Document VKNmOKoB3Yj64BXrv14rOXDmq

F Witco off cadmium, (lead, and mercury in municipal solid waste (MSW) in Providence/ PI, on December 2-3, 1992. This meeting was sponsored by; and initiated by the US Environmental Protectio Agency (EPAJv Region I and Headquarters (Washington/ D,c.). The forum was organized and run by SWANA (The Solid waste Association bf Worth America) as a contracted, consulting function paid by EPA. The background material included a 138-page booklet titled MCbtting at the Source - Strategies for Reducing Municipal Solid Waste.* This publication was used to plant and to steer phe meeting. It was developed by the World Wildlife Fund & The conservation Foundation/ Washington, p.c., which isitha largest private u.s. organization;working worldwide to conserve nature. About organ! . . _ , . . . ___ing firms, and industry. The attendees then formed six work sessions, each covering one the six pre-selected target products, ! Sixteen people attended and contributed to the discussions and conclusions In the work group on the target product! oadmium-baeed stabilisers used in PVC. This work session was moderated by `.a facilitatorMr, Bob Pease, from a consulting firm in Massachusetts, paid by EPA. He appeared to be greatly influenced by Miss Francis Irwin from the World Wildlife Fund & Conservation Foundation. Also present were invited representatives from industry. The BFGoodrich Co>. Akzo chemicals, Ferro (Bedford Chemical Div.), synthetic Products Co., and Witco Corp. After several hours of brainstorming for all types of source reduction of cadmium in stabilizers, followed by elimination of impracticable! possibilities, 10 ''viable" options were listed. These options!were vigorously discussed, and the best ones were presented by the facilitator to the combined forum at the end of the two-day meeting. First, the following general conclusions w^re given: - The US^-made toy and'food industries have been cadmium-free since the 1980's. - Since the 1980's, there has been a 25 - 33 % reduction in the use of!cadmium stabilizers in PVC. - Majority of the industry expects to be off cadmium within the next 5 (7 ?) years. 1 TReport* Source Reduction Cadmium Page 2 - Every customer, is feeing pushed to switch to non cadmium stabilizers ! > - All R&D work is feeing done in non-cadmium stabilizers* none in cadmium stabilizers. - Non-cadmium stabilizer products will become superior to the cadmium ones because no R&D is being done on oadmium. The top three methods, to implement source reduction of cadmium stabilizers in PVC are listed first; the others are in approximate order of acceptability. 1. Substitution of cadmium and reformulate with other metals like calcium and zinc (and barium). 2. Voluntary decrease of the use of Cadmium stabilizers, 3. Promote the use of alternate PVC materials that do not 'contain cadmium, 4. Reduce the amount of cadmium in stabilizers, 5. Userj fee on chdmiuto products, 6. Extend product life of pvc products. 7. Reduce use ofjpvc products containing cadmium stabilizers. , 8. Ban the PVC products that use cadmium stabilizers, 9. Government bonus (subsidy) to replace cadmium. 10. Ban all PVC. Note that item 10. was suggested only by the facilitator and supported, in part, feyi only one person, the wildlife Fund member. It appeared to me [that we decided to delete this item, but the facilitator included it when he gave the summary report for the, group, We will be receiving a, dra^t report of the meeting conclusions for comments afed corrections before SWANA (or the EPA) issues a finished, formal report. R&S 144200