Environmentalists. Every Day. America's Solid Waste Industry

Institutes of the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) recently submitted comments regarding proposed rules by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). NSWMA’s Landfill Institute offered comments on EPA’s proposed rule regarding amendments to the mandatory reporting of greenhouse gases, and NSWMA’s Healthcare Waste Institute recently submitted comments regarding OSHA’s blood-borne pathogens standard. Read full release here.

The New York City Chapter of the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) recently submitted comments to the New York City Council’s Sanitation and Solid Waste Management Committee regarding a proposed food waste composting bill.  The bill calls for a study and a pilot project for compostable waste; authorizes the New York City Business Integrity Commission’s (BIC) to alter its rate cap; and allows city officials to reduce the tip fee for source separated compostable waste.

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) and the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) sent joint comments to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson regarding a petition recently filed by the Center for a Competitive Waste Industry asking EPA to reorganize and restructure the Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP).

NSWMA published a new position paper today on “zero waste.”

In it, we state, “We see America transitioning slowly but surely to a zero waste society. This does not mean that no waste will be produced in the future. Instead, it means that the amount going to disposal will continue to progressively decline. We support this transition. The objective of zero waste is to reduce the waste stream to the point at which no commercially achievable economic value exists for the remaining residue of the waste reduction process. Experienced, knowledgeable environmental services companies with proven and permitted collection, processing and disposal activities will lead the way in this transformation ”

See news about this release here.

NSWMA has filed comments regarding proposed rules by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) on the Identification of Additional Classes of Facilities for Development of Financial Responsibility Requirements Under CERCLA Section 108(b) (75 FR 816).  NSWMA’s comments argue that currently operated hazardous waste and municipal solid waste facilities should not be required to obtain financial responsibility under CERCLA (the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act), because they do not share anything in common with past practices and are already covered by financial assurance program that are working under RCRA (the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act).

Get the full news release here.

NSWMA has filed comments with the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in response to a petition for rulemaking from the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials (ASTSWMO) regarding possible new rules for the disposal of tritium exit signs. NSWMA’s comments assert that NRC should exercise its full regulatory authority to prevent the disposal of tritium signs in municipal solid waste landfills because these signs directly impact landfill leachate when the tritium is released. A damaged exit sign likely will have relatively high levels of tritium in it, and should not be handled or disposed in a municipal solid waste landfill.

Get the full news release here.

Effective January 27, 2010, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration implemented a texting ban for drivers of commercial motor vehicles subject to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. NSWMA expressed support for the DOT announcement prohibiting texting by drivers of commercial vehicles such as large trucks and buses. The prohibition is the latest in a series of actions taken by DOT to address distracted driving since it convened a national summit on the issue last year. NSWMA was one of the first associations to advocate for a national ban on texting while driving. NSWMA has publicly supported legislation introduced by Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) to ban texting while driving. NSWMA participated in the DOT’s September 2009 Distracted Driving Summit. Many NSWMA members already prohibit texting or cell phone use while
driving company vehicles.

The National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) has filed comments with the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regarding possible changes in hours of service rules. In its comments, NSWMA strongly urged FMCSA to keep the “100-air mile” reporting exception and the 34-hour reset provision that are a part of current federal hours of service regulations. Learn more here.

The National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) has filed comments with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regarding possible new rules addressing “combustible dust,” which likely will be proposed later this year. NSWMA’s comments expressed a concern that OSHA has included the solid waste industry as a target for regulation even though in September 2008, OSHA issued an advisory stating there was no history of combustible dust events at transfer stations, materials recovery facilities (MRFs) or landfills. Read more.

As Senator Charles Schumer (New York) addressed the participants of the U.S. DOT Distracted Driving Summit in D.C. earlier today, he mentioned NSWMA as one of the business groups that has endorsed his “Alert Drivers Act.” This bill would require states to bar the sending of text or email messages while driving a car or truck, or risk losing federal highway funds.

This summit is an important meeting from which legislation may result, among other safety initiatives. NSWMA and an industry representative were invited to participate in the event.

Learn more about this bill and NSWMA’s support.