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Green Star E-News Vol. 8, No. 1 January 5, 2007
Recognizing Alaska organizations committed to environmental responsibility.

In this issue:
* Shining Stars
* Green Star’s Annual Meeting
* An Electronics Recycling Event for Households
* Ring in the New Year with Clean Air
* Girdwood’s Recycling One-Stop
* A Second Life for Christmas Trees
* Hazardous Waste Disposal Options
* Battery Recycling and Disposal
* This Month’s Hot Links: Battery University and Green Batteries
* Thank you 2007 Sponsors

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SHINING STARS

City Hall will receive its Green Star Award at the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce “Make It Monday” luncheon on January 8. City Hall has been working on its award since spring 2006. With such a large number of people working in City Hall, all within different departments, a well-laid plan was needed to pull off achieving and maintaining a Green Star Award.

The project began when a group from Leadership Anchorage was asked to take on the organization of the project. The Leadership Anchorage team pulled together a team from within City Hall, recruiting leaders from at least each floor, if not each department. What evolved was the “Green Stars,” a team of about 20 City Hall employees who met every two weeks over lunch to discuss current and future activities at City Hall. Guest speakers were invited, plans were made, and subcommittees formed to address each Green Star Standard.

By November 2006, the team had compiled its Green Star Achievement Report. The report highlighted an overwhelming number of initiatives in place and in the works. Visit www.greenstarinc.org/latestawardees.php for a detailed description of City Hall’s Green Star efforts.

Royal Celebrity Tours receives its Green Star Award on January 15 at the Chamber of Commerce. Royal Celebrity has numerous opportunities to implement waste prevention initiatives in its offices, maintenance shops, rail cars, and motor coaches. The company has taken advantage of all of these opportunities.

In its offices, RCT recycles a wide range of materials, delivering them periodically to the recycling center using a luggage handling truck. Recyclables from the Fairbanks office are transported to Anchorage by motor coach for delivery to the recycling center as well.

Guests on motor coaches and rail cars are asked to place water and soda bottles and cans in separate baskets so they can be collected for recycling. They also are served food and beverages using reusable dishware and napkins.

In its maintenance shops, RCT collects used oil, antifreeze, fluorescent lamps, and batteries for recycling. RCT also retreads old motor coach tires. Maintenance staff removes the new rear tires from each coach and replaces them with retreads. This extends the life of the new tires for use on the front wheels.

In an effort to save money and reduce emissions, RCT tracked the time its motor coaches spent idling before and after implementing an idle-reduction initiative. In sampling 13 coaches over two three-year periods, the company found idling time had been reduced by almost 17%. Spurred on by this success, RCT hopes to see further reductions in 2007.

For more details about RCT’s Green Star initiatives, contact Christopher Lund at 278-8088 or clund@rccl.com.

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GREEN STAR’S ANNUAL MEETING

Green Star will host its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, January 17th, at the BP Energy Center in the Spruce/Willow room. A general board meeting will be held from 4:00pm to 5:00pm. Highlights of Green Star’s 2006 accomplishments and two short presentations are scheduled from 5:00pm until 6:00pm. All Green Star business members and the public are welcome to attend.

During the presentation portion of the meeting, Sean Skaling, Executive Director, will share the exciting Green Star accomplishments of the past year. In addition, Jean Marie Guzzetti will summarize her Masters Thesis research on Green Star’s Award program, and Hannah Willard of the Renewable Energy Alaska Project will explain the innovative Denali Green Tags program and how it supports renewable, clean energy in Alaska.

After the presentations, Green Star staff and board members will be on hand to answer any questions the business community or public may have, receive feedback on the effectiveness of existing programs, and is interested in hearing ideas and suggestions on how Green Star can improve its services. For further details, please call 278-7827.

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AN ELECTRONICS RECYCLING EVENT FOR HOUSEHOLDS

Total Reclaim will be hosting a residential community electronics-recycling event on January 20 –21, 8am – 6pm, at its facility in Huffman Business Park.

When: Saturday, Jan 20 and Sunday, Jan 21, 8am – 6pm
Where: Total Reclaim, Inc., 12101 Industry Way, Unit C-4, Anchorage

Rates for this event are:
Complete Computer System (monitor, CPU, mouse, keyboard, cables) - $20
CPUs - $10
Monitors (any size) -$15
Household printers, faxes - $10
Stereo equipment - $10
TVs (any size) - $25
Fluorescent Lamps (4-foot tubes - 50¢ and 8-foot tubes - $1)

Total Reclaim’s goal is to continue to educate the public about e-wastes and their hazards. The recycler will hold similar events throughout the year. Green Star will provide information about each event as it is scheduled.

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RING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH CLEAN AIR

Do your part to keep Anchorage’s air clean by working with Green Star to earn an Air Quality Award. By meeting the Air Quality Award standards, any organization, large or small, can reduce outdoor air pollutants.

If clean air isn’t incentive enough, Green Star will throw in a few more motivating items. The first organization to submit an Air Quality Award Achievement Report by the April 30th deadline will win an Arctic Leash. All other applicants that meet the April 30th deadline will be entered to win an additional Arctic Leash. (What is an Arctic Leash? Visit www.arcticleash.com.) In addition, Green Star has air quality-related giveaways for participating businesses too. With those added incentives, how can you lose?

Read on to learn more about the eight simple steps your organization can take to care for Alaska’s air and earn the Air Quality Award.

1. Commit to working with Green Star to improve Alaska air quality by enrolling in the Air Quality Award program and signing the Air Quality Award Agreement (see www.greenstarinc.org/AQaward.php).

2. Identify ways to get everyone involved in your Air Quality efforts by spreading the word through newsletters, staff meetings, and bulletin boards. To assist your organization in earning the Air Quality Award, Green Star can give a presentation to your employees describing the Air Quality Award Program and outline steps that staff members can take at home and at work to decrease harmful winter pollutants. To make it fun for employees who attend the presentations, Green Star has free Plug@20 tire pressure gauges, engine block heater timers, and window thermometers.

3. Work with Green Star staff and People Mover to encourage employees to use alternative transportation such as riding the bus, carpooling, biking, or walking. Through ‘A Buck or Two for AQ,’ Green Star will work with your employer to establish cash incentives for using alternative transportation. Green Star will even foot the bill for the first couple of months! After that, the Federal Commuter Choice Program offers bus passes as a tax-free transportation benefit for employees or employees can buy bus passes as a pre-income tax purchase. (www.commuterchoice.com)

4. Reduce vehicular pollution by plugging in when it is twenty degrees outside or colder and enhance fleet maintenance programs. No fleet vehicles? Encourage employees to plug in at home by giving them a free engine block heater timer or implement flex time so that employees spend less time sitting in rush hour traffic.

5. Reduce pollution in the workplace by replacing incandescent bulbs in task lighting with compact fluorescent lamps, or look for ENERGY STAR rated equipment. Using less electricity means creating less pollution.

6. Reach out to the community about your air quality efforts by sponsoring a community clean-up event or including your Air Quality Award logo on your letterhead or on your website. Encourage others to care about Alaska’s air!

7. Be sure to measure your success so everyone knows what a difference you’ve made for the air we all share. Consider keeping track of the number of employees who use bus passes. Can you estimate how many gallons of fuel this saves? How much carbon dioxide does this prevent?

8. Keep your Air Quality Program exciting by always coming up with new ways to prevent air pollution.

By meeting these eight simple standards, your organization can earn the Air Quality Award and greatly decrease its impact on our air. Contact Jean Marie at Green Star to find out more about the Air Quality Award program and how your organization can be entered to win one of four Arctic Leashes. Email jeanmarie@greenstarinc.org or call 278-7869.

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GIRDWOOD’S RECYCLING ONE-STOP

Girdwood’s first recycling event in more than a year has been postponed due to too much snow!! The event, originally scheduled for this Saturday, January 6th, will be postponed until February. February 10th is the tentative new date, so hold onto those recyclables, Girdwood!! More details will be provided in the February Green Star E-News.

The event is organized by ALPAR, Green Star and Recycle Girdwood. Visit www.recyclegirdwood.org or call 783-1011 for more information or to volunteer.

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A SECOND LIFE FOR CHRISTMAS TREES

Just a reminder – only a week and a half left to recycle your Christmas Tree for free, thanks to Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling (ALPAR), Carrs Supermarkets, and Anchorage’s Solid Waste Services. Just bring your bare tree to any Carrs parking lot in Anchorage, Eagle River or Palmer before January 15. You’ll see a designated area with signs and barriers. Please remove any ornaments, lights and tree stands before dropping off your tree. No plastic bags or wreaths either.

If you’d like your tree picked up, contact Boy Scout Troop 268 at 868-8899. For a small donation, they’ll come to your house and take your tree for recycling.

The trees are chipped and donated to non-profits, schools and government agencies for use on trails, paths and gardens. Call ALPAR at 274-3266 if you have any questions about Christmas tree recycling or know of an organization that could use wood chips.

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HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL OPTIONS

Many Anchorage residents and businesses may be unaware of the local opportunities to dispose of hazardous wastes safely and properly. Hazardous wastes should not be disposed of in a solid waste landfill but can be taken to one of the following two drop-off centers specifically for hazardous waste.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility -- Anchorage
The Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility is located at the Central Transfer Station, at the intersection of E. 54th and Juneau, east of the Old Seward Highway. The hours of operation are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Residents can drop off hazardous household materials including paint, gasoline, batteries, fertilizers, cleaners, pesticides, herbicides, oil, antifreeze, and much more. Drop-off services are free for households only (limit of 40 pounds). Businesses must use the Hazardous Waste Collection Center at the Anchorage Regional Landfill. A hazardous waste pick-up service is also available on a call-in basis.

Hazardous Waste Collection Center – Eagle River
The Hazardous Waste Collection Center is located at the
Anchorage Regional Landfill at the intersection of the Glenn Highway and Hiland Road, near Eagle River. The hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

This facility accepts hazardous wastes from households and businesses. Drop-off services are FREE for households only (limit of 40 pounds). Businesses must qualify as a Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator or CESQG. CESQGs are companies that generate less than 220 pounds total of any hazardous wastes per month. Disposal rates for CESQGs vary by product and quantity. Typical CESQG rates range from $.50 to $1.00 per pound. A hazardous waste pick-up service is also available on a call-in basis.

Reuse Program Paint & Materials Exchange
Be sure to visit the Paint & Materials Exchange at the landfill and the transfer station. This hazardous materials reuse program accepts unused or partially used hazardous products from households and businesses, which are then offered to anyone interested in using them. Consider browsing the reuse area for cleaning, gardening, and home maintenance products before purchasing new products at local stores.

For example, the two hazardous waste facilities take in anywhere from 50 to 100 gallons of paint each week. Much of this paint is set out in the reuse areas for anyone who might want it. You might also be able to pick up some household cleaning solvents, auto fluids, or lawn and garden chemicals, depending on availability.

For details about what can be dropped off at each facility, call 428-1742 or 343-6262 or visit www.muni.org/sws/hazardouswaste.cfm.

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BATTERY RECYCLING AND DISPOSAL

Holiday toys, electronics, and gadgets bring with them lots and lots of batteries. In fact, Americans use about 4 billion dry cell batteries (both rechargeable and one-time use household batteries, but not including lead-acid batteries) each year. Here’s a primer about proper disposal of some of the most used batteries. Much of the information below was reprinted from http://www.buchmann.ca and was written by Isidor Buchmann, the president, founder and CEO of Cadex Electronics Inc., located in Richmond (Vancouver), Canada.

The lead-acid battery has led the way in recycling. The automotive industry should be given credit in organizing ways to dispose of spent car batteries. In the U.S., 98 percent of all lead-acid batteries are recycled. Compared to aluminum cans (45 percent), newspaper (89 percent) and glass bottles (25 percent), lead-acid batteries are reclaimed very efficiently, due in part to legislation (USEPA, October 2006).

However, only one in six households in North America recycle rechargeable batteries. Teaching the public to bring these batteries to a recycling center is a challenging task. Homeowners have the lowest return ratios, but this should improve once more recycling repositories become available and better environmental awareness is emphasized.

Even though the emphasis in battery research has shifted away from NiCd to newer technologies, the NiCd battery continues to be one of the most used rechargeable batteries. More than 75 million NiCd batteries were sold in the U.S. during 2000. Market reports indicate that the demand of NiCd batteries is expected to rise six percent per year but the demand for other chemistries, such as the NiMH and Li-ion family, is rising at a more rapid pace.

NiCds are considered toxic due to their large quantities of cadmium and should be recycled rather than disposed in a landfill if possible. Although NiMH batteries are considered to be more environmentally friendly than NiCds, these batteries can also be recycled. The main derivative is nickel, which is considered semi-toxic. NiMH also contains an electrolyte that, in large amounts, is hazardous to the environment.

If no disposal service is available in an area, individual NiMH batteries can be discarded with other household wastes. If ten or more batteries are accumulated, the user should consider disposing the batteries in a secure waste landfill. (See Hazardous Waste Disposal Options article in this E-News)

Lithium (metal) batteries contain no toxic metals; however, there is the possibility of fire if metallic lithium is exposed to moisture while the cells are corroding. Most lithium batteries are non-rechargeable and are used by defense organizations. For proper disposal, these batteries must be fully discharged in order to consume all the metallic lithium content. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries do not contain metallic lithium and the disposal problem does not exist. Most lithium batteries, however, contain toxic and flammable electrolyte.

In 1994, the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) was founded to promote the recycling of rechargeable batteries in North America. RBRC is a non-profit organization that collects batteries from consumers and businesses and sends them to Inmetco and Toxcofor recycling. RBRC currently accepts NiCd, NiMH, Li-ion and Small Sealed Lead-Acid (SLA) batteries for recycling.

Who pays for the recycling of batteries? Participating countries impose their own rules in making recycling feasible. In North America, some recycling plants bill on weight. The rates vary according to chemistry. Systems that yield high metal retrieval rates are priced lower than those that produce less valuable metals. The highest recycling fees apply to NiCd and Li-ion batteries because the demand for cadmium is low and Li-ion batteries contain little in the way of retrievable metal. The recycling cost of alkaline is 33 percent lower than that of NiCd and Li-ion because the alkaline cell contains valuable iron. The NiMH battery yields the best return. Recycling NiMH produces enough nickel to pay for the process.

Significant subsidies are sill required from manufacturers, agencies and governments to support the battery recycling programs. These subsidies are in the form of a tax added to each manufactured cell. For example, RBRC is financed by such a scheme.

Pros and Cons of Specific Battery Types

Alkaline (nonrechargeable) are a good choice if you don't use many batteries and don't want to get a recharger. These are the standard AAA, AA, C, D and 9-volt types of batteries. They're inexpensive and give plenty of power. (If you're using a high-drain device like a digital camera, then use the newer high-drain alkalines, such as the Duracell Ultra, Energizer Advanced Formula, or Kodak Photolife.) You can get regular alkalines or high-drain alkalines at most grocery stores, and generic is nearly as good as brand-name batteries as long as it's alkaline.

Alkaline batteries contain a manganese dioxide cathode, a zinc anode and an alkaline solution. In the past, they typically contained mercury but in 1996, the Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act banned the manufacture of any alkaline batteries containing intentionally introduced mercury. Alkalines can be disposed with regular trash.

If you buy batteries more often than once a month or two, you should probably consider rechargeables instead. Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) batteries are still the principal rechargeable battery, but they are being replaced in many applications by NiMHs, which last longer, don't suffer as much from the memory effect, and are not toxic. They typically have 50 to 67% less capacity than alkalines and NiMHs. NiCds are available in D, C, AA, AAA, and 9-volt sizes as well as a wide variety of specialized shapes and sizes. They are manufactured with a nickel cathode, a cadmium anode, and an alkaline solution such as potassium hydroxide for the electrolyte. Cadmium represents up to 20 percent of the battery by weight. These should be recycled as they contain cadmium.

Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries are the newest choice if you want to recharge your batteries. For most electronic devices it is better to use NiMH batteries than NiCd batteries. NiMH batteries usually have a higher capacity than NiCd batteries of the same size. If you are choosing a battery to drive a high torque power screwdriver, then NiCds can outperform NiMH. NiMH batteries require more sophisticated chargers than those typically used for NiCd batteries. But smart chargers designed especially for NiMH batteries are now readily available. NiMHs also have a high self-discharge rate (they go dead after a few months even if you don't use them) so they're not good for things like emergency flashlights or smoke detectors.

Rechargeable Alkaline (Pure Energy, AccuCell) cannot be recharged nearly as many times as “real” rechargeable batteries (like NiMH & NiCd). They also cannot be used in high-drain devices like digital cameras, and their capacity drops every time they are charged. However they are good if you need a rechargeable that puts out more voltage than a NiMH.

Heavy Duty (Zinc Chloride) and General Purpose (Carbon Zinc) are not what they sound like. "Heavy Duty" is a misnomer as they are very weak compared to other batteries. The term “Heavy Duty” was used to refer to Zinc chloride batteries, which had about 50% more capacity than traditional carbon zinc batteries. But that was 50 years ago. Calling zinc chloride batteries heavy duty became misleading once alkaline batteries with 300% more capacity than zinc chloride batteries became available. General Purpose batteries also are susceptible to leaking. These types contain mercury.

Lithium batteries (not to be confused with Lithium-Ion batteries) are the most powerful batteries you can get, but they're expensive, you can't recharge them, and they're toxic so you can't just throw them in the trash. They're great for devices that use the 9V size, since they'll last a long time (10 years in smoke detectors), but for other sizes, NiMH is a better bet. (Note: Lithium ion batteries are rechargeable but they are not available in household sizes like AA, AAA, etc.).

* Since 1993, domestically manufactured alkaline and carbon zinc batteries contain no added mercury and are essentially mercury-free.

Additional Links:
  Green Star Award
  Green Events
  Green Star Schools
  Site Assessments
  Electronics Recycling
  AK Materials Exchange
  AME Listings

880 H Street, Suite 106
Anchorage, AK 99501
info at greenstarinc.org
907.278.7827
279.5868 fax