Silver, Spring, Md. - The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) is taking a strong step toward further reducing SWANA’s impact on the environment by purchasing carbon emission offsets for the association’s events. Carbon offsets, which are measured as carbon dioxide equivalents, are a financial instrument that offset greenhouse gas emissions from a particular activity.

“SWANA is known as an organization that informs its members about how to be stewards of the environment. By purchasing these offsets, we’re leading by example,” noted John Skinner, SWANA Executive Director and CEO.

SWANA purchased 100 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents through the Chicago Climate Exchange from the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (LCSWMA) in Pennsylvania. The offsets were generated from LCSWMA’s facilities that recover and use landfill gas as a renewable energy source. ancaster’s landfill gas SWANA calculated and offset the carbon dioxide equivalent emissions that were generated from staff transportation, meeting space infrastructure and lodging at all 2008 events. SWANA events that are carbon neutral include the Senior Executive Seminar, the “Thinking Outside the Blue Box” Conference, 31st Annual Landfill Gas Symposium, the SWANA Spring Training Center, the North American Waste-to-Energy Conference and the Landfill Symposium and Planning & Management Conferences.

This initiative is only part of a very extensive list of activities that SWANA has implemented to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change. In 2007, SWANA became the first professional solid waste association to join the Chicago Climate Exchange. In addition, SWANA has developed a carbon calculator that gives WASTECON attendees the opportunity to calculate their carbon footprint. These activities will culminate at WASTECON 2008, October 21-23, with the theme of “The Energy, Climate and Solid Waste Connection.”

About SWANA:

For over 40 years, SWANA, The Solid Waste Association of North America, has been the leading professional association in the solid waste management field. SWANA’s mission is “to advance the practice of environmentally and economically sound management of municipal solid waste.” SWANA serves over 7,500 members and thousands more industry professionals with technical conferences, certifications, publications and a large offering of technical training courses.

www.SWANA.org

Washington, DC (May 16, 2008) – The National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) is releasing a television public service announcement (PSA) as the latest component of its “Slow Down to Get Around” program. The new ad encourages motorists to drive slowly when around solid waste/recycling collection vehicles and employees. This is an important message, as solid waste and recycling collection employees have one of the highest fatality rates of any job in the United States, and there has been an increase in the number of collection employees struck by motorists in recent years.

There are 136,000 waste collection vehicles on roads throughout the U.S. each day. Too often, distracted motorists on increasingly congested roads accelerate when approaching a waste collection vehicle. Driver-education programs universally teach drivers to slow down or stop when approaching a school bus, but it is not commonly understood that waste collection vehicles are similarly vulnerable as they also move slowly, make many stops and generally are accompanied by men and women collecting and emptying waste and recycling cans. During the last 12 months, at least six waste collection employees were killed after being struck in a roadway accident. Primary causes of these incidents have involved motorists distracted with a phone, excessive speed and glare from the sun.

NSWMA’s General Counsel David Biderman, who directs the NSWMA safety program stated, “Too many families have suffered the loss of a loved one through this sort of incident. But we can reduce the frequency of this type of accident by educating the general public. We understand why such accidents occur. With some simple changes and better driver education, we can save many lives.”

NWSMA produced 60-second and 30-second versions of the new television ad with support from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This effort expands a program launched in 2003 by Rumpke Consolidated Companies, Inc., one of the nation’s largest privately owned waste and recycling companies.

In addition to this television PSA, NSWMA recently aired a “Slow Down to Get Around” radio ad in 10 media markets. NSWMA also is making “Slow Down to Get Around” decals available that haulers may put on their trucks to remind motorists to drive carefully. NSWMA makes the television and radio advertisements and decals available to interested parties at no charge. NSWMA encourages companies and local governments to share copies of the ads with their local radio and television stations.

To request a broadcast-quality copy of the television or radio ads, contact Biderman (davidb@envasns.org or 202.364.3743). To request truck decals, contact Niehaus (sales@niehauscorp.com or 859.331.3733).

The National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) – a sub-association of the Environmental Industry Associations – represents for-profit companies in North America that provide solid, hazardous and medical waste collection, recycling and disposal services, and companies that provide professional and consulting services to the waste services industry. NSWMA members conduct business in all 50 states. For more information, visit www.nswma.org.