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Water environment federation now offers free webcasts

New program provides added membership benefit, learning opportunities for water professionals

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Water Environment Federation (WEF) is pleased to announce a new webcast program that will provide free training to WEF members and the entire water profession. Featuring a range of timely topics, the monthly webcasts are made possible at no cost through the financial support of industry organizations and companies.

“As a leading resource of water quality education and resources, WEF continues to seek innovative and beneficial ways to serve our membership and the entire water profession,” said WEF Executive Director Jeff Eger. “With the support of our sponsor partners, we are very pleased to be able to provide this training program at no cost so that water professionals may gain access to a breadth of water knowledge without additional financial burden.”

Traditionally hosting between two and four webcasts per month, WEF has historically charged for these events on a fee per site basis, generally $195 per site with unlimited attendees per site. As an added benefit for WEF members and the profession as a whole, this new program allows viewers to participate at no cost while increasing the visibility of the sponsors through the placement of company logos, ads and/or links during live and archived webcasts.

Each webcast features top experts in the field, detailed information from case studies, and the opportunity for participants to submit live questions through the system software. Professional Development Hours (PDH) may also be earned on a case-by-case basis.

Beginning this month, the 2012 topics include: biosolids and biofuels, collections systems, operators training, design fundamentals, membranes, energy recovery/renewal, thermal hydrolysis, marketing, social media, and more.

Visit www.wef.org for more information

E-World Online Partners With Earth911 to Create World`s Largest Electronics Recycler Directory

E-Waste Recycler and Recycling Directory Operator Partner to Help Electronics Manufacturers, Consumers Divert Devices From Landfills

VISTA, CA — (Marketwire) — 04/16/12 — E-World Online, a leading provider of electronics recycling solutions, and Earth911, Inc., operator of the nation’s largest recycling directory, have partnered to expand E-World Online’s Manufacturer Interstate Take-back System (MITS), the world’s only comprehensive e-waste take-back solution for original equipment manufacturers (OEM), while educating consumers on how to properly recycle or dispose of electronic waste. This innovative alliance solves a complex issue for electronics manufacturers nationwide who are held accountable by state regulations to collect specified amounts of e-waste for recycling as well as demonstrate that the e-waste is handled responsibly.

Integration of E-World Online’s network of managed drop-off locations and Earth911’s database of more than 22,000 e-waste recyclers will provide consumers with the largest online directory of electronics recyclers ever assembled. The directory provides a search feature for consumers to find the closest drop-off location by entering their zip code, as well as information and directions for how to dispose of their device. These additional features fulfill manufacturers’ ‘consumer education program’ obligation mandated by state extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulation.

‘It’s been shown that consumers are less likely to recycle an electronic device if it is not convenient or they don’t have easily accessible information to do so,’ said Robert Erie, CEO of E-World Online. ‘Ultimately, the education and convenience offered through this directory will achieve the end goal of diverting electronics from landfills while providing our manufacturer clients with the comprehensive services necessary to ensure their compliance with state recycling regulations’

‘Manufacturers are able to direct consumers to the recycling locator through a branded call to action,’ said Earth911 President Corey Lambrecht. ‘This is a resource consumers will value greatly as they look to find local recycling locations and it takes a major burden off manufacturers, allowing them to focus on growing their core businesses.’

Both E-World Online and Earth911 will be attending the 2012 ISRI Convention and Expo.

For more on E-World Online, visit www.e-worldonline.com. For more on Earth911, visitwww.earth911.com.

Trayless Dining on Campus Reduces 15 Million Pounds of Food Waste

ARAMARK Higher Education Celebrates Earth Day Every Day

PHILADELPHIA, April 19, 2012 /PR Newswire/ — While Earth Day is celebrated once a year, at campuses throughout North America served by ARAMARK, Every Day is Earth Day, thanks to ongoing sustainable practices focused on reducing waste, conserving resources, purchasing responsibly and operating environmentally friendly spaces.

One initiative, trayless dining (removing trays from college dining halls), is having a measurable impact on reducing waste and conserving natural resources.  According to a national survey conducted by ARAMARK Higher Education, trayless dining reduces waste by approximately two ounces per person, per meal. As of spring 2012, more than 300 colleges and universities served by ARAMARK throughout North America have removed trays from their dining halls, diverting more than 15 million pounds of food waste from landfills this year, while reducing trash hauling needs, decreasing water and chemical use, and reducing electricity consumption.

‘Trayless dining is just one high impact example of how engaging an entire community can yield significant results for the environment,’ said Christopher Stemen, Associate Vice President of Sustainability, ARAMARK Higher Education.  ‘Our goal is to involve the campus community in sustainable practices that they can incorporate into their daily lives. By making Every Day Earth Day, we can positively impact our campuses, local communities and planet all at the same time.’

Throughout Earth Week, ARAMARK is hosting several campus events that highlight the importance of environmental stewardship, including:

Read the complete article at Environmental Expert

Save Big on Heating, Cooling Costs with Efficiency Controls

U.S. commercial building owners could save an average of 38 percent on their heating and cooling bills if they installed a handful of energy efficiency controls that make their heating, ventilation and air conditioning, also known as HVAC, systems more energy efficient, according to a recent report from the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.  The estimated savings were based on computer modeling and simulation of building energy usage. The controls that could provide these savings are not widely available commercially, but the report’s authors hope their analysis will encourage manufacturers to expand their production.

“Investing in an American economy that is built to last includes taking advantage of all of America’s energy resources while working to improve efficiency,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “By making heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in buildings more energy efficient, American businesses can save a significant amount of money by saving energy.”

Completed for the Department of Energy, the report examines options for improving the efficiency of commercial rooftop systems called packaged HVACs, which combine compressors, fans and heat exchangers into one unit. Packaged HVACs regulate temperatures inside more than 60 percent of the commercial building floor space in the United States, where commercial buildings consume as much energy as about 90 million typical American homes each year. And about 35 percent of that is used by HVAC systems, which are often poorly maintained or ignored, causing them to run inefficiently.

“The potential savings from adding advanced controls to existing packaged air conditioners with gas furnaces is enormous,” said PNNL engineer Srinivas Katipamula, who led the study. “The estimated savings depend on local climate and energy prices and range from a whopping 67 percent cost savings in San Francisco to a still-substantial 28 percent in Seattle.”

For the report, Katipamula and his PNNL colleagues considered implementing four different control methods to existing rooftop packaged HVACs:

Read the complete article at Environmental Protection

Renewable Energy From Waste Management: Lockwood Landfill to Produce 3.2 Megawatts Of Electricity Using Landfill Gas

RENO, Nev., April 16, 2012 /Environmental Expert.com/ — With the nation’s need for renewable energy increasing, Waste Management (NYSE: WM) opened northern Nevada’s first and only Gas-To-Energy power plant at its Lockwood Landfill, which will use landfill gas produced onsite to generate electricity. The project will create enough renewable energy to power more than 1,800 homes. To commemorate the event, WM hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval.

When organic materials, like food and yard waste, decompose, they create a gas comprised of about 55 percent methane. Collection wells placed all over the site collect this gas and then pipe it to the power plant, where it is used as a fuel to run two generators. The project, which went online in March, will offset the use of about 700 railcars’ worth of coal.

When compared to fossil fuels, as we all other renewable sources of energy, including wind and solar, landfill gas has several benefits:

  • It’s endorsed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  • It’s not dependent on other environmental factors, like wind or sunlight
  • It’s reliable during peak energy hours
  • It’s an economical alternative to other fuel sources, like natural gas

In total, WM owns or operates 131 landfill gas-to-energy facilities across North America, producing enough electricity to power nearly 475,000 homes. Combined with the company’s other renewable energy projects, Waste Management produces over 9 million megawatt hours of electricity per year, or enough for more than 1.1 million homes. Solar energy, according to 2009 trade association data, generates approximately 5 million megawatt hours annually.

‘The Gas-To-Energy Facility at the Lockwood Landfill ensures that not even garbage will go to waste,’ said Justin Caporusso, Waste Management spokesperson. ‘By investing in landfill gas-to-energy, we are powering homes using the same waste that is left at the curb.’

‘Waste Management has been developing landfill gas-to-energy technology for over two decades, and we operate more of these facilities than any other company in the United States,’ said Paul Pabor, vice president of renewable energy for Waste Management. ‘As a leader in this industry, we understand how landfills operate and how to use technology to extract the most value from the waste stream.’

For more information about this and other renewable energy programs, visit www.wm.com. To watch a video on how landfill gas-to-energy works, visit our YouTube page atwww.youtube.com/wastemanagement.

NV Energy Cooling System to Cut Water Use by 281m Gallons a Year

April 13, 2012

Environmental Leader on-line

NV Energy’s coal-fired Reid Gardner Station north of Las Vegas will reduce its water withdrawals by more than 281 million gallons annually with a Nalco cooling system, the companies said.

The reduction in freshwater use also reduces the facility’s wastewater by the same amount, Nalco said.

The station uses both river and well water in its cooling system, but the source water contains high concentrations of silica, which can cause damaging buildup of sediment in the cooling system. Nalco’s 3D Trasar technology controls the cooling water chemistry with fluorescence-based monitoring and silica dispersant to prevent silica from accumulating, according to the Nalco website.

Nalco said that the deposit occurs when the recirculating water’s silica concentrations exceed 150 ppm and the temperature is less than 70°F (21°C). In NV Energy’s system, silica concentrations were about 230 ppm on average. The incoming water temperature was about 80°F (27°C) with a 20° temperature drop across the tower.

NV Energy also is using 3D Trasar boiler technology at its coal-fired North Valmy Station. The station’s steam turbines were experiencing deposits that reduced overall efficiency. The boiler system controls allow the station to generate the same amount of electricity while reducing fuel consumption by 87,000 tons of coal annually, reducing costs by $3.5 million per year, Nalco said.

From trash to raw materials

Repost from http://sustainableindustries.com/articles/2011/11/trash-raw-materials

Technology is not a destiny. We are the smartest beings on the planet and if we do not like what we can see of the future, there is still time to change it. Hazardous waste is the inevitable byproduct of industrial development. These wastes can be unhealthy both for people and the environmental. The future of all living things depends on how we relate to the Earth and how we use materials. What we do know of material flows in our global and national economy shows both crisis and promise. On the crisis side, our exponentially increasing use of materials is challenging the capacity of the Earth. On the promise side, we are beginning to practice lifecycle management and learning how to reduce the materials that run through our economy.

It has been said that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.  It is possible for companies to turn their trash into their own treasure. Disruptive technologies are often born through repurposing. Whether it is reuse of existing buildings or waste re-envisioning, innovating on top of excess makes sense. Every manufacturing process creates something that by default creates waste. Using waste instead of trashing it can cut costs by reducing disposal fees, at the very least. The greatest returns are realized when companies broaden their scope to include a joint production process and start thinking about how to use resources to produce value.
Continue reading From trash to raw materials

NV Energy windmill program generates rebates, little electricity

By Anjeanette Damon 

Reno – A year ago, a Reno clean energy businessman warned the Public Utilities Commission that if it didn’t set a few standards for NV Energy’s wind rebate program, its customers could end up footing the bill for turbines that rarely produce electricity.

One reason behind his concern: To be eligible for rebates, customers didn’t need to prove that the wind actually blows enough to justify installing a turbine on their property.

“This could allow unscrupulous developers to sell turbines to unsuspecting customers who will not generate electricity from an installed turbine because there is no wind to power the turbine,”Clean Energy Center managing member Rich Hamilton told the PUC last May. “This problem is especially vexing because ratepayer money could be contributing to the cost of such turbines, which could give the Wind Generations program and the wind industry a black eye.”

The PUC agreed that such a standard would be a good idea but sided with NV Energy’s position that it was too early to move forward with it just yet.

A year later, however, Hamilton’s warning appears to have been spot on.

The electricity produced by NV Energy’s $46 million wind rebate program has fallen far short of expectations.

In a startling example, the city of Reno’s wind turbines — for which the city received more than $150,000 in rate-payer funded rebates — produced dramatically less electricity than the manufacturers of its turbines promised.

“These manufacturers, when they gave us the turbines, they said they were designed to be mounted on a parapet at this height, and that’s what we did,” said Jason Geddes, who runs the city of Reno’s renewable energy program. “But when we started getting actual wind flow patterns, we realized their claims were wrong.”

As first reported by the Reno Gazette-Journal, one turbine that cost the city $21,000 to install saved the city $4 on its energy bill. Overall, $416,000 worth of turbines have netted the city $2,800 in energy savings.

Read the complete article at Las Vegas Sun