The Authority took representatives of Carroll, Harford and Montgomery Counties on a tour of the new American Ash Recycling Facility (AAR) in York County, Pennsylvania this summer. All three jurisdictions were interested in learning more about the process of recycling ash from waste-to-energy (WTE) plants into end products suitable for various construction applications.

Recycling technology for WTE ash is relatively new to the solid waste industry and to date, there are few WTE ash recycling plants operating in the United States. Carroll County is interested in AAR's operations because the county's waste currently goes to the York WTE Facility for disposal. The combustion ash then goes to AAR for processing. Harford County is already involved with AAR in a pilot program that includes the processing of nearly 5,000 tons of ash generated from the Harford County WTE Facility. The county is considering ash recycling to further extend the life of its landfill. Montgomery County also is investigating ash-recycling technologies.

The group was led on a tour of the enclosed facility, where the sorting of ash takes place, the plant's control room and the grounds surrounding the plant. From the control room windows, we observed a series of conveyor systems moving and sorting the ash, with employees assisting the process at specific sorting locations. We were then taken on a walk-through of the plant to see the operations more closely. On close inspection the group was able to see coins and other interesting pieces of metal being extracted from the ash. What appeared to be a rooster from a weather vane was pulled from the line while we were walking through the system of conveyor belts. Inside the plant there was minimal dust, little standing water and no odors. Overall, the operations were well organized.

The AAR facility has been operational since June 1998. It is designed to process up to 140,000 tons of ash per year for one-shift operations, with a maximum capacity of 240,000 tons per year. The processing incorporates screening, shredding, magnetic separation, non-ferrous separation and air classification of the incoming ash. The primary end product of this process is Treated Ash Aggregate (TAA). TAA has been approved for use by the Pennsylvania Department of the Environment for road sub-base material as well as aggregate in asphalt, concrete and structural fill. A process referred to as WespHix is used to bind any heavy metals in the TAA, which insures against leaching in future applications. Ferrous metals and non-ferrous metals, including brass, copper, aluminum, and coins are separated during processing and pro-vide another source of revenue. The air classification and screening processes recover unburned material as a by-product, which is sent back to the WTE facility for reprocessing.

AAR is strategically located on the site of the York Building Products Quarry. The two companies have a mutually beneficial relationship. Currently, all of the TAA produced by AAR is being sold to York Building Products.

The Authority worked throughout FY 1998 on a broad array of waste management projects and programs. Looking back, I'm struck by the diversity of issues we confront on a daily basis and how quickly those daily tasks turn into a full year of accomplishments. Our staff, with guidance from our Members, set out to fine-tune, update, refinance, renegotiate, seize opportunities, identify trends, and oversee ongoing projects. The result was costs savings, increased revenues, more efficient waste management facilities and a grand national award for one of our waste-to-energy projects. Overall, it was a very productive year. I want to share with you some of the highlights:

Financial Activities

We were especially active in the area of finance. The Montgomery County Project funds were reinvested in higher paying accounts, which will generate more than $75,000 in interest earnings each year. As a result of staying on top of the rapidly changing electricity de-regulation laws, the Authority with the cooperation of PEPCO, began to sell electric capacity from the Montgomery County Project on the open market. We were the first waste-to-energy facility in the country to take advantage of this new revenue generating opportunity. During a 14-month period, the Authority will earn more than $500,000 for Montgomery County.

Faced with an estimate of more than $60 million for air quality improvements at the BRESCO facility, the Authority negotiated a price of $22 million for our share of the improvement costs. The new air pollution control equipment will substantially reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide, mercury and acid gases. It is interesting to note that WTE facilities are far ahead of conventional fossil fuel plants in air pollution control.

When USA Waste Inc. and Waste Management Inc. announced their proposed merger in March, the Authority immediately recognized the potential effect on competition in the Baltimore market. We worked closely with the Maryland Attorney General's Office and acted quickly to negotiate favorable terms in the national settlement agreement that will keep prices stable, preserve existing contracts and maintain healthy competition.

Oversight of Major Projects

Much of our work this year involved oversight of our five major projects - the Baltimore City Composting Facility, BRESCO, the Harford County Waste-to-Energy Facility, the Montgomery County Resource Recovery Facility and the Anne Arundel/Howard County Waste Diversion Program. We continually monitored all of our facilities to insure compliance with local, state and federal regulations and permits. More than 1.3 million tons of solid waste and sludge were diverted from local landfills thereby conserving valuable capacity. Among the highlights for each project are the following:

The Baltimore City Composting Facility posted record compost sales for the facility's fiscal year (November 1, 1996 - October 31, 1997). With sales of more than 92,000 cubic yards, the facility increased compost revenues by 300 percent.

The Harford Waste-to-Energy Facility completed its tenth year of operations. During the year, the Authority negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding between the county and the operating company, which increased the amount of capacity reserved for the county and set guidelines for the company to accept waste. Harford County also began an ash recycling pilot program that includes processing nearly 5,000 tons of ash at a plant in York County, Pennsylvania. More than 1.3 million tons of solid waste and sludge were diverted from local landfills thereby conserving valuable capacity.

BRESCO will begin construction of a $34 million retrofit in fiscal year 1999. This year we negotiated our share of the retrofit cost. The facility reliably processed 720,000 tons of refuse this year, while recovering 14,000 tons of metal. BRESCO is active in the community, supporting Westport Elementary School, South Baltimore Learning Center and regional recycling.

The Montgomery County Resource Recovery Facility was honored in April with the "Grand Prize in Excellence in Environmental Engineering" from the Academy of Environmental Engineers. The facility was cited for its unique combination of effective pollution prevention strategies. Its emission levels have consistently remained well below the stringent limits of the facility's operating permit.

Anne Arundel/Howard County Waste Diversion Program has helped preserve landfill space in both jurisdictions. In September, the first load of residential waste from Anne Arundel and Howard Counties was delivered by rail to the King George County Landfill in Virginia.

Other Programs

Looking to the future, the Authority continued to examine the beneficial use of ash residue from waste-to-energy facilities and the further potential for commercial recycling. Last fall, the Authority, along with representatives of several East Coast states, sponsored a seminar on the beneficial use of ash residue. Just last year, the three waste-to-energy facilities in our region generated more than 350,000 tons of ash. While the Baltimore City and Harford County landfills currently use MWC ash as daily cover, other opportunities may exist for Maryland to become proactive in closing this portion of the loop on solid waste disposal.

During the summer, the Authority aired a campaign promoting waste reduction and recycling. Positive feedback was received from numerous viewers who saw the animated "recycle guys" on local television stations. Plans are underway to continue the media campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of waste reduction and recycling by targeting approximately 2.2 million residents in the area through public service announcements and paid advertising.

The Authority's annual financial report was sent to the Governor and the legislative bodies of our Member Jurisdictions last month. If you would like a copy of the audited financial report, please call the Authority at (410) 333-2730 or e-mail us at: authority@nmwda.org.

Chris Skaggs Joins SWANA Board: Chris Skaggs, Project Manager with the Authority, was recently elected to serve on the Board of Directors for the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), Mid-Atlantic Chapter. Chris received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech and has been with the Authority since 1988.

Integrated Waste Services: Special thanks goes to Waste Age for printing important information about the Integrated Waste Services Association, a trade association for the waste-to-energy industry, in the August 17 issue of Recycling Times. Visit their web site at http://www.wte.org for interesting facts about waste-to-energy facilities.

Solid Waste Management Task Force: The Governor's Solid Waste Management Task Force has been meeting during the last several months to examine solid waste management issues in Maryland and to develop recommendations for a report that will be submitted to the Governor in December. The recommendations will address public participation in planning for solid waste management and in siting solid waste facilities. Regionalization, privatization and the long-term management of solid waste in Maryland will also be addressed. The Task Force has been holding public meetings this month throughout the state to receive citizen input. For more information, contact Robin Davidov at the Authority (410) 333-2730.

Baltimore RESCO Community Outreach: Congratulations to Steve Tomczewski of Baltimore RESCO for receiving the Mayor's Community Volunteer Service Award. Steve was recognized for his efforts to improve the City of Baltimore during a ceremony held July 24 at the Baltimore Urban League.

More From BRESCO: Baltimore RESCO will be sponsoring a billboard for Baltimore County in the Catonsville area that will highlight an important recycling message. The billboard will announce that, "Recycling really does matter and it's easier than you think." The campaign will illustrate and emphasize BRESCO's corporate support for recycling in the Baltimore metropolitan area.

Anne Arundel County's Trash Odyssey Wins Award: Congratulations to the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works for its "Trash Odyssey" program. The program received national recognition from the National Association of Counties when it was selected for the association's "Achievement 1998 Award," an award that recognizes innovative programs that contribute to and enhance county government in the United States. The Trash Odyssey program included a children's tour of the Millersville Landfill and Resource Recovery Facility to reinforce the need to throw away less and recycle more. It was held last November in celebration of the first America Recycles Day. As part of the event, children toured the disposal cells, climbed on bulldozers, compared bottles of leachate and drinking water and played "garbology" games.

Recycling Computer Cartridges With Ease: A new brochure on toner cartridge recycling has been produced by the Recycling at Work Campaign. The brochure provides further information on the growing number of recyclable items found in office places. It is sponsored by Canon U.S.A., Inc. and Hewlett Packard Company and is designed to inform office workers about the ease of recycling empty cartridges from computer printers and copier machines. To obtain copies of the brochure, contact Derrick Coley, Recycling at Work at (202) 861-6739.

President Clinton Orders Government to Purchase Recycled Paper: The federal government will buy and use only recycled printing and writing paper under an executive order signed on September 14 by President Clinton. The federal government is the country's largest paper purchaser.

"Maryland and Delaware: Trash on the Move," was the subject of a presentation by Chris Skaggs, Authority project manager, to participants of SWANA's Annual Mid-Atlantic Chapter Meeting in September. The presentation highlighted solid waste management issues impacting the flow of solid waste into and out of Maryland. Currently, Maryland has 10 years of solid waste landfill capacity remaining and Delaware has twice that much at nearly 20 years.

More than three million tons of Maryland's municipal solid waste (MSW) are disposed of at in-state landfills and at waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities. Just under two million tons are exported to Virginia and Pennsylvania annually. The factors impacting waste flows in Maryland include the Waste Management/USA Waste merger, the creation of out-of-state "mega" landfills with low tip fees, and the Carbonne ruling.

Delaware, on the other hand, requires all MSW to be disposed of at in-state facilities. An allowance has been made for the Delaware Solid Waste Authority to transfer some waste to a Pennsylvania WTE facility. Delaware also prohibits the importation of out-of-state waste. However, a class-action lawsuit claiming violations of interstate commerce in Delaware was filed on May 21. If Delaware's solid waste management system is found in violation of interstate commerce laws, it is likely there will be significant shifts in Delaware's solid waste flows, especially if the existing $58.50 per ton tip fee remains in effect.

The presentation concluded with an overview of the future of waste export. In Maryland, it is likely that some solid waste will continue to flow out of state as long as out-of-state tip fees remain low and/or in-state landfill capacity decreases. There is increasing pressure on elected officials throughout the nation to evaluate current trends in solid waste management and environmental justice issues. The Governor of Pennsylvania recently proposed a moratorium on new landfill capacity in the state. This and other changes within the mid-Atlantic region are likely to influence the import and export of solid waste in Maryland. The Authority will continue to gauge changes in the solid waste industry as they relate to solid waste management in Maryland.

The Authority recently completed negotiations to continue to sell 32 megawatts of electricity capacity to PEPCO. The one-year deal will raise an additional $450,000 to $500,000 for the Montgomery County Resource Recovery Facility. Together with the Montgomery County Division of Solid Waste Services, the Authority worked with PEPCO during the summer to complete a side letter to the Electricity Sales Agreement for the facility. It will take effect on January 1, 1999.

PEPCO has a surplus of capacity at this time and does not need the RRF capacity. PEPCO will sell the excess capacity to a utility in Pennsylvania. This revenue generating opportunity is possible because of Pennsylvania's recent deregulation of the electricity industry. The Authority is monitoring further local and national developments in the restructuring of the electricity industry and will seek further opportunities to benefit Authority projects.

The Authority was pleased to participate in the Maryland Association of Counties' 48^th Annual Conference held in August. Staff members were host to an exhibition booth that displayed photographs of the Authority's waste management facilities. A spotlight this year was placed on the Authority's award for the Montgomery County Facility. Earlier in the year, the American Academy of Environmental Engineers selected the Montgomery County Resource Recovery Facility for the academy's Grand Prize in Excellence in Environmental Engineering. A popular feature of the booth was the Authority's giveaway, a rain gauge made from recycled plastic, printed with the Authority's member jurisdictions and the Authority's new web site. Several conference participants were winners of colorful potted plants. Soil for the plants was amended using compost from the Authority's Compost Facility.

Ogden Martin Systems of Montgomery, Inc. sponsored a Customer Appreciation Day at the Montgomery County Solid Waste Transfer Station in August. More than 400 people attended the event. Participants included commercial haulers, Montgomery County DOT personnel, residents, homeowners and other customers. Nelson Jenkins, operations supervisor, greeted customers at one of the food and refreshment tents. Ogden plans to make the Customer Appreciation Day an annual summer event to help foster continued communication between the facility and its valued customers.

November 1-4, 1998: "The 14^th International Conference on Solid Waste Technology and Management," will be held in Philadelphia. Sponsored by Widener University, the University of PA, and The Journal of Solid Waste Technology and Management. To view the conference agenda, visit http://www.widener.edu/solid.waste. For more information, call (610) 499-4042.

November 18, 1998: An Environmental Issues Seminar to be held in Laurel, Maryland at the National Wildlife Visitor Center, sponsored by the Maryland Department of the Environment. The seminar is for sanitarians and environmental health professionals. It will provide a forum for the discussion and presentation of Maryland's environmental issues. For more information, contact Bonnie Berardelli at (410) 631-3314 or e-mail rdennis@mde.state.md.us.

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.