GBB Presents Assessment of Waste Processing Technologies to Orange County, NC
County Elects to Build Transfer Station

This past fall, GBB, in its role as a subcontractor to Olver, Inc., assisted Orange County, NC, in evaluating its options as the county's landfill is slated to reach capacity in 2011. In addition to building a transfer station, another option was to consider the viability of various waste processing technologies (WPTs). GBB prepared a state-of-the art assessment of the technical maturity, economic feasibility, effectiveness and environmental issues, including permitting, of candidate WPTs including waste-to-energy, plasma arc, pyrolysis and biological fuel production.

The report reviewed the status of proven and alternative WPTs, including descriptions of the processes, the characteristics of their operations, including their efficiencies, their current stage of development, their requirements and limitations, the economics of their operations (if known) and their environmental impacts. In addition, the report provided conclusions and recommendations on the applicability of one or more of these technologies to the solid waste stream in the County. In developing the report, GBB reviewed literature, surveyed representative vendors, utilized in-house databases and consulted other related available information. GBB delivered a draft final written report to a public municipal board and conducted a workshop for its members on alternative WPTs that were discussed. On December 1, GBB President Harvey Gershman made a presentation to the Orange County Board of Commissioners, concluding that the County doesn't generate enough trash to justify a waste-to-energy facility. Later in December, the Board selected a site for a new transfer station and voted to negotiate the purchase of 143 acres needed for the facility.

>> Back to top

Jump-Starting a U.S.-Based Recycling Industry
Letter from Harvey Gershman to President-elect Obama

On December 7, 2008, GBB President Harvey Gershman wrote the following letter to President-elect Barack Obama. We encourage you to also submit your comments to www.change.gov and/or to Harvey Gershman at hgershman@gbbinc.com.

Dear President-elect Obama:

I trust you are aware of the untapped opportunities for significant job creation in the solid waste/recycling field and the role that economic incentives might play in building employment in this industry. I am writing with my perspective.

Since Earth Day 1970, when we awakened to better environmental policies and practices, national recycling rates have risen from a few percentage points to 33.4 percent, as recently reported by the U.S. EPA. Americans have embraced recycling, both at home and at work, diverting more than a third of the 254 million tons of municipal solid waste generated annually.

Where do these materials go? Previously, as recycling feedstock became more reliable in both quality and quantity, recycled feedstock replaced raw materials in many domestic manufacturing processes. Then, at the turn of the last century, the situation began to change. China, India and other countries began to purchase recycled materials in quantities and at pricing that were greeted with enthusiasm by the public and private sectors serving the recycling needs in our nation. At the same time, U.S. industrial capacity to consume domestic recyclables was greatly reduced as they found it impossible to compete economically with countries that built infrastructure operating both with cheap labor and under environmental standards that are significantly lower than those in the U.S.

Today, the reliable flows of recycled materials continue, but with the downturn in the worldwide economy, prices for recyclables have dropped, and demand for these materials has plummeted. At the same time, we also have many empty factories across the country. There are cities, both large and small, with good people that want to work hard, but can't because factories are closed.

I believe the solution is to create tax, pricing support incentives, and import tariffs ―significant ones―to re-direct these reliable flows of recycled materials from U.S.-based recycling programs to re-built factories in the U.S. that will manufacture them into products we can buy ourselves or even export to other countries. Let's create economic incentives to jump-start a U.S.-based recycling industry and discourage the continuation of policies that allow our waste stream to be mined and exported just like the dollars we export when we buy foreign oil. As you well know, there are tremendous energy and environmental (greenhouse gas reduction) benefits to doing this, along with the significant job creation.

Imagine a day when the recyclables we set out every day come back to us as tomorrow's newspaper, the garden hose at the hardware store, or the clothing we buy... instead of products made in other countries.

There are a lot of Americans eager to have factory jobs making products. Creating a recycling manufacturing infrastructure that uses recycled materials as the feedstock is an exciting and smart opportunity that will contribute to sustainable industries, jobs and a new tax base in America.

Sincerely,
Harvey W. Gershman, President,
Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc.
Solid Waste Management Consultants

Updates from the Guam Receiver

In a Court Order dated March 17, 2008, U.S. District Court Judge Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood appointed GBB to be Receiver with full responsibility for bringing the Guam Solid Waste Management Division into compliance with the 2004 Consent Decree for violation of the Clean Water Act. The latest information about the receivership is available at: www.GuamSolidWasteReceiver.org

Special Hearing
On December 10, 2008, the Judge held a special court hearing to get an update on the government of Guam's efforts to finance the closure of the Ordot dump and the construction of a new landfill. Stressing that time is of the essence, the Judge subsequently ordered GovGuam agencies to expedite the permit process to move the government forward in complying with previously approved amended timelines, saying any further delays will not be tolerated.

Mixed Paper Not Accepted for Recycling at Three Guam Facilities - Buyers Disappear Due to Global Recession
As of December 20, 2008, and until further notice, mixed paper is no longer being accepted in the recycling containers at the Dededo and Agat Transfer Stations and Ordot Dump. GBB's decision to stop accepting mixed paper followed the announcement by Guam Transport and Warehouse, the only outlet for mixed paper in Guam, that it will discontinue pick-up of such recyclable material given its inability to find markets due to the global recession.

Bank of Guam Provides $20 Million Loan for Landfill Project - Citibank Appointed as Trustee
On January 2, 2009, the District Court of Guam approved GBB's request to have Citibank serve as trustee of the $20 million loan needed to start work on the Layon landfill site. The loan is being provided to the Government of Guam by the Bank of Guam and was signed by Governor Felix Camacho. As per the Judge, the funds are to be used by GBB in implementing projects and paying expenses as required under the Consent Decree for the benefit of the Government of Guam.

Quarterly Report
On January 14, 2009, the Receiver submitted its third Quarterly Report to the U.S. District Court of Guam. The complete Report is available in the documents section of www.GuamSolidWasteReceiver.org.

Invitation for Bid for Initial Work at Layon Landfill
On December 5, 2008, GBB solicited bids for construction of the Landfill Operations Road and Mass Grading for Cells 1 and 2. Three bids were received on January 22, 2009, from Guam-based companies: Maeda Pacific Corporation, Core-Tech International, and Black Construction Corporation. The bids will be carefully reviewed, and a contract awarded soon thereafter to the lowest responsible bidder.

Court Order - Green Light for Residential Cart Rollout Plan
On January 23, 2009, the Judge issued a court order which (1) directed GBB to proceed with the implementation of a residential cart rollout and account management system, and (2) permitted GBB to establish appropriate interim tipping and collection fees. The cart rollout will take place between May and November 2009. Details on the cart rollout public education plan are available as part of the January 14, 2009 Quarterly Report.

>> Back to top

Quality - Value - Ethics

Turning Your Challenges
Into Success Stories!