Members of the Authority staff recently toured the Baltimore Processing Center (BPC), one of area's newest solid waste facilities. It is located off of I-695, west of the Key Bridge in what used to be the FERST building. Browning-Ferris Industries (BFI) has been processing commercial solid waste at the facility since July 1997.

Currently in Phase I of operations, BFI receives approximately 250 tons per day of commercial solid waste, including source-separated loads of cardboard and mixed paper. The loads are groomed by an automated sort system for fiber-rich materials including old corrugated cardboard (OCC), high-grade office paper and mixed paper. All other solid waste is transported to Baltimore RESCO and to out-of-state landfills. BPC's permit allows the facility to accept up to 700 tons of materials per day. As part of Phase II, BFI intends to increase incoming loads of commercial solid waste materials by marketing the recyclables to third party companies. BPC also has a rail spur available.

BPC tracks all incoming loads and reports on the quantity of recycled materials generated in each subdivision. At this time, most of the commercial loads are coming from Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County and Baltimore City with a lesser amount from Howard County.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) recently asked Robin Davidov, executive director of the Authority, to describe the Authority's unique 1998 recycling advertising campaign. The two-month television campaign featured two animated 30-second spots and two public service announcements (PSA's). Both ads and the PSA's were designed to encourage residential recycling and source reduction. The animated spots were produced by the State of South Carolina at an original cost of $45,000. However the Authority purchased rights to air the spots in the State of Maryland for $6,000, including new tag lines at the end of each ad. The PSA's were produced by Howard County.

Ms. Davidov described the research that led the Authority to select an eight-week period during the summer months to conduct the campaign. Four television stations responded to the Authority's request for proposal. Respondents were asked to submit proposals for placing the ads and running the public service announcements. Three major television stations serving the greater Baltimore/ Washington area were selected based on their demonstrated ability to deliver the largest audience per dollar spent. The total cost of the campaign was $66,000, $20,000 for each station plus $6,000 for the ads. More than two million viewers saw the ads between July and August 1998. Two of the ads were aired during Oriole baseball games.

Ms. Davidov explained that combining financial resources enabled the Authority's seven member jurisdictions to purchase more airtime than they could have individually. It also meant great savings in obtaining the animated spots. The Washington COG is considering launching a similar campaign for its member jurisdictions in the Washington area.

If you would like a copy of the animated spots for use in Maryland, please call Niti Bahl at the Authority.

Have you noticed the construction activity at Baltimore RESCO? Scaffolding, construction trailers and work crews on-site are all indications that the air pollution control retrofit is underway. Whiting-Turner (the construction manager) and BRESCO are working on the preliminary engineering plans, including project schedules, applying for building and construction permits, preparing technical packages and issuing purchase orders. They have completed six of the 70 milestones or just over nine percent of the project. Construction has begun on the ID Fans, the ash chutes and the electrostatic precipitators (ESPs). Everything remains on schedule for a compliance deadline of December 19, 2000.

Existing ID fans will have new, larger rotors installed to handle the increased fan speed required by the addition of Spray Dryer Absorbers (SDAs), the equipment that neutralizes acid gases.

Heated sidewall work on electrostatic precipitator unit #3 will reduce the possibility of corrosion due to drops in temperature in the lower zone.  

New dampers for ID fans will maintain draft on boilers.

(Photos are courtesy of HDR Engineering, Inc.)

BRESCO UPDATE Work on the BRESCO retrofit project has begun. WasteWatch will track the project's progress beginning with this issue. The project is scheduled to be completed by December 2000.

Seventeen bills concerning waste issues were considered during the recent Virginia General Assembly Session. Six bills were either defeated or died in committee. Those that failed to pass dealt with medical waste penalties, an exemption for vegetative waste from certain permit requirements and issues covered in other pieces of proposed legislation. Bills that were passed into law allow for new landfill fees, disposal limits and a one-year moratorium on landfill permits. Other successful legislation urges congress to allow state and local governments the authority to control waste imports, restricts water transport of wastes, and creates a joint legislative study committee. The study committee is to make recommendations and provide options for regulatory or legislative actions that would improve the reliability of financial assurance mechanisms.

Anyone interested in receiving copies of any of the Virginia legislation may call Cathy Coble at the Authority.

In the January issue of World Wastes magazine the Authority's website (www.nmwda.org) was cited for having one of the industry's most efficient data drills. The article was about the importance of creating "interactive" websites that provide users with a more personal and responsive experience. According to the article's author Joe Dysart, too many waste industry sites simply file information that is difficult to find and retrieve. It is important to be able to use targeted data. He suggested that website designers use search engines and data drills to make their sites more user friendly. The article noted that the Authority's site "allows visitors to use a drill to make quick jumps to information on categories such as "Members," "How We Work," "Newsletter," "Feedback" and "Search."

The Authority's website has been up since mid-1997. It has received several hundred visitors and is updated quarterly. If you would like more information about the site send an email message to: authority@nmwda.org or call the Authority at (410) 333-2730.

The Authority's easy to use website has been online since mid-1997. You can visit the site at http://www.nmwda.org.

Ogden Martin, operator of the Montgomery County Resource Recovery Facility, recently presented a $5,000 donation to the Poolesville Elementary School PTA. The donation, along with $7,000 raised separately by the PTA, will be used to help purchase a thermal scanner helmet for the Upper Montgomery County Fire Department (UMCFD). The helmet cost $25,000 and the Poolesville commissioners have pledged to make up the difference. This special helmet allows Firefighters to see images in an environment where thick smoke, thick gloves and the roar of a fire often hinder their senses.

Ogden Martin has been involved with the UMCFD for six years, hosting training sessions and working with local schools. Cherise Praniewski, office administrator for Ogden Martin, said that donating money for the helmet just made sense. "We knew it was a common effort that both groups were working on. Two of the organizations we work heavily with and the entire community will benefit." UMCFD Captain Tim Thorne agreed that the helmet would help protect Firefighters, residents and homes in the area. "It will help in all activities. It should make rescues faster and that's the main benefit to the community," he said.

On March 8, Allied Waste Industries, Inc. and Browning-Ferris Industries, Inc. (BFI) announced a merger agreement. The combined companies will be called Allied Waste Industries, Inc. and will generate about $6.6 billion in annual revenues. The agreement is one of the largest leveraged buyouts in the history of the waste management industry.

BFI shareholders as well as federal, state and Canadian regulators must approve the sale. If approved, the U. S. Department of Justice is likely to force the new company to sell assets in certain metropolitan areas or regions because of antitrust concerns.

Paul Schmidt has joined the Authority staff as an Assistant to support various project management activities. Mr. Schmidt received his Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Tech in Environmental Science with a minor in Chemistry last December. The main focus of his studies was in the area of hazardous waste management. He is very excited about launching his environmental career with the Authority. In his spare time he enjoys music, working on his classic MG roadster and participating in a variety of outdoor activities.

A Century of Progress: Bridging our Past and Our Future, Maryland Recyclers Coalition 11th Annual Conference, Training and Exposition. Chesapeake College, Wye Mills, Maryland. For information call the MRC at (410) 974-4472.

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.