Two engineers, Brian Parsons, P.E. and Niti Bahl, recently joined the Authority staff to manage ongoing waste projects.

Brian Parsons, formerly with CH2M HILL in Reston, Virginia, is the Authority's newest project manager. Mr. Parsons is managing the ongoing BRESCO retrofit project and the development of an ash recycling project. As an engineer with CH2M HILL and previously with the Army Corps of Engineers, he has experience with a variety of civil, environmental, and geotechnical projects including construction management. Many of these have been solid and hazardous waste projects, including Superfund, CERCLA, and RCRA environmental projects. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Howard University and a Master of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Niti Bahl has joined the staff as a project assistant. In her position, she will support project managers in all areas of solid waste management including land use, environmental requirements, economics, resource recovery and solid waste disposal technology. Before joining the Authority, Ms. Bahl was a design engineer with the Reinforced Earth Company in Vienna, VA where her work experience included the design of mechanically stabilized earth structures. Prior to working at the Reinforced Earth Company, Ms. Bahl received her B.S. in Civil Engineering from the George Washington University. She has also been certified as an Engineer-in-Training.

The Authority is pleased to welcome Brian and Niti on board!

The Authority sponsored a seminar entitled "Evaluating the Potential for Beneficial Use of MWC Ash" on June 30, 1997 at the Authority's offices in downtown Baltimore. The seminar provided a forum for waste management professionals and regulatory officials to share information about the beneficial uses of ash residue from waste-to-energy facilities. Approximately 30 people attended representing local government agencies, colleges and universities, the waste management industry and consulting firms. "We were pleased to have representatives of the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Maryland State Highway Administration attend," said Robin Davidov, executive director of the Authority.

Earlier this year, the Governor appointed a Recycling Steering Committee consisting of members from the Authority, the State Highway Administration (SHA) and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). The Authority has been actively participating on this steering committee and with its working groups, including the Ash Residue group. On the basis of the group's work during the past several months, the members agreed it would be helpful to meet with academic and public sector representatives from other states to discuss the latest findings about recycling ash residue.

The following professionals shared their experiences with beneficial ash: Dr. Frank Roethel, Ph.D, Chemical Oceanographer, State University of New York, Stony Brook; Christopher Recchia, Director of Environmental Programs, Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority; Warren Chesner, Engineering Consultant to Ash Paving Demonstration project, Chesner Engineering, P.C.; Mr. Mike Winka, Executive Assistant, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Innovative Technology and Market Development.

In addition to the presentations, representatives from the York County Solid Waste and Refuse Authority and the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority shared information about recently signed ash utilization contracts in their regions. For more information about the presentations, please contact Brian Parsons at the Authority.

The 5^th Annual North American Waste-to-Energy Conference was attended by Authority staff members Brian Parsons and Chris Skaggs in April. More than 200 vendors, regulators and consultants from around the world participated in the event, which was designed to introduce the latest technological and regulatory trends in the waste-to-energy industry. The major topics of discussion included the upcoming air pollution control retrofits, retrofit technology and the emergence of reusing ash residue rather than burying it in landfills. For more information about the conference, please call the Authority.

Seven state agencies have joined forces to sponsor the Summer Youth for Scrap Tire Cleanup and Construction Project. The program pays young people to remove illegally dumped scrap tires from public property areas in Maryland.

"We have the opportunity to tackle two problems at once," said Governor Glendening. "The first is providing youth with employment opportunities during the summer. The second is a concerted effort to remove the pernicious threat to public health and the environment posed by illegally dumped scrap tires."

The initial effort, which involves 100 young people, began removing scrap tires from 14 sites in Baltimore City on June 30. The students were paid from the State Used Tire Cleanup and Recycling Fund. This fund, established in 1991, is generated from the collection of one dollar from every new tire sold in Maryland. The Maryland Department of the Environment uses the fund for scrap tire cleanup projects, construction of scrap tire playgrounds, demonstration projects and for the implementation of the licensing program.

SWANA and ISWA have issued a "call for papers" for their 1998 conferences. For the first time, ISWA's annual conference will be held in conjunction with WASTECON. Individuals interested in presenting a paper will need to submit the following information on a topic of their choice: An Abstract of 500 words or less. Please identify the session in which you wish to present. You must include the title of presentation and the presenter's name, title, affiliation, address, phone and fax numbers. A Biographical sketch, not to exceed 200 words, including past presentation experience. Only one presenter per paper is allowed, unless otherwise arranged. Papers must be original, not having been presented or published elsewhere. Preference will be given to papers that address the following:

1. Actual field operations and experience highlighting problems and solutions.

2. New technologies being implemented and tested.

3. Innovative management practices being applied.

Questions on the WASTECON Technical Program should be directed to Chris Voell, director of Technical Services, SWANA, at (301) 585-2898, ext. 255.

The Montgomery County Resource Recovery Facility will complete two years of operations this month. The facility has performed exceptionally well in the past year, processing all of the solid waste received, meeting all operating guarantees and operating well below the air emission permit limits. During Fiscal Year 1997, the facility is projected to process 450,000 tons of solid waste, which on average is 1,232 tons per day. As part of the processing done at the resource recovery facility, electricity is produced for sale and ferrous metals are recovered for recycling. It is expected that by the end of the fiscal year, 212,700 Mwh of electricity will be sold to PEPCO and 13,700 tons of ferrous metals (3 percent of the waste processed) will be recovered for recycling. The revenues received from the sale of electricity, projected to be greater than $5.5 million and from the sale of ferrous metals, projected to be $238,000 are used to partially offset the County's solid waste processing costs.

Authority board members and staff were saddened to learn that former board member Richard H. Trainor died of a heart attack in his home on June 15. Dick was one of the Authority's first board members. He was appointed by Governor Harry Hughes in 1980. As an officer of the board, he served as treasurer until Governor William Donald Schaefer appointed him Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation in 1987.

"Dick had a distinguished 41–year career in government and we were fortunate to work with him especially during our start–up years" said Robin Davidov, executive director of the Authority. "He was influential in advancing an environmentally safe and economically sound system for waste disposal in the Baltimore region and participated in the development of two additional resource recovery facilities. Throughout his time on the Authority's board, he provided invaluable insights and far thinking leadership. I remember Dick as an outstanding role model for young professionals beginning a career in the public sector," Davidov said.

The Authority has prepared a Special Report on Flow Control that tracks the progress of flow control legislation, provides a review of current bills before Congress and outlines recent litigation. For a copy of the report call the Authority.

2^ND Annual Conference on Railhaul of Waste, Ash, and Recyclables

September 30 - October 1, 1997: "WASTE-by-RAIL — A 90'S SUCCESS STORY" will be held at the Washington National Airport Hilton, Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia. Robin D. Davidov, executive director of the Authority will speak on Tuesday, September 30 about the Authority's Waste Export Project for Anne Arundel and Howard Counties. The conference includes a site visit that same afternoon to USA Waste's Rail Transfer Station in Annapolis Junction. For more information or to register for the conference contact Richard Will, The Coordinate Group, Inc., 800-627-8913.

10^TH International Conference on Ash Management and Utilization

November 11-12, 1997: "ASH-X — Real World Ash Management: A Showcase of Industry Success" will be held at the National Airport Hilton Hotel, Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia. For more information or to register for the conference, contact Richard Will, The Coordinate Group, Inc., 800-627-8913.

 

The Authority's newest publication is a 12-page brochure that describes the Authority's capabilities and its varied waste management projects. It's titled "Managing Resources in a Changing World" and is now available. For a copy of the new brochure, call the Authority.

Wastewatch is published quarterly by the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority, an independent agency of the State of Maryland governed by its Member jurisdictions — Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County and Montgomery County.