A study just released by PricewaterhouseCoopers AG WPG in Germany assesses the existing systems for collecting and recycling beverage containers in Germany from a social, economic, and ecological viewpoint. It shows that for beverage containers, deposit-return systems are preferable to green-dot systems (industry-financed curbside collection) in that deposit-return systems acheive higher collection rates, create more jobs, […]
Life Cycle Assessment
The New Eco-Currency (2008)
As a waste management consultant, rarely do I come across another consultant’s report that not only delights and excites, but compels me to promote, disseminate, and speak-out about its findings. Such was the case several months ago when Dr. Jeffery Morris of Sound Resource Management, based in the State of Washington, responded to my request […]
Eco-Economic Savings from Composting (2008)
Finally, an end to the diversion debate Today more than ever before, lifecycle assessments (“LCAs”) are being used to measure the true environmental impact of products and processes from cradle to grave. LCAs have become the primary tool to assess the environmental efficiency of one system versus another. However, the results of LCAs are generally […]
Composting — Best Bang for MSW Management Buck (2008)
FOR many years, life cycle analyses of end-of-life management practices have been available for allof the basic recyclables as well as organics. The life cycle data, usually derived by the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency’s WAste Reduction Model (WARM), represents the net greenhouse gasimpact of recycling, landfilling or incinerating a variety of material streams. The model calculatesemissions […]
