While on the show floor Tuesday, Caterpillar provided details about free customer safety resources for equipment operators to promote safety to everyone on or around heavy equipment.
Cat’s website, SAFETY.CAT.COM provides Cat product specific safety training materials and education as well as general industry and jobsite safety information. If you don’t use Caterpillar products, the safety education and training is general and useful for most equipment and work environments.
The information is universal in most cases and can be used for general safety on the work-site, said Tara Cox, customer safety services manager with Caterpillar.
The site provides more than 6,000 free training and safety resources. And, it also offers 17 safety basics videos approximately 3-to-7 minutes in length.
Safety video topics include personal protective equipment, avoiding fatigue, and avoiding slips and falls. Much of the training is based on common OSHA violations. The website provides resources for each topic listed below.
OSHA 2009 Top Violations
1. Scaffolding
2. Fall Protection
3. Hazard Communication
4. Respiratory Protection
5. Control of Hazards Energy (Lockout/Tagout)
6. Ladders
7. Powered Industrial Trucks
8. Electric, Wiring methods
9. Electrical Systems Design
10. Fall Protection Training Requirements
The training and services is designed to reduce injury and keep safety on the front of everyone’s minds.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Technical Session: Innovative Energy Production
During Monday afternoon’s session on biosolid drying, Greg Grant with Ventura Regional Sanitation District in California shared his success on managing biosolids and generating green energy.
Greg discussed the organization’s need to find a better solution to manage biosolids. Biosolids are organic materials resulting from highly processed waste water treatment facilities. Greg said many counties are banning land disposal options.
The drying operation was the first of its kind. VRSD accept biosolids from 5 waste water treatment facilities at a 2.2 acre facility within a 343-acre landfill site. They don’t use electric or gas to operate the facility – they convert the landfill gas on-site and generate electricity.
VRSD use (2) 80-ton Fenton batch dryers to reduce the volume of the biosolids. They manage 8,000 tons of biosolids each month. They reclaim the water from process and use it for dust control on the facility grounds. Once the material has been dried, it can be used as alternate daily cover for landfills or fertilizer.
VRSD has one of the lowest tipping fee rates in California.
Cost Breakdown on managing biosolids:
Land Disposal: $40-$60 per ton – Disadvantage: Prohibited or restricted
Composting: $45-$65 per ton – Disadvantage: High odor benefit
Drying (other): $75-$100 per ton – Disadvantage: Energy source is natural gas
VRSD Drying: $42 per ton – Advantage: Energy and disposal stable
Greg discussed the organization’s need to find a better solution to manage biosolids. Biosolids are organic materials resulting from highly processed waste water treatment facilities. Greg said many counties are banning land disposal options.
The drying operation was the first of its kind. VRSD accept biosolids from 5 waste water treatment facilities at a 2.2 acre facility within a 343-acre landfill site. They don’t use electric or gas to operate the facility – they convert the landfill gas on-site and generate electricity.
VRSD use (2) 80-ton Fenton batch dryers to reduce the volume of the biosolids. They manage 8,000 tons of biosolids each month. They reclaim the water from process and use it for dust control on the facility grounds. Once the material has been dried, it can be used as alternate daily cover for landfills or fertilizer.
VRSD has one of the lowest tipping fee rates in California.
Cost Breakdown on managing biosolids:
Land Disposal: $40-$60 per ton – Disadvantage: Prohibited or restricted
Composting: $45-$65 per ton – Disadvantage: High odor benefit
Drying (other): $75-$100 per ton – Disadvantage: Energy source is natural gas
VRSD Drying: $42 per ton – Advantage: Energy and disposal stable
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Techical Program: Planning for Sustainability
John Williams, SVP, National Director – Sustainable Development with HDR Engineering, Inc. shared his work with the Clinton Global Action Network.
John’s presentation, Rethinking Waste and Its Management highlighted key points to work together on waste issues. He stated the action network is a non-partisan, nonprofit initiative. And, this is an initiative that is not a local or domestic issue – it a global issue.
The initiative based on 4 principles – World health, education, poverty and environment and energy. Many of these issues are hard to tackle by one country, but can be solved when working together.
The network’s global vision: The elimination of the concept of waste as we know it.
John shared a story while he traveled to Brazil – He witnessed people wearing bathing suits without shoes to pick materials out of the dump in Rio. We want to help by proving boots or other items including gloves to improve the safety and health, John said. Many times, it is women and children picking through the waste in the landfill.
5 pillars of Waste (Focus of Action Network Efforts)
▪ Rethink the entire waste stream (producer innovation)
▪ Encourage less resource consumption (consumer literacy)
▪ Expand the recovery of post-recycled materials (technology innovation)
▪ Reduce risk for people and the environment in developing countries (women and informal economy)
▪ Reduce net waste tonnage landfilled per capita
Parting message, we can do more with the waste in the landfill by creating a new vision by eliminating the concept of waste as we know it today.
John’s presentation, Rethinking Waste and Its Management highlighted key points to work together on waste issues. He stated the action network is a non-partisan, nonprofit initiative. And, this is an initiative that is not a local or domestic issue – it a global issue.
The initiative based on 4 principles – World health, education, poverty and environment and energy. Many of these issues are hard to tackle by one country, but can be solved when working together.
The network’s global vision: The elimination of the concept of waste as we know it.
John shared a story while he traveled to Brazil – He witnessed people wearing bathing suits without shoes to pick materials out of the dump in Rio. We want to help by proving boots or other items including gloves to improve the safety and health, John said. Many times, it is women and children picking through the waste in the landfill.
5 pillars of Waste (Focus of Action Network Efforts)
▪ Rethink the entire waste stream (producer innovation)
▪ Encourage less resource consumption (consumer literacy)
▪ Expand the recovery of post-recycled materials (technology innovation)
▪ Reduce risk for people and the environment in developing countries (women and informal economy)
▪ Reduce net waste tonnage landfilled per capita
Parting message, we can do more with the waste in the landfill by creating a new vision by eliminating the concept of waste as we know it today.
Awards Brunch
Many excellent solid waste professionals were recognized during Sunday’s Awards brunch. SWANA’s Excellence Awards Program recognizes technically and economically responsible municipal solid waste management programs that also protect the public health and the environment.
Award highlights include:
In the Communication, Education & Marketing Excellence Awards category – The gold award winner was North Shore Recycling Program, British Columbia.
Al Lynch accepted the award for North Shore. They were recognized for their composting education efforts. The organization developed 7 How-to composting videos to educate residents, which provided composting basics. North Shore reported a 25 percent increase in composting efforts. Who says composting education can’t be interesting? Keep up the great work!
Life member award went to Fredrick C. Rice. Fred is the president of Soiltec, Inc. The Life Member award includes the individual’s length of service and commitment to SWANA, service to their chapter and support to other chapters. Fred’s long-term involvement in his field has been in landfill gas control, recovery and utilization.
Fred was on the team that developed the world’s first Landfill Methane Recovery Facility at Palos Verdes, California in 1974. Fred started with a small engineering firm in 1974 and had no idea what it would become. After sharing his appreciation for the award, he said he had a few more years to go.
Think you have an award winning program or facility? Consider submitting your application for the 2011 Excellence Awards Program. Submit your application by March 31, 2011. Awards will be presented at the 2011 WASTECON in Nashville, TN.
To download a nomination form for 2011, visit www.awards.SWANA.org.
Award highlights include:
In the Communication, Education & Marketing Excellence Awards category – The gold award winner was North Shore Recycling Program, British Columbia.
Al Lynch accepted the award for North Shore. They were recognized for their composting education efforts. The organization developed 7 How-to composting videos to educate residents, which provided composting basics. North Shore reported a 25 percent increase in composting efforts. Who says composting education can’t be interesting? Keep up the great work!
Life member award went to Fredrick C. Rice. Fred is the president of Soiltec, Inc. The Life Member award includes the individual’s length of service and commitment to SWANA, service to their chapter and support to other chapters. Fred’s long-term involvement in his field has been in landfill gas control, recovery and utilization.
Fred was on the team that developed the world’s first Landfill Methane Recovery Facility at Palos Verdes, California in 1974. Fred started with a small engineering firm in 1974 and had no idea what it would become. After sharing his appreciation for the award, he said he had a few more years to go.
Think you have an award winning program or facility? Consider submitting your application for the 2011 Excellence Awards Program. Submit your application by March 31, 2011. Awards will be presented at the 2011 WASTECON in Nashville, TN.
To download a nomination form for 2011, visit www.awards.SWANA.org.
Opening Reception
Welcome to Beantown! First, I would love to say that I had a wonderful time at the Opening Reception WASTECON 2010. It feels great reconnecting with old friends and making new friends in the waste, recycling and sustainability industry!
I engaged in a great conversation during the opening reception with Richard Ludt, a charimatic interior demolition destruction waste management administrator with Interior Removal Specialist, In. (IRS) in South Gate, CA - which is located approximately 10 miles from Los Angeles.
When asked what Richard planned to accomplish during the conference, he wanted to share his companies unique process of interior demolition that specializes in complete recycling opportunities. Not only did I talk with folks from the United States, I spoke with an attendee from Canada. It makes me believe that we're all in this together.
First-time attendee, Todd Smith in sales/engineering with Xebec Adsorption, Inc. - a biogas upgrading and gas drying company from Vancouver is looking forward to meeting established natural gas professionals. He was excited to attend one of the first conference's providing biogas information.
The highlight of the evening was talking to the incoming president Sara Bixby. Sara works for the South Central Iowa Solid Waste Agency in Tracy, Iowa. Sara feels she has big shoes to fill with the previous presidents' contributions to the organization.
Already working on ideas with the SWANA board, Sara wishes to revisit services SWANA provides to its members and evaluate the services to ensure they meet the needs of the next generation. Sara discussed the need to meet the needs of upcoming technology-based generation.
She knows it will take a longer committment that the one year she will hold the title as president, but is confident great changes are on the horizon! Sara's energy and enthusiam will definitely bring a lot of great ideas this coming year.
Enjoy the conference and please come back to read more of our conference coverage!
I engaged in a great conversation during the opening reception with Richard Ludt, a charimatic interior demolition destruction waste management administrator with Interior Removal Specialist, In. (IRS) in South Gate, CA - which is located approximately 10 miles from Los Angeles.
When asked what Richard planned to accomplish during the conference, he wanted to share his companies unique process of interior demolition that specializes in complete recycling opportunities. Not only did I talk with folks from the United States, I spoke with an attendee from Canada. It makes me believe that we're all in this together.
First-time attendee, Todd Smith in sales/engineering with Xebec Adsorption, Inc. - a biogas upgrading and gas drying company from Vancouver is looking forward to meeting established natural gas professionals. He was excited to attend one of the first conference's providing biogas information.
The highlight of the evening was talking to the incoming president Sara Bixby. Sara works for the South Central Iowa Solid Waste Agency in Tracy, Iowa. Sara feels she has big shoes to fill with the previous presidents' contributions to the organization.
Already working on ideas with the SWANA board, Sara wishes to revisit services SWANA provides to its members and evaluate the services to ensure they meet the needs of the next generation. Sara discussed the need to meet the needs of upcoming technology-based generation.
She knows it will take a longer committment that the one year she will hold the title as president, but is confident great changes are on the horizon! Sara's energy and enthusiam will definitely bring a lot of great ideas this coming year.
Enjoy the conference and please come back to read more of our conference coverage!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
SWANA to Present Haiti Earthquake Response at WASTECON 2010
SWANA to Present Haiti Earthquake Response at WASTECON 2010
Silver Spring - The Solid Waste Association of North American (SWANA) will present its recommendations for improving solid waste collection operations in Haiti in the aftermath of the January 2010 earthquake in a newly added technical session at WASTECON 2010 in Boston. The session will take place on August 17, 2010 from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. in the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center at WASTECON 2010.
In March 2010 SWANA received a request from the Service Metropolitain de Collecte des Residus Solides (SMCRS) in Haiti for assistance in dealing with the solid waste problems occurring following the earthquake. Solid wastes were piling up in the streets and canals posing serious sanitation and public health problems and SMCRS personnel working 24 hours a day were unable to keep up with the large quantities of wastes being generated. The SMCRS is the state-appointed agency to collect and dispose of solid waste in the greater Port-au-Prince area of Haiti, which includes eight cities and a population of 2.5 million.
SWANA responded by establishing a SWANA Haiti Response Team comprised of volunteer SWANA members from SWANA's Collection Technical Division who met with representatives of the SMCRS and developed a position paper that documents Haiti's equipment and service needs. A copy of that paper can be downloaded here.
SMCRS representatives and SWANA's Haiti Response Team will participate in a technical session at WASTECON 2010 and will discuss the project and the recommendations of the team. Haiti represenatives will include:
The members of the SWANA Haiti Response Team that have been invited to participate in the WASTECON Haiti session are:
Silver Spring - The Solid Waste Association of North American (SWANA) will present its recommendations for improving solid waste collection operations in Haiti in the aftermath of the January 2010 earthquake in a newly added technical session at WASTECON 2010 in Boston. The session will take place on August 17, 2010 from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. in the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center at WASTECON 2010.
In March 2010 SWANA received a request from the Service Metropolitain de Collecte des Residus Solides (SMCRS) in Haiti for assistance in dealing with the solid waste problems occurring following the earthquake. Solid wastes were piling up in the streets and canals posing serious sanitation and public health problems and SMCRS personnel working 24 hours a day were unable to keep up with the large quantities of wastes being generated. The SMCRS is the state-appointed agency to collect and dispose of solid waste in the greater Port-au-Prince area of Haiti, which includes eight cities and a population of 2.5 million.
SWANA responded by establishing a SWANA Haiti Response Team comprised of volunteer SWANA members from SWANA's Collection Technical Division who met with representatives of the SMCRS and developed a position paper that documents Haiti's equipment and service needs. A copy of that paper can be downloaded here.
SMCRS representatives and SWANA's Haiti Response Team will participate in a technical session at WASTECON 2010 and will discuss the project and the recommendations of the team. Haiti represenatives will include:
- Germain Paulemon, General Director SMCRS,
- Stanley Delinois, Engineer Haiti Department of Planification,
- Patrick Charles, Interpreter and
- Carl-Henry Vielot, Engineering Director of Landfill.
The members of the SWANA Haiti Response Team that have been invited to participate in the WASTECON Haiti session are:
- Victoria Garland, Solid Waste Director - Charlotte, NC,
- Bill Del Vecchio, Director of Solid Waste and Recycling - Georgetown University,
- John Pittman, Assistant Solid Waste Director - Clearwater, FL,
- Rusty Cole , Waste Connections, LLC Operations Assistant Manager - Pierce County, WA
- Wayman J. Pearson, President - WJ Pearson Inc, And
- Jeremy O'Brien, Director of Applied Research, SWANA
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Waste & Recyclables with Dr. Adam Read
Good Afternoon Everyone,
WASTECON2010 is a little more than a week away! As we reach the final stretch of preparing for this exciting event, we continue to bring you the latest updates and special interviews with this year’s speakers.
Today’s post features Dr. Adam Read, AEA’s Knowledge Leader for Waste Management & Resource Efficiency. Dr. Read will be presenting two sessions on Sunday, August 15: Using Door to Door Advisory Teams to Help The Public Take Responsibility for Their Waste & Recyclables at 2:00 p.m., and The Role of PR and Stakeholder Partnerships in Positively Changing Recycling Performance & Behaviour in the UK at 3:30 p.m.
Adam, what can attendees expect to take away from your session/course?
Attendees will gain insight on how to effectively plan and use outreach programs (in particular door to door campaigns) to build community ownership of waste strategies and new services and to ensure that new infrastructure is working effectively from day 1.
Why is this session important to solid waste professionals?
We are no longer an industry of engineers; We must understand how to engage effectively with target audiences and design services & solutions that meet customer requirements. Without appreciation of public needs, new recycling programs will always fail to deliver.
How do you think WASTECON attendees will benefit from the collocation with the American Public Works Association?
This is an excellent opportunity for two of the U.S.’s largest associations and trade shows to work more closely together on a topic that is growing in importance – just look at the climate change agenda and you can see how we are all facing a resources revolution. As a speaker, I am looking forward to meeting people from both associations who represent my core target audience – municipal waste managers – as they are being tasked with saving the environment, protecting communities and delivering to budget – a tough ask and I think I can help.
What are you most looking forward to at this year’s WASTECON?
I am looking forward to the breadth of speakers, exhibitors and attendees. I am also looking forward to gaining a better understanding of the US waste management sector and getting to share some of my own personal experiences from Europe. Learning is a beautiful thing.
Well-said, Dr. Read! WASTECON 2010 is almost here. Are you ready? Make sure to check WASTECON.org for the most up-to-date information on speakers and schedules.
WASTECON2010 is a little more than a week away! As we reach the final stretch of preparing for this exciting event, we continue to bring you the latest updates and special interviews with this year’s speakers.
Today’s post features Dr. Adam Read, AEA’s Knowledge Leader for Waste Management & Resource Efficiency. Dr. Read will be presenting two sessions on Sunday, August 15: Using Door to Door Advisory Teams to Help The Public Take Responsibility for Their Waste & Recyclables at 2:00 p.m., and The Role of PR and Stakeholder Partnerships in Positively Changing Recycling Performance & Behaviour in the UK at 3:30 p.m.
Adam, what can attendees expect to take away from your session/course?
Attendees will gain insight on how to effectively plan and use outreach programs (in particular door to door campaigns) to build community ownership of waste strategies and new services and to ensure that new infrastructure is working effectively from day 1.
Why is this session important to solid waste professionals?
We are no longer an industry of engineers; We must understand how to engage effectively with target audiences and design services & solutions that meet customer requirements. Without appreciation of public needs, new recycling programs will always fail to deliver.
How do you think WASTECON attendees will benefit from the collocation with the American Public Works Association?
This is an excellent opportunity for two of the U.S.’s largest associations and trade shows to work more closely together on a topic that is growing in importance – just look at the climate change agenda and you can see how we are all facing a resources revolution. As a speaker, I am looking forward to meeting people from both associations who represent my core target audience – municipal waste managers – as they are being tasked with saving the environment, protecting communities and delivering to budget – a tough ask and I think I can help.
What are you most looking forward to at this year’s WASTECON?
I am looking forward to the breadth of speakers, exhibitors and attendees. I am also looking forward to gaining a better understanding of the US waste management sector and getting to share some of my own personal experiences from Europe. Learning is a beautiful thing.
Well-said, Dr. Read! WASTECON 2010 is almost here. Are you ready? Make sure to check WASTECON.org for the most up-to-date information on speakers and schedules.
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