The Consumer Product Safety Commission regulates labeling of household chemicals under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. Links to specific products are available at http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/regsbyproduct.html. CPSC's general business information site is at http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/businfo.html.
The Consumer Products Specialty Association has begun a Consumer Product Ingredient Communication Initiative in cooperation with the Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association and the The Soap and Detergent Association. See http://www.cspa.org/public/media/info/cpici.html for more information.

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I assume you meant http://www.runacaronwater.com/. RunningCarWithWater.com doesn't appear to be a valid URL. I haven't been able to find a definitive answer to your question. I've forwarded it to one of our technical assistance engineers, who may be able to give you an answer.

Meanwhile, you may want to take a look at the following:

Running a car on water
http://www.mitra.biz/blog/archives/2007/04/running_a_car_o.html

Running Cars on Hydrogen Made from Starch
http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/18784/

Response from ISTC engineer:

I looked briefly at the web page runacaronwater, and I've seen other "easy" bolt-on systems that claim similar improvements. The claims are attractive, especially to the conspiracy theorists in many of us. I'm both curious and skeptical, leaning very much towards skeptical/doubtful. I've never seen more than performance claims via the internet.

I'd be very happy to see an actual system in place or meet someone who's done it.

Maybe you can find enough interested people to chip in the money to conduct a test. If you ever do, I hope you'll share your results.

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1 of 1 people found this answer helpful.

The U.S. Department of Energy has some funding opportunities available at http://www1.eere.energy.gov/financing/. I don't know if they fund the kind of business you're interested in starting though. A better bet would be the Indiana Office of Energy and Defense Development. They're on the web at http://www.in.gov/energy/ENERGY/energydiv.html. There is contact information for the office at http://www.eere.energy.gov/state_energy_program/seo_contacts_by_state.cfm/state=IN.

U.S. EPA has a web site with green building funding opportunities. See http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/tools/funding.htm.

You may also want to check out the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy. Indiana's information is at http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/map2.cfm?CurrentPageID=1&State=IN&RE=1&EE=1.

Finally, you may want to contact the Indiana Small Business Development Center (http://www.isbdc.org/). They are a state based organization offering a wealth of free and low cost information, management counseling, and educational services designed to support Indiana small business owners and potential entrepreneurs.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign also has some good information on start-up financing for small business. See http://smartenergy.arch.uiuc.edu/html/info%5Floan.html. Although many of the resources are specific to Illinois, there are links to federal programs as well.

I hope this is enough information to get you started. If you need further assistance, please let me know.

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As with most consumer choices, there are trade-offs. For example, if you use cloth napkins instead of paper, you're still going to effect the environment every time you wash them, especially if you're not using eco-friendly laundry detergent. However, if you use paper products made from post-consumer recycled content, you'll also minimize your environmental footprint.

For an excellent discussion these issues, take a look at The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices (http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/39335766). Although it was published in 1999, it's still the best book I've seen for helping consumers make choices that really will have an environmental impact.

That being said, there are ways that we can all reduce our use of paper (although I'm personally not willing to skimp on the toilet paper). Some resources include:

Simple Ways to Reduce Office Paper Waste and Make Better Use of the Paper You Need
http://www.nrdc.org/cities/living/paper/strategies.asp

A Shopper's Guide to Home Tissue Products
http://www.environmentalpaper.org/memberextranet/documents/Consumer%20Guides_tissuewalletcard.pdf

Action Guide to Greener Paper
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/article.cfm?contentid=180

Environmental Paper Network
http://www.environmentalpaper.org/

I hope this helps. If you need more information, please let me know.

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1 of 2 people found this answer helpful.

If the equipment still works (or even if it doesn't), you could offer it through Rockford's Freecycle group. See http://www.freecycle.org/group/US/Illinois/Rockford for more information.

Best Buy's recycling program is one option (http://www.bestbuy.com/recycling). They take audio components, but I don't know if they take them at any time or if you have to wait for a specific event. Call your local store to find out.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has a directory of Illinois electronics recyclers on the web at http://www.illinoisbiz.biz/NR/rdonlyres/3622F4E9-0FC6-4F02-9820-231C99D2A88D/0 FY_08_IllinoisDirectoryofElectronicEquipmentandComputerRecyclers.pdf. There are several listed for Winnebago County.

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I think it sounds like an interesting idea.

The Green Burial Council (http://www.greenburialcouncil.org/) has a wealth of information on green funerals, including information about providers.

You might also want to check out the book Grave Matters: A Journey Through the Modern Funeral Industry to a Natural Way of Burial. See http://gravematters.us/ for more information. To find libraries near you who have the book, see http://worldcat.org/oclc/71189919.

I also found some posts on the topic at Treehugger. The most recent include:

TreeHugger Picks: Going Out In Green Style
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/04/going_out_in_gr.php

The Green Goodbye
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/01/the_green_goodb.php

Death Becomes Her: Dr G. to Get Green Morgue
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/09/death_becomes_her_green_morgue.php

Jute in Time for a Green Funeral Revival
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/06/jute_green_funerals.php

Source(s):
Green Burial Council
http://www.greenburialcouncil.org/

Treehugger.com search for "green burial"
http://www.treehugger.com/search.php?cx=017401606067716418337%3Abtpggki1yw8&cof=FORID%3A11&q=green+burial&sa=Search#2194

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I'm not sure how technical an answer you want. Try these to start with: Wikipedia -- Biodiesel Production
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel_production

Wikipedia -- Transesterification
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transesterification

Biodiesel Production and Quality
http://www.biodiesel.org/pdf_files/fuelfactsheets/prod_quality.pdf

Transesterification of Vegetable Oils: a Review
http://www.biodieselgear.com/documentation/Transesterification_of_Vegetable_Oils.pdf
Review article from the Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society

Optimization of Base-Catalyzed Transesterification Reaction of Used Cooking Oil
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/enfuem/2004/18/i06/abs/ef049891c.html
Abstract of an article from Energy Fuels, published by the American Chemical Society

Base Catalyzed Fast-Transesterification of Soybean Oil Using Ultrasonication
http://asae.frymulti.com/request.asp?JID=5&AID=21551&CID=por2006&T=2
Paper presented at the 2006 American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you need more information.

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0 of 1 people found this answer helpful.

Check out the following web sites for general information on biodiesel and the transesterification process:

DOE's Alternative Fuels Data Center -- Biodiesel
http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/altfuel/biodiesel.html

Biodiesel America.org -- What is Biodiesel
http://biodieselamerica.org/what_is_biodiesel

Wikipedia has an overview of the transesterification process at href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transesterification.

You may also be interested in Biodiesel Research: A Bibliography and Finding Aid, available at http://www.wmrc.uiuc.edu/main_sections/info_services/library_docs/TN/tn06-085.pdf.

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1 of 1 people found this answer helpful.

The City of Houston web site's recycling page has a list of neighborhood drop-off sites at http://www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste/recycling.html#dropoff. They accept glass food and beverage jars and plastic bottles and jugs (#1 and #2 only).

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1 of 1 people found this answer helpful.

Here are the definitions from Wikipedia:

Biocomposites: A biocomposite is a material formed by a matrix (resin) and a reinforcement of natural fibers (usually derived from plants or cellulose). With wide-ranging uses from environment-friendly biodegradable composites to biomedical composites for drug/gene delivery, tissue engineering applications and cosmetic orthodontics. They often mimic the structures of the living materials involved in the process in addition to the strengthening properties of the matrix that was used but still providing biocompatibility, e.g in creating scaffolds in bone tissue engineering.
[Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biocomposite]

Biodegradable: Biodegradation is the process by which organic substances are broken down by living organisms. The term is often used in relation to ecology, waste management, environmental remediation (bioremediation) and to plastic materials, due to their long life span. Organic material can be degraded aerobically, with oxygen, or anaerobically, without oxygen.
[Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradable]

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Middlesex has a permanent drop-off site for broken or outdated consumer electronic items, located at the office of Hesstech, LLC - 45 Executive Ave., Edison.

Hours: First Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.; and the third Monday of each month from 12 noon - 4:00 p.m. Closed holidays and some weekends.

This service is free to Middlesex County residents (proof of residency will be requested).

Items accepted include: computer equipment (including CPUs, monitors, keyboards, scanners, modems, printers, and cables), TVs, telephones, irons, fluorescent lamps and thermostats and thermometers containing mercury.

For directions and information: Contact the Middlesex County Division of Solid Waste Management at (732) 745-4170, or e-mail solidwaste@co.middlesex.nj.us.

I suggest contacting them before hauling it there, just to make sure that they'll take it.

[Source: http://www.oldbridge.com/content/50/156/190/default.aspx]

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I need a little more information in order to really answer your question. What specifically do you need to do for your recycling project?

For background information on recycling, explore http://www.epa.gov/highschool/waste.htm#solid Meanwhile, if you can supply some details, I'll be happy to help you.

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I don't have any suggestions for the best commercial lighting contractors. However, the U.S. Green Building Council's membership directory is a good place to start. You can access it online at no charge at http://www.usgbc.org/myUSGBC/Members/MembersDirectory.aspx?CategoryID=2&CMSPageID=140. You can retrieve results by category (Contractors and Builders) and State.

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According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_Earth_Catalog), the last Whole Earth Catalog was published in 1998. You can purchase used copies from various sellers on E-Bay, Amazon, and Half.com, among others.

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There are quite a few good books on the subject. Worldcat.org has a comprehensive list available at http://worldcat.org/search?q=su%3AEcological+houses.&qt=hot_subject. These and the other titles on the list are available through your local library, either in their collection or through their interlibrary loan service.

A couple of particularly good titles are:

Chiras, Daniel D. 2004. The new ecological home: the complete guide to green building options. Chelsea green guides for homeowners. White River Junction, Vt: Chelsea Green Pub. Co. (http://worldcat.org/oclc/54350452)

Snell, Clarke, and Tim Callahan. 2005. Building green: a complete how-to guide to alternative building methods : earth plaster, straw bale, cordwood, cob, living roofs. New York: Lark Books. (http://worldcat.org/oclc/56614263)

For items on straw bale building specifically, see http://worldcat.org/search?q=straw+bale+building&=Search&qt=owc_search.

If you're looking for information on the Internet, try:

A Sourcebook for Green and Sustainable Building
http://www.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook/

Building With Awareness
http://www.buildingwithawareness.com/
Sells books and DVDs about straw bale house construction

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One of the easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to decrease your energy use. Some ways to do that include replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents, turning off lights when leaving a room, and shutting computers down at night. For other ideas, see:

Greening Your Office
http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/training/page5078.cfm

Your Green Office: How to start greening your office
http://www.egeneration.co.uk/centre/modules/green_office/12_getting_started.asp

Guidelines for Greening Offices
http://www.entlink.net/education/resources/greenoffice.cfm
Geared toward doctors, but includes good general information.

Greening the Office Online Audit
http://www.green-office.org.uk/audit.php?goingto=audit0
From Friends of the Earth Scotland

How to Green Your Work (Treehugger Green Guide)
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/12/how_to_green_your_work.php

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1 of 1 people found this answer helpful.

Your first question is outside the scope of my expertise and the resources I have available. I suggest you try this one with your school's library.

As for your second question, the resources below have some general information. If you're looking for something more specific, please let me know.

Foundry Sand
http://www.tfhrc.gov/hnr20/recycle/waste/fs1.htm

Chemically Bonded Sand: Use and Reclamation
http://www.envirowise.gov.uk/EG004
You need to register (it's free) to read the document

Thermal Reclamation of Chemically Bonded Foundry Sand
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/10/09524.htm

Electric Resistance Indirect Radiant-Heated Sand Reclaimer Economic Answer to Sand Reclamation
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/10/09022.pdf
Article about reclaiming used chemically-bonded sands

Putting sand reclamation to the test at General Motors
http://www.allbusiness.com/manufacturing/fabricated-metal-product-manufacturing/455075-1.html

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I have been unable to find such a list. According to "Are Art Supplies Toxic?" (http://www.coopamerica.org/pubs/realmoney/articles/toxicart.cfm):

"In 2000, ACMI's [Art and Creative Materials Institute] safety protocols came under fire when the Seattle Post-Intelligencer [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/cray23.shtml] broke the news that carcinogenic asbestos had been found in Crayola, Prang, and Rose Art crayons, all of which bear the nontoxic AP label. While asbestos was not an actual ingredient in any of the three brands, it is a common contaminant of talc, which had long been used as a strengthener in crayons. (Later that year, all three manufacturers agreed to stop using talc in crayons.)

Fanning says ACMI responded immediately, conducting its own testing, and the CPSC tested the three brands as well. None found asbestos.

"What we and the CPSC did find were talc fibers and cleavage fragments, which are too short to be asbestos but are often misinterpreted by some labs as asbestos," says Fanning. "Had we found asbestiform contaminants at a hazardous level, we would have taken our AP labels off immediately, and the manufacturers would have had to take their crayons off the market until they complied with our standards again."

For further information, see:

Guidelines for the Safe Use of Art and Craft Materials (updated May 2007)
http://www.oehha.ca.gov/education/art/artguide.html

Better Art Supplies for Budding Artists
http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/116/artsupplies

Guide to Using Art and Craft Materials Safely
http://www.thegreenguide.org/article/arts/supplies

Whats on the Label: Art and Hobby Supplies
http://www.checnet.org/healthehouse/education/articles-detail.asp?Main_ID=622

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Freetheplanet.org has an online publication entitled "On-Campus Recycling Campaign Guide" (http://www.freetheplanet.org/resources/recycling_guide.pdf.) It has excellent suggestions for starting recycling programs on college campuses.

The National Wildlife Federation's Campus Ecology program has lots of information about environmental projects in the university environment. They also have case studies from campuses across the country. See http://www.nwf.org/campusecology/ for more information.

Finally, the Grassroots Recycling Network has a Campus Action campaign that includes links to successful campus recycling programs. See http://www.grrn.org/campus/campus_recycling.html.

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I did a Google search on "food service" consultant and found the Foodservice Consultants Society International (http://www.fcsi.org/). I searched their membership directory (http://www.fcsi.org/directory.taf) for "Energy & Environment" and Illinois and found Harry Schildkraut of S3 Consulting, located in Hawthorn Woods, IL. The firm is on the web at http://www.s3consultants.net/.

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I searched several online databases and found one relevant citation in Water Resources Abstracts. I've included it below. If you wish to obtain a copy of the paper, you can do so through your local or company library's interlibrary loan service.

Here's the citation for the paper I found:

Riccobono, VM; Rohe, DL; Petty, JT. "Reclamation and Re-Use of Domestic Wastewater and Reverse Osmosis Reject Water." Is Current Technology the Answer, Proceedings of the First Biennial Conference of the National Water Supply Improvement Association June 8-12, 1986, Washington, DC. (1986).
Abstract: Reuse of a combination of domestic wastewater effluent and reverse osmosis reject (concentrate) water by spray irrigation is detailed in this paper. A case history is provided, including economics, water quality parameters, flows and environmental regulatory requirements, for spray irrigation reuse of wastewater streams at a planned unit development in southwest Florida. Costs associated with effluent and concentrate disposal as well as the recycle program are estimated. Advantages (such as lower costs to develop the wellfield, lower capital and operation/maintenance costs to produce potable water) and disadvantages (water quality) of the reuse system are highlighted.

I also located some documents by searching Google for "reverse osmosis reject water" reuse irrigation. Some of these don't match your exact criteria, but may give you some ideas for places to contact for more information.

Water Conservation for Building Managers -- Lessons Learned
http://www.uos.harvard.edu/ehs/enviro/water_conservation.pdf

Archived message on the SAFETY e-mail list regarding RORW (including contact e-mails)
http://list.uvm.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9909a&L=safety&P=7915
One of the engineers mentions using RORW for golf course irrigation.

MIT Facilities Water Reuse
http://web.mit.edu/facilities/environmental/conserve-facts.html
They're using RORW as non-potable water in their laboratories. Might be worth contacting to see if they are using it for irrigation too. Contact information is included on the web site.

Conserving the Earth's Water (Motorola)
http://www.motorola.com/EHS/environment/leadership/water.html
The Hong Kong, China site uses reverse osmosis reject water for outdoor irrigation and recycles 94% of wastewater for reuse in manufacturing. The contact person for press releases dealing with Motorola's environmental issues appears to be Tama McWhinney, ph. (847) 538-1865, e-mail: tama.mcwhinney@motorola.com.

Duke University's Fitzpatrick Center
http://www.pratt.duke.edu/about/fitzpatrick_leed.php
Click on Water Efficiency. They're using RORW to irrigate. Contact information is at the bottom right of the page.

If these results aren't satisfactory, please let me know. I'll be happy to post your question to the P2Tech e-mail list. The pollution prevention professionals there may be able to offer more suggestions.

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This incentive is also known as the Biodiesel and Ethanol (VEETC) Tax Credit. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-357) created tax incentives for biodiesel fuels and extended the tax credit for fuel ethanol. The biodiesel credit is available to blenders/retailers beginning in January 2005. It also established the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC), which provides ethanol blenders/retailers with $.51 per pure gallon of ethanol blended or $.0051 per percentage point of ethanol blended (i.e., E10 is eligible for $.051/gal; E85 is eligible for $.4335/gal). The incentive is available until 2010.

Section 1344 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended the tax credit for biodiesel producers through 2008. The credits are $.51 per gallon of ethanol at 190 proof or greater, $1.00 per gallon of agri-biodiesel, and $.50 per gallon of waste-grease biodiesel. If the fuel is used in a mixture, the credit amounts to $.0051 per percentage point ethanol or $.01 per percentage point of agri-biodiesel used or $.0050 per percentage point of waste-grease biodiesel (i.e. E100 is eligible for $.51 per gallon) (Source: http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/progs/view_ind_fed.cgi?afdc/319/0)

For more details on this program and other incentives for using alternative fuel sources, see:

Getting bucks back for your biodiesel production
http://www.alternativeenergyhq.com/2006/12/24/getting-bucks-back-for-your-biodiesel-production-government-incentives-biodiesel/

State & Federal Incentives & Laws
http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/laws/incen_laws.html
This database captures state and federal laws and incentives related to alternative fuels and vehicles, air quality, fuel efficiency, and other transportation-related topics. State-level information is updated annually after each state's legislative session ends. Federal information is updated after enacted legislation is signed into law.

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You'll need to contact them directly to ask. They're on the web at http://www.neorsd.org/internet/do/viewhome.do. Contact information is at http://www.neorsd.org/internet/do/viewContactUs.do.

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I assume you mean Budd Lake in Michigan. Without knowing what they're spraying, I can't give you specific information. If you do know what is being sprayed, you should be able to find information for that specific chemical in the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's ToxFAQs. See http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html.

If you don't know what is being sprayed, I suggest contacting whoever is doing the spraying to find out. If you don't know who that is, then try contacting the Inland Lakes and Streams program at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (e-mail: hassj@michigan.gov or phone: (517) 241-3139). They may be able to help you or put you in contact with someone who can.

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The link (http://commerce.wi.gov/BD/BD-CA-Diesel-Grant-Program.html) worked for me just now. There is also a factsheet in PDF available at http://commerce.wi.gov/BDdocs/BD-CA-DTIRGPFactsheet.pdf.

If neither of these work for you, you can contact the program staff at Jean.Beckwith@Wisconsin.gov. You can also phone Jean Beckwith at (608) 261-2517.

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Take a look at http://tinyurl.com/o47xs for information about getting a rain barrel from the city. It looks like the rain barrels are gone now but you can put your name on a notification list and they will contact you if more become available.

The Chicago Center for Green Technology has sponsored workshops on making your own rain barrel in the past. You can contact them at (312) 746-9642 or email greentech@cityofchicago.org to see if they still offer them.

For more information on rain barrels, see:

How to Make Your Own Rain Barrel (Chicago Center for Green Technology)
http://tinyurl.com/p4y8p

How to Install and Maintain a Rain Barrel (Chicago Center for Green Technology)
http://tinyurl.com/nh5yh

Rain Barrel Guide
http://rainbarrelguide.com/

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I'm not quite sure I understand your question. GLRPPR is a regional membership organization of pollution prevention technical assistance providers. To get an idea of current regional projects, I suggest visiting the web sites of some of the organizations listed in the GLRPPR Contacts database (http://www.glrppr.org/contacts/org_view_alpha.cfm). You may also want to take a look at past grant recipients' projects, listed at http://www.epa.gov/region5/p2/grants.htm.

If you're looking for information about other greening government projects outside the region, see:

Greening the Supply Chain
http://www.epa.gov/dfe/tools/greening.htm

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing: Government Procurement
http://www.glrppr.org/contacts/gltopichub.cfm?sectorid=21#26

Greening Government (Canada)
http://www.greeninggovernment.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=9697C298-1

Greening Florida Government
http://www.floridadep.org/waste/categories/recycling/pages/GreenGovMain.htm

Greening Colorado Government
http://www.colorado.gov/greeninggovernment/

Office of the Federal Environmental Executive
http://www.ofee.gov/
Closing the Circle Awards: http://www.ofee.gov/ctc_winners.html
Publications: http://www.ofee.gov/pubs/pubs.htm

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You can get this information from the U.S. Census Bureau's County Business Patterns Database (http://www.census.gov/epcd/cbp/view/cbpview.html). In my experience, you have to pull the data out and dump/paste it into a spreadsheet or table, where you can manipulate it to your heart's content.

In order to get this data:

• Select View County, State, U.S., ZIP, or MSA Database on a NAICS Basis (1998-2003).
• Select United States from the drop down menu in the County Business Patterns section of the page (at the top). Click the Go button.
• Click the Detail button next to Manufacturing (31--).
• Click the Compare button next to Food Manufacturing (311)

You'll see a table of all 50 states with statistics for food manufacturing in each. Just select the numbers you want and paste them into your favorite spreadsheet program (or Word table).

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There is a landfill list for Pennsylvania at on the PA Department of Environmental Protection web site at http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/landrecwaste/cwp/view.asp?A=1238&Q=463564. If this isn't quite what you're looking for, I suggest contacting the DEP Bureau of Waste Management. There is a list of contacts at http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/landrecwaste/cwp/view.asp?A=1216&Q=469864.

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You should be able to find the answers to your questions in Water Treatment: Principles and Design (New York : Wiley, 2005). The ISBN is 0-471-11018-3. You can view the table of contents at http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471110183.html. It has fairly detailed information on contaminants normally encountered in wastewater treatment plants and should have enough information to help you decipher the data your client gave you and make some recommendations.

You may also find the following web sources helpful:

U.S. EPA Drinking Water Standards
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/standards.html

Interpreting Drinking Water Analysis: What Do the Numbers Mean?
http://www.gslabs.com/e214.pdf

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U.S. EPA has a factsheet addressing this issue. It also includes a substantive bibliography and links to other resources:

Ozone Generators That Are Sold As Air Cleaners
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ozonegen.html
The purpose of this fact sheet is to provide accurate information regarding the use of ozone-generating devices in indoor occupied spaces. This information is based on the most credible scientific evidence currently available. Whether in its pure form or mixed with other chemicals, ozone can be harmful to health. Some studies show that ozone concentrations produced by ozone generators can exceed health standards even when one follows manufacturer’s instructions. Available scientific evidence shows that, at concentrations that do not exceed public health standards, ozone is generally ineffective in controlling indoor air pollution. The public is advised to use proven methods of controlling indoor air pollution.

See also:

Mold/Moisture
http://www.epa.gov/mold
Includes links to A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home, Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, Mold Resources, Fact Sheet: Flood Cleanup - Avoiding Indoor Air Quality Problems.

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You probably have some of this general information, but just in case, you might want to look at:

Wikipedia: Ethanol fuel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fuel#Production_and_Distribution
Brief discussion of criticisms of ethanol. Includes some environmental considerations.

As for water use, it depends on the size of the plant. According to Environmental Issues and Ethanol Production: Water Issues (http://econet.sk.ca/issues/ethanol/envissues.html):

The quantity of water needed depends on the design of the production plant and whether or not it is built in conjunction with a feedlot. Modern technology and design can substantially reduce the amount of fresh water needed by a stand-alone ethanol plant. There are "zero discharge" plants in operation that recycle virtually all of the water used in production, limiting the need for large supplies.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity have just released a new guidebook called Building an Ethanol Plant in Illinois: A Guide to Permit Requirements, Funding Opportunities, and Other Considerations. It's available on the web at http://www.epa.state.il.us/agriculture/building-an-ethanol-plant.pdf. See also a press release about a related workshop held in January 2006 (http://www.ilcorn.org/news/html/1-25-06.html). It includes contact information that might be helpful.

You also might want to take a look at An Ethanol Production Guidebook for the Northeast States (http://www.nrbp.org/pdfs/pub26.pdf). It includes information about environmental considerations.

For more information, you may also want to contact the National Corn to Ethanol Research Center (http://www.ethanolresearch.com/), located on the SIU-Edwardsville campus. There's a contact form at http://www.ethanolresearch.com/contact.php.

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I was unable to locate a definitive answer to your question. I would suggest taking a look at the following web sites for some data that can help you:

Great Lakes Environmental Atlas
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/atlas/intro.html

Great Lakes Areas of Concern
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/aoc/

Great Lakes
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/lakes.html

In addition, you might want to contact the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Great Lakes National Program Office (http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/). They have a link to a comments form at the bottom of the main page of their site.

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There was a discussion on P2Tech about four years ago about environmental issues associated with crematoria, which are slightly different than funeral homes, but certainly related. At the time, I did a search for one of our staff people on the issue too. Here's what I found:

A search of the P2Tech archives (http://www.great-lakes.net/lists/p2tech/) turned up the following (in response to a message originally posted by John Marlin):

· Subject: Re: crematoria
· From: "Robert B. Pojasek"
· Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1998 15:42:47 -0800 · List-Name: P2Tech

The problem that I understand is that the fillings in the deceased teeth are heated causing some mercury to be volatilized. Crematoria typically do not have air pollution control devices. I understand that in California the morticians have to pull the teeth prior to the baking. This is pollution prevention at work. I do not know what other types of emissions are released from the naked point source (often in close proximity to a neighborhood). Sort of conjures up scenes from ghostbusters!

· Subject: RE: crematoria
· From: John Calcagni
· Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1998 11:16:06 -0500
· List-Name: P2Tech

I would expect some of the same issues associated with medical waste incineration. EPA has published air standards for medical waste incineration. The background documents for this standard are at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/129/hmiwi/rihmiwi.html. EPA also included crematoria in their Mercury point source inventory in their report to Congress. There may be some unique mercury related issues. Also we have a number of articles related to medical waste at our Website http://wrrc.p2pays.org. Go to search databases and then to RLIBY. We can send you any articles you find relevant.

· Subject: RE: crematoria and medical waste
· From: John Calcagni
· Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1998 16:34:25 -0500
· List-Name: P2Tech

Follow up to my previous message: I spoke to Rick Copeland at EPA who headed up the effort on the medical waste incineration standards for air, regarding medical waste incinerators(MWI) and he indicated that the issues are not transferrable to crematoria. In fact, crematoria are specifically exempt from the MWI standards. MWI burn a lot of plastics and contaminated supplies which contribute substantial chlorine to the formation of HCl and possibly dioxins and heavy metals. These constituents pose the greater air risk. Tissue matter which is 96% water does not pose these kinds of problems. The EPA air program is looking into crematoria as part of other waste disposal such as combustion of chicken carcasses. He expects mercury from fillings being a problem unique to crematoria since it volatilizes at low combustion temperatures and is not easily removed. Ironically the chlorine levels in MWI result in the formation of HgCl2 which can be removed from the air more easily but ends up in the water.

· Subject: Re: crematoria
· From: "Kirsten Sinclair Rosselot"
· Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1998 21:17:02 -0800
· List-Name: P2Tech

According to the L&E document for dioxins and furans ("Locating and Estimating Air Emissions from Sources of Dioxins and Furans (Draft)," U.S. EPA, May 1996), crematories are a source of dioxin and furan emissions.

Incomplete combustion, don't you know.... I've wondered if maybe it wasn't the materials burned with the bodies (clothing, containers, etc.) that caused the dioxin and furan emissions, or perhaps things like artificial hips made of plastic. Emissions could depend on factors such as body composition, too, I suspect.

The quantities of dioxins and furans emitted are tiny -- on the order of ten to the minus 13 kilograms per pound of body. However, even tiny amounts of these compounds can be cause for concern.

· Subject: Crematoria
· From: Jeff Cantin
· Date: Wed, 06 Jan 1999 13:51:10 -0500
· List-Name: P2Tech

I also did some searching on the web and found the following sites:

Environmental Effects Main Crematorium Concern
http://www.gmnews.com/Atlanticville/News/2001/0802/Front_Page/008.html

Dioxinlike Components in Incinerator Fly Ash: A Comparison between Chemical Analysis Data and Results from a Cell Culture Bioassay (article abstract)
http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1997/105-12/till.html

Inventory of Sources of Dioxin in the United States (see section 3.4 beginning on page 3-37 for information on crematoria. A look at the References section at the end may also yield relevant journal articles)
http://www.epa.gov/ncea/pdfs/dioxin/dioxin.pdf

Emission Tests Provide Positive Result for Cremation Industry
http://www.cremationassociation.org/html/environment.html

EPA Publishes New Mercury Data for Crematories
http://www.cremationassociation.org/html/pressrelease6.html

Making Funeral Pyres Eco-Friendly (India)
http://www.hindu.com/2005/05/15/stories/2005051504721000.htm

Florida DEP Division of Air Resource Management: Human Crematories
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/air/permitting/humancrematory.htm

There are also green products available for the industry:

EcoCasket
http://www.environmentalcaskets.com/index.html
Yes, this is what it sounds like.

Environment Protection Coffin
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6640401.WKU.&OS=PN/6640401&RS=PN/6640401
An environment protection coffin is constructed to include a coffin body made by folding up a patterned sheet material into shape, which patterned sheet material is formed of an outer shell, an inner shell, and at least one intermediate lining shell sandwiched in between the outer shell and the inner shell.

ECOCEMETERY OFFERS NATURAL BURIAL IN WOODLAND PRESERVE Conventional burial in the United States bears a resemblance to toxic waste disposal. The Environmental Protection Agency has raised concerns about discharge of embalming fluids from funeral homes into septic and sewage systems. Caskets and vaults may contaminate soil and groundwater by leaching varnishes, preservatives, sealants and metals. Most cemeteries are kept verdant by regular applications of herbicides and pesticides and are "beautified" with turf and invasive exotic species. But in Westminster, South Carolina, Billy and Kimberly Campbell have founded Memorial Ecosystems, the first contemporary cemetery in the nation dedicated to ecosystem preservation while providing a lower-cost burial alternative. At the company's pilot "ecocemetery," unembalmed bodies are buried in biodegradable cardboard cremation boxes or simple pine coffins in a native woodland. Plots are sited close to the trail to avoid visitors' trampling the woodland vegetation. Where topsoil must be removed, it is replaced after burial. Grave markers are simple inscriptions on stones mostly found on the property. The Campbells will allow an average of 30 graves per acre, compared to 1,000 or more per acre in some contemporary cemeteries. While burial requirements differ from state to state, they are less constricting than one might expect. In South Carolina, for example, not even a box is legally required. More: http://www.memorialecosystems.com (http://www.memorialecosystems.com/) . Landscape Architecture, Oct 2002, p 74, by J. William Thompson. [Source: GreenClips.com]

I also found a list of funeral related association web sites at http://healthweb.org/browse.cfm?subjectid=55. Some of these groups may have environmental information posted there.

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I did a literature search of Google, Compendex (Engineering Index), and the WMRC Library's in-house article database for studies completed since 2000. I've also forwarded your e-mail to PPRC in case they have anything to add.

ht You may also want to take a look at the current issue of Adhesives & Sealants Industry. One of the featured articles is a 2006 industry outlook. (http://www.adhesivesmag.com/CDA/Archives/d2175fdd41bc8010VgnVCM100000f932a8c0____)

You can also locate more information about the latest developments in adhesives by contacting one of the trade organizations that represent adhesive manufacturers. There is a list at http://www.glueit.com/trade-associations.html.

Please note that we will not provide copies of articles from our database or Compendex. You should be able to obtain them through your local library's interlibrary loan service.

Here are the search results:

WEB SEARCH

Two-Part Water-Based Adhesive Technology Offers Performance and Versatility
http://www.adhesivesmag.com/CDA/Archives/ac78efc7e5ac8010VgnVCM100000f932a8c0____

Water Based Adhesives Forecast to Match Industry Growth
http://www.adhesivesmag.com/CDA/Archives/65f79f6846ac8010VgnVCM100000f932a8c0____

Rohm and Haas Advances Water Based Technology
http://www.aimcal.org/industry/story.asp?RECORD_KEY=ID&ID=278

Athletic Shoe Manufacturer Eliminates Solvent Emissions and Reduces Drying Time
http://www.advancedenergy.org/industrial_process_heating/case_studies/process_heating/athletic_shoe_manufacturer.html

Picking the Right Pallet Adhesive
http://screenprinters.net/read_article.php?article_filename=pallet_adhesive.html

Water, Water Everywhere
http://www.rohmhaas.com/AdhesivesSealants/PW_e_magazine_nov05/articles/PointOfView.html

Solventless Lamination Reduces Flexible Packaging VOCs
http://www.flexography.org/flexo/article.cfm?ID=42

Water Based Adhesives
http://www.flexography.org/flexo/0202/022002a.cfm?ID=42

Alternative Adhesives Technologies: Foam Furniture and Bedding Industries (A Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment)
http://eerc.ra.utk.edu/ccpct/aap1.html

WMRC ARTICLE CITATION DATABASE

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

14654. "Bacteria from a Cow's Stomach May be Future Source for Wood Adhesive. Ondrey, G. Chemical Engineering, 111(8), 15-16 (2004). [Location: WMRC Library] Abstract: Scientists from the US Dairy Forage Research Center have discovered an all-natural adhesive that has the potential to replace up to 45% of the petroleum-based, phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin currently used to bond multiple layers of wood together.

CHEMICAL WEEK

15180. "A New Cure for Sticky Situations: High Performance and Environmental Friendliness Help Radiation-Cured Adhesives Gain Acceptance" Valero, G. Chemical Week, 166(24), 27 (2004). [Location: File]
Abstract: "Better," "faster" and "cleaner" may sound like the selling points of a new car, but many adhesives industry members are using these words to describe radiation curing. Simply put, these are the primary advantages over competitive bonding chemistries. More and more end users are reportedly seeing the light as the technology expands into many applications, from food packaging to electronic equipment. Ultraviolet (UV) and electron beam (EB) are the two most publicized forms of radiation curing for adhesives. What is reportedly turning more end users on to these technologies is radiation cured products utilize hot melt, warm melt or liquid systems that are near 100 percent solids, specially formulated to polymerize instantly to UV light or EB energy, with no heat, water or solvents. And because an adhesive is not cured until exposure to UV or EB, users can work with it, place it where they want and have no fear of drying.

14901. "Suppliers Preach the Virtues of Green Adhesives. Valero, G. Chemical Week, 166(30), 38 (2004). [Location: File]
Abstract: Adhesives makers say tougher clean-air regulations are forcing them to develop environmentally friendlier products. If that isn't hard enough, then consider marketers must convince fickle customers that the latest green adhesives perform just as well as existing formulations. This is proving to be easier said than done, industry members say, because many end users are reluctant to deviate from products with which they're familiar.

CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

14672. "Adhesive designed by nature (and tested at Redstone Arsenal). Combie, J.; Steel, A.; Sweitzer, R. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 6, 258-262 (2004). [Location: File]
Abstract: Many adhesives are not particularly environmentally friendly. Montan Biotech has been working on an affordable, water-based adhesive produced from a renewable resource. The high molecular weight polysaccharide is non-cytotoxic, biodegradable and has a melting point of 225ºC. This "green" adhesive has good tensile strength approximately 6.2 mPa on bare aluminum and is especially useful on epoxy glass and manufactured woods. Cured adhesive maintained full strength in an environmental chamber during a week-long 85% humidity, temperature-cycling program.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES

15343. "Getting the Lead Out of Electronics. Black, H. Environmental Health Perspectives, 113(10), A682-A685 (2005). [Location: File]
Abstract: The electronics industry has relied on lead-tin solder to attach electronic components to printed wiring boards. However, new European regulations state that by July 2006 lead in electronics equipment must be replaced by other substances. Researchers are now exploring two promising substitutes. One is the use of alternative alloys, the most popular being a formulation of tin, silver, and copper. The other is the use of electrically conductive adhesives, polymers such as silicone or polyamide that contain tiny flakes of metals. Both innovations have potential environmental ramifications, however, and their developers are still refining them.

FACT SHEET/ OHIO EPA; NO. 78

13701. "Governor's Pollution Prevention Award, 1999 Recipient Lear Corportation, Wauseon Facility" Fact sheet/ Ohio EPA; no. 78, 4 p. (2000). [Location: File]
Abstract: Lear Corporation's Wauseon Facility is recognized for: implementing process and material improvements to the manufacturing process to minimize waste of any adhesive material used in producing interior door panels; reducing air emissions by 87 percent and the amount of hazardous waste disposed by 95 percent; eliminating employees' exposure to methyl ethyl ketone, toluene, hexane and other potentially harmful solvents; and saving more than $100,000 in raw material expenses alone.

POLLUTION PREVENTION REVIEW

11914. "Alternative Adhesive Use in Furniture-related Industries" : "Evaluation of Performance, Cost, and Risk." Wold, Katy; Swanson, Mary; Morris, Mike; Geibig, Jack; Sparks, John; Hanson, Bill. Pollution Prevention Review, 12(1), 1-20 (2002). [Location: WMRC Library]
Abstract: This paper investigates alternatives to traditional adhesives.

11879. "Practical Pollution Prevention" : "Electric Curing." Hillenbrand, Steve. Pollution Prevention Review, 11(4), 81-86 (2001). [Location: WMRC Library]
Abstract: Curing is required for many industrial production processes and materials, including coatings, adhesives, and composites. Many of these materials can cure on their own after application and exposure to air at room temperature without any outside help. However, the demands of production schedules usually require that curing occur at the fastest rates possible. Curing is typically speeded up by exposure to a heat source of some form, such as an oven. Electric ovens tend to be expensive to operate and gas-fired ovens may be somewhat cheaper to operate, but they emit additional pollution for their products of combustion and may result in lower quality cures. There are alternatives to conventional ovens and thermal curing that can save energy, improve product quality, and offer additional benefits. These four technologies that use electricity as an energy source are in a group that the author calls "applied technologies": infrared, microwave, radio frequency, and ultraviolet. These are examined in this article.

COMPENDEX

Comparative study on the adhesive properties of different epoxy resins
Prolongo, Silvia G. (Dpt. Ciencia e Ingenieria de Materiales, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos); Del Rosario, Gilberto; Urena, Alejandro Source: International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives, v 26, n 3, June, 2006, p 125-132
ISSN: 0143-7496 CODEN: IJAADK
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Abstract: Adhesive properties of different epoxy resins have been evaluated in terms of the lap shear strength using aluminium adherends. Its durability in various humid environments has also been analysed. The fracture mechanisms were determined by ESEM observations. Despite fact that fracture seems macroscopically adhesive, it was found that there is an important participation of cohesive fracture mechanisms. Also, it has been demonstrated that the extension of these micro-cohesive mechanisms is directly correlated with the adhesive strength. Studied epoxy formulations are based on the two different crosslinking mechanisms, addition reaction and homopolymerisation. Curing behaviour and T_g reached were studied by DSC. Conventional curing process was carried out with different amine hardeners, while the homopolymerisation reaction was initiated by imidazoles. The results indicate that epoxy/amine systems present a higher adhesive strength than homopolymerised resins. Nevertheless, the hydrothermal ageing causes more damage to epoxy/amine networks. This observation has been associated with the lower water uptake tendency of homopolymerised resins due to its lower hydroxyl group concentration. A new epoxy formulation based on the use of polyaminesiloxane as a hardener has been analysed. This system presents relatively good adhesive resistance, high value of T_g and low water absorption compared with other aliphatic amine/epoxy resins. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (23 refs.)

Biocomposite hardboard from renewable biomass bonded with soybean-based adhesive
Ye, X. (Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, South Dakota State University); Julson, J.; Kuo, M.; Myers, D. Source: Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, v 48, n 4, July/August, 2005, p 1629-1635
ISSN: 0001-2351 CODEN: TAAEAJ
Publisher: American Society of Agricultural Engineers
Abstract: The goal of this study was two-fold. The first was to determine the comparative properties of dry-formed hardboard made from renewable biomass (wheat and soybean straws) and from conventional soft wood fiber. The second was to compare the adhesion properties of a soybean-based adhesive with a conventional urea-formaldehyde resin. The hardboard properties evaluated were thickness swell, modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, and internal bond strength. The soybean-based adhesive resulted in significantly better mechanical properties and better water resistance than the urea-formaldehyde resin. Wheat straw and soybean straw were comparable in their mechanical and water resistance properties for hardboard production. However, hardboard made from wheat straw fiber and soy straw fiber had comparable mechanical properties but inferior water resistance to hardboard made from wood fiber. Wheat straw fiber and soy straw fiber can be used as co-fibers without treatment to be competitive with pure wood fiber for both mechanical and water resistance properties. A 50%/50% agrifiber/wood fiber composition provided comparable mechanical and water resistance properties to pure wood fiber for hardboard production. The thickness swell of hardboard increased with increasing agrifiber composition. Fiber, rather than adhesive, was the major contributor to thickness swell. Wheat straw fiber and soy straw fiber should be physically or chemically treated to increase their water resistance. © 2005 American Society of Agricultural Engineers. (10 refs.)

Studies on the adhesion behavior of water-based adhesives blended with asan gum
Shanmugharaj, A.M. (Indian Institute of Technology); Chattopadhyay, R.N.; Singha, Nikhil K.; Bhowmick, Anil K. Source: Journal of Adhesion Science and Technology, v 19, n 8, 2005, p 639-658
ISSN: 0169-4243 CODEN: JATEE8
Publisher: VSP BV
Abstract: The influence of asan gum, a locally available waste material obtained from the Terminalia alata tree, in blends with waterborne natural rubber adhesive and poly(vinyl acetate), on the lap shear strength and the peel strength has been investigated. Both the strength values increase, even with a small quantity of the gum. At a higher gum content, both these parameters, however, decrease. Fourier Transform Infrared studies reveal that there is no covalent bonding between the gum and the adhesives, although some hydrogen bonding exists in the poly(vinyl acetate) blend. Morphological studies reveal mechanical interlocking of the adhesive in the substrates. The pseudoplastic nature of the gum-modified waterborne adhesives has been confirmed from rheological studies using a Brookfield viscometer. The higher lap shear and peel strength values of the gum-modified adhesives compared to the control adhesives are attributed to the higher shear modulus of the former. The 100% modulus and tensile strength of the adhesives blended with the gum are also higher, compared to their controls. VSP 2005. (23 refs.)

Characterization of waterborne polyurethane adhesives containing different amounts of ionic groups
Perez-Liminana, M. Angeles (Adhesion and Adhesives Laboratory, University of Alicante); Aran-Ais, Francisca; Torro-Palau, Ana M.; Orgiles-Barcelo, A. Cesar; Martin-Martinez, Jose Miguel Source: International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives, v 25, n 6, December, 2005, p 507-517
ISSN: 0143-7496 CODEN: IJAADK
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Abstract: Waterborne polyurethane adhesives are an interesting alternative to the current solvent-based polyurethane adhesives used in footwear industry. In this study, different aqueous polyurethane dispersions were prepared by using the prepolymer mixing process. The ionic groups content in the polyurethane ionomer structure was varied by changing the amount (5 and 8 wt% (with respect to the prepolymer weight) of the internal emulsifier - dimethylolpropionic acid (DMPA). The decrease in the DMPA content slightly increased the particle size in number due to the decrease in both the hydrophilicity of the polyurethane ionomer, and the electrolytic stability of the aqueous polyurethane dispersion. Furthermore, the lower the DMPA amount, the lower the hard segment content in the ionomer and the higher the crystallinity of the polyurethane; however, the resistance to flow under temperature (i.e. thermoplasticity) was reduced. The resistance to thermal degradation of the polyurethane ionomer increased by decreasing the DMPA content due to the lower hard segment content. Finally, high initial adhesive strength was obtained and the adhesion to PVC increased as the DMPA content in the polyurethane ionomer decreased. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (31 refs.)

Thin-disk test for adhesion-bond strength in solvent environments
Weaver, S. (Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky); Grulke, Erik A. Source: Journal of Adhesion, v 81, n 2, February, 2005, p 143-162
ISSN: 0021-8464 CODEN: JADNAJ
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Inc.
Abstract: A number of the popular tests for adhesive strength are difficult to apply to the study of adhesion under solvent environments. Complex applications, in which two different substrate materials need to be bonded and for which the substrates are thin sections, can be particularly difficult to study. The thin-disk test described here uses a thin annular disk of adhesive to bond two dissimilar materials while exposing the bond line to a circulating solvent. The new test was evaluated for a typical inkjet print-head application using surrogates for inkjet water-based inks. The joint is an epoxy adhesive joining a silicon wafer to a thermoplastic part (Rynite [registered trademark] ), in which the silicon substrate, the thermoplastic, or the various adhesive interfaces might fail. A conventional lap-shear test was compared with the thin-disk tes t for samples exposed to four different solvent systems plus water at two different temperatures. Lap-shear test failures occurred mostly in the thermoplastic part, with the exception of two samples exposed to the most aggressive solvents at high temperature. By contrast, thin-disk test failures occurred either in the silicon substrate or in the thermoplastic-adhesive interface. The thin-disk failure strengths at the thermoplastic-adhesive interface correlated with the equilibrium solvent swelling that could occur in the adhesive under the test conditions. This method could be adapted to other mixed-substrate bonding systems and would be particularly appropriate for thin section solids and thin adhesive layers. Copyright © Taylor and Francis Inc. (13 refs.)

The lowdown on peelable coatings specs and usage
Joseph, Ron Source: Metal Finishing, v 102, n 12, December, 2004, p 45-46
ISSN: 0026-0576 CODEN: MEFIA7
Publisher: Elsevier USA
Abstract: The use of peelable coating for capturing and removing overspray from spray booth walls and ceilings was discussed. Peelable coatings are formulated to have a low adhesive strength so that they can be peeled off at the appropriate time. Some water-based peelable coating are very safe, but the customer is always reminded to review the MSDS for potentially harmful ingredients. Using a simple photoelectric cell, it is easy to measure the difference in booth brightness between a spray booth made of galvanized steel sheeting with and without the application of a white peelable coating. (Edited abstract)

Formaldehyde-free environmentally friendly composites based on agricultural waste. I. Novel adhesive system
Basta, Altaf H. (Cellulose and Paper Department, National Research Centre); El-Saied, Houssni; Gobran, Riad H. Source: Polymer - Plastics Technology and Engineering, v 43, n 3, May, 2004, p 745-777
ISSN: 0360-2559
Publisher: Marcel Dekker Inc.
Abstract: A novel formaldehyde-free system based on carboxymethyl cellulose was investigated as an adhesive for the production of composites from agricultural waste products such as bagasse. The system was characterized by spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and antimicrobial action. The mechanical and physical properties of the bagasse composites produced were determined. Factors such as water content during board formation, pretreatment of bagasse by water steam, amount of adhesive used, and pressure and temperature of pressing stage were studied to arrive at the optimum conditions for improving composite properties. The results obtained show that the novel formaldehyde-free adhesive system has higher antimicrobial action and was found to degrade rapidly with a relatively high amount of residual char in comparison with commercial adhesives. Bagasse composites made with the new adhesive show improvement in mechanical properties, as well as fire retardancy, compared with commercial-adhesive-bagasse composites. Nonisothermal analysis was used to study thermal stability, fire retardancy, and to determine activation energies of degradation. © 2004 by Marcel Dekker, Inc. (24 refs.)

Pozzolanas as additives for grouts: An investigation of their working properties and performance characteristics
Griffin, Isobel (The National Trust for Scotland, South Regional Office) Source: Studies in Conservation, v 49, n 1, 2004, p 23-34
ISSN: 0039-3630 CODEN: SCONAH
Publisher: Int. Inst. for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works
Abstract: Grouting aims to address a lack of adhesion occurring within the render layers and support of a wall painting through the addition of an adhesive material with bulking properties. It is often desirable that a grout should set in the absence of air, and one way of achieving this is by using a lime-based grout with the addition of a pozzolana, which will react with the calcium hydroxide to form stable insoluble compounds possessing cementing properties. This paper characterizes a number of pozzolanas currently used for grouting wall paintings on calcareous renders, and assesses the working properties and performance characteristics of grouts made with the pozzolanas. The significance of the method of sample preparation on the properties of the grout is discussed. (6 refs.)

Soy-based adhesives with 1, 3-dichloro-2-propanol as a curing agent
Rogers, James (Dept. of Wood Science and Eng., Oregon State University); Geng, Xinglian; Li, Kaichang Source: Wood and Fiber Science, v 36, n 2, April, 2004, p 186-194
ISSN: 0735-6161 CODEN: WFSCD4
Publisher: Society of Wood Science and Technology
Abstract: Increasing concern over the impact of formaldehyde on human health has prompted a need for a formaldehyde-free wood adhesive. In this study, we investigated a new formaldehyde-free wood adhesive system consisting of soy protein (SP) and 1, 3-dichloro-2-propanol (DCP). DCP served as a crosslinking agent for SP. The shear strength of wood composites bonded with a SP-DCP adhesive depended on the SP/DCP weight ratio and the reaction conditions such as a reaction time and reaction temperature under which the SP-DCP adhesive was prepared. For a given SP/DCP weight ratio, the higher the reaction temperature, the higher the shear strength. Under the same reaction conditions, increasing the SP/DCP weight ratio, i.e., decreasing the relative amount of DCP in the adhesive, resulted in a decrease in the shear strength and water resistance of the resulting wood composites. Of all the SP/DCP weight ratios studied, 6:1 SP/DCP weight ratio at 85°C for 1.0 h gave the highest shear strength in the resulting wood composites. In terms of the shear strength, the 8:1 and 10:1 SP/DCP weight ratios were comparable to each other and were only slightly lower than with the 6:1 SP/DCP ratio. Further increasing the SP/DCP ratio to 12:1 or 15:1 greatly decreased the shear strength. The shear strength slightly increased with pressing temperature in the range of 100°C to 160°C at a press time of 5 min. Press times in the range of 1 min to 9 min had insignificant effects on the shear strength at a press temperature of 140°C. Storage of SP-DCP adhesive at room temperature for one or two days did not significantly affect the shear strength. However, a significant reduction of the shear strength was observed after the adhesive was stored at room temperature for 5 days. Wood composites bonded with a SP-DCP adhesive did not delaminate after they underwent a water-soaking-and-drying test and a boiling-water test. The crosslinking reactions between SP and DCP are discussed in detail. (11 refs.)

Investigation of formaldehyde-free wood adhesives from kraft lignin and a polyaminoamide-epichlorohydrin resin
Li, Kaichang (Dept. of Wood Sci. and Engineering, Oregon State University); Geng, Xinglian Source: Journal of Adhesion Science and Technology, v 18, n 4, 2004, p 427-439
ISSN: 0169-4243 CODEN: JATEE8
Publisher: VSP BV
Abstract: A formaldehyde-free wood adhesive system consisting of kraft lignin and a polyaminoamide-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resin (a paper wet strength agent) has been investigated in detail. The lignin-PAE adhesives were prepared by mixing an alkaline kraft lignin solution and a PAE solution. Mixing times longer than 20 min had little impact on the shear strength of the wood composites bonded with the lignin-PAE adhesives. The shear strength of the wood composites bonded with the lignin-PAE adhesives increased and then flattened out when the press time and the press temperature increased. The shear strength and water resistance of the wood composites bonded with the lignin-PAE adhesives depended strongly on the lignin/PAE weight ratio. Of the weight ratios studied, the 3:1 lignin/PAE weight ratio resulted in the highest shear strength and the highest water resistance of the resulting wood composites. The wood composites bonded with the lignin-PAE adhesives did not delaminate and retained very high strengths even after they underwent a boiling-water test. The lignin-PAE adhesives could be stored at room temperature for two days without losing their adhesion ability. PAE was the crosslinking agent in this lignin-PAE adhesive. Possible reactions between lignin and PAE are discussed in detail. (16 refs.)

Bonding strength of some adhesives in wood materials impregnated with Imersol-Aqua
Ors, Yalcin (Faculty of Technical Education, Gazi University); Atar, Musa; Keskin, Hakan Source: International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives, v 24, n 4, August, 2004, p 287-294
ISSN: 0143-7496 CODEN: IJAADK
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Abstract: This study has been conducted to determine the effects of wood pre-treatment on bonding strength of wood materials. To this end, the test samples prepared from Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis lipsky), oak (Quercus petraea liebl.), scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris lipsky) and Toros cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich) woods materials (based on BS EN 204) were impregnated with Imersol-Aqua (I-A) by short-term, middle-term and long-term dipping methods according to the procedure of ASTM D 1413-76 standards and directions of the manufacturer. After impregnation, shear strength tests (based on BS EN 205) were applied on both sanded and non-sanded connection surfaces jointed by poly(vinyl acetate), Klebit 303 (K₃₀₃), Kleiberit 305.0, Super-Lackleim 308 (SL₃₀₈) and polyurethane (P_U) (diphenylmethan-4, 4 prime -diisocyanate) adhesives. For the samples not sanded after impregnation, the highest shear strength was obtained in beech impregnated by the short-term dipping method and bonded with K₃₀₃ (11.99N/mm²), whereas the lowest was in pine impregnated by long-term dipping and bonded with K₃₀₃ (8.078N/mm²). As for sanded samples after impregnation, the highest shear strength was obtained in beech (12.69N/mm²) impregnated by short-term dipping and bonded with P_U, whereas the lowest was in cedar (8.038) impregnated by long-term dipping with SL₃₀₈. Accordingly, impregnation affected adhesive bonding strength negatively, whilst bonding surface sanding after impregnation affected adhesive bonding strength positively. To bond after the sanding process of impregnated surfaces is highly recommended to obtain high bonding strength in I-A-impregnated solid wood furniture and solid wood furniture elements. © 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (21 refs.)

Water-soluble/dispersible cationic pressure-sensitive adhesives. II. Adhesives from emulsion polymerization
Yan, Zegui (School of Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology); Luo, Yingwu; Deng, Yulin; Schork, Joseph Source: Journal of Applied Polymer Science, v 91, n 1, Jan 5, 2004, p 347-353
ISSN: 0021-8995 CODEN: JAPNAB
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Inc.
Abstract: In our previous work, we reported that cationic water-soluble pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) could be synthesized in ethanol or methanol. These cationic water-soluble adhesives would not cause a stickies problem during paper recycling and can be easily removed from the papermaking system by adsorbing on wood fibers. In this study we report the synthesis and application of water-based cationic PSAs using miniemulsion polymerization. A redox initiator system of cumene hydroperoxide/tetraethylenepentamine was used to force interfacial polymerization. The end-use properties of the PSAs were evaluated, and the repulpability of the PSAs in paper recycling was studied. It was found that the cationic PSA from miniemulsion polymerization itself was insoluble and nondispersible in water during the paper recycling process. However, if this water-insoluble cationic PSA from miniemulsion was formulated with a water-soluble cationic PSA made from ethanol, the solubility or dispensability of the former PSA in water was improved. The molecular weight and degree of crosslinking of the PSA polymer have significant effects on the properties and dispersability of PSA. (19 refs.)

Development of Screenable Pressure Sensitive Adhesives
Severtson, S. J.; Wang, X.; Nowak, M. J.; Guo, J.; Kroll, M. S.; Lien, J. A.; Houtman, C. J.; Scallon, K. L. (Minnesota Univ., St. Paul. Dept. of Wood and Paper Science.;Forest Products Lab., Madison, WI. Engineering.) Sponsor: Department of Energy, Washington, DC., Nov 2003, one CD-ROM contains 169 page document
Abstract: Several approaches were examined for meeting the project objective of developing pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) products that are engineered for enhanced removal during the processing of recycled fiber, also known as environmentally benign PSAs. These included the (1) design of environmentally benign PSA films, (2) development of paper face stock with high screening removal efficiencies that retain attached PSA films and (3) modification of face stock surface properties to enhance the removal of PSA films. All three approaches yielded promising laboratory results that were confirmed at the pilot scale and appear to be commercially viable. Most of this study focused on hot-melt formulations, which compose a smaller portion of the PSA label market than water-based formulations. However, hot-melt formulations are considerably less complex and allow great flexibility for property modifications. The results of this research have direct application to the study of water-based PSAs, which will be the focus of future work.

Polyurethane adhesive system from biomaterial-based polyol for bonding wood
Desai, Sandip D. (Department of Industrial Chemistry, Vithalbha Patel/Rajratna P.T.P.S.C., Chatur Vidya Mandal Vallabh V.); Patel, Jigar V.; Sinha, Vijay Kumar Source: International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives, v 23, n 5, 2003, p 393-399
ISSN: 0143-7496 CODEN: IJAADK
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Abstract: Polyester polyols for use in the preparation of polyurethane (PU) adhesives were synthesized from potato starch and natural oils by a transesterification reaction. These polyester polyols were combined with an aromatic adduct based on toluene 2,4-diisocyanate to form a PU adhesive. Both the polyols and the PU adhesives were characte

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Answers to this question came from members of the P2Tech e-mail list:

Response 1: Assuming the RO system is maintained well and no membrane leaks are allowed, the water generated is permeate - essentially deionized water. By its properties it should be drinkable, although given that it does not come from a potable source, it is unlikely a health department would allow it to be labeled or used as potable without testing.

In terms of markets, there should be nothing present in the water that makes it more valuable than plain water. It can be used for irrigation, for cleaning, for toilets etc. It will not have a high value, so it is not the type of material that could be trucked very far to another user. A similar stream is condensate of whey (COW water) from cheese processing. It was originally a bi-product from multiple effect evaporators and now also comes as the permeate stream from RO processing of dilute whey. In cheese dairies it is commonly used for equipment cleaning, and vacuum pump seals.

Another similar stream is RO reject water from further purifying potable water. It is city water with doubled or tripled dissolved salt content. It is fairly common that it is discharged directly to surface waters under an NPDES permit, with no treatment other than assuring that there is no residual chlorine present. This could be a last resort for maple syrup permeate, but it would be an unfortunate and wasteful disposition for very clean water.

Response 2: Without an analysis of the water I am shooting in the dark.

The RO water should be useful for wash water or make up water for boilers if low conductivity. It may need UV treatment for wash water to keep the health inspectors happy. It all depends also on the sugar content for wash water. It would also be a potential wash water for the RO system prior to maintenance.

The process condensate from evaporation processes would likely be suitable for making low pressure steam with little additional chemical treatment. It should be soft and low conductivity to start with.

The water and wash water from your process and floors would have sugars that could be beneficial to compost producers. The value would likely approach the trucking cost if the composter is nearby provided the sugar content was 2%. You may collect first hot rinse to help the sugar content.

Maybe you could make a natural drink. Check out the nutrient content..."Bottled Maple Nutrient Drink."

Response 3: That's a sticky problem you've got there....

I cannot recall the name of the firm but a few years back I spoke at a P2 workshop for food processors, conducted by SC Edison in ag regions of southern california. One of the other speakers was from a company that bought and processed all sorts of sugar-bearing aqueous waste streams, which they would then process into fermentable feedstocks and use to produce ethanol and/or citric acid.

I apologize for not remembering the name of the firm -- I do recall that they were located in Orange County, CA -- but I mention it because it leads me to believe that the business model has probably been replicated in other regions. I tried a quick Google search to find similar firms but came up empty, but a call to your local cider mill or juice plant, inquiring about what they do with their off-spec product, might provide good leads.

Hmmmm...what else? Maple syrup wine? Could be the next big thing...the world needs a good breakfast wine that goes with waffles.

As far as other p2 strategies, you might want to review the ChemAlliance virtual plant tour (http://www.chemalliance.org/Handbook/plant/index.asp) and review the case studies related to the terms "viscous" and/or "heat exchange" (to name a few). While the case studies deal almost exclusively with chemical processing, the unit operations are quite similar and you may find some inspiration from how others have dealt with the problems inherent in heating highly viscous liquids (reducing delta T driving force; improving mixing at the boundary layer, e.g. by scraped surface heat exchange; reducing adherence of materials by surface modification e.g., teflon or similar coatings).

Response 4: Here is one company that takes various products and converts them to ethanol:
http://www.parallelproducts.com/AboutUs.html

They have several locations across the country.

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The U.S. Department of Energy has excellent resources on geothermal heat systems. See http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12640 for an overview. Be sure to look at the links on the Learn More part of the page.

For links to financial incentives in Minnesota, see http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/map2.cfm?CurrentPageID=1&State=MN.

The Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium has case studies at http://www.geoexchange.org/residential/case.htm. They also have a list of local industry contacts at http://www.geoexchange.org/local/lic.htm.

The International Ground Source Heat Pump Association maintains a directory of accredited GHP installers and certified GeoExchange designers at http://www.igshpa.okstate.edu/directory/directory.asp. The directory is searchable by state.

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I searched the Web using Google and found some case studies that might be helpful to you.

BGSU develops sunny idea to make skating ice for arena
http://www.greenenergyohio.org/page.cfm?pageId=56
Solar powered ice arena at Bowling Green State University.

Fire & Ice: Solar Panels Energize Arena
http://www.greenenergyohio.org/page.cfm?pageId=57
Another article about the BGSU arena

Cost Effective Energy Efficient Improvements for Minnesota's Public Ice Arenas: Overview of 20 Options
http://www.mncee.org/pdf/tech_pubs/ice_fact.pdf
Pub date is 1998. The contact at the Minnesota Center for Energy and Environment is Russ Landry (rlandry@mncee.org or phone: 612-335-5863 according to their web site).

Selkirk Hockey Arena
http://www.g-forse.com/archive/news347_e.html

Eleven Municipalities Receive $10.4 Million to Help Improve Energy Efficiency
http://www.climatechangecentral.com/files/resources/mefirst_newsrelease_spring2005.pdf
The Village of Hines Creek is using the money to install an integrated control system in their ice arena

Cutting Energy Waste in Large Refrigeration Systems
http://www.irc.wisc.edu/file.php?id=33
Includes a bibliography of related publications

Energy Saving Measures at Ice Rink
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/Publications/infosource/Pub/ici/caddet/english/pdf/R339.pdf

Packer Arena, Austin, MN
http://www.bonestroo.com/rec_packerarena.asp

Fixed and Floating Head Pressure Comparison for Madison Ice Arena
http://www.ecw.org/prod/174-2.pdf
This paper reports on a study that investigated the energy and cost savings resulting from changing the control strategy for the condenser fan. The study was conducted on the refrigeration system at the Madison Ice Arena.

Allowing for the Unexpected
http://www.ecw.org/prod/e2/spri99.pdf
Commentary tells how unexpected results from an ECW-sponsored research project led to dramatic savings at a local ice arena.

Investigation of the Field Performance for Industrial Refrigeration Systems
http://www.ecw.org/productdetail.php?productid=50
This UW-Madison graduate student thesis explores ways to improve efficiency of industrial refrigeration, such as through controls, system configurations, and monitoring equipment. You may order a copy of this thesis from the UW-Madison: http://proton.wils.wisc.edu/lend/.

Ice Arena Technology
http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycwasteless/downloads/pdf/nwsltr-stadium1energy.pdf
Click on the Ice Arena Technology link on the table of contents on the left side of the screen (in Acrobat Reader, not the PDF). The article is on p. 2. There is also contact information for an ice arena management expert located in Ann Arbor.

Technical Help (Question about energy efficiency at ice arenas)
http://www.wapa.gov/es/techhelp/powerline/99jun.htm

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U.S. EPA's Great Lakes National Program Office is a very good place to start when looking for information about the Great Lakes. They have many resources, including information about each lake. In particular, the Great Lakes Atlas provides comprehensive information about the history, ecosystem, environmental concerns, and joint management of the Lakes.

Another good resource is the Great Lakes Center for Environmental Education. They're on the web at http://www.greatlakesed.org/.

A good book on the topic is Kehoe, Terence. Cleaning up the Great Lakes : From Cooperation to Confrontation. DeKalb, IL : Northern Illinois University Press, 1997. You should be able to borrow a copy through your local library.

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As an authoritative source for questions like this, I highly recommend the book The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices, which you should be able to obtain through your local library. There is a discussion of styrofoam (polystyrene) on p. 16. For more information about the book, see http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/060980281X/ref=sib_rdr_dp/104-0579898-7891101.

Some web resources of interest include:

Polystyrene and the Environment (Polystyrene Packaging Council)
http://www.polystyrene.org/environment/environment.html

Expanded Polystyrene (Australia)
http://www.pacia.org.au/index.cfm?menuaction=mem&mmid=011&mid=011.001

Arguments Against Polystyrene Foam Products
http://www.verdant.net/nofoam.htm

Some more scientifically oriented papers include:

Endocrinically Active Chemicals in the Environment
http://www.epa.gov/endocrine/Pubs/uba3_96.pdf

Plastic Pellets in the Environment: Sources and Recommendations
http://www.epa.gov/owow/OCPD/PLASTIC/plasticpellets.pdf

Technical Factsheet on Styrene
http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/dwh/t-voc/styrene.html

Some journal articles of relevance include the following. You should be able to obtain copies of these through your local library:

Zabaniotou, A; Kassidi, E. (2003) "Life cycle assessment applied to egg packaging made from polystyrene and recycled paper." Journal of Cleaner Production 11(5), 549-559.
Abstract: In the present study, the application of life cycle assessment (LCA) for the comparison of two egg packages, from polystyrene and recycled paper, is presented. The input and output streams of mass and energy are examined and the environmental impacts associated with the two systems are analyzed. The application of LCA by using EcoIndicator 95 has made possible the comparison of the environmental impacts of two egg packages. The results of this LCA study are discussed and reveal that the PS packages contribute more to acidification potential, winter and summer smog, while recycled paper egg packages contribute more to heavy metal and carcinogenic substances impact. Nevertheless, it seems that paper eggcups have less environmental impact than the polystyrene ones with the assumption that the accuracy of the results is confined by the credibility of European databases used for primary data.

Ohno, K; Azuma, Y; Nakano, S; Kobayashi, T; Hirano, S; Nobuhara,Y ; Yamada, T. (2001) "Assessment of styrene oligomers eluted from polystyrene-made food containers for estrogenic effects in in vitro assays." Food and Chemical Toxicology 39(12), 1233-1241.
Abstract: Recently, several substances from among the huge numbers of chemicals used by mankind have been implicated as instigators of disrupted endocrine function and related human health problems. Polystyrene (PS) is one of the most frequently used resins in the world, and the styrene oligomer dissolved out from PS has been designated as a potential trigger of estrogen-like activity in the Wingspread Declaration and the Japan Environment Agency's SPEED98 [JEA (Japan Environment Agency) Strategic Problem on Environmental Endocrine Disruptors '98 (SPEED) '98), http://www.env.go.jp/en/chemi/ed/speed98/sp98.html]. In order to assess the endocrine disrupting effect of styrene oligomers, we tested one styrene monomer (SM), three styrene dimers (SDs) and seven styrene trimers (STs), newly isolated from optical isomers, known to dissolve in small amounts from cup noodle containers made of polystyrene by the estrogen receptor binding assay, luciferase reporter gene assay, and human breast cancer cell MCF-7 proliferation assay. In all three tests, none of the SM, SDs and STs showed any significant activity. Accordingly, we concluded that these substances have no estrogenic activity.

Prinsen, MK; Gouko, Nobuaki (2001). "Determination of the Oestrogenic (Uterotrophic) Activity of Extracts of 'General Purpose Polystyrene (GPPS)' using Immature Female Rats." Journal of Applied Toxicology 21(3), 235-239.
Abstract: In Japan there is growing concern about the possible adverse effects of consumption of food from styrene containers (mainlythose made from polystyrene paper) due to the alleged oestrogenic activity of styrene oligomers (dimers and trimers), which may migrate into the food. To examine the possible oestrogenic activity of styrene dimers and trimers, extracts were made from 'general purpose polystyrene (GPPS)' and administered orally to immature female rats over a 4 day period. Increase of uterus weight (wet and blotted) was used for assessment of possible oestrogenic activity. To establish the sensitivity of the test method, immature rats were treated with diethylstilboestrol (DES), a well-known oestrogenic compound. It was found that treatment of rats with levels of up to 60 mu g of styrene dimers and 930 mu g of styrene trimers per kilogram body weight per day did not give any statistically significant increase of the uterus weight (wet or blotted), whereas DES caused statistically significant, dose-related increases in uterus weight at levels as low as 0.89 mu g kg super(-1) body weight day super(-1). It was concluded that, compared with the estimated maximum human daily intake of styrene trimers of 1 mu g kg super(-1) body weight day super(-1) from polystyrene food containers, the risk of adverse human health effects with respect to oestrogenicity may be considered negligible.

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The Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette ran several news stories on this in 2000, when prices first spiked.

See:

Gas prices set based on competition, retailers say
http://www.newsgazette.com/story.cfm?Number=8480

Local gas prices fall following suspension of state gas tax
http://www.news-gazette.com/story.cfm?Number=7453

Gasoline prices soar for summer season
http://www.news-gazette.com/story.cfm?Number=7230

The Energy Information Administration has current and historical statistics on gas prices by region and for certain large metropolitan areas like Chicago. See:

Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/gdu/gasdiesel.asp
Has some nice graphs illustrating national price changes over the last two years.

Retail Gasoline Historical Prices
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/wrgp/mogas_history.html

Weekly U.S. Retail Gasoline Prices
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/wrgp/mogas_home_page.html

For information on gas prices and how they're set, see:

A Primer on Gasoline Prices
http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/analysis_publications/primer_on_gasoline_prices/html/petbro.html

How Gas Prices Work
http://www.howstuffworks.com/gas-price.htm

Gasoline Prices (Fueleconomy.gov)
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/gasprices/index.shtml

Gas Prices: How Are They Really Set?
http://www.senate.gov/~gov_affairs/042902gasreport.htm
Report from the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations regarding the production, marketing, and pricing of gasoline in the United States.

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Several of these terms have been coined by Janine Benyus who has been studying biomimicry. Her book is called Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature.

Amory & Hunter Lovins at the Rocky Mountain Institute have coined a number of these terms as well related to natural capitalism. Visit their web site at http://www.natcap.org/ or reference their books. The titles dealing with this topic are Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution, The Natural Advantage Of Nations: Business Opportunities, Innovation And Governance In The 21st Century, and A Road Map for Natural Capitalism, an e-book available through Amazon.com.

Gil Friend, who is active in the NPPR may also be of assistance. See http://www.natlogic.com/. He also has a weblog at http://radio.weblogs.com/0109157/.

You might also want to check out The Dictionary of Sustainable Management at http://www.sustainabilitydictionary.com/, a project of the Presidio School of Management.

If these sources don't help you determine definitions for some of the terms, try using Google's DEFINE search (search syntax is define:word or term). As a test, I used the search string define:"environmental labeling". Google didn't come up with a definition, but did ask if I wanted to search the web. The first result in the web search was to EPA's About Environmental Labeling page, which explains how they define it.

A search for define:biomimicry produced no definitions, but clicking on the "search" link provided a link to http://www.biomimicry.org/intro.html, which has a definition at the top of the page.

A search for define:sustainability did produce a list of definitions on the web. You can see the results at http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=define%3Asustainability&btnG=Search.

If you type the above terms into Google's search box (with or without define: at the beginning), you'll find that a page at or near the top of the results list will give you a generally accepted definition or explanation of the term.

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In the GLRRPPR sector resources Die Casting and Foundries (http://www.glrppr.org/contacts/gltopichub.cfm?sectorid=15), there are references to the following:

Atlas Foundry Company Case Study
http://www.ecn.purdue.edu/CMTI/Technology_Transfer/atlas

Oily Waste Reduction and Recycling Pilot Test
http://www.wmrc.uiuc.edu/main_sections/info_services/library_docs/TN/TN94-038.pdf

You also might want to take a look at the following:

Pollution Prevention for the Primary Metals Industry
http://www.wmrc.uiuc.edu/main_sections/info_services/library_docs/manuals/primmetals/intro1.htm
It includes case study summaries and annotated bibliographies for all aspects of the primary metals industry.

Low Energy Recycling of Foundry Sand
http://es.epa.gov/techinfo/case/michigan/mich-cs4.html

Need for Energy Efficiency and Promotion of Cleaner Production in the Foundry Sector in India
http://www.serd.ait.ac.th/smi2/smi/roadmap/Pub_DC/Pub5.pdf

The Reengineering Process Approach for Energy Efficiency and Pollution Free Environment in Foundries
http://www.serd.ait.ac.th/smi2/smi/roadmap/pub_dc/Pub4.pdf

Computational Energy Management of the Charging Process in a Foundry
http://www.serd.ait.ac.th/smi2/smi/roadmap/pub_dc/Pub8.pdf

Filipino Pipe and Foundry Corporation
http://www.mozcom.com/user/usaep/fpfccov.html

Cleaner Production Demonstration Project Austcast
http://www.deh.gov.au/industry/corporate/eecp/case-studies/austcast1.html

Cleaner Production - Optimisation of Binder and Catalyst Addition - Steel Castings Pty Ltd
http://www.deh.gov.au/industry/corporate/eecp/case-studies/stcast.html

Cleaner Production -Artificial Reed Beds for Treatment of Industrial Wastewater-OneSteel Whyalla Steelworks
http://www.deh.gov.au/industry/corporate/eecp/case-studies/onesteel.html

Michigan Auto Project Case Studies Directory (MAPCS)
http://www.deq.state.mi.us/mapcs/index.jsp

Guides to Pollution Prevention: Metal Casting and Heat Treating Industries
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/01/00733.pdf
Includes a section with case studies

Energy efficiency publications for the foundry industry
http://www.thecarbontrust.co.uk/energy/pages/publication_search.asp?PubID=3498&PubPath=%5CIndustry%2Fbusiness+area%5CFoundries
Includes case studies

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