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Spring 1999

South Carolina Recycles Magazine

Wellman, Inc.An interview with the nation�s largest

polyester recycler

State recycling rateincreases

DHEC announces improvement for sixthstraight year

Recycle GuysAwards ProgramWinners honored at annual event

Wellman, Inc.An interview with the nation�s largest

polyester recycler

State recycling rateincreases

DHEC announces improvement for sixthstraight year

Recycle GuysAwards ProgramWinners honored at annual event

Spring 1999Pictured: Bales of plastic bottles await recycling at Wellman, Inc.

DHEC�s Office of Solid Waste Reductionand Recycling

Spring 1999South Carolina Recycles Magazine

Table of ContentsState recycling rate increases for sixth consecutive year .................................................................................. page 3S.C. Solid Waste Management Plan being updated ......................................................................................... page 4DHEC considers changing how recycling, reduction rates are measured ......................................................... page 5Show me the numbers! The 1998 Solid Waste Management Plan .................................................................... page 6You have just recycled. What�s next? An interview with Wellman, Inc. .............................................................. page 7Partnership continues mission to increase plastics recycling ............................................................................ page 9State�s top recyclers honored during annual awards program........................................................................ page 11North Springs Elementary School named Champions of the Environment ..................................................... page 12America Recycles Day winners announced ..................................................................................................... page 13Recycle Guys campaign wins national advertising awards ............................................................................. page 14Recycling Teacher of the Year offers environmental perspective ..................................................................... page 15Elementary school students shine using Palmetto Energy Awards Program................................................... page 17Action updated, will be correlated to meet state science standards ............................................................... page 18Energy 2 Learn summer workshop back with new lessons, materials, programs, prizes ................................ page 19Composting projects are growing more popular in schools ........................................................................... page 20Partnership promotes innovative pilot project on composting ....................................................................... page 21Workshop helps backyard composting spring back ...................................................................................... page 21

South Carolina Recycles Magazine, Volume 2, Issue 1, is published quarterly by DHEC�s Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling. Funding for this publication isprovided by disposal fees from the Petroleum Fund in accordance with the S.C. Solid Waste Policy and Management Act of 1991.

Editor: Gregg Glymph; Associate Editors: Richard Chesley, Elizabeth Rosinski and Tammy Weller; Contributing Writers: Pam Bergstrand, Richard Chesley,Gregg Glymph, Ted Hewitt, Karen Kirtland, Tina Lindler, Elizabeth Rosinski, Tammy Weller, Jana White and Joan Williams.

To contact the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling, call 1-800-768-7348. Send correspondence to: South Carolina Recycles Magazine, 2600 Bull Street,Columbia, SC 29201. Visit our web site at www.state.sc.us/dhec.

Photo Credits: The cover and page seven photographs are provided courtesy of Wellman, Inc. Other photos are provided by the DHEC Photography Department.

Printed on Recycled Paper

Contents

Page 2

OR-0004 4/99

Spring 1999


State recycling rate increasesfor sixth consecutive year

The amount of solid waste recycled in South Carolinaincreased for the sixth straight year, according tofigures being compiled for the 1998 S.C. Solid WasteManagement Plan. More than 4.2 million tons of solidwaste, or 42 percent of the total waste stream, wasrecycled in fiscal year 1998 (July 1, 1997 to June 30,1998). In FY 1998, South Carolina generated 10 milliontons of solid waste. In FY 97, 2.8 million tons of solidwaste, or 34 percent of the total 8.3 million tons ofsolid waste generated in the state, was recycled.

�The increase in the recycling rate can be attributed tostrong local programs working in partnership with thestate�s technical assistance, grant and educationprograms,� said William W. Culler, director of DHEC�sDivision of Solid Waste Planning and Recycling. �Everyyear, recycling becomes a way of life for more andmore people.� Culler said recycling is working so wellin South Carolina that the state exceeded the 25percent recycling goal set in the S.C. Solid WastePolicy and Management Act of 1991 in FY 1996 - ayear ahead of the deadline. DHEC will be submittingnew recycling goals to the S.C. Legislature.

The figures were based on reports done by countygovernments and compiled by DHEC. More than 10.7million tons of solid waste has been recycled sinceFY 1993, the first year county governments beganreporting. South Carolina�s overall reduction rate alsoincreased slightly, but the state still has not met thegoal of reducing by 30 percent the amount of solidwaste being sent to municipal solid waste landfills orincinerators. The reduction goal deadline was May 27,1997.

In FY 1998, the state reduced the total amount of wastebeing disposed at municipal solid waste landfills andmunicipal solid waste incinerators by 28 percent, ascompared to FY 1993. However, in figuring thereduction rate to meet the requirements of the Act, only50 percent of the goal may be met by removing yardwaste, land-clearing debris, appliances, constructionand demolition debris and waste tires. Using therestrictions in the Act, the state�s reduction rate fell from10 percent to five percent.

�The formula in the Act does not show the actualreduction that has taken place,� Culler said. �Theformula is restrictive, but its intention is to encouragecounty governments to set up waste reductionprograms beyond construction and demolition debris,land-clearing debris and yard waste.� Still, sevencounties, including Charleston, Cherokee, Darlington,Lancaster, Laurens, Marlboro and Oconee met boththe Act�s recycling and reduction goals. DHEC willprovide a comprehensive overview of solid waste in thestate with publication of the 1998 S.C. Solid WasteManagement Plan later this spring.

For more information, please contact Art Braswell at(803) 896-4202 or Melinda Mathias at (803) 896-4207.

Trends in South Carolina Recycling EffortsSource: 1998 S.C. Solid Waste Management Plan

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Spring 1999South Carolina Recycles MagazineTo

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es S.C. Solid Waste Management Plan being updated,

may include new recycling, reduction goalsNew recycling and waste reduction goals, consistencyin planning and landfill capacity are major issues beingaddressed in the development of a new S.C. SolidWaste Management Plan. �We have learned a greatdeal since the first State Plan was written in 1992 and,in fact, some things have changed and new issues haveemerged,� said Art Braswell, manager of the RegulationDevelopment and Planning Section of DHEC�s Divisionof Solid Waste Planning and Recycling. �This update isneeded to better address solid waste management inSouth Carolina.�

In January, three public meetings were held across thestate to gather information from local governments,solid waste administrators, recycling coordinators,private industry and the public regarding the update ofthe State Plan. �We shared information and learned agreat deal,� said Braswell of the meetings that wereheld Jan. 12 in Greenville, Jan. 14 in Columbia andJan. 18 in Charleston. Besides proposing newrecycling and waste reduction goals, the State Planaddresses two other major issues. The first deals withhow a county determines if a proposed facility isconsistent with the local solid waste management plan.The second issue looks at the overall landfill capacityin the state.

Prior to issuing a permit for a new or expanding solidwaste management facility, an applicant mustdemonstrate that the proposed facility or expansion isconsistent with the local solid waste management plan.�Over the past few years, applicants and counties haveencountered problems in determining consistency withcounty plans,� Braswell said. �Because of that, DHEC isincluding language in the new State Plan outliningprocedures for counties to follow in determiningconsistency with county plans.�

In regard to the landfill capacity issue, the statecurrently has enough municipal solid waste capacity tolast about 16 years at the current rate of disposal. TheS.C. Solid Waste Policy and Management Act of 1991recommends that the state plan for 20 years of landfillcapacity. �I know that issue has been raised - thefact that the state appears four years short of therecommended capacity, but we already haveapplications that would increase the state�s capacitybeyond 20 years,� Braswell said. While there is a needto maintain adequate capacity in South Carolina toproperly manage solid waste generated in the state in

a cost-effective manner, DHEC is concerned aboutpermitting excess capacity. Though strictly regulated,the siting of landfills will impact surroundingcommunities. In addition, excess capacity may result ininadequate amounts of solid waste being generated inthe state for existing landfills to remain financially soundunless these landfills bring in waste from longerdistances. If the landfills are not financially sound, thatcould result in poor operation and maintenance ofthese facilities.

While DHEC wants competitive tipping fees to remainin the state, having too much capacity may result inlowered tipping fees, making the state attractive tomore waste being moved to the landfills from longdistances. There is also a concern that excess capacityand lower tipping fees may harm the state�s andcounty�s efforts in reaching the recycling and reductiongoals. �We plan to address the need for new landfillsand expansions of existing landfills prior to issuing apermit for the new or expanded landfill,� Braswell said.�Commercial industrial solid waste landfills will besubject to a similar review.� The new State Plan will becompleted this spring. For more information, pleasecontact Art Braswell at (803) 896-4202 or MelindaMathias at (803) 896-4207.

Fast Facts...Do you have out-of-date educational videos,unsolicited sales videos or cassettes that havebeen recorded over so many times they are nolonger clear? And you don�t want to throwthem in the landfill? Mail them to the LacertaGroup for recycling. All data on the videos areremoved and the cassettes are refurbished forreuse. Call the Lacerta Group for moreinformation at (617) 442-3111.

If you add yard waste and food trimmings to abackyard compost bin, consider adding cerealboxes, pasta boxes, etc. as well. Tear theboxes into small pieces. They help soak upmoisture from the food.

Spring 1999

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DHEC considers new ways to measurestate�s recycling, reduction rates

The way recycling and reduction rates are measured inSouth Carolina will be changed next fiscal year ifproposed legislation passes this year in the S.C.Legislature. Effective next fiscal year, South Carolina willadopt the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency�svoluntary method of measurement, a move that willhelp standardize the way recycling rates are measuredacross the nation. The move, if approved, will alsonecessitate changing the state�s recycling andreduction goals.

�Most states across the country define recycling indifferent ways, measure different materials and usedifferent formulas to measure recycling rates,� said ArtBraswell, manager of the Regulation Development andPlanning Section of DHEC�s Division of Solid WastePlanning and Recycling. �Standardization will result inbeing able to make a fair comparison among statesand local government programs within a state and toprovide more accurate data for planning, decisionmaking and market development.�

Market development should benefit significantly fromthe EPA�s standardized methodology. �If the quantitiesof recyclables are known and measured the same way,you can get an idea of regional supply - and that is anexcellent market development tool,� Braswell said.

The EPA�s strategic plan set a national municipal solidwaste recycling goal of 35 percent to be met byJune 30, 2005. South Carolina�s current reportingas required by the S.C. Solid Waste Policy andManagement Act of 1991, is based on the total wastestream, not just municipal solid waste. The total wastestream includes all household, construction anddemolition, commercial, industrial and land-clearingwaste. Based on this formula, South Carolina alreadypassed the recycling goal of 25 percent outlined in theAct. The state exceeded the recycling goal in 1996, ayear ahead of the deadline.

Municipal solid waste includes paper, plastic, glass,metal, tires, wood, yard trimmings, lead-acid batteries,textiles and food scraps. Municipal solid waste doesnot include automobile bodies, construction anddemolition debris, industrial process waste and usedoil.

In keeping with the EPA�s methodology, DHEC hassubmitted legislation that will change the state�srecycling goal. The new recycling goal, if passed, willbe to recycle on a statewide basis at least 35 percent,calculated by weight, of the municipal solid wastestream by June 30, 2005. Even though the proposedgoal is for municipal solid waste, DHEC and the U.S.EPA continue to encourage recycling of all materials,including, for example, construction and demolitiondebris and used oil. South Carolina has one of thenation�s best used oil recycling programs targetingdo-it-yourself oil changers. DHEC will continue tocalculate the total recycling efforts for inclusion in theannual report.

The state�s current recycling rate is 42 percent - butagain that is determined from the total waste streamand not municipal solid waste. �We know that this mayseem confusing to the public, setting a goal of 35percent when the current recycling rate is 42 percent,�Braswell said. �But using the EPA formula will provide amore accurate measurement and will make achievingthe goal more difficult.�

DHEC is proposing changing the way reduction ismeasured in the state and how it is reported. In SouthCarolina, reduction is measured, as required by theAct, as an overall state rate. The current goal outlinedin the Act is a 30 percent reduction of the total wastebeing disposed at municipal solid waste landfills andmunicipal solid waste incinerators to be met by May27, 1997. The state�s current reduction rate is 28percent. The EPA�s strategic plan, however, does notmeasure an overall reduction rate but rather a perperson per day generation rate. EPA�s goal is anational per capita municipal solid waste generationrate of 4.3 pounds per person per day by June 30,2005. South Carolina�s new reduction goal, if approvedby the Legislature, will be tougher than the nationalgoal. Again, using EPA�s methodology, SouthCarolina�s new reduction goal will be to reduce, on astatewide per capita basis, the amount of municipalsolid waste being generated to 3.5 pounds per personper day no later than June 30, 2005.

Overall, the EPA�s methodology on recycling andreduction rates will provide a more balanced playingfield for county and municipal recycling programs.Industrial recycling will not be part of EPA�s formula.

See Changes, page 23


Show me the numbers!*The 1998 Solid Waste Management Plan

l 10 million - The number of tons of solid wastegenerated by South Carolinians - the first time thestate�s waste generation rate hit double figures andthe sixth consecutive year the generation rateincreased.

l 4 - The number of pounds of municipal solid wasteeach South Carolinian generated every day.

l 4.2 million - The number of tons of solid wasterecycled.

l 10.7 million - The number of tons of solid wasterecycled since fiscal year 1993, the first yearcounty governments began reporting.

l 186 - The number of curbside collection andrecycling programs in South Carolina.

l 507,000 - The number of households that the 186curbside collection and recycling programs serve.

l 379 - The number of staffed convenience and drop-off locations in South Carolina.

l 1.1 million - The number of households served byconvenience/drop-off sites.

l 19 - The number of municipal solid waste landfillsoperating in South Carolina. Currently, 14 meet therequirements of the Resource, Conservation andRecovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle D standards. Of the19 municipal solid waste landfills, 12 are ownedby local governments and seven are privatelyowned.

l 673,000 - The number of tons of out-of-state wastedisposed in South Carolina.

l 96 - The number of composting and chippingfacilities registered in South Carolina.

l 142 - The number of construction and demolitiondebris landfills in South Carolina.

l 17 - The number of waste tire processing facilitiesin South Carolina.

l 57 - The number of industrial waste landfills inSouth Carolina.

l 45 million - The number of tourists that visitedSouth Carolina.

l 13.9 million - The number of tourists that visitedHorry County.

l 1 - The number of permitted municipal solid wasteincinerators in South Carolina. Foster WheelerResource Recovery, Inc., located in CharlestonCounty, is permitted to process 255,000 tons ofsolid waste per calendar year. In FY 1998, thefacility processed more than 221,000 tons of solidwaste.

l $160.8 million - The total amount of money spenton solid waste management, according to the 122local governments that submitted their full-costdisclosure reports.

Glass 15,454.34 tons

Metal 402,607.25 tons

Paper 1,808,644.05 tons

Plastic 38,571.89 tons

Banned items 426,700.55 tons

Miscellaneous 237,894.18 tons

Other 1,304,224.53 tons

TOTAL 4,234,136.62 tons

Recyclables Collected, FY 1998(total solid waste)

1993 1.4 percent

1994 7.8 percent

1995 16 percent

1996 27 percent

1997 34 percent

1998 42 percent

Total Solid Waste Recycling Efforts by Year

*All information is from fiscal year1998 (July 1, 1997 to June 30,1998) unless otherwise noted.

Source: 1998 S.C. Solid Waste Management Plan

Source: 1998 S.C. Solid Waste Management Plan

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Spring 1999


You have just recycled. What�s next?An interview with the world�s largest polyester recycler: Wellman, Inc.

Every time you put items in your bin or take them to arecycling center, do you ever wonder where it all goes?How are they recycled and what do they become?

Many companies are in the recycling business, takingyour recyclables and closing the loop by developingnew, high quality products. Wellman, Inc., the largestrecycler of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/polyesterin the world, is located in South Carolina. PET, alsoknown as plastic code #1 (just look on the bottom ofcontainers for the symbol) makes up not onlysoda bottles, but includes water, shampoo andketchup bottles, peanut butter jars and many others.Worldwide, Wellman has the capability to recycleabout 300 million tons of PET each year, but currentlySouth Carolina provides Wellman with less than onepercent of plastic it is currently processing.

Located in three counties, Florence, Darlington andMarion, Wellman, with an annual operating budget of$1.1 billion, has been in business for 72 years andemploys 1,900 South Carolinians. As a leadingmanufacturer of polyester fiber and of products for thepackaging industry (bottles), facilities are located inNorth Carolina, New Jersey, Mississippi, New York,France, Ireland and the Netherlands. Forty percent ofWellman�s fiber capacity comes from recycledmaterials.

Why does Wellman use recycled materials? Where dothe recycled materials come from? What do they dowith the plastic? We asked Wellman these samequestions and they agreed to share a few of theirthoughts below:

Q: What recyclable materials do you use in the U.S.and what percentage is post-consumer?

A: Wellman procures post-consumer PET containersand post-industrial PET products throughout NorthAmerica for use as their raw materials for theproduction of polyester fibers, as well as for PETresin for the packaging industry. Wellman�sEngineering Resin business also procures post-consumer nylon carpet primarily for use in theautomotive industry.

Q: Explain the process of recycling the materials.

A: The Wellman process is a mechanical recyclingprocess. We buy the post-consumer bottles,separate them by color and type, remove thecontaminants, clean and purify, chop, melt andextrude into fiber.

Q: What are your end products and where canconsumers purchase them?

A: Wellman produces fiber that is used in brandedand unbranded applications. A large user ofWellman recycled content fiber is the carpet andfiberfill businesses. That is, traditionally, it isunbranded.

Wellman�s Fortrel �EcoSpun� polyester fiber isfound in apparel, accessories and homefurnishings and is found in major department storesand specialty stores throughout the world. Lookin the box on the following page for examples ofbrands and the items you can purchase.�EcoClear,� our PET resin made with recycledcontent, and �EcoLon,� our engineering resin madewith recycled nylon carpet content, are notconsumer brands although �EcoLon� is usedwidely by Ford Motor Company in car parts.

Cover Story

Wellman, Inc. recycles plastic to manufacture newproducts. Above are materials in various phases, from plasticbottles, to ground plastic, to fiber.

Look for this symbol on the bottom of plasticcontainers like soda, ketchup and

shampoo bottles.


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Q: Where are your products shipped?

A: All of our products are shipped throughout theworld.

Q: Why do you use collected recyclable materials?

A: Recycling is at the very heart of Wellman�sbusiness. Wellman has been producing polyesterfiber made from recycled content since 1964 andfrom post-consumer recycled content since 1978.Wellman�s manufacturing process in Johnsonville,S.C. and Mullagh, Ireland have been solelydeveloped around this process. The use ofrecycled raw materials replaces oil-based rawmaterials and is the environmental answer for thisdepleting natural resource. Forty percent of allWellman�s polyester fiber production, worldwide, ismade with recycled content. We are an end-user ofall that we recycle.

Q: How many tons do you recycle each year?

A: Wellman has the capacity to recycle 300 millionpounds of recycled post-consumer PET each year.That is 3 billion plastic bottles diverted from thesolid waste stream.

Q: Since most of our subscribers are teachers andeducators, do you offer educational materials,what are some examples and how can teachersreceive the materials?

A: We are members of NAPCOR (National Associationfor Plastic Container Recovery) and they canmake educational materials available. Specificinformation is available on our web site atwww.wellmanwlm.com.

Q: With the millennium just around the corner, allthe talk is about the future. What changes wouldyou like to see for your company and therecycling industry in the next five years?

A: Current trends indicate that the recycling rate ofPET will continue to decline. We must inform thepublic that it is in their best interest to recycle PETand to buy products made with recycled PET. Weall must do this in order to take charge of ourenvironmental future.

Q: What changes are we likely to see for yourcompany and the recycling industry in the nextfive years?

A: Wellman will continue to expand its activity inrecycling if the material is available for recycling.We need the public�s help to dedicate themselvesto saving the planet. The recycling issue must beraised as a national concern.

Manufacturers Who Use�Fortrel EcoSpun� Brand Fiber

Brands

Ashworth

Patagonia

Eco Sport

Dakini

Summit Apparel

Backporch Ivy

Hanna Anderson

Grandoe Corporation

New Sun Productions

Rocky Shoes & Boots, Inc.

Wells Lamont

Direct Access

Geo-Rags

Corky & Company

Nomads 1800

Intex Corporation

EcoWear

Items

Fleece sweaters and pullovers

Fleece sweaters (children and adult)

Men�s and women�s sportswear

Women�s outerwear and sportswear

Men�s knit shirts

Women�s sportswear

Children�s clothing

Gloves, hats and scarves

Backpacks

Boot liners

Promark® sports gloves

Sportswear, accessories



Women�s T-shirts and tank tops

Golf and T-shirts

Fleece and sherpa jackets

Note: The apparel business is ever-changing andseasonal and the list changes from season to season.To purchase these items made from �EcoSpun,� look forthe hang tag at stores across the country.

Q: The S.C. Partnership on Plastics Recyclingis a group of agencies, businesses andorganizations working together to increase theamount of plastics recycled. As a member of thePartnership, what do you hope to accomplish in1999?

A: We hope that, together, we can find the answers tohelp invigorate plastics recycling in South Carolina.

South Carolina�s recycling rate has increased everyyear since 1993. More and more types of products arecontained in PET and consumers are purchasing plasticbottles due to their lightweight and shatter-proofqualities. However, plastic is derived from petroleum-based materials, a non-renewable resource, with alimited supply. Recycled bottles are made into manyitems, including new bottles. So, the next time youpurchase an item in plastic or empty a plastic bottle,check the bottom for the andrecycle it. You never know, youmay have a future shirt in yourhands!

Spring 1999

South Carolina Recycles MagazinePla

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Partnership continues missionto increase plastics recycling

Education and awareness will continue to bethe top priorities of the S.C. Partnership onPlastics Recycling. The public-private partnership wasformed last year to developeducation and awarenessefforts, improve markets forrecovered materialsand help build theinfrastructure necessaryto efficiently collect andprocess a wide variety ofplastics. �We�re going tocontinue to focus oneducation and awarenessbecause we know that isthe key to increase therecycling of plastics,� saidTammy Weller of DHEC�sOffice of Solid WasteReduction and Recyclingand project manager of the Partnership.

One of the education and awareness priorities will be16-ounce and 20-ounce soda bottles, also known assingle-serve containers. The smaller bottles are notbeing recycled as often as the larger two-liter andthree-liter bottles. �We�re going to remind the publicthat when they buy single-serve drinks at conveniencestores they should take the bottle home and recycle,�Weller said.

Currently, the Partnership is beginning development ofa 30-second television spot that will be part of theOffice�s nationally recognized �Recycle Guys�campaign as well as radio, print, billboards andeducational materials. In addition, the Partnership isworking with the Office to develop a display that willfeature, among other recycling information, plastics.The display will be finished for two events this latesummer: Energy 2 Learn, which is an environmentaleducation workshop for teachers; and the �Back toSchool Bash� with Columbia�s WIS-TV. The Partnershipis also considering a plastic workshop for recyclingcoordinators and will be involved with America

Recycles Day in South Carolinaactivities.

A 1997 study commissioned by theUniversity of South Carolina�sCenter for Environmental Policy,Clemson University�s Departmentof Civil Engineering and DHECdetermined the supply and

demand for PET (polyethyleneterephthalate or polyester)bottles in South Carolina.The study indicates SouthCarolina�s PET, also

identified as plastic code ,has a 12 percent recycling rate. ThePartnership decided to use thestudy and increase the state�s

plastic bottle recycling bytargeting regionalmarketing, transportation,infrastructure andeducation.

Last year, the Partnership supported a cooperativecounty government project that involved Anderson,Greenville and Spartanburg counties. The printing of afour-page educational insert in the local newspapersurged the public to recycle plastic bottles and includedinformation on procedures and facilities available ineach county. In addition, fashion shows featuringrecycled PET clothing and accessories demonstratedthe many uses of recycled plastics.

�There is great potential to increase the recycling ofplastics,� Weller said. �The diversity of the membersensure well-rounded projects and will serve as a modelprogram for others across the country. Through thePartnership�s cooperative efforts, plastics recycling isheaded for a future upswing.�

Formed in 1998, the S.C. Partnership on PlasticsRecycling members include: DHEC; the S.C. RecyclingMarket Development Advisory Council; University ofSouth Carolina�s School of the Environment, Institute ofPublic Affairs and Division of Facilities Management;United Resource Recovery, Inc.; U.S. Postal Service;S.C. Energy Office; Wellman, Inc.; National Associationof Plastic Container Recyclers; the American PlasticsCouncil; P&R Environmental Industries; KW Plastics;and the S.C. Soft Drink Association.

Recycle your two-literand single-serve plastic bottles!

Spring 1999South Carolina Recycles MagazineW

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The Chambert Forest Clean SweepPartnership, Best Individual Project

Lexington County,Best Used Oil Program

(population more than 100,000)

Cherokee County,Best Used Oil Program

(population less than 100,000)

Mid-Carolina High School, Best School Recycling Program

Winthrop College,Best College Recycling Program

Williamsburg County,Special Recognition Award

Pickens County, Best County Program(population more than 100,000)

Department of Corrections,Best State Agency Program

Milliken & Company, Best Industry Award

Hampton County, Best County Program(population less than

100,000)

Above: DHEC Commissioner Doug Bryant congratulates many award winners.

Rock Hill, Best Municipal ProgramCharleston County,

Most Creative Recycling Effort

Rock Hill, Best Local GovernmentEducation Program

Spring 1999


State�s top recyclers honoredduring annual awards program

The top recycling programs in South Carolina for1998 were honored at the fourth annual Recycle GuysAwards Program on Jan. 27, 1999. Sponsored bythe DHEC�s Office of Solid Waste Reduction andRecycling, awards for 14 categories were presented,including recycling coordinator of the year, top countyand municipal programs, used oil collection andeducational efforts.

Recycling Coordinatorof the YearGreenville County�s MelissaGrant has a successful recyclingprogram because she fullyintegrates it into the entiresolid waste program. Sheunderstands the importance ofcommunity support and takeson partnerships with businessesand other local governments toaccomplish the county�s goals. She does not stopthere, but implements programs such as MasterWasteEducators, Grinding of the Greens, compostworkshops and serves as an active participant inAmerica Recycles Day events. Responsible for long-term solid waste planning and budgeting, recyclingeducation, program promotion and projectdevelopment, Melissa is the model for recyclingcoordinators throughout the state.

Recycling Teacher of the YearTracy Craven from OakdaleElementary, Rock Hill and KimNoe from Pontiac Elementary,Columbia are two verydeserving teachers. They teachprotection of the environmentand give their students thehands-on experience to dosomething about it. Bydeveloping school recyclingprograms, they recyclecrayons, paper, six-pack ringsand greeting cards. They useAction for a cleaner tomorrow,take field trips and plan waste-free picnics.

Best County Program(population less than 100,000)Hampton County built 10 strategically placed, well-designed and well-maintained recycling centers in thelast three years. With operation of a county swap-shop coming on-line in 1999, Hampton County isaccomplishing its goal by serving the recycling needsof its residents.

Best County Program(population more than 100,000)Pickens County�s successful program provides a highlevel of service, increasing its recycled materials fromabout 6,000 tons to more than 15,000 tons in one year.They made a commitment to the recycling programthrough successful facilities, purchasing equipmentsuch as tire shredders and employing dedicatedpersonnel.

Best School Recycling ProgramMid-Carolina High School in Newberry County has aprogram that incorporates all the students, thecafeteria and the canteen in an effort to recycle cans,newspapers, office paper and magazines.

Best College Recycling ProgramWinthrop University in Rock Hill developed a wastereduction and recycling program that recycled morethan 75 tons of office and mixed paper, cardboard,magazines, newspapers and aluminum cans.

Best Local Government Education Programand Best Municipal ProgramThe City of Rock Hill incorporated recycling as part ofthe city plan through educating businesses, officialsand the general public. A partnership with area schoolsresulted in reaching more than 6,500 students and therecycling of 3.5 trash truckloads of paper.

District AwardThe Upper Savannah District�sDonna Sightler advocatedreduction, reuse and recyclingby conducting presentations,developing a recycling displayand holding America RecyclesDay events with neighboringcounties.

Winners!

Craven

Grant

Noe Sightler


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rs!Best Individual ProjectThe Chambert Forest Clean Sweep Partnershipdemonstrated to residents the benefits of recyclingand litter reduction through cooperation in AndersonCounty.

Most Creative Recycling EffortCharleston County goes beyond the collection oftraditional materials and offers latex paint recycling andeducated students through an art sculpture contest thatincorporated a minimum of 70 percent recycledcontent materials.

Best Industry AwardMilliken & Company landfilled less than five percent ofits total domestic waste stream and about 78 percentof its facilities sent no waste to the landfill.

Best State Agency ProgramThe S.C. Department of Corrections recycled more than4,000 tons of material received from 92 state and otheragencies, refurbished buildings and trucks destined forthe salvage yard and provided all necessary fundingthrough the sale of recycled materials.

Best Used Oil Program(population less than 100,000)Cherokee County collected more than 5,000 gallons ofoil, almost 1.5 tons of filters and a half ton of motor oilbottles, while becoming a host county for one of thenation�s first oil bottle recycling programs.

Best Used Oil Program(population more than 100,000)Lexington County, for the second year, has the top-rated program by collecting more than 75,000 gallonsof oil, 14 tons of oil filters, 15 tons of motor oil bottlesand developed a collection system for oil/gas mixtures.

Special Recognition AwardsThese awards are presented tospecial people for theirdedication and hard workregarding waste reduction andrecycling. Steve Benjamin withInternational Paper and CamillePlyler Edens with the City ofColumbia were honored for theirefforts regarding AmericaRecycles Day in South Carolina.Williamsburg County SupervisorRichard Treme was also recognized for establishing 12staffed recycling centers and reducing illegal dumpingand roadside litter.

Special recognition awards reinforce the idea that oneperson or program can make a difference. Each awardhighlighted the contribution of one person with an idea

Edens

and the drive to implement it. This year, HamptonCounty lost Melba McKenzie. Melba, who had officiallyretired from teaching, continued to make a differencein the lives of many people, especially those inHampton County. She was actively involved inrecycling education and working with schools andstudents to promote waste reduction and recycling. Inmemory of Melba, we gave a Special RecognitionAward to her husband Kenny McKenzie, RecyclingCoordinator of Hampton County. Melba McKenzieproved that one person really can make a bigdifference.

DHEC�s Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recyclingsought nominations from recycling coordinators,schools, solid waste administrators and othersthroughout the state. A panel of staff membersreviewed applications and selected the winners.

�Champions� honorNorth Springs

Elementary SchoolWorms. People often think about fishing whenworms are mentioned. The students at NorthSprings Elementary School (Columbia), however,think differently. To them worms translate intorecycling. The elementary students� worm compostbin and other recycling programs further translateinto being named a Champion of the Environment.

Champions of the Environment recognizes andrewards South Carolina students for theiroutstanding environmental achievements. Theprogram is sponsored by DHEC, Dupont, UnionCamp and WIS. For their recycling efforts theNorth Springs Champions were awarded T-shirts,medallions and a $100 savings bond scholarship.The students and their teacher, Marie Bloise,starred in a television spot featuring their compostbins, paper recycling and energy patrols. Thisthirty second television spot is currently airing onWIS. The students are also eligible for a $1000savings bond scholarship that is awarded at theend of the school year to the top Champions.

Champions of the Environment congratulatesthese Champions and continues to search fornew Champions of the Environment. For moreinformation about Champions of the Environment,please contact Ted Hewitt at (803) 898-4394 ore-mail: [email protected].

Spring 1999


America Recycles Day winners announcedA year�s worth of recycling efforts culminated this pastNovember with the presentation of the state grand prizefor America Recycles Day in South Carolina, a one-yearlease on a Ford Mustang. Johnny Craig of Winnsborowon the car, provided courtesy of Ben Satcher Ford inLexington, by signing a card challenging him torecycle and buy recycled. The drawing took place liveon WIS-TV�s morning show with Jeff Roper at the S.C.State Museum.

America Recycles Day is a national celebrationdesigned to educate everyone on the importance ofrecycling and buying products made from recycledmaterials. The goal of the effort is to increase thepurchase of recycled content products and recyclingthroughout South Carolina. Organized by a statewidesteering committee made up of local governments,state agencies, private industry, trade associations andnon-profit organizations, America Recycles Day sawanother successful year with more than 130 events heldand 25,000 challenge cards collected. In addition tosigning challenge cards, essay contests were held togenerate more awareness about America Recycles Dayand to reach a wider audience, primarily students andtheir families.

Rock Hill residents Barbara and Scott James and theirthree children were recipients of a $1,000 savingsbond, courtesy of International Paper, for the 1998Recycling Family of the Year award. As James wrote inher essay, �I have convinced friends to recycle whoweren�t; have driven recyclables home from vacationbecause there was no local recycling program; I�vepulled recyclables out of trash cans in friends� housesand convinced them to recycle; and I put recycling�bins� at our relatives� vacation home so they and theirrenters would recycle, too.� Also live on TV, SteveBenjamin of International Paper, presented the JamesFamily with their $1,000 savings bond. There were alsofour runners-up who each received a $250 savingsbond. They included: Rebecca Barrineau of Sumter;Mitch Brons of Easley; Vernon Kinard of Newberry; andMisty Massey of Rock Hill.

The second essay contest encouraged teachers andfaculty to write an essay on why their school should bechosen as the Recycling School of the Year. Becausethere were several good entries, the steering committeerecognized two schools for their outstanding efforts inreduction, reuse and recycling. At a school assembly,

Marcel Boudet of Union Camp,presented to Mt. GallantElementary School in Rock Hill25,000 sheets of Union Camp�s

Great White recycled content paper. Their essay wassubmitted by Linda Mika, a fifth-grade teacher, whowrote, �The concept of recycling runs throughout thecurriculum, through PTA programs and throughstudent, teacher and parent daily practices...Mt.Gallant students receive education about the need torecycle and the importance of each individual to dohis/her part in the recycling process.�

The second school recognized was OakviewElementary in Simpsonville. Melissa Grant, recyclingcoordinator for Greenville County, presented 25,000sheets of Union Camp�s recycled content paper at aschool assembly. The winning essay was submitted byKathy Miller, a teacher whose essay was on homemadepaper. The school was also presented with a plaquefrom Greenville County Council for their recyclingefforts. According to Miller, the students celebratedAmerica Recycles Day by holding a bumper stickercontest. The winning sticker was printed and placed onbags provided by Harris Teeter. The bags were senthome with students, who were encouraged to fill thebags with cans and bring them back to school forrecycling. In addition, the school recycles mixed paperand plastic grocery bags.

Many events around South Carolina led up to Nov. 15,including a Reuse/Recycle Fair at Wannamaker Park inNorth Charleston, a composting/kids workshop at TheHome Depot in Rock Hill, a Wal-Mart promotion in

Johnny Craig (right) reacts to the news that he is the winnerof the one year lease on the Ford Mustang, courtesy of BenSatcher Ford in Lexington.

Winners!

See Winners, page 23


inne

rs!Recycle Guys campaign winsnational advertising awards

The Recycle Guyspublic awarenesscampaign has wonnational TELLY awardsfor each of the threespots. The 30-secondspots, �In the Rollcart,��In the Backyard� and �In theSupermarket,� have all beenrecognized as top in theirclass. Featuring suchcharacters as Tire Guy,Aluminum Can Guy,Newspaper Guy and others,this group of animatedcharacters has sung its wayinto homes around the state talking about reductionand recycling. To the tune �R-E-S-P-E-C-T,� the RecycleGuys sing �R-E-C-Y-C-L-E,� sharing facts and figuresabout South Carolina�s efforts to manage its solidwaste.

What does it mean to win a TELLY? Two sets of judgesin two different years found the spot(s) they looked atto be among the best public service TV ads in thenation for 1997 and 1998. DHEC�s Office of Solid WasteReduction and Recycling also finds itself in goodcompany - other TELLY winners in 1998 includeAmerican Express, Sony, Microsoft, Xerox and others.The spots have been so popular that other states likeMaryland and Georgia are airing the public serviceannouncements while Ohio and North Carolina areconsidering them.

Created by Kevin Fisher of Fisher Communications, thecampaign has moved into the second phase with threenew spots featuring Motor Oil Guy and the RecycleGuys. With a message focused on the proper disposalof used motor oil, filters and motor oil bottles and areworking of the classic tune, �Mustang Sally,� thiscampaign rides the success of the first three by gettingpeople�s attention about important environmentalissues.

How does one know it�s successful? A staff memberrecently paid a visit to a school and when asking thestudents if they had ever seen the TV ads, a young girlin the front of the class began singing, �R-E-C-Y-C-L-E,It begins with you and me...All we�reasking is for you to recycle...yeahbaby.�

Denny Terrace namesrecycling essay winners

In an effort to educate students to recycle, DennyTerrace Elementary School in Columbia, held an essaycontest in January entitled, �Why Recycle.� BarbaraDire, a kindergarten teacher trained on DHEC�scurriculum Action for a cleaner tomorrow, organized theessay writing contest at the school. All grades, K-5,were encouraged to participate. Winners from eachgrade level received a T-shirt, certificate and set ofrecycling trading cards. Non-classroom teachersjudged the entries from most students attending theschool. Dr. Cynthia Cash-Greene, principal, andElizabeth Rosinski from DHEC�s Office of Solid WasteReduction and Recycling, presented the winners withT-shirts and certificates on Jan. 20 during the morningannouncements. �We try and educate students onrecycling throughout the year with contests, recyclingdrives and speakers,� said Dire. �The student responseis always encouraging, knowing how many studentslearn about the importance of reduction, reuse andrecycling.�

As a part of its recycling education program, theschool set up a mini-recycling center on schoolgrounds. The center accepts newspaper, aluminumtabs and plastic grocery bags. Students areencouraged to bring materials from home. To date, theschool has recycled 6,000 pounds of newspaper.Denny Terrace teaches the importance of recycling toall students, faculty and staff, and encourages everyoneto participate in the program.

Pictured above: A winning entry submitted bykindergarten student Antonio Holmes. Other winnersincluded Quosa Pauling, first-grade; Janelle Clark,second-grade; Patrick Bradley, third-grade; MelvinGarrick, fourth-grade; and Travis Buis and LaSuntaGoodwin, fifth-grade.

Spring 1999

South Carolina Recycles MagazineEd

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Recycling Teacher of the Year offersenvironmental perspective

Kim Noe, a fifth-grade teacher at Pontiac ElementarySchool in Richland School District Two, has beenteaching for nearly 27 years and has always had aninterest and concern in environmental issues. Shewas named Teacher of the Year at Pontiac Elementaryfor the 1996-97 school year and has madeenvironmental presentations for a number ofprofessional organizations. She has secured grantfunding from the Harry Hampton Wildlife Fund andDHEC�s Office of Solid Waste Reduction andRecycling. Noe was a member of the beta team ofteachers that developed Action for a cleaner tomorrow:A South Carolina Environmental Curriculum Supplement.In addition, she was named co-winner of the 1998Recycling Teacher of the Yearby the Office. South CarolinaRecycles Magazine recentlyasked Noe about her teachingcareer and, in particular,environmental education.

Q: What are your thoughts onenvironmental education?

A: Well, first I feel as a teacher Ihave to have a commitmentto the environmentpersonally because I am arole model for my students.I believe I have to live whatI teach - and I try to. I set upmy classroom to make thechildren conscious of ourresponsibilities. The healthof the planet is part of our everyday routine as werecycle, reuse and think twice before we throwanything away.

Q: Has environmental education changed in yourcareer?

A: Yes. When I began my career it was an emergingissue. The interest has grown over the years andnow environmental education has been integratedinto our regular program. It is continuing to gainacceptance and is being accorded the respect andstatus that it should have. For example, DHEC�sOffice of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling anda team of teachers developed Action for a cleanertomorrow. The development of the environmentalcurriculum supplement and the maintenance of it is

a significant change. Ten yearsago there was nothing like thatavailable. We also have thebenefit of the support of our

school district, including people like Dr. SteveHefner, the district superintendent, and LorraineConrad, the district�s science coordinator. And,most importantly, we have the support of Dr.Richard Inabinet, our principal here at PontiacElementary and all of the administration, facultyand support staff. It is truly a team effort.

Q: How do you teach your students about theenvironment?

A: I use a service learning approach where I linkcurriculum to service. For example, in socialstudies I use Action and newspaper articles that

deal with the health of theplanet. I just try to give them agood background onenvironmental issues and thenwe brainstorm ideas on howthey can make a difference.There is still an awful lot theycan do, including helping theirparents become better stewardsof the earth in a practical,everyday way. The studentsrealize that they have aresponsibility, too, even if theyare just 10. They can�t vote, theycan�t drive or get a job, butenvironmental educationempowers them. They knowthey can make a difference byusing the three R�s plus one:reduce; reuse; recycle; andrespect.

Q: What specific ways do you and the studentsmake a difference in your classroom?

A: In my teaching, I reuse as many things as I can.For example, when we do projects, we approach itfrom the idea that we can be creative enough toreuse �trash items� so that we don�t have to buy alot of expensive supplies. We routinely write onboth sides of the paper, and my students knowthat we don�t throw a piece of paper away - werecycle it. We also participate in our school�srecycling program.

Q: You practice what you teach at PontiacElementary School, don�t you?

A: We have a lot of wonderful programs at our school.We recycle paper, aluminum cans, broken crayonsand plastic six-pack rings. We compost our fruitand vegetable scraps and that helps us reduce the

Kim Noe, Recycling Teacher of the Year, iscongratulated by DHEC Commissioner DougBryant at the Recycle Guys Awards Program.


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namount of waste we dump, saves us from having tobuy more (garbage) bags and adds rich soil to ourschool�s gardens. Several years ago our studentcouncil collected aluminum cans and raised moneyto purchase an acre of rain forest. We have anenergy reduction program where the third-gradeEnergy Patrol checks to see if lights have been lefton or the door is open with the air conditionerrunning. We�re very proud of our school and ourenvironmental record. We�ve earned awards fromKeep America Beautiful of the Midlands, DHEC�sChampions of the Environment, SCE&G�s EaglesProgram and we�re also an Earth Flag School.

Q: What is an Earth Flag School?

A: An Earth Flag School is a school that has beenrecognized for its efforts in environmentaleducation. The national sponsor for the Earth FlagSchool program is the SChool RecyclingAssistance Program (SCRAP). We were introducedto this program by Jane Hiller of Paper Stock whoalso served as our trainer. We participated inactivities ranging from expanding our schoolrecycling program to habitat development andgardening to providing environmental informationto our community. The programs and activities areintegrated into our everyday curriculum. What isterrific about this program is that everyone isinvolved from our four-year-old kindergarten to ourfifth grade and all our staff, our parents and ourcommunity. Some of the projects we introducedwere waste-less lunch days, no new paper daysand new recycling programs, including crayonsand six-pack rings. The fifth-grade students alsowrite column in each issue of the school newslettercalled �Environmental Moment� that provides thelatest information on what we are doing. Inaddition, we started an �Earth Flag Journal� whereour students could write their ideas about theenvironment and that is an on-going project. Wehave plans to extend our recycling program andparticipate in new Earth Day activities. We receivedour Earth Flag this past May but the award is onlythe beginning as we will continue to work and growin our environmental efforts.

Q: And your students recently wrote letters toGovernor Hodges.

A: Yes. Many of the letters expressed environmentalconcerns. The Governor�s Office was very promptin responding and my students got really excitedwhen those replies began to come in. This is animportant citizenship task for the children. Thefact that they can write the governor and get aresponse is a powerful lesson in participation, incitizenship and our democracy. The children puttheir home address on the letters. Some of theparents were so excited they framed the letter theygot back from the governor.

Q: And, often, you will use the older students toteach the younger students?

A: Yes and it is a good example of service learning inaction. For example, the fifth-grade students willstudy recycling as part of their science curriculum.Then in social studies and language they take theinformation and prepare a lesson on recycling thatis appropriate for younger students. They useposters, games, songs, demonstrations andcoloring sheets to get their point across. They arescheduled into the K-2 classes for the actualpresentation and they are evaluated by the primaryteachers. The older students certainly have to knowtheir materials and the younger students look up tothem as role models.

Q: Tell us about service learning.

A: We link the curriculum lessons to service. We learnabout recycling and then we do it. We learn aboutlitter and then we participate in Adopt-A-Highway.We even separate recyclables that we collectduring Adopt-A-Highway to reinforce the classroominformation on what to recycle. That way weactually get to do something about what we arelearning. It�s very exciting. Service learning showstudents how they can make a difference.

Q: You were an integral part of the development ofAction. You know it as well as anyone. What isyour favorite lesson from the curriculumsupplement?

A: My favorite lesson to teach is �Life in a Fishbowl.�It appeals to all ages and is such a visualpresentation of the results of pollution. I train myfifth-graders to use the lesson with youngerstudents. My fifth-grade students also do theresearch to find out about freshwater fish in SouthCarolina that they then use in the lesson. This isanother example of integrating environmentaleducation into our everyday curriculum.

Q: What�s the best part?

A: I love what I do and it is hard to decide what is thebest part. Since environmental education is soimportant to me, it is always exciting to have myformer students return and tell me about the thingsthey are doing. Many go on to join environmentalaction teams at the middle schools or they comeback as mentor students in high school andyou feel that this is the beginning of a lifelongcommitment. They�ll remember certain things thatwe had done. They�ll talk about things that wereimportant to them and you�ll know what you havetried to teach has caught hold. It is a wonderfulfeeling.

Future issues of the South Carolina RecyclesMagazine will feature more interviews from

teachers promoting recycling in the classroom.

Spring 1999


Elementary school students shineusing Palmetto Energy Awards Program

Nearly 750 students have completed energyprojects in the return of a unique statewide energyeducation incentive program.

The Palmetto Energy Awards Program (PEAP),re-introduced this past August, offers teachers aclassroom incentive and students an opportunity tolearn about energy. By completing energy projectsapproved by their teachers, students earn pointstowards achieving different awards, includingbookmarks, certificates of recognition and T-shirts.PEAP is sponsored by DHEC�s Office of Solid WasteReduction and Recycling.

Through early March, 350 students had earned enoughpoints to receive T-shirts, 528 students had enoughpoints to earn certificates and 740 students hadenough points to earn bookmarks. Each project mustbe approved and graded by a teacher. Each projectmust be selected from one of six subject categories:social studies/history; science/mathematics; English/language; library/home study; art/home economics;miscellaneous.

The grading system is A (4 points), B (3 points),C (2 points) and D (1 point). Students earning 9-12points receive an �Energy 2 Learn� bookmark. Studentsearning 13-17 points receive a bookmark and �Energy2 Learn� certificate of recognition. Students earning 18points or more receive the bookmark, certificate andT-shirt.

Karen Sexton, a teacher at W.E. Parker ElementarySchool in Edgefield, and Kathleen Elam, K-6 sciencecoordinator at Z.L. Madden Elementary School inSpartanburg, integrated PEAP throughout theirrespective schools. At W.E. Parker Elementary School,students made posters, learned how to read a powermeter and calculate the cost for operating commonhousehold appliances. In addition, students compiledan energy glossary and used it to complete anenergy crosswords puzzle. Students also built anelectromagnet and made a working electric circuit.

As the second half of the school year began at Z.L.Madden Elementary School, students began theirstudies in energy with a school-wide program called �In

Pursuit of High Energy.� Usingthe Earth and Space Systemsscience curriculum, students

learned about the types of energy that would beneeded to make a journey to another planet. Inaddition, K-2 students learned about solar power,planting seeds in classroom terrariums. And, as part ofthe school�s �Adventures in Science� in-school field trip,students participated in liquid nitrogen experimentsthat helped them understand how liquid and solid fuelswork together in the power packs of rockets. Elam saidthe students will complete their pursuits of �highenergy� on March 30-31 with the school�s annualScience-Math Show.

PEAP will be an annual program, running from thebeginning of the school year until May 1. Teachers areasked to call the Office at 1-800-768-7348 before yourstudents begin projects to ensure that the awards willbe available at the completion of your program. Formore information, please contact Richard Chesley at(803) 896-4209 or 1-800-768-7348.

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Students at Z.L. Madden Elementary School participate inthe Palmetto Energy Awards Program (PEAP). Some oftheir projects are pictured below.


The third edition of Action for a cleaner tomorrow: ASouth Carolina Environmental Curriculum Supplementhas been finished and includes an updated resourcesection and glossary and some new lessons. �Theupdate took more than six months, but it was neededto provide teachers and students with the latestinformation,� said Richard Chesley, project manager ofAction and public information director for DHEC�s Officeof Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling.

Action is an activity-based, interdisciplinary K-12curriculum supplement that can serve as a startingplace for incorporating basic environmental educationin the classroom. The curriculum supplement haslessons in four main subject areas: air, energy, solidwaste and water. �We were able to update the solidwaste and energy lessons, including removing someand adding new ones,� Chesley said. �We also hadextensive updates on the resource section and added anew section of energy terms to the glossary.�

The Office is also in the process of having the entirecurriculum supplement correlated to meet the new S.C.Curriculum Standards for Science. �The standards arestill being worked on at the state level, but we�rehoping that once everything is finalized that we canhave Action correlated with the standards and ready togo this fall. We know this is extremely important toteachers.�

The importance of the correlation of Action tothe science standards was one of the manythings the Office learned earlier through astatewide survey of teachers completed thispast fall. The survey, conducted by theColumbia-based MarketSearch Corp., wasdone to measure perceptions andattitudes of teachers using Action. Thesurvey, which also included four focusgroups, showed that 97 percent of theteachers said that they had positiveexperiences with the curriculum supplementand 61 percent said it was very positive. Nearly100 percent of the respondents said theywould recommend Action to other teachers.

�Obviously, we�re pleased with the results,but the real credit should go to the team ofteachers that developed Action in 1992 and

1993,� Chesley said. �That team, which was led byLorraine Conrad, (Richland School District Two ScienceCoordinator) did it right and it shows.�

More than 8,000 teachers have attended Actionworkshops. The curriculum supplement and workshopsare provided at no cost to teachers, schools or schooldistricts. Teachers interested in attending or setting upa workshop may call the Office�s Resource Center at1-800-768-7348. Teachers are encouraged to check theOffice�s web site (www.state.sc.us/dhec) to see if thereare any workshops in their area and call the ResourceCenter to register. Teachers who have attended anAction workshop but do not have the third edition mayalso call the Resource Center and request the latestedition.

For more information, please contact Richard Chesleyat (803) 896-4209 or Karen Kirtland and Holly Storey at1-800-768-7348.

Action updated, will be correlatedto meet state science standards

Paper Guy and PencilGuy are the newmascots for Action for acleaner tomorrow.Together, they are theAction Guys.

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Spring 1999


Energy 2 Learn summer workshop backwith new lessons, materials, programs, prizes

Energy 2 Learn, a one-day workshop for K-12 teachers,is back, but with a new twist. And lots of new prizes.The second annual workshop, which will be heldAug. 5 in Columbia, will feature the latest on energyeducation for the classroom, including updates on thestatewide Palmetto Energy Awards Program (PEAP)and the introduction of the National Energy EducationDevelopment Project (NEED).

The workshop will feature lessons on energy in SouthCarolina and lessons on two often under

appreciated recycling lessons -compostingand buyingrecycled. �Wehad nearly 200teachers and

presenters lastyear at the first

Energy 2 Learnsummer workshop and

it went extremely well,�said Renee Daggerhart,public informationcoordinator for the S.C.

Energy Office - one of the sponsors of the workshop.�We�ve made a few changes to this workshop andbelieve this one will be even better.�

Workshop participants will receive:

l Action for a cleaner tomorrow: A South CarolinaEnvironmental Curriculum Supplement;

l Many classroom materials, including posters,promotional items (T-shirt and tote bag) andproducts made from recycled content materials;

l Opportunities to win many prizes, including arecycled computer; and

l Opportunities to visit displays and learn aboutother environmental programs in South Carolina.

Energy 2 Learn is limited to 200 teachers. There is nocharge to register and the registration deadline is May28. Registration brochures will be mailed to everyschool in South Carolina in April.

This workshop is sponsored by the S.C. EnergyOffice, the U.S. Postal Service, the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency and DHEC�s Office of Solid WasteReduction and Recycling. For more information,please contact Richard Chesley at (803) 896-4209

or 1-800-768-7348.

E2 is the new mascot for theS.C. Energy Office.

T-shirts,bookmarks andcertificates are

some of theprizes availablefor completing

energy projects.

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Composting projects are growingmore popular in schools

What is the most frequently requestedproject for the Recycling EducationGrant Program and College/UniversityRecycling Grant Program?Probably the recycling of officepaper and aluminum cans.However, a close second wouldbe composting projects.

Over the past few years, teachersare feeling the need to teach theirstudents not only about recyclingbut source reduction. Students arebeing taught to use both sides of thepaper, circulate memos and sende-mails. Another form of sourcereduction is composting. It�s easy todo and produces relatively fastresults. And the best thing is thatcomposting projects can betailored to fit all age and gradelevels.

Some school districts have used grant funds topurchase composting bins for the school. This allowsstudents to see composting on a daily basis. This alsoprovides hands-on involvement for each student. Eventhe most squeamish student doesn�t have a problemdealing with worms. Teachers report that students havea great deal of pride when they are actually able totake their compost and use it to plant flowers.

Of course, composting and worms aren�tjust for elementary school children, but

also middle and high school students.Seventh-grade students at Rawlinson

Road Middle School researchedsuitable conditions for a vermi-composting environment to host1,000 worms. Students designed�menu lists� of possible foodscraps to be included in thecomposting, such as coffee

grounds, apple peels and breadcrusts. The enriched soil will be

placed in campus flower beds. Withthe help of grant funds, Sumter High

School students built six types ofcomposting units, collectively known

as �Compost Alley.� As part of anenvironmental trail, students andthe public can witness the benefitsof composting.

On the opposite end of the educational spectrum,colleges are asking for assistance with their yard wastethrough the College/University Recycling Grantprogram. Most colleges do not want to dispose of theiryard waste when they can easily use it on their campusgrounds. Colleges have evaluated their individualneeds to identify the type of equipment that theyneed. For example, the University of South Carolina-Spartanburg used its funds to purchase compost binsand a chipper vacuum for their yard waste. CentralCarolina Technical College used grant funds to assistwith the purchase of a tractor. Staff at Central Carolinafound that they needed help in moving the compostaround the campus. During the first three quarters ofthe year, Central Carolina generated more than 28cubic yards of compost from their compostingoperation.

If you are interested in composting as a future project,please contact the Grants Office for specific guidanceon composting for non-regulated facilities. Foradditional information about educational grants forschools and colleges, please call Tina Lindler at (803)896-4235 or e-mail at [email protected].

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Sumter High School students maintain �Compost Alley.�

Spring 1999


Partnership promotesinnovative pilot project

on composting

Workshop helpsbackyard composting

spring backMore than half of South Carolina�s 46 counties haveparticipated in city or county sponsored compost binworkshops and bin sales. And, some are ready to do itagain.

York County, led by Leslie Hatchell and Jane Hayes,developed one of the state�s best programs. �We canoffer a composting workshop on a weekday, on theweekend, at night or at lunchtime, and we can alwaysfill a class,� said Hatchell. Their winning combination is,no doubt, good organization, good teaching andproviding quality compost bins. In a recent edition ofRock Hill Clean and Green newsletter, residents wereencouraged to sign up for a composting seminar withthe requirement to pre-register for the cost of $15 whichentitled them to instructional materials, a compost binand a kitchen scraps bucket. Other counties mightdirect solid waste grant funding or earmark a portion oftheir budget to a similar project. The avoided costs incollection and disposal for each household divertingmaterial from the system should offset the up-frontexpense to the county or city. Consider that for everythree households that compost, about one ton ofmaterial is diverted every year.

The enthusiasm for yard clean-ups isnever higher than in the spring.Why not offer residents anopportunity to put those leaves,trimmings and food scraps in acompost bin instead of at thecurb for the garbage truck?Call the recycling hot line,1-800-768-7348 for a list of

bin manufacturers. Manyrecycled plastic compost bin

suppliers have reduced prices($30 or less) for quantity orders

and most bins come withinstructional booklets. DHEC�sOffice of Solid Waste Reduction

and Recycling has recentlyordered a quantity

supply of �CompostingMade Easy� that

covers most aspects ofbackyard composting and

grasscycling.

A unique pilot project on waste reduction has beenset up in a three-way public-private partnership. Theproject, which turns produce trimmings and unusablefruit and vegetable discards into a high-qualitycompost, has been established by DHEC�s Office ofSolid Waste Reduction and Recycling along with theS.C. Department of Corrections and Rosewood Marketand Deli in Columbia.

�The unique aspect of this project is that this is thefirst time in the state that food waste composting isbeing done in this type of setting - a commercialestablishment,� said Steve Thomas, manager ofDHEC�s Office of Solid Waste Reduction andRecycling. �Backyard composters and schools havelong know the value of composting food waste. Thispartnership is the first of its kind in the state that hasblended the public and private sector.� In virtually allcases, food waste is simply thrown away and disposedof in a landfill. This project diverts the waste into ahigh-quality useable product.

The food waste is being collected from the cafeteria atthe Broad River Correctional Institution and from theproduce department at the Rosewood Market and Deli.The material is composted both at the prison and atthe store. The finished product is sold at the store andSterling Garden Center in Columbia. �This is a perfectclosed-loop recycling effort,� Thomas said. �Materialsthat would go to a landfill are turned back into richpotting soil to grow plants, flowers and food.�

Composting is an important part of wastemanagement. Garden trimmings and food scrapscomprise more than 25 percent of what householdsthrow away. The average household disposes ofmore than 600 pounds of food waste each year.Grocery stores, restaurants and other food-serviceproviders generate even more food waste thanhouseholds. This pilot project is an exampleof what could be done by targetingcommercial establishments such asrestaurants, cafeterias and grocerystores.

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Buying recycled encouragedat �Back to School Bash�

The Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling,the S.C. Energy Office, the U.S. Postal Service and theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency have teamedup to encourage buying recycled content schoolsupplies for the new school year. This campaignwill identify the importance of recycledmaterials and the products available tostudents, teachers and parents. Withadvanced technology, recycled contentproducts are now equal to and, in manycases, superior to other products.

A drawing for several Buy RecycledBackpack Kits will be held this Fall. Thebackpacks (made of recycled materials) willcarry recycled items such as: pencils/pens, notebooks,paper, three-ring binders, a reusable lunch bag andmore. The winners will be announced at the WIS-TV�Back To School Bash� on Aug. 7. To enter, studentswill fill out an entry form and return it to the Office ofSolid Waste Reduction and Recycling.

In addition, school districts will receive brochuresand letters announcing a buy recycled contest.Individual schools are eligible to win a gift certificate topurchase recycled content products by filling out aquestionnaire. The questionnaire will be available at theOffice, the Energy 2 Learn workshop and the �BackTo School Bash.� To receive entry forms or moreinformation, contact Tammy Weller at 1-800-768-7348.

Action provides a great waste reduction lesson

Gordon posters, �BOBs� availablefrom the Office

Motor Oil Guy and NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon haveteamed up to educate everyone about the importance

of recycling used oil, filters and motor oil bottles.Gordon, a spokesman for South Carolina�s used

oil recycling program, is featured on a posterwith Motor Oil Guy, with the message, �Don�t

Pour South Carolina�s Future Down theDrain. Recycle used oil, filters and motoroil bottles!� To receive free copies of theposter, contact the DHEC�s Office of

Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling at1-800-768-7348.

In an effort to promote the thorough drainingof motor oil bottles, all South Carolina counties aremaking available to residents an item called �Bottom ofthe Bottle.� Typically, after an oil change there can beas much as one ounce of oil remaining in the plasticbottle, which can make it difficult to recycle intraditional plastic recycling programs. South Carolinahas encouraged counties to accept motor oil bottlesseparately at oil collection sites and just over halfaccept motor oil bottles. However, there are somecounties that do not recycle motor oil bottles.

If you change the oil in your car or know someone whodoes, and is interested in receiving a complimentaryBOB, contact the Office�s ResourceCenter at 1-800-768-7348.

One of the goals of Action for a cleanertomorrow: A South Carolina EnvironmentalCurriculum Supplement is to educatestudents on how to reduce, reuse andrecycle waste. The followinglesson, �Look In Your GarbageCan,� is an example ofhow teachers may use thecurriculum to teach importantconcepts.

�Look In Your Garbage Can� is anappropriate lesson for fourth and fifthgrades. Students learn what anaverage family of four throws away everyday and what steps can be taken toreduce their amount of garbage. This lesson

provides hands-on activities thatencourage students to reuseand recycle by compostingyard and food wastes. Activitiesinclude student research andgroup discussion on theproduction of trash in urbanand rural areas. In addition,students investigate thecontents of their family garbageand discover how their trash

describes their life-styles. Studentswill identify ways they contribute to

solid waste reduction and recycling inSouth Carolina.

Each issue of the South Carolina Recycles Magazine will highlighta lesson from Action for a cleaner tomorrow.

Spring 1999


DHEC, however, will use not only EPA�s formula butwill continue to calculate the recycling rate - usingindustrial numbers - as it is currently reported.�Counties will have both sets of numbers,� Braswellsaid. �That will ensure that the programs can continueto measure their progress from the base year of FY1993.

In South Carolina, counties with industrial developmentand industries willing to provide recycling and wastereduction information have an advantage over countiesthat do not have as much industry or industry willing tovoluntarily report the needed information. �We�re notcomparing apples to apples in South Carolina butrather apples to oranges, peaches and grapefruit,�Braswell said. �There could be situations where acounty doesn�t have that successful of a recyclingprogram, but it looks terrific because industry numbersenhance what is really happening.� In addition,Braswell said, a county could meet both the state�srecycling and reduction goals and qualify for a bonusgrant and, in fact, not have an outstanding program.Conversely, a county could have an outstandingprogram - and a large budget for that program - andnot measure up to a county that has been helped byindustry recycling. �Without being able to countindustrial waste, we realize that county and municipalprograms in South Carolina are going to have to workharder with their recycling and reduction programs,�Braswell said. �But everyone will be finally using thesame methodology and the comparisons betweenprograms will be fair.�

Again, DHEC will continue to calculate the recyclingrate as it is currently reported as well as the numbersgathered as a result of the EPA methodology. Braswellsaid a decision by the Legislature to amend the Act willbe made by May. For more information, please contactArt Braswell at (803) 896-4202 or Melinda Mathias at(803) 896-4207.

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Conway and variousschool art projects beingmade from recycledmaterials. Challengecards were collectedat all of those events.In addition, cardscould be obtainedfrom local post offices,recycling centers,through newsletters, otherpublications and radioremotes.

The statewide steering committee is dedicated tocontinue promoting America Recycles Day in 1999.Everyone is encouraged to participate in these effortswhether it is through a one-day collection drive,starting a program, making a presentation, serving onthe steering committee or getting challenge cardssigned. Last year 25,000 cards were collected, placingthe state seventh in the nation for the number of cardscollected. If you would like to be a part of AmericaRecycles Day, contact Elizabeth Rosinski at1-800-768-7348 or e-mail, [email protected].

Steve Benjamin with International Paper presents a$1,000 savings bond to the James Family for their essaydetailing their recycling efforts.

Mark your calendars!Sept. 1-3: A Recycling Coordinator�s Workshopwill be held at Embassy Suites Hotel in Charleston,S.C. Details will be mailed soon.

Winners, continued from page 13


DHEC�s Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling2600 Bull StreetColumbia, SC 29201

Bulk RatePostage Paid

Permit No.416

south carolina recycles - spring 1999 · 2018. 6. 13. · mail them to the lacerta group for...

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