Page 48 - Solid Waste Analysis and Minimization a Systems Approach

26 BACKGROUND AND FUNDAMENTALS OF SOLID WASTE ANALYSIS AND MINIMIZATION

associated with the information revolution as it relates to the evolution of solid
waste management:

1950s––Many urban areas use close-in, open-burning dumps because they reduce
the volume of refuse and extend the usability of the site. But by the end of the
decade, open burning of refuse is prohibited in many areas.

1954––Olympia, Washington, enacts one of the first pay-per-can programs.

1955––With consumer prosperity at an all-time high in the United States, Life mag-
azine heralds the advent of the throwaway society.

1958 to 1976––The amount of packaging produced and disposed of in the United
States increases by 67 percent, due to the increase in consumerism after World
War II.

1959––The American Society of Civil Engineers publishes the standard guide to
sanitary landfilling. To guard against rodents and odors, the guide suggests com-
pacting the refuse and covering it with a new layer of soil each day.

1965––The first federal solid waste management law, the Solid Waste Disposal Act,
authorizes research and provides for state solid waste grants. These include site
inventory programs, resource recovery systems, and constructing new or improved
solid waste disposal facilities.
1968––More than 33 percent of U.S. cities collect waste that is separated in some
manner.

1970––The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is created by President
Nixon. Its first administrator is William Ruckelshaus.

1971––Oregon passes the nation’s first bottle bill, paving the way for nine other
states to offer refunds of 5 or 10 cents for returned containers.

1972––The first buy-back centers for recyclables open in Washington State. These
centers accept beer bottles, aluminum cans, and newspapers.

1974––The first city-wide use of curbside bins occurs in University City, Missouri,
for collecting newspapers.

1975––All 50 states have some form of solid waste regulations in place, although
the requirements vary widely.

1976––The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) creates the first sig-
nificant role for the federal government in waste management. The law emphasizes
recycling, resource conservation, and proper waste management.

1979––EPA prohibits open dumping and sets first standards for landfills.

1980––The first community-wide household hazardous waste collection day is held.
1987––Mobro 4000, the garbage barge, sails from New York up and down the U.S.
East Coast, looking for a place to dispose of its waste. Rejected by facilities in six