Baltimore & Harford Forge Win-Win Recycling Partnership

Compost Sales Reach Record Levels

Anne Arundel Measures Commercial Recycling Rates

Waste Managers Meet for Fall Summit

Ogden Teams With Montgomery Fire & Rescue

1997, A Banner Year for George Balog

 

Baltimore and Harford Counties have established a recycling partnership that has created both cost savings and revenue. Harford County is sending recyclable bottles and cans from its residential recycling program to the Baltimore County Materials Recycling Facility in Cockeysville, which is operated by the Maryland Environmental Service (MES). MES then locates revenue-producing markets for the recyclables. MES has been so successful at finding markets for the recyclables that the Baltimore County MRF is not charging Harford County to process them. The partner-ship, which began in July of last year, sets an outstanding example of regional cooperation. In a recent letter to Baltimore County Executive Dutch Ruppersberger, Harford County Executive Eileen Rehrmann thanked Baltimore County and MES for "a superior level of service." County Executive Rehrmann also touted the bottles and cans processing arrangement as a project showing "the efficient and effective use of both our resources through regional cooperation." By the end of November, Harford County had delivered more than 1,000 tons of recyclable bottles and cans to the Baltimore County MRF. Both counties look forward to even higher levels of cooperation throughout 1998.

The Baltimore City Composting Partnership announced a 300 percent increase in compost sales during fiscal year 1997 (November 1, 1996 - October 31, 1997), with sales totaling 92,355 cubic yards. The facility, located in Baltimore City, processes 200 tons per day of sewage sludge from the city's Back River Sewage Treatment Plant, into three grades of compost: General Consumer (with pebble lime added to increase calcium carbonate levels above 10%), Professional (no calcium carbonate added) and Tailings (material recovered from the screening process). All of the compost sold meets Federal and State requirements for "Class A" compost. The Professional Services Group (PSG) took over business operations, facility management and marketing in late 1994. The product is now sold in bulk under the trade names Ekology Compost in Maryland, BioCom in Virginia and ORGRO in New York. PSG is about to submit an application for a permit to market its product in Pennsylvania under the ORGRO name. In addition, the company is planning to change the Ekology and BioCom names to ORGRO for marketing purposes. PSG attributes the growth in sales to improved product quality, expanding customer base, aggressive marketing and creative distribution systems through dealer networks. PSG has also attracted customers by fortifying its product with wood ash to reduce residual odors. The Compost Facility was financed by the Authority in 1985, and began operations in 1988.

A study to find out how much waste was recycled by the Anne Arundel County business community during 1997 is being conducted by the county with help from the Authority. More than fifteen hundred local businesses are being surveyed by telephone. The objective of the study is to identify and provide technical assistance to businesses that are not yet recycling and encourage firms that are recycling to report on time. Its target groups are companies with 25 or more employees and multi-family property managers. Each survey respondent is being asked basic questions about their company's recycling and reporting practices. Anne Arundel County's recycling rate held steady at 33 percent in 1995 and 1996. Yet less than half of that was generated by the commercial sector. County officials want to improve the commercial recycling rate and will use the results of this study to further that goal. The results of the study will be released later this month.

This past fall, waste managers from throughout the country met in Louisville to share their best and worst waste management experiences. While many would not find this an exciting prospect, the representatives to the U. S. Conference of Mayors' Municipal Waste Management Association, including myself, look forward to this event every year. There are no shiny new trucks to gawk at and no vendors dispensing laminated luggage tags made from business cards, but it's a great setting for learning new concepts and gathering helpful advice from others in the waste management business. Besides, if you're like me, you probably have more luggage tags than luggage! The newly released Mercury Report was discussed by the waste-to-energy committee. According to EPA, municipal waste combustors used to emit 18.7 percent of total national mercury emissions into the air. However, the combination of reduced levels of mercury in consumer products and mercury control systems either in place or being installed means that by the year 2000 mercury emissions (from municipal waste combustors) will be reduced by about 90 percent, from 1990 emission levels. (Mercury Study Report to Congress: White Paper). The Montgomery County Facility has operated mercury reduction equipment since its opening and the BRESCO Facility is currently adding equipment as part of the retrofit. The waste-to-energy committee also discussed deregulating the electric monopoly. But the job of figuring out how to change the retail electric utility system has been turned over to the states. Most national lobbying groups cannot adequately follow all state legislatures at the same time, so it will be up to each project to monitor deregulation activities in their own states. I reported to the group that the Authority had recently sold electric capacity, outside of the local utility, for the Montgomery County Project. The Authority and PEPCO worked together on the sale. I was surprised to learn that the Authority is one of the first waste-to-energy project owners to wheel its power under the new national wholesale power deregulation laws. The "Public Sector Only" session was well attended by county, city and even territorial representatives and produced some helpful information. In Florida, the problem of recycling in public places was solved by providing clear plastic receptacles, or wire mesh, to discourage people from throwing trash into recycling containers. In another city, metal holders were hung on the outside of commercial buildings to encourage cardboard recycling, while keeping alleys and roads open to traffic and litter free. 

Rescue Procedures Drill for the Rail Line

For two days in December 1997, Ogden assisted the Montgomery County Department of Public Works with rescue exercises at the Transfer Station in Derwood, Maryland. Local railroad operators, Amtrak, MARC and CSX, met with the County Department of Fire and Rescue Services to review emergency procedures for passenger trains if a commuter rail accident should ever occur on the CSX rail lines. Four MARC passenger cars were brought to the Transfer Station rail yard each day on Track 'D' by CSX. The goal of this exercise was to familiarize rescue personnel with the MARC passenger equipment. Participants learned about the layout, construction and safety features of passenger railcars from Amtrak and MARC personnel. The exercise did not interrupt normal Transfer Station operations because Ogden could still use tracks "A" and "B." Rescue personnel from the regional stations, including Gaithersburg, Germantown, Rockville, Kensington and Chevy Chase took part in the operation.

Ammonia Leak Containment Drill

Ammonia is used at the Montgomery RRF to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions to safe levels. It is stored in a 16,000-gallon tank. Last May, the Hazmat Division of the Department of Fire and Rescue Services conducted emergency drills for containing an ammonia leak from the storage tank. Just before Hazmat personnel arrived on the scene, a smoke bomb was set off at a pipe valve to simulate a leak. The drills were held in a different location each day. Upon arrival, Hazmat personnel performed reconnaissance, equipped themselves with protective gear and went on to locate and stop the simulated ammonia leak. The exercises helped familiarize Hazmat personnel with the storage tank and with the leak mitigating features designed into the facility. On the third day, Hazmat personnel located and activated the deluge water spray system without assistance from Ogden. The water spray system limits the amount of ammonia released into the atmosphere.

Balog Receives Prestigious APWA Award

George G. Balog, director of public works for Baltimore City and chairman of the Authority was presented with the American Public Works Association (APWA) "Presidential Award" last September by APWA President Robert Albee. Mr. Balog was selected for the award for being an outstanding member of APWA and for his excellence in leadership in the public works profession. A longstanding member of APWA, Mr. Balog's accomplishments include creating the Urban Forum. The forum is an APWA organization that specializes in programs and services for public works executives in large jurisdictions. He was also recognized for supporting diversity in the field of public works. APWA has more than 25,000 members throughout the world. Its members are dedicated to providing the highest possible quality of public services to the communities they serve.

Balog Conquers the Great Baltimore Sink Hole

The City of Baltimore experienced one of its most dangerous public works crises ever in 1997 and George Balog, director of public works, along with his many public work crews came to the rescue. The Great Baltimore Sink Hole occurred on Franklin Street in the middle of the city on November 8. It had all the elements of a major disaster - fire, sewer pipe leaks, damaged utilities, water pipe breaks, gas leaks and major road damage.  The disaster could have taken months to remedy, but the Baltimore City work crews, under the round-the-clock direction of Mr. Balog accomplished the entire repair in only 20 days. Pictured here is Mr. Balog walking out of the sink hole during the repair operation.

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.