Mike Winka (NJDEP) discussed the specifics of the Performance Partnership Agreement in relationship with the Appliance and Vehicle Mercury Switch and Recovery Incentive Program. Evidently, mercury emissions continue to be a problem in New Jersey. Back in 1990, NJDEP targeted resource recovery facilities to reduce mercury emissions from batteries and mercury containing devices. Industry-wide efforts along with the dry cell battery management act have reduced the mercury emissions dramatically. The present target is the scrap metal and smelter industry. Mercury switches are common items found in automobiles and appliances.

This agreement will

1. Propose and adopt mercury reduction legislation that would phase out the quantity of mercury in products and would ban from sale products that exceed the limits. A list of mercury containing products would be banned from disposal with the product manufacturers establish and fund an end of life program.
2. Adopt the universal waste rule for mercury-containing devices, which would allow proper management without over regulating.
3. Reduce air emissions from scrap metal smelting facilities by requiring air pollution control devices within three years if front-end reduction programs do not reach the required emission parameters. Front end reduction means scrap dealers and shredders will be required to remove mercury switches before they reach a smelter or mill.

ANJHHWC group held a discussion and voted yes to be a part of this partnership agreement.

Environmental Toxins and the Effects on Children

Elizabeth Sword (Children’s Health Environmental Coalition) spoke about environmental toxins and the effects on children. She mentioned that 80,000 new chemicals have been developed since World War 2. Only a small percentage (10%) of these chemicals have been tested and studied. What effects do these chemicals have on the human body and environment? Elizabeth discussed several examples such as leaded gasoline and the effects on the environment, the link to Parkinson’s disease from chemical exposure and the drastic increase in childhood asthma linked to chemical exposure. Elizabeth concluded by stating 28% of kids health problems today are caused by environmental factors.

The Children’s Health Environmental Coalition is a national, non-profit organization of parents, scientists, physicians committed to protecting children from exposure to dangerous toxins in our homes, schools and communities.

NJDEP Tire Recycling Grant Fund 

The NJDEP Tire Recycling grant fund was discussed among the group. According to the NJDEP, only the Counties with illegal tire pile-ups will receive the $2.4 million dollars allocated for the 2002 tire grant. This policy will prohibit the remaining Counties from obtaining additional funding for tire recycling. This decision by NJDEP has not been finalized. The NJDEP states they will allocate the remaining funds, if available, to the remaining Counties that did not qualify for the initial criteria.

NJDEP Update

County Update

Each County representative briefly discussed the extent of his or her County HHW program schedule for the upcoming 2002 season.

• Donnie Strader (small business account manager) of Ecoflo gave a brief overview of their Hazardous Waste Company located in Greensboro, North Carolina. They do not have any treatment facilities in New Jersey. They will ship all waste to their TSD facility in North Carolina. He asked to be put on all future HHW bid lists. The contact information is Ecoflo 2750 Patterson Street, Greensboro, NC 27407.
• Radiac Research Corp. had no new news except they are Bidding County programs and are presently preparing for the 2002 HHW events.

Closing

There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:25 p.m.