of seltzer per refillable gas cylinder. Each reusable bottle can be refilled in seconds and flavors are easily added. We use SodaStream while others may work equally well including:  iSi Soda, Liss and Soda Club Penguin.  Please send your suggestions for product stewardship-related books, movies, or products to Lisa Gould, at Lisa@productstewardship.us, or (617) 236-4866.
 
 

Paint
On July 23, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed a bill into law launching the nation’s first manufacturer-financed system for the end-of-life management of leftover architectural paint (latex and oil-based). The bill was supported by the National Paint and Coatings Association, retailers, recyclers, and state and local governments in Oregon. Key roles were played by PSI Founding (and still current) Board Member Scott Klag of Metro regional government, and PSI Member Abby Boudouris of the OR Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The OR paint law is a major milestone for the several hundred stakeholders coordinated by PSI in its seven-year Paint Product Stewardship Initiative that addressed source reduction, reuse, recycling, and recycled paint manufacture and procurement. The law is expected to result in the proper management of an estimated 800,000 gallons of leftover paint each year and to provide Oregon governments with service valued at over $6 million. In addition to setting up a leftover paint collection/recycling program, manufacturers will educate customers about ways to reduce the amount of waste paint. By October 2011, the OR DEQ will report back to the Legislature on the results of the program and recommend modifications if appropriate.  See PSI’s website for information on the PSI national paint dialogue and the OR paint law. For more information, contact Scott Cassel, Executive Director, at Scott@productstewardship.us, or (617) 236-4822.
 

Fluorescent Lighting
 PSI testified twice and provided information derived from its National Lighting Dialogue in support of the first lamp producer responsibility law in the nation, signed by Maine Governor John Baldacci in June. Key roles were played by PSI Board Member Ann Pistell and PSI Member Carole Cifrino, both from the ME Department of Environmental Protection. The law requires manufacturers to implement a recycling program for residential mercury-containing lamps and sets mercury content standards equal to those in California. PSI also testified on similar legislation still being considered in Massachusetts. In addition, PSI kicked off Phase 4 of its fluorescent lighting initiative with a June 30 conference call. Workgroups will develop lamp recycling performance metrics, review 2009 state legislation, examine the incidence and impacts of breakage during recycling operations, and explore opportunities and concerns related to new lighting technologies. PSI will also support its members’ 2010 legislative efforts. See PSI’s website for general information on lamps, or for lamp laws, bills, and testimony. For more information, contact Sierra Fletcher, Associate for Policy and Programs, at Sierra@productstewardship.us, or (617) 236-4886.
 
Thermostats
Debate continues over how best to measure the performance of mercury thermostat collection programs. PSI and many of its state members maintain that performance should be based on a collection rate—a comparison of the number of thermostats collected to the number available for collection. By that measure, industry-sponsored collection programs appear to fall significantly short of the mark, capturing less than 5% of the mercury thermostats coming out of service. Thermostats that are not collected end up in the solid waste stream where they can contaminate air, water, and land. Manufacturers dismiss PSI’s collection rate methodology but have been unwilling to share the method they have proposed for measuring collection rates in CA. The CA Mercury Thermostat Collection Act of 2008 required manufacturers to present a collection rate methodology to the state by March 1, 2009, but manufacturers have successfully argued that their methodology is confidential business information. PSI calls for open sharing of data and assumptions to ensure a transparent process, and will be communicating this sentiment through letters to TRC and CA officials. See PSI’s website for general information on thermostats, or for thermostat laws, bills, and testimony. For more information, contact Jennifer Nash at Jennifer@productstewardship.us, 617 236-4853.
 
Packaging
Over the past few months, PSI facilitated several state and local member conference calls to gain momentum for a new packaging product stewardship initiative. Led by PSI Board Members Resa Dimino (NY Department of Environmental Conservation) and Scott Mouw (NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources), the group agreed that the US EPA should take a leadership role in bringing key stakeholders together for a national packaging dialogue. PSI sent a letter to EPA Administrator, Lisa Jackson, urging her to engage the Agency in developing a sustainable financing system for municipal recycling programs as part of EPA’s goals for conserving materials, reducing waste, and combating climate change.  For more information please contact Scott Cassel, Executive Director, at scott@productstewardship.us, or (617) 236-4822.
 
Electronics
PSI submitted a letter of support to bolster Maine’s 2004 electronics producer responsibility legislation. The bill, which was signed into law in June, extends the state’s EPR program to include video game consoles and desktop printers. In May, Indiana became the 19th state to pass EPR legislation for electronics when Governor Mitch Daniels signed into law HB 1489 for computers and televisions. As electronics recycling programs proliferate across the country and internationally, stakeholders are seeking the most effective models.  But without consistent and accurate performance measures, these judgments are made solely on anecdotes and subjective data. To address this problem, the National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER) and the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) will hold a workshop on Tuesday, September 22, in conjunction with the 2009 E-Scrap Conference in Orlando, Fla. The workshop is entitled “Performance Measures for Electronics Recycling Programs: How Can We Measure Effectiveness?”  See PSI’s website for general information on electronics, or for electronics laws, bills, and testimony. For more information, contact Scott Cassel, Executive Director, at Scott@productstewardship.us, or (617) 236-4822.
 
Gas Cylinders
Building off a past project on small non-refillable pressurized gas cylinders, PSI has recently been hired by Worthington Cylinders (Worthington, Ohio) to design and facilitate a one-day meeting to develop a demonstration cylinder recycling project that can be replicated nationwide. The meeting will take place in October. For more information, contact Scott Cassel, Executive Director, at Scott@productstewardship.us, or (617) 236-4822.
 

Pharmaceuticals
PSI’s Regulations Workgroup is crafting recommendations to U.S. Congressional staff and Obama Administration staff pertaining to amendments to the federal Controlled Substances Act and Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Changes in these acts would reduce the cost of drug take back programs for local governments and prohibit the flushing of waste medications. All eligible dialogue participants will be invited to endorse PSI’s recommendations letter. PSI will also hold calls to discuss the costs and benefits of different ultimate disposal options for collected pharmaceuticals, and on source reduction and other research questions, as funding allows. See PSI’s website for general information on pharmaceuticals, or for pharmaceutical laws, bills, and testimony. For more information, contact Sierra Fletcher, Associate for Policy and Programs, at Sierra@productstewardship.us, or (617) 236-4886.
 

Medical Sharps
Following PSI’s development of a proposed budget and work plan to develop a sharps collection demonstration project for Massachusetts, PSI convened a small group meeting in Boston on July 20 to discuss the potential costs, purpose, and options for funding such a program based on a proposal by Waste Management. PSI continues to seek the necessary support to develop and implement this demonstration with the intent that lessons learned be used to guide the development of future state legislation. More information can be found on PSI’s project website, or contact Sierra Fletcher, Associate for Policy and Programs, at Sierra@productstewardship.us, or (617) 236-4886.
 
 Phone Books
PSI continues to work with the phone book publishing industry, the Yellow Pages Association (YPA) and the Association of Directory Publishers (ADP). These associations have produced a video to promote the development of opt-out programs by their member companies, and will hold a webinar on the topic in the fall. AT&T has promoted opt-in programs for white pages only. To opt-out of yellow pages, go to the industry website, at: www.yellowpagesoptout.com, and provide your feedback directly to the following YPA and ADP representatives: amy.healy@ypassociation.org and larry.angove@adp.org. Please also contact Scott Cassel, Executive Director, at scott@productstewardship.us, or (617) 236-4822, with feedback on use of the site or for any questions about this project. See PSI’s website for general information on phone books, or for phone book laws, bills, and testimony.
 
PSI Has Moved!
With PSI’s move to a new location in Boston in June came fresh opportunities to green the office!
 

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Product Stewardship Institute, Inc.
29 Stanhope Street
3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02116
Tel: (617) 236-4855
Fax: (617) 236-4766
www.productstewardship.us

 
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