Everyone contributes to the generation of waste that, as a society, we must find responsible means to handle. For much of recent history, waste has been seen as having an endpoint as it is primarily taken away and buried in landfills. Recent recycling efforts locally and nationwide have managed to divert only - a surprisingly small percentage of materials from this dead end destination. Recognizing that the waste Stream is full of valuable materials that have an economic value, a closed loop system facilitating recovery, reuse, and re-manufacture of most of our waste is possible. For this to become a reality, there must be alignment of public desire, government will, and economic feasibility.
“If you’ve got a customer that wants something, it’s going to help. If you have the government, the regulators, that want something, it’s going to help. And if the company can make money meeting those customer needs or complying with the government, ...it’s going to happen.”
--David P. Steiner, CEO, Waste Management, Inc.
Landfilling or burning waste causes great damage else- where, way beyond what a landfill or incinerator does.
RAM has always advocated methods that eliminate landfilling and incineration.
RAM has graphically communicated basic principles that are sustainable.
RAM has described high-tech sorting equipment.
RAM has described low-tech methods too...
RAM has tried humor!
RAM has tried a variety of graphic techniques to educate, but ultimately nothing will happen unless people reading these quit sitting on the fence and speak out to their elected government officeholders!
When RAM began, Davidson and Sumner Counties incinerated much of their solid waste. RAM's efforts to end this included education sessions, which explained the Davidson County system clearly.
RAM presented cost/benefit and emissions | comparisons. Below is one cost graphed and others listed. As the final few years’ totals were added, RAM's predictions became validated.
RAM has graphically shown realities of pollution from incineration and ash distribution.
RAM calculated recovery percentages.
Wet/dry pilots RAM participated in never achieved less than 75% recovery rates.
While per-capita growth of waste in the U.S. has finally slowed — largely due to exporting it as manufacturing has been outsourced...
...Solid waste worldwide is presently projected to double over the next 15 years if nothing is done to change present trends!RAM's plan to totally eliminate waste is needed now more than ever.
Davidson County, like so many other governments, chose recycling methods advertised by landfill companies. The damage done has been staggering. RAM has tried many ways to show the magnitude.
In contrast, RAM constructed pilot demonstrations to prove performance of wet/dry methods.
Following a pilot in Sumner County, in late 1993, Davidson County began paying American Ash Recycling. Corp. of TN (AAR) to distribute treated incinerator ash as loose construction fill material. RAM objected. RAM's documentation was sought by environmental groups in many states. Tired of this, AAR sued RAM in early 1997. This forced RAM to investigate further. This led to discoveries which ultimately led Davidson County to end both incineration and its use of AAR.
Over this period, notice how as usage violations became known, treated ash shipments slowed.
