Solving the solid waste problem: Pressure from the public sector for point source reduction

Rochester Institute of Technology

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1992

Solving the solid waste problem: Pressure from the

public sector for point source reduction

Richard Leonard Pryll

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SOLVING THE SOLID WASTE PROBLEM:

PRESSURE FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR FOR POINT SOURCE REDUCTION

by

RICHARD LEONARD PRYLL

A project submitted to the

Faculty of the School of _Food, Hotel and Travel Management

at

Rochester Institute of _Technology

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree

of

Master of Science

FOAAf I ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

School of Food, Hotel and Travel Management Department of Graduate Studies

M.S. Hospitality-Tourism Management Presentation of ThesislProject Findin2s

Name: Richard Leonard Pryll Date: 8/5/92 SS#:

-.,...-Title of Research: Solving The Solid Waste Problem: Pressure From The Public

Sector For Point Source Reduction

Specific Recommendations: (Use other side ifnecessary.)

Thesis Committee: (1) Dr. Richard F. Marecki _{(Chairperson)}

(2) _

OR (3) _

Faculty Advisor:

Number of Credits Approved: 3_c_r_e_d_i_ts _

Date

F!\ffJ..

Richard F. Marecki

Committee Chairperson's Signature

Richard F. Marecki

Department Chairperson's Signature

Note: This form will not be signed by the Department Chairperson until all corrections, as suggested in the specific recommendations (above) are completed.

FORMK ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

School of Food, Hotel and Travel Management Department of Graduate Studies

M.S. Hospitality-Tourism Management

Statement Grantinl: or Denyinl: Permission to Reproduce Thesis/Project

The author of a thesis or project should complete one of the following statements and include this statement as the page following the title page.

Title of thesis/project: Solving The Solid Waste Problem: Pressure From The

Public Sector For Point Source Reduction

I, Richard L. Pryll , hereby (grant,~) permission to the

Wallace Memorial Library of R.I.T., to reproduce the document titled above in

whole or part. Any reproduction will not be for commercial use or profit.

OR

I, , prefer to be contacted each time a

request for reproduction is made. I can be reached at the following address:

gls/9a-ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to thank Dr. Richard Marecki who has been a

sterling example for _being real in the educational world.

Along with _{Kelly Outerman,} who always has been so upbeat.

These two people together seem to have _{the ability,} as in the

story of Jesus and the miracle of the loaves and _fishes, to

take a little bit and make _{something truly satisfying} and

worthwhile.

I want to thank Dr. Ed _Stockham, Professor Warren

Sackler, and the rest of the RIT _faculty and staff for not

only showing patience with _me, but other virtues as well.

Fran Domoy! I didn't know that you needed a PhD. to raise

broccoli. Thank _you, for _sharing the niche which you have

been carving. You were _right, there is a world out there!

Ultimately, to Rick and _{Stan, my sons,} who always see the

waterglass as half _full, and most _importantly to _{Jackie, my}

wife, who _nearly always tolerates _my endeavors I dedicate this

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i

TABLE OF CONTENTS ii

LIST OF TABLES iii

LIST OF FIGURES iv

CHAPTER ONE 1

Introduction 1

Fast-food, the _junk-yard, and a landfill 1

Recycle, Reuse, Refuse, Why? 5

Purpose of _Study 10

Problem Statement 10

Significance of _Recycling 10

Hypothesis 12

Definition of Terms 12

CHAPTER TWO 15

Review of the Literature 15

Can We Afford _{Smaller, Less,} or Recycled Packages? 15 Who Will Show Us The _Way To Recycle? 37

CHAPTER THREE 42

Methodology and Research Design 42

Instrumentation 43

CHAPTER FOUR 46

Data Analysis and Findings 46

Descriptive Statistics of the Sample 46

Statistical Response Analysis 46

Comments Welcome Here 53

Summation of Written Comments 57

CHAPTER FIVE 58

Summary 58

Conclusions 58

Recommendations for Further _Study 60

REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY 61

APPENDICES 65

A. Reduce and Recycle (A Message From _PIRG) 66 A Model _Survey Tool _by Harris _Rusitsky

LIST OF TABLES

Table

1.1 Waste _Not, Want Not: Comparison of recyclability of _packaging

materials 7

1.2 Rio Baedeker: A Layman's Guide To _Key

Environmental Issues 8

1.3 _Early and Advanced Stages of the Transition

to a Sustainable _Society 9

2. 1 The Disposal of Municipal Trash 16

2. 2 Trash Over The Long Haul 19

2. 3 The Pace of Recycling 24

2. 4 What s In Our Garbage 26

2. 5 Sales At Fast-Food Restaurants 27

2.6 Total Number of Restaurants in the U.S 34

2. 7 Growth of Nine Largest Chains 35

2.8 'Make Mine to Go'

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure

1 A Proposal _by State Legislature Could Force Manufacturers to Make _Packaging

More Reusable or Recyclable 47

2 _Packaging Delivered to this _Facility Can Be

Reused 5 or More Times 49

3 Packages Delivered to this _Facility Are

Composed of 50% Recucled Materials 50

4 Packages Carried Out of this _{Facility by}

Can Be Used 5 or More Times 51

5 Packages Carried Out of this _{Facility by} Consumers Are Composed of 50% Recycled

Materials 52

6 If Manufacturers Are Forced To _Comply

To New _Packaging Regulations The Costs

Will Be Passed To Consumers 54

7 New _Packaging Proposals Are Designed To

Reduce The Waste Stream. Supporters Have

Done Enough Research To Make Accurate

CHAPTER I

Introduction

Fast-food, the _Junk-yard, and a Landfill

During the _early 70's the researcher taught an

environmental course as part of the science electives. In the

curriculum were four units: _Ecology, Energy, Natural

Resources, and Pollution. Pollution was a subject in and of

itself after the first Earth-Day. The objective of the unit

was to give the students a taste of what is _happening in the

world of _pollution, so teacher and students made arrangements

for a field trip.

The _trip encompassed three main _{destinations,} and the

entire school day. The first _leg of the _outing was to the now

defunct Genesee _County Landfill in Batavia, N.Y. At the _site,

not _only was there a _landfill, with trash to crunch and _bury,

but also a _recycling center. The _recycling center is still in

operation and is maintained _by the Association for Retarded

Citizens. The workers at the center always obliged _{by allowing}

the students, most of whom were seniors in high _school, to

take their places. For an hour or so the students crushed

paper and cardboard in a huge _compactor, sorted clear from

highly revered and "dangerous" job as operator of the

tow-motor. After a brief but _boring stint at the various _jobs, the

director of operations answered questions and related the

destinations of the materials and the market value.

When the class was finished with the ARC it was directed

outdoors where _Bill, the landfill _{manager, anxiously} waited.

He first described how large an area this site _served, the

types of materials that were held here and the landfills

life-expectancy. He made it very clear that when the landfill died

so would his employment with the county. NO MORE LANDFILL IN

GENESEE COUNTY. He _dramatically told a _story that would be

common _{in many} communities across the northeast. The _{county is}

lucky to have the services of a _recycling center and landfill

in operation. He then found space for the class _{(most standing}

room _{only in the bucket)} on his 20 cubic yard loader. The huge

loader with steel crusher tires was perfect for _rolling over

mounds of trash and _touring the complex. Bill hasn't been

sited since the landfill closed in 1987.

The second part of the field _trip was a _stop at

McDonald's. This _may sound normal when you consider that it

was a _group of _{hungry teenagers,} but _eating was the _secondary

purpose of the stop. The students marched into the _restaurant,

Triple-beam Balances in hand to perform a task. As the

that _they received _including their tray. After _they finished

their meals, they were expected to weigh the remains. "LOOK AT

ALL THAT GARBAGE !"

many of the students would comment. The

activity was entitled "What Precent _Garbage", and the purpose

was to call their attention to the "extras" _{of their meal.}

Just a _reminder, styrofoam sandwich containers were part of

the deal at the time. This experiment was also conducted at

the school _during the students'

normal lunch _periods, but most

of them were _{"brown-bagging it",} because of an _austerity

budget. This method of _taking lunch did not _emphatically

illustrate the waste problem as did the _{fast-food outlet,} but

was still done for the sake of comparison.

The third part of the field _trip was a _stop at Ed

Arnold's _Scrap Metal _{Reprocessing,} Inc. Ed greeted the class

with a great smile on his face and stogie in hand, and proceed

to detail his success story. Most of the _{story described,} in

light-hearted _fashion, his method of _using friends and _family

to promote a personal interest that evolved into a _very

lucrative _family business. He then started the tour of

operations _{by taking} the class through the auto-parts

warehouse, past car _{doors, fenders, bumpers, transmissions,}

carburetors, generators, and _every other part _imaginable, into

the radiator repair _shop, to _{the truck scales,} which gave him

it _seemed, was his favorite. He had a late model car _{ready for}

compaction and derived great delight watching the class as the

car metamorphosed into so much metal in a few _scrunchy

screechy moments. At each phase of the _business, Ed apprised

the class of the expense of the equipment or cost to set _up

the operation.

During the _day the class recognized the incentives which

eased the collection of metals for reuse. The private

businessman, it _appears, can make a fortune if he runs his

business _{properly, especially} if he has a _supply of material

which is in demand. WHO DECIDES WHAT IS IN DEMAND? If the

materials are not in demand there is no incentive to sort or

recycle. Thus the materials become a _waste, a _burden, a

disincentive which is passed on to the public. The cost for

disposal of the waste becomes the local municipalities

problem. The cost for _taking care of the problem is handed to

the taxpayer.

The students asked _many questions about the _trip on the

next _day of class.

?Who owns and operates the landfill?

?Why aren't the glass _bottles, cardboard _boxes, and tin-cans _being sorted and separated instead of

being crushed and buried?

?How do _they determine the life of its operation? ?What will the town do with trash that is generated after the landfill is closed?

?How does a restaurant such as McDonald's figure into this picture?

Recycle. Reuse. Refuse, Why?

The researcher believes _that, in the natural _world, all

of the elements over time are in synergy. _Energy to power the biosphere and all of the natural earth cycles comes from the

sun. The natural cycles _include; the carbon _{dioxide cycle, the} water _cycle, the nitrogen _cycle, the rock _cycle, and the life-death-decay cycle _starting with photosynthesis. In nature there is no _waste, efforts toward survival should be to this

end. This means that in _every natural reaction there are products that are the result of two or more substances

combining or reacting. The products are not always in immediate need _but, because there are a limited amount of

materials on _Earth, sooner or later _they will _be, and _they

will be _easily accessible!

The researcher believes that since the industrial

revolution, man has had an indeterminable affect on the workings of nature. Man as part of nature has a need for materials _{including; aluminum, steel, plastic, glass, and}

in Table 1.1. If he is to be a more successful than the

dinosaur as a species on this earth consideration of material

use must be placed highest on his list of priorities. The

priorities as considered _by world leaders _including President

Bush at the recent Environmental Summit Conference are listed in Table 1.2. Notice that humans and human _activity are at the

top of the priorities. Man must change from his current

direction and consider a sustainable _harmony in nature.

According to Brown _(1981), " _{The transition to} a sustainable _society will challenge the _capacity of countries

everywhere to change and adapt. Some adjustments will occur in

response to economic _forces, some in response to public _policy

changes and still others as a result of _voluntary changes in lifestyles. Market forces will also _play a central role in the

adjustment _process, but in _many situations _they will be more

effective if augmented _by public policy. To exploit _fully the

market's role in the _transition, political leaders will have

to learn its strength and limitations _{(Brown, 1981)} .

A graphic illustration of the variables that must be

considered when _making a harmonic change in human _ecology is found in Table 1.3. With this in mind the researcher will

focus on _{landfills, restaurants,} and economic influences from

TABLE 1.1: Waste _Not, Want Not

Waa#<*

1% to 30% ^ 20% to

If

:::.'

::>/:5v;,:^jv':Vi?::-:,;

^)||:|;|;l|:#^;: ;:

GLASS'S }'

PAPER-

1

0% to 50%

11 i i RECYCLED ^ CONTENT: PRJCEPERTON

OESCRAP: ,

ADVANTAGES:

||

1

| j

| none

1

80%

|

30% to 100%

1

|

jj

|

|

I

|

||

I

High value

|

|

|

|

High recycling ratefor some products T ' _i

DISADVANTAGES: Foil has low

|| recycling rate and recycled content Also contains aluminum and _tin; low value Recycling reduces quality Difficulty mixing colors; low value Low value; reduced quality

$oiji^^^P$Recycling;Bering Times;US; CommerceDept

'

^

-TABLE 1.2: Rio Baedeker: Environmental Issues

A Layman's Guide to _Key

Rio Baedeker: A

Lay

Key

OVER

POPULATION

DESCRIPTION

Nowat5.4billion,theworld's popula tion_{is growingby}about95milliona year.Itcurrenttrends continue,world populationcouldnearly triple to 14 billion_bythe latter haltotthe nextcentury.

PESSIMISTSVIEW

Overpopulationworsenspoverty, accelerates pollution,jeopardizes food supplies,spreadsdisease.Failureto curbpopulation growth undermines economic progress and magnifies environmentaldecline.

OPTIMISTS VIEW

Populationgrowthisanatural partner ofeconomicprogress.Theworld's carrying capacity isvast, andnatural resourcesareabundant._Technology andhumaningenuitycansolve_any seriousshortages, ittheyarise.

LIKEiy OUTCOME

At the summit, manygroupswilladvo catemorecontraceptiveresearchand greaterspendingonvoluntaryfamily planningprograms.Butresistance fromreligiousconservativeswillprob ablyprecludesubstantiveaction.

BIODIVERSITY

<1V-DEFORESTATION

Humanactivities continuetoreduce biological diversity. Extinctionrates are accelerating.Amongthecauses: poverty, pollution,excessiveexploita

tion,habitat destructionandtheintro ductionolalien species.

Forestsarereeling frompressuresol economicdevelopment.Clear-cutting destroys habitatandwatersheds,in creases erosion andreducestheworld's ability tocopewithgreenhouse gases.

Aseconomicdevelopment spreads, ecosystems are choppedinto

ever-smallerfragments,abletosupport fewerspecies.Geneticmaterials for example,specimensofindividual species

needtobeprotected and managed as sovereignresources.

Deforestation threatens theentire planet.Morethan90%ottheworld's land-dwellingplants and animals inhabit torests. Tropical deforestation isaccelerating.

Extinctionol speciesfrom time totime Negotiators from 98countriesfavor ispartofnature'sway._{Biotechnology} new policiesto promotebiodiversity.

andbusinessneed unfetteredaccess to theworld's natural resourcesto support scientificprogressand economicgrowth.

Treesare a renewable resource and the supply isabundant.Selectivecut tingoftheforests bringsneededjobs andincome,spurring further economicdevelopment.

but the U.S.andsome otherwealthy nationsoppose promises ofaidto poorcountrieswithoutmakingthem takeconservationactionsontheirown.

Bindingagreementsonforestprotec tionappear remote._Developing countries opposerestrictions ontheir forestrypractices unlesstheyare compensatedfortheirstewardship.

OCEAN

POLLUTION

Thesingle greatest threatto the world'soceansispollutionfrom land-based sources,whichaccountfor about70%ofallthe toxic chemicals, sediment,garbage and otherpol lutantsatsea.

As toxicalgaeblooms spread,they depleteoxygen andblock sunlight, killingfishandotherlifeforms. Alarmingthreatsare also posedby alien speciesintroducedas cargo shipsroutinely discharge ballast waterin toreign harbors.

The capacityoftheoceansto "cleanse"

themselvesisenormous.

Besides,mostocean pollutionfrom land-basedsources canbemanaged effectivelybyindividualnations andthrough bilateralandregional arrangements.

Proponentsof ocean protection will pressfor legalcurbsonland-based pollution.Sofar.45nationshave ratifiedthe LawoftheSea agreement, createdin1982,butcommitments from 15more are neededtoputit in force. The U.S.will_probablyremain aninfluential holdout.

A---'

-ii-TABLE 1.3: _Early and Advanced Stages of the Transition to a Sustainable _Society

Early Stage Advanced Stage

Population _Policy Energy Consumption Land Use Agriculture Population Distribution

Role of Automobiles

Energy' _Sources

Materials _Recycling

Introduction of family

planning services

Focus on _saving

energy

Cropland preservation

Produces _{food, feed,}

and fiber

Flow from

countryside to cities

slows

Smaller, more fuel efficient automobiles

Largely fossil fuels

with limited dependence on renewable _energy sources Largely voluntary piecemeal programs Adoption of population

stabilization as a

social goal

Redesign economic

system to reduce

energy needed

Land-use _planning

Produces _{food, feed,}

fiber, and fuel

Population

distribution shaped _by location of renewable

energy supplies

More sophisticated

planning at community and personal level reduces

need for automobiles

Renewable _energy

sources dominate

Mandatory recycling programs

Purpose of _Study

The purpose of this study was to: ₍₁₎ show that

conservation/recycling efforts are made _by the fast-food

industry to maximize their image of _quality, service,

environmental _concern, and public relations as a profit

motive, (2) determine the perception of a restaurant

manager/owner's efforts to solve the solid waste problem, (3)

review and discuss the alternatives to landfills as a method

of waste _{disposal, (4) identify} the need for public pressure

as impetus toward societal _{sustainability} on Planet Earth.

Problem Statement

Can the fast-food _industry meet the public's demand for

environmentally sound packaging?

Significance of Recycling

In Alvin Toffler's best-seller Future Shock _(1970),

Americans were identified as the _throw-away society. Americans

were expected to use more raw materials and _energy than _any

other _{country by} 4 to 1 Stobaugh and Yergin ₍₁₉₇₉₎ .

Manufacturers, especially in the auto _industry, designed

products under the auspices of planned obsolescence. The

clothing industry depends on Americans to be fashion conscious

and aware of new seasonal designs (Brown ₁₉₈₁₎ . There has been

a major change of _philosophy since then because of _many

are _running out of EPA compliant landfill space, but we aren't

running out of space. _{Consequently,} waste management

entrepreneurs are _taking advantage of the situation. Because

they have done their _homework, it has been a _very lucrative

situation for them.

There are _many ways to reduce the waste stream. Included

are methods of _{conservation,} development of products of more

lasting quality, or designs to reduce waste at the production

location so that the materials never see the trash heap. The

last method is called point source _reduction, and is the part

of the solution to the solid waste problem that was examined

in more _detail; and the focus of the research was to explore

restaurants efforts to reduce waste.

Restaurants, especially the "fast-foods"

variety,

practice _moneysaving and _{waste-trimming} tactics to extend

their worth. Their main method of _{making money is} duplication.

Once _they find a method that works in a cost effective

fashion, they duplicate that method throughout their

franchises. _They search for ways to save _{time, energy,} and

resources. If _having less waste means _having lower trash disposal _costs, they'll _try it. Fine you _say, but what about

everybody else? Let's look at what energized the interest and

Hypothesis

The fast-food _industry is profit motivated and because of

duplication and organization will lead the _way in efforts to

reduce the waste stream.

Definition of terms

Biosphere:

Community:

Compost:

Disposable:

Ecology:

Ecosystem:

Energy:

Environment:

Fly ash:

Fuel:

The world of _{living (biotic)} things and their inanimate environment.

A _group of animal and plant populations _living

and _interacting in a given place.

Decayed organic material used as a soil

fertilizer and conditioner.

In the restaurant _business, a _cup, or plate

that will be used once and thrown away.

The _study of how _living things relate to their

natural environment. The interrelated natural world.

A _{self-supporting} and _{self-regulating}

community of organisms _interacting with each other and their environment

-e.g., oceans, lakes, ponds, tundra, forests, grasslands, deserts, metropolitan _districts,

transportation _corridors, small _towns, industries, and agroecosystems.

The _ability to _{do work,} measured as potential

or stored _energy, or as kinetic _energy, the

energy of motion.

The sum of the external conditions _influencing

the life of an organism or population_(group of

the same kind of _organisms) .

The fine particles of ash

produced _{by burning} garbage.

in flue gases

A substance that can be _burned, be split in a

chain _reaction, or undergo nuclear fusion to

Habitat:

Human Ecology:

Incinerator:

Leachate:

Legislate:

Mass burn

facility:

Micro

organisms:

Municipal

solid waste

(MSW) :

The place where an organism or _group of organisms lives.

The study of the relations between a human

community and its environment.

A _{furnace, boiler,} or other container for

burning waste.

Liquid that leaks out of a landfill.

To pass a law or laws.

An incinerator which burns unsorted trash.

Bacteria, yeast, fungi, and _any other _living

things of microscopic size.

Wastes from _households, street _litter,

commercial _{refuse, ash,} and abondoned

automobiles.

Nonrenewable

resource:

NYPIR6:

Pollution:

Private

sector:

Proposal:

Public sector:

Recycle:

Material that is limited or depleted to such a

degree that _{its recovery} is cost prohibitive.

New York Public Interest Research Group.

A manmade change in the _{physical, biological,}

or chemical characteristics of _{air, land,} or water that can harm the _{health, activities,} or

survival of _living organisms.

Business _activity that is unregulated _by state

ownership or control.

A plan or scheme.

A governmental organization that acts for the

perceived benefit of the general population.

The process of _{conserving energy and}

Renewable

resource:

Reusables:

Reuse:

Source

separation:

Sustainable:

Symbiosis:

Synergy:

Tipping fee:

Unsustainable:

Waste:

Waste stream:

Material that is _essentially unlimited, such as _energy from the sun.

In the restaurant _business, a _cup, or plate

that will be cleaned and used again.

The process of _{conserving energy} and

preserving natural resources _{by using} materials more than once.

Sorting trash _(usually at the point of generation) and _putting specific materials

-newspapers, glass, metal cans - into _separate

containers for collection.

The _ability to _supply or provide with necessities or nourishment for existence and/or maintenance.

Two different species _living together beneficially.

Interaction in which the combined effect is greater than the sum of the separate effects.

The charge to unload waste materials at an

incinerator or landfill.

Not able to _supply or provide with necessities or nourishment for existence and/or

maintenance.

Resource.

-CHAPTER II

Review of the Literature

Can We Afford Smaller, Less, Or Recycled Packages?

The _following describes alternatives to landfills and the

perceived solid waste disposal problem. _{In addition,} for focus

and _perspective, a quick look at fast-food retail outlets and

their efforts to profit in the restaurant business. Lastly, a

characterization of the role and effects of the activities of

a motivated public interest group.

The researcher believes economics to be the _driving force

behind _nearly all _operations, and that even non-profit

organizations make money. This was the premise considered when

wrestling with the solid waste problem. _According to Jon _Naar,

author of Design For A Livable Planet ₍₁₉₉₀₎ , about 80% of

U.S. trash is dumped in landfills. There are higher _estimates,

some as high as 87% _(Newsday, 1989). See Table 2.1. The

researcher, in 1978 had been teaching that within five years all the landfills would be filled to capacity. The five years

have been _up at least twice now, and more and more companies

are _going into the trash disposal business. Where are these

disposal companies _disposing of the trash? Is this a local

TABLE 2.1: The Disposal of Municpal Trash

''''ij"'-z:~:-<

L%i t- ' *

<

HowjIt's disposed of

RecyclingliOther

I 5.0% 6 0.9%

Howthenumber of landfills has fallen

'* _{Landfillsclosed}

v!'%|fti^pj^^fj^^ans

r;

|

Active landfills

0/ -

-l\ 2000; 4000 6000 8000 .10,000

L Fortystat^ objectivesof

those'plans:

-r|p^#:;t:hfere;^re(^ling^ I_; '

',':Phaseoutlandfills Build.morelandfills^

'

Build'gabagHo-*

energy plants

Generatelesswaste

I^IS^arnposf

'

Other

York and New _Jersey is there a shortage of landfill space

(Bailey 1992) .

When the landfill in Batavia _{closed, many} residents, no

longer able to haul their own trash to the _dump, scrambled to

find an alternative _{for unloading their} household waste. Even

though residential taxes weren't _decreased, private haulers

had to be _hired, and it wasn't _long before their prices began

to escalate. At the same time the _City of Batavia toyed with

a curbside _recycling and collection program. Not _only was

there an initial rise in _living costs because of the loss of

the _landfill, but everyone was at the _mercy of the hauler.

Only one was _servicing the area. _Many residents were elated

this _spring when notice was received from other trash haulers

who offered the same service at a much lower cost.

According to _{Bailey (1992) ,} Robert _Mehegan, a Boston

public works'

official was quite surprised _by recent contract

proposals from area waste haulers. To _dump next year's

garbage, prices were reduced from _$70, to $50 per ton.

Competition for _hauling rights would save _city taxpayers $7

million next year. Philadelphia and Cleveland will benefit

also from increased competition and reduced _hauling rates

Is it fair for San _Jose, California to _pay $10/ton, and

$131/ton in Morris _County, New Jersey? _{(Bailey, 1992)} .

Logistics also _play a _big role in a _country that generates 180

million tons of trash per year. Forced to close their own

dumps, East Coast cities and towns are _{sending their} garbage

west at tremendous cost to local taxpayers and at the risk of

spreading pollution. See Table 2.2. In some _cases, the garbage

is _being hauled in refrigerated trucks or other trailers that

are then _being used to _ship food products back to New _York,

Long Island, and the rest of the Northeast

-a practice health

officials _say could be dangerous. _{By 1989,} three towns with

roughly half of _Long Island's population

-Hempstead, Oyster

Bay, and Huntington

-are expected to be _trucking all their

garbage away. This _{trash odyssey} of more than 1.3 million tons

a year will amount to _roughly 220 truckloads a day. That

means, on _average, one tractor-trailer loaded with 40,000

pounds of garbage would enter the _Long Island _{Expressway every}

six and a half minutes. _{(Bunch, 1989)}

Do you remember the good barge Mobro 4000? In 1987 it

became a symbol of the nation's garbage problem. _Originally

envisioned as the _beginning of a $200,000 profit per _day

enterprise, it spent _instead, two months and 6,000 miles at

sea _only to return home with its cargo _{(Perlman, 1989)} .

Justices _recently have rejected states efforts to bar waste

TABLE 2.2: Trash Over the _Long Haul

On the Road

HowLongIslandtownssendtheirgarbage hundredsofmilesfrom home r CLDLandfill*

(H) Youngstown, Ohio 420miles

<&-.-. ;

r*

j^BreJtenstmes _\

landfill**

(O) \

If/StarkCounty, Ohio x-|f$485miles

H/Wrian Landfill (0)\ pfgdrian,Mich.

S?^35miles

ModernLandfill**

(O) Lewisfon,N.Y.

432miles :,:':,

-'V -, _\ Carbon-Limestone \ Landfill* (H)(0) .Poland,Ohio 430miles Sfev.t OrleansLandfill** (O) Albion, N.Y. 390miles Seneca Meadows Landfill_(O) ; Waterloo,N.Y. 350miles:

KeystoneLandfill**

(O)

Dunmore, Pa. 157miles

/ VT. N.H. "i

\ PortageLandfill**

(0)V V \ (Between Akron and V

\ Youngstown,Ohio) \

v 460miles \

\ \ r- \

MASS. N.Y. R.I MICH. 9 CONN. 0s*ei|Bayi(0) DA. OHIO IND. 9 \ \ W.VA. I MD. VA. N.J. iDELi \ \ Athens-Hocking \ Reclamation** (0)(L)

\ NearAthens. Ohio

',,600 miles ValleyView Landfill _(O) Sulphur, Ky. 850 miles. KY.

.'Beginningspring, 1988 "No longerinuse SOURCE:_Industryofficials

Fairfield Sanitary Landfill _(0)(L) Oakland, Ohio 600miles Greentree Landfill* (H)

j Brockway, Pa. \320miles

Preston Landfill**

(O) NearMorgantown,W.Va. \470miles \ . Muskingum Landfill** (O) Zanesville,Ohio 540miles N.C.

\ AlTuriLandfill_(H)

\ _Goshen,N.Y. V> .

V"

95miles _fSfel 1

AmityLandfill** |Oj Taylor, Pa.;>/?

c"-~

''.

162mites r>hx;;-:>.>.:

ModemLandfill_(O)

Yorkana,Pa. ?;*/& 195mites

"."''.""-'

--:.

transporting garbage from _up north to down south _may still

come to _{fruition, especially} if the disposal _industry can tie

up those loose ends.

How much will the market bear if it knows that waste

haulers are _paying from $1 to _$7, and _charging from $40 to

$131 to _dump the trash _(Bailey, 1992)? It is a problem that

individually we are faced with _daily in our personal _habitats,

and _communally in our cities and towns. And it is a problem

perplexed _by economics.

Bailey recognizes that a "landfill space shortage"

concept was not invented _by the trash haulers, but it has

worked to their advantage. In June of _1992, The National Solid

Waste Management Association issued a report that "landfill

capacity in North America continues to decline". In an

accompanying press _release, the trade _group warned that

"escalating disposal costs will continue"

unless _siting new

dumps becomes easier. Hugh _Dillingham, a Browning-Ferris vice

president _comments, "This perceived _capacity crunch

-I don't

know where it is." Browning-Ferris has more than 485 million

tons of _capacity at its 100 dumps. Waste Management won't

disclose the _capacity of its 130 _dumps, but _probably has

between 650 million tons and 1 billion tons of space. Other

analyst Douglas R. Augenthaler of Oppenheimer & Co. _(Bailey,

1992) .

The researcher has noticed that Genesee Disposal has been

winning the largest share of _hauling contracts in the Town of

Batavia _{by having} the most competitive rates. Competition

among the local haulers for contracts is _bringing prices down.

Competition is certain to affect those companies that have

been _doing business _nationally like Browning-Ferris

Industries, Waste _{Management, Inc.,} Chambers Development _Co.,

Laidlaw _Inc., and Western Waste Industries. _Yes, there is a

profit _motive, it is a $25 billion per year _{industry (Bailey,}

1992) . Local municipalities are _paying these companies because

they no longer can dispose of it on their own _property, or it

hasn't been cost effective to _develop their own dumps.

Delaware used high _dump fees to finance its own dumps in

the _early 80*s. A _municipality has _many advantages over a

private company. _{Municipalities} can borrow _money at lower

costs, don't pay taxes, and don't look for profits. In

addition _they can legislate flow control to steer all the

trash within their borders to their own dump. H. Lanier

Hickman, head of the Solid Waste Association of North

America, a _group of _mostly municipal waste officials _says,

like a _monopoly and is certain to be noticed and exercised as

competition against the private sector.

The researcher's accepted concept had been that landfill

space is _declining and that the cost of trash removal is

escalating. The review of literature indicates the trend in

reality, right _now, is the opposite. Everyone accepted the

status quo until _they noticed that costs for such services

were _getting out of hand. _Necessity is the mother of

invention, ways to cut trash costs were needed.

Research has shown four accepted ways to extend the life

of the landfill and to drive disposal costs down further.

Incineration, recycling, composting, and point source

reduction can all _help in this quest for _living in comfortable

harmony. Municipalities have invested _heavily in trash

incineration which burned about 16% of the nation's volume

last year, and that volume could grow to 25% _by the year 2000

(Bailey, 1992) . There are _many problems with the technology at

this _point; it is expensive, it does not _{employ many workers,}

they do not meet air pollution _standards, ash residue is

sometimes _toxic, and _burning is rough on the plant (in _Rome,

NY _they had to replace the grates and stack linings after _only

The _recycling movement is underway (about 14% of

municipal _waste) See Table 2.3 _{(Biocycle,1991)} , but it does

not have the impetus that was evident in World War II. When

the war effort was _on, it was everyone's Patriotic _Duty to

recycle _{(Naar, 1990)} . Today it is not important to recycle

unless there is a market for it. _{Jerry Taylor,} director of

natural resources studies at the Cato Institute _{in Washington,}

says, "The _{best way to tell} if _something should be recycled,

is whether it's _{already being} recycled because of market

forces. If you need government intervention to achieve

recycling, then _{it probably} will distort the markets"

(Allen,

1992) However, the National Solid Wastes Management

Association estimates the number of curbside collection

programs has grown to 3,500 from 600 three years _ago, 40% are

mandatory (Allen, 1992). See also Table 2.3. Florida's Gov.

Lawton Chiles _{is urging} companies to set _up joint ventures to

purchase throwaways from state agencies. "It's a no-brainer

for _[the] companies,"

claims Gov. Chiles. "Not too _many

businesses have got a captive customer. We think we'll create

much more demand for _products, and that's what's been

missing."

This idea is called a model for for _{jump-starting}

stalled _recycling efforts across the nation. _{(Grossman, 1992)}

Another _way to reduce the waste stream is the age-old

TABLE 2.3: The Pace of _Recycling

i

--0f

Recycling

*id1 1 1 1 i*ii i n i^j^i i.n.m

Number of curbside _recycling

programs

5,000r

1988 ^1989_W, 1990 1991 mmmmmmm

KwKSSKw''"'

mimmmim

Percentage of municipal solid

waste that was recycled

16%

12%

1988*

1989 1990 1991

waste and the other 7% is food waste _(Naar, 1990). Table 2.4

illustrates the composition of municipal solid waste _(Naar,

1990) . Table 2.5 also illustrates the composition of municipal

waste and makes projections for the future (Virag, 1989) . The

researcher feels that a great and _easily accessible source of

energy is lost if organic materials are buried in the

landfill. If it is separated _{out, neatly piled,} air and water

added, and allowed to _decay, humus

-a most _necessary

ingredient in soil is the finished product. The process of

doing all of these things is called _composting, and the

product compost. Compost can be used as a fertilizer or soil

conditioner. Not _only will it enhance _soil, but _separating the

organics reduces the waste stream _{(Virag, 1989)} .

Stipp (1991) describes the _composting accomplishments of

a _blossoming waste entrepreneur. William Britton of Woods End

Research _Laboratory (his own nine-man _firm) is _providing an

important service _{by specialty} composting. He is called in to

employ his custom recipes to turn a _big stink into a _savory

plant food. His expertise allows him to handle tons of fish

scraps, a thousand tons of asphixiated chickens, 16,000 tons

of infected potatos, dead animals, and paper plant sludge.

Some of his goals for the future includes a _farming revolution

in which compost is used instead of _{water-polluting} chemical

TABLE 2.4: What's in Our Garbage

my&H

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yardwastesdecline

TABLE 2.5: Sales At Fast-Food Restaurants

SalesatFast-FoodRestaurants

Year Sales($million) %Change 7oofTotal

1970 6,190 17.8

1971 7,011 13.3 18.6

1972 8,037 14.6 19.6

1973 9,684 20.5 20.8

1974 11,365 17.4 21.9

1975 13,597 19.6 23.3

1976 16,346 20.2 24.9

1977 19,358 18.4 26.5

1978 22,285 15.1 27.0

1979 25,902 16.2 27.8

1980 28,699 10.8 28.3

1981 32,202 12.2 28.7

1982 35,357 9.8 29.5

1983 39,494 11.7 30.1

1984 43,719 10.7 30.5

1985 47,191 7.9 30.9

1986 52,509 11.3 31.6

1987 57,234 9.0 31.9

1988 60,425 5.6 31.9

Compound Annual Growth Rate(%)

1970-_{88 13.5}

1970-_{80 16.6}

1980-_{88 9.8}

1983-_{88 8.9}

recalcitrant and toxic waste. His firm _recently concocted a

way to compost toxic sludge contaminated with TNT _(Stipp,

1991) General Electric and Celgene _recently demonstrated that

a _{naturally occurring microbe} can break down toxic methylene

chloride _waste, generated _by GE's engineered plastics

operations, into water, carbon _dioxide, and salt (Na_j , 1991).

According to John _Crawford, Social Studies Teacher and

participant in a National Fuel Gas Summer _Institute,

composting looks to be a viable method to turn waste into

resource. In a recent field _trip the _group saw what a giant

chipper/ shredder can do to construction and demolition

debris. _They saw old _{lathe, plaster,} and 2 x 4's ground to

tiny chips and shreds. Nails were removed _by huge magnets and

the _slurry was mixed with yard wastes and deposited in neat

windrows under a roofed polebarn type of warehouse. Albert

Gilewicz is the designer of this _facility and claims that the

finished compost is in demand _by local greenhouses as a soil

conditioner. He says that it takes about fourteen months from

grinder to greenhouse and that he can't meet the demand. He is

the founder of Parker _Bay Consultants and _they specialize in

municipal solid waste composting. The whole operation can be

found on Squaw Island outside of _{Buffalo, N.Y.,} which in its

previous life was a landfill. The DEC shut down the landfill

The fourth method _{for reducing the} waste stream is called

point source reduction. To plan ahead of _time, and decide to

make _reusable,

easily recyclable containers for products.

There are _many people who believe that _many of the

manufacturers in our nation are wasteful and _needlessly

overpack. _They do not like the idea of single use food

servings and _{laundry packets,} or juice-box containers that

sandwich _{plastic, aluminum,} and paper together. Ellen

Harrison, associate director of Cornell University's Waste

Management Institute says "... _there's, significant room for

reduction, and we're _seeing some of that in the changes

manufacturers are making."

For _example, the music _industry

announced that it plans to phase out the compact disc boxes

which are ten times the volume of the discs that _they hold

(Lowe, 1992) . Proctor and Gamble has redesigned containers

for Secret and Sure deodorants and antiperspirants so they'll

survive _shipping without individual cartons. P&G says the

change will eliminate 80 million cartons and 3.4 million

pounds of waste a year. Warner-Lambert is test _marketing a

plastic bottle for its Listerine mouthwash which _currently

comes in glass. Besides _{reducing waste,} Warner-Lambert hopes

to cut _{shipping costs,} reduce breakage in the home and "appeal

to a younger market_, " says Linda Haner_{, the company}'

s manager

of market design. Haworth of _Holland, Michigan aided _by the

experimenting with plastic spacer blocks to _keep wall panels

from _rubbing against each other _{(Pierson, 1991)} .

Just when there appears to be progress _by the packaging

industry in the right _{direction, taking} larger strides toward

recyclables, statistics indicate otherwise. Scott _Chaplin, a

researcher at the _Rocky Mountain _Institute, a think tank in

Snow-mass, Colorado says that we shouldn't count on a _big

comeback of refillable bottles. It seems to work best for

small, local bottlers with _{limited distribution areas, but the}

bottling industry is dominated _by larger regional companies.

In 1990. about 8.7% of U.S. soft drinks came in _refillables,

down from 56% in 1975 _{(Stipp, 1991)} . Have you noticed lately

that Very-Fine has _{been competing in} the soft-drink arena with

Coca-Cola and Pepsi? You do not have to _pay a deposit on

bottles that contain non-carbonated beverages.

As _recently as _{July 19,} 1992 there are groups _coming

forward against the 1983 Bottle Bill. This bill was instituted

to rid the highways of litter and to encourage recycling. Now

even proponents of _{recycling say} that the bottle bill is in

direct competition with _recycling efforts. There seems to be

duplication of efforts _by supermarket collection sites and

state mandated curbside collections. Supermarket officials

want to rid themselves of the cost and hassle of _handling the

the coffers of the _recycling companies. Aluminum is _currently

the material worth the most _{(Lively, 1992)} .

Hunger is another _{driving force,} which makes food a _very

powerful economic _variable, and the last premise considered

when this problem was formulated: How are the prices of food

affected _by trash removal costs? Would the cost of food go

down if _{recycling, incinerating, composting,} and point source

reduction efforts were increased?

The researcher recalled that McDonald's had a tree give

away promotion about three years _ago, and had _recently

switched from the styrofoam sandwich containers to more

Earth-loving paper wrappers. These campaigns were undertaken to

combat the attacks of environmental activists that _claimed;

rainforests are _being cleared to provide more _grazing land for

beef-cattle, and the hole in the ozone layer is _growing

because of the CFC's that escape into the atmosphere when

styrofoam is manufactured _{(Naar, 1990)} . There always seem to

be promotions on television _implanting the idea that the

fast-food _industry is environmentally concerned. It _only took one

minute on the phone, and in within three days the researcher

received a whole packet of _teaching propaganda ₍Petersohn &

Resni, 1989) promoting McDonald's environmental efforts. Could

quality, service, and concern for the public and the

environment is most important.

According to skeptics McDonald's is in muddled waters

because of overextension in the international _market, but

shareholder profits are _up and a goal to open 100 new

franchises is still in sight. Sharon _Vuinovich, McDonald's

vice president of investor _relations, says that we shouldn't

jump to conclusions on what the numbers show because

"McDonald's stores are a private market"

(Linden, 1991).

Profits _undoubtedly are the number one motive in this

organization but where do growth and image in the environment

fit on their _priority list? These variables are all _related,

but are _they concerned with trash _hauling costs?

According to the video, "Should I Feel _Guilty?", that was

produced _by the Food _Packaging Institute _Inc., the total

amount of trash generated _by all of the fast-food outlets

amounts to less than 2% of all of the country's trash _(Steele,

1991) . Two percent doesn't sound like very much, but when the

total is 180 million _tons, that means that 3.6 million tons of

garbage is generated _by the fast-food outlets. That figure is

not insignificant.

According to Emerson ₍₁₉₉₀₎ , fast-food sales are still in

restaurants made gains of more than 10% every year since 1970

except 1987 and _1988, see Table 2.6. Consider that in 1982

there were 381,700 _eating and _drinking places in the U.S. Also

consider that the nine largest chains are 32,577 strong, with

McDonald's signs on _11,380, see Table 2.7.

The researcher made the _{following inquiry} about trash

generated at the fast-food _outlet; Is the trash-hauling cost

incurred _by the fast-food eateries? The impression at first is

of course! All fast-food restaurants _{have conveniently located}

trash disposal bins inside the establishment, and outside near

the drive-thru window is a huge dumpster. Those services are

not free. _But, Helliker ₍₁₉₉₂₎ points out, that more and more

people are not _eating on _site, see Table 2.8. This means that

the cost of trash removal shrinks at the eatery. For five or

more _years, dollars spent on off-premises dining (takeout,

drive-through, and home _delivery) have been _rising at a much

greater rate than on-premises sales; in 1991, while

on-premises sales were _flat, off-premise dining rose by 5.9%.

Off-premises business accounted for 35% of the restaurant

industry's $130 billion in sales last year, according to the

NDP _Group Inc.'s Crest Report, a _survey of restaurant

TABLE 2.6: Total Number of Restaurants in the U.S.

Total Number of Restaurants in the United States

Eating

Eating

Drinking

Drinking

Year Places Places Places

1958 229,815 114,925 344,740

1963 223,876 110,605 334,481

1967 '236,563 111,327 347,890

1972 253,136 106,388 359,524

1977 275,200 93,729 368,929

1982 301,700 80,000 381,700

Compound Annual Growth Rate

(%)

1977-_{82 1.9 -3.1 0.7}

1958-82 1.1 -1.5 0.4

1958-_{67 0.3 -0.4 0.1}

1967-_{77 1.5 -1.7 0.6}

Source: U.S. Bureau of the

Census,

TABLE 2.7: Growth of Nine Largest Chains

GrowthofNineLargestChains

Systemwide

Domestic Sales

($_million)

Chain 1975 1988 Growth, 1977-88 (%)

McDonald's 2478 11,380 12.4

Burger_King 751 4,840 15.4

PizzaHut 375 2,800 16.7

Hardee's 286 2,810 19.2

KentuckyFried Chicken 1150 2,900 7.4

Wendy's 74 2,720 32.0

Domino's 23 2,300 42.5

Taco Bell 122 1,600 21.9

Denny's 311 1,227 11.1

Total 5570 32,577 14.6

TABLE 2.8: 'Make Mine to Go'

'Sit-Down'

Share Shrinks.

Percentage increase in sales

14%r

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

On-premises

Off-premises

1987 1988 1989 1990

HKiM

1991

Thanks to Triple-Threat Competition

Percentage ofoff-premises purchases,

bycategory

Takeout

60.8%

Drive-through

31.0%

The researcher made the _following observations and

queries. Restaurants could not _stay in business if it cost too

much, and _developing new _{landfill facilities} could be quite

expensive, and if prices in both areas continue _{to rise,} will

there be _any relief? Can time and _technology rescue the

ecosystem from what appears to be a _{very foreboding}

possibility.

Technology for incineration is _{rapidly improving}

but people are afraid that even with all the _benefits, damage

to the atmosphere is still at risk. _{Technology for composting}

seems to be the rage with advances such as microbes that

digest plastic, but the answers are not all in yet. _Technology

for _recycling continues to improve but no markets exist for

the recyclables after separation. _Technology in _packaging

science is _{constantly improving} the action of point source

reduction, but their improvements happen too _slowly for some.

Notice that the answers to the solid waste problem are

expected from the private sector. Of course there are

government grants and subsidies to _develop these technologies

but the point is that a governmental _{regulating agency} is at

the bottom of the solid waste problem. Who else would be

concerned for the protection of the environment _by the simple

benefit of ecology. The EPA has made recommendations as to

where and what we can _dump and _specifically to this _study,

recommendations for constructing, monitoring and _managing

number of _{regulations and compliances to protect our}

air,

water, soil, and general health. But the quest for profit and

lifestyle is considered before _{leachate, fly ash,} acid _rain,

and ecological _harmony in the private sector. The problem to

be addressed is this: Can the fast-food _industry meet the

demands of the EPA _by the year 1996? This becomes a small

facet in regard to a much greater problem: Should the solid

waste problem be left in the hands of the public or private

sector?

Who Will Show Us The _Way To Recycle?

On September _{18, 1991,} the _following headline appeared in

The Wall Street Journal: Massachusetts Business Groups Back

Broad _Recycling and _Packaging Law. At _first, this seems to be

quite extraordinary. _Why would the business people support

something that is bound to cost them more money? But _Stipp

(1991) reported that there was pressure from environmental

activists, the Governor (a republican who is considered

green) , and William K. Reilly the head of the EPA. Reilly

suggested that trash is not a national problem and should be

handled at the state or local level. The _group of business

associates that formulated the Bill _included; the _Grocery

Manufacturers of _America, the Council for Solid Waste

Solutions, the American Paper _Institute, and the Massachusetts

activists. Here is what the bill proposed. Packages in

Massachusetts _by 1996 must _be; reusable 5 _times, contain 25%

recycled _materials, be made of materials recycled at a 25%

rate in the state or contain at least 10% less material _by

weight than 5 years earlier.

There were _many problems suggested with such a Bill. For

instance some said that it would be an onerous and _costly

monitoring project and that 80% of the _packaging comes from

out of state. However a cost evaluation on an even more

stringent proposal _by the Massachusetts Public Interest

Research _Group that was performed at MIT was found to be

feasible and cost effective _{(Stipp, 1991)} .

There are _many more details suggested in _{the article,} but

most important was that Massachusetts was _setting a standard

for other states to follow. This indicated that there is

concern for _gaining control of the waste problem in a

proactive fashion. It also sparked a question for the

researcher. Are users of these packages aware of these

proposals, and if _so, will it cause some concern?

With this question still _smoldering a search for more

information was initiated. A call to the office of New York's

Public Interest Research _Group was received with _bubbling

environmentally sound packaging. Weeks went _by and _nothing

appeared in the mail. _Ensuing calls to the NYPIRG office were

still received with enthusiasm and more promises were made but

no information ever came.

In the _February, 1992 Southwestern New York Environmental

Compliance Network Newsletter was a description of a bill that

concerned packaging. It mentioned that state Public Interest

Research Groups _(PIRGs) have _actively promoted _packaging ban

proposals _containing provisions _commonly known as "rates and

dates"

or "environmental acceptability"

standards. These

proposals prohibit the use of various _packaging materials that

do not meet one of the _following three standards:

1. Are reusable _(being reused at least five _{times) ;}

2. Are recyclable _(meeting statewide _{recycling rates,}

which _usually start at 25% and increase

incrementally) ; or

3. Are made of recycled material _(containing a

specified amount of recycled _material.)

Last year, state PIRGs introduced these bills in twelve

states, including Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts,

Maine New _Hampshire, New _Mexico, New _Jersey, New _York, North

Carolina, Oregon, and Vermont. Although most of the proposals

were _soundly defeated, "rates and

dates" _{requirements for}

rigid plastic packaging were enacted in Oregon and _California,

On March _5, 1992 in the Rochester Times-Union this

article "Bill Would Require Recyclable Packaging" _appeared.

The article describes a proposal before the state legislature

that would force manufacturers to make _packaging with

recyclable or reusable materials. It appeared to be modeled

very closely to the Massachusetts proposal. Lowe ₍₁₉₉₂₎

reported that this proposal was put together _by the

environmentalists represented _by NYPIRG. New York's proposed

Environmentally Sound _Packaging Act would require one of three

options for _packaging within 5 years. Be reusable 5 times. Be

made with at least 50% recycled _materials, or Be _readily

recyclable _(meaning that the package can be recycled in

community programs _by 75% percent of the state's _population,

or that the package is made of materials _{already being}

recycled at a 50% rate) . An important side note

-supporters

do not know how much the proposal would reduce trash (Lowe,

1992) .

The researcher noted that this article presented the

packaging industries' views in a clearer fashion than the

article about Massachusetts' plan. Lowe ₍₁₉₉₂₎ continued in

the report that packaging is a $70 billion a year _industry,

that protects products from damage, tampering, theft,

deterioration, and also helps to sell the product. Most of

all, they feel that they are already doing their fair share to

mandated regulatons will force them to abandon effective

packaging for impractical alternatives, and that there are

problems because of _{limited recycling} markets _especially with

plastics. The environmentalists cite _many examples of wasteful

practices employed _by the packagers and point out that

CHAPTER THREE

Methodology and Research Design

The previous chapter provided a description of the

efforts of environmental groups to reduce the waste stream.

Their intent is to legislate guidelines to be followed _by

product _{packaging manufacturers,} who stand accused of wasteful

and harmful practices. An _{environmentally} sound _packaging act

would _help limit those wasteful practices _{by requiring} that

packaging be reusable, be made of recycled _materials, or be

easily recyclable. The restaurant business was targeted in

this _{study to} determine their perception _and/or awareness of

the activities of the environmentalists. The benefits derived

by these proposals include _extending the life of a _landfill,

lowering costs for products, and _providing a cleaner

environment.

The focus of the _study was to determine if a restaurant

owner/manager thought that the government could motivate

manufacturers to do _something about point source reduction.

The second point that was addressed is a determination of

their perception of current efforts to recycle. A third point

was the determination of costs. If more costs were incurred to

change packaging practices, who would _pay for them. Last and

very important, determination of their understanding of the

A brief seven-item _{questionnaire (Appendix A)} was

developed. It was modeled after a _{survey instrument} (Appendix

B) designed _by Harris _{Rusitsky (1991). There} were 5 choices

ranging from _strongly agree to _strongly disagree with a not

sure in the middle. _Next, a _survey of the _{Buffalo, Rochester,}

and Batavia phonebooks was conducted to _identify the addresses

of all the _Arby's, Burger _{King, McDonald's, Wendy's,} and KFC

res