P o l l u t i o n P r e v e n t i o n V i e wA Newsletter from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Summer 2003Volume 3, Issue 3

D E P O F F I C E O F P O L L U T I O N P R E V E N T I O N

Home composting has become morecommonplace throughout the country.But how may people have theopportunity to compost at work?Collecting food scraps from hundreds ofpeople in an office building and managingthem on-site can be a challenge.Connecticut Department of EnvironmentalProtection (DEP) employees, however, roseto this challenge in September 1997 whenthey began to compost food scraps fromthe DEP headquarters building in Hartford.

As part of a source reduction andpollution prevention initiative, over900 DEP employees are asked toseparate their food scraps into speciallymarked buckets provided in each ofsix lunch rooms. At the end of everyday, the compost buckets are emptied intoan institutional-size compost bin locatedin back of the building. One hundredemployee volunteers (nick-named “organicmechanics”) had been taking turnsperforming this function until 2001, butit is now part of the building’s cleaningcontract. Each morning, the compost is“turned” by volunteers, making sure thatthe food scraps are mixed with the woodshavings that are used as a source ofcarbon. Because the composter is poweredby electricity that rotates a large steel-bladed mixing auger, this task only takesabout 10 minutes to complete. Every sixmonths, the compost is ready to harvest.Volunteers use wheelbarrows and shovels

to screen the compost as it comes out ofthe composter. The compost is still quitehot at this point (+100ºF) and is taken toanother DEP facility in Portland to cure.Once stabilized, the finished compost isused in planting beds at state parks andother DEP facilities.

Data was collected during the firstfour years of operation by volunteersweighing each bucket before it wasdumped into the compost bin. Now theemptying task is included in the building’smaintenance contract and is performedby the cleaning staff. The buckets are nolonger weighed, but getting the emptyingtask put into the cleaning contact was animportant step in making the food scrapcollection a part of building maintenanceprocedures.

Based on the data collected, anaverage of 31.5 pounds of food scrapsper day is being recycled. To date, theDEP has diverted 44,648 pounds of foodscraps from the Hartford trash burningplant through this program. This hasproduced 15.8 cubic yards of compost thathas been used at Dinosaur State Park inRocky Hill, Talcott Mountain State Park inSimsbury, Gillette Castle in East Haddam,and in the plantings in front of the DEPHeadquarters in Hartford. For moreinformation, contact the projectcoordinator, K.C. Alexander at the DEPRecycling Program (860) 424-3239 orkathy.alexander@po.state.ct.us ■

A Work of Ort(Ort is a scrap of food left after a meal)

A DEP employee throws her orange peel into the lunchroom bucket.

A wheelbarrow full of finished compost.

The DEP Headquarters’ plantings thrive with compost.

2 P2 View | Summer 2003

There’s no doubt about it. Big chain grocerystores and small specialty markets are listeningto consumer demands for organic products.Many people want to eat organic foodsfor health reasons, but organic agriculturecreates less pollution and has othersignificant environmental benefits aswell. (See sidebar)

More and more food products - from“soup to nuts“ - are labeled organic. Butwhat does that label really mean? Peopletend to think organic foods are those thatare grown without the use of pesticides.While this is true, the federal government hasdeveloped new labeling laws that createstandards for what can be called organic.

The new National Organic Program (NOP)regulations require that organic products thatcome from farms with organic sales above$5,000 must be certified by an organizationaccredited by the USDA. The NOP regulationsalso require an organic plan for caring for thesoil and prohibit genetic engineering,radiation, and sewage sludge in organicproduction and handling. A penalty up to$10,000 can be levied on any person whoviolates these regulations.

The new labeling standards refer to thepercentage of organic ingredients inthe product:■ “100 percent organic” means the product

contains only organically produced ingredients.

■ “Organic” means the product has at least95% organically produced ingredients.

■ Products meeting the requirements for“100 percent organic” and “organic” maydisplay the USDA Organic seal.

■ “Made with organic ingredients” means the product contains at least 70% organicingredients and the label can list up to three of the organic ingredients or food groups on the label. The USDA seal cannotbe used anywhere on the package.

■ If the product contains less than 70% organic ingredients, the term “organic” can’t be used, even though organic ingredients can be listed.

So, if you are interested in eating organicfoods you can at least be certain that acrossthe nation, organic means the same thing.For more information on the standards, goto the NOP website atwww.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexIE.htm.

Remember, transporting food to themarket causes pollution and depending onhow far the products have traveled, it maysometimes negate the environmental benefitsof organic agriculture. So, always try to buylocally grown, organic food whenever possible.If you are interested in information on organicfarms in Connecticut, contact the NortheastOrganic Farming Association (NOFA) at(203) 888-5146 or go to their website atwww.ctnofa.org. ■

■ Eliminates the risk of pesticide-contaminated water sources and improves soil health.

■ Can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by locking more carbonin the soil rather than releasing it intothe atmosphere, as what happens inconventional agriculture.

■ May contribute to the survival ofpopulations of songbirds, bees, fish,bald eagles, and wetlands species that have been hurt by chemicals inthe environment.

■ Avoids the use of hormones andantibiotics often fed to animals onconventional farms.

■ Limits the occupational and non-occupational harm to humans, such as cancers and a broad range of birth defects and reproductive problems that can result from exposure to pesticides.

SOURCES:www.ota.com/organic/environment/environmental.htmland www.theorganicreport.com/pages/80_choosing.cfm

P2 View | Summer 2003 3

What’sNew

In P2?VOC Free Paint

for Sikorsky HelicoptersA Pollution Prevention

Case study

The CT DEP has a case study availablethat details a new environmentally-preferable paint in use by aConnecticut manufacturer.Sikorsky has delivered a new helicopterto the Navy with paint formulatedwithout any hazardous air pollutants(HAPs) or volatile organic compounds(VOCs). VOCs contribute to ground-level ozone (smog), which damageslungs and degrades many materials.

This new paint has passedperformance trials under actualmilitary operating conditions and hasbecome the new standard helicopterpaint. The previous paint containedfour chemicals targeted by the federalEnvironmental Protection Agency forreduction or elimination wheneverpossible. The new topcoat hasperformed up to the standards of theNavy and it is seen as a moreenvironmentally friendly material.It is virtually impossible to tell thedifference between the old VOC/HAPtopcoat and the new water-bornetopcoat. This was noticed when fouraircraft were situated in a line and thezero-VOC coated aircraft was virtuallyindistinguishable from the other three.

Copies of this case study are availableby calling the DEP Office of PollutionPrevention at (860) 424-3297 or itmay be viewed and downloaded fromthe internet at: www.dep.state.ct.us/wst/p2/index.htm Click on the“Business/Industry” link to see theentire list of available case studies ofConnecticut companies.

Would you buy an expensive car andnever change the oil? Or would you useyour vacuum cleaner for twenty yearswithout emptying the bag? Of coursenot!! But many homeowners never thinkabout maintaining their septic tank until thesystem fails and they see or smell sewagebubbling up in the yard or flooding thebasement. Proper maintenance will protectthe value of your home and save you fromthe hassles of a failed system.

A home septic system is essentially anindividual treatment facility for the household’swastewater, which is often referred to assewage. Septic systems are used wheremunicipal or regional treatment facilities arenot accessible by sewer lines, usually in ruraland suburban locations.

A typical septic system treats thehousehold’s sewage, temporarily holdingit in the septic tank where heavy solids andlighter scum are allowed to separate fromthe wastewater. The solids and scum remainin the tank and are partially decomposed bybacteria. Wastewater (“effluent”) leaves thetank and flows into a distribution box thatdirects the effluent into the drainage system,sometimes referred to as the “leaching field”.Usually a network of perforated pipes intrenches, the drainage system disperses theeffluent into the surrounding natural soils.The effluent is purified by the soil’s organisms,thus protecting groundwater and in turn,public health and the environment.

In order to prolong the life of your septicsystem, the accumulated solids at the bottomof the tank along with the lighter scum shouldbe pumped out every two to five years by alicensed firm. If not removed, the solidswill eventually overflow, accumulate inthe drainage system and clog up the soil’spores (openings) – no longer allowingthe effluent to flow into the soil. Sewagewill then back up into your house or bubbleup in your yard. If this happens, you may

need to construct a new drainage system ona different part of your lot, which can bequite expensive.

Other ways to avoid trouble withyour septic system is to avoid pouringcooking grease or fats down the drain.Grease hardens in the tank and accumulatesuntil it clogs the inlet or outlet pipe. Garbagedisposals are not recommended for houseswith septic systems because their usesignificantly increases the amount of solidsand greases entering the tank, resulting inthe need for more frequent pumping.

Paints, pesticides, poisons and otherhousehold chemicals should not bedumped down the drain since they maykill soil microorganisms that help purify thesewage. There is no need to use commercialseptic tank additives. Some of these productscontain chemicals that may damage yourdrainage system or contaminate thegroundwater.

For more tips on how to avoidtrouble with your septic system, call theCT DEP Office of Pollution Preventionat (860) 424-3297 and ask for the free guideon “Septic Care and Maintenancefor the Homeowner” or visitwww.conservect.org/septic_care.htm. Formore information on septic systems, visitwww.dph.state.ct.us (type “septic tank” inthe search block) or contact your local healthdepartment. To verify that a septic tankcleaning service has a license, call the CTDept. of Public Health at (860) 509-7603. ■

A Typical Household Septic System

P 2 C a l e n d a ra s e l e c t i o n o f p 2 r e l a t e d e v e n t s

The Department of Environmental Protection is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, providing programsand services in a fair and impartial manner. In conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, DEP makes everyeffort to provide equally effective services for persons with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities needing auxiliaryaids or services, or for more information by voice or TTY/TDD, call (860) 424-3000.

For a free subscription, please contact Judy Prill at (860) 424-3694 ore-mail your request to judith.prill@po.state.ct.us. If you want to save paper andpostage by reading the P2 View electronically, you can either subscribe to thelistserv or view it on-line (see www.dep.state.ct.us/wst/p2/).

P2 View is published by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection,Office of Pollution Prevention. Editor: Judy Prill; Contributors; David Westcott,Nan Peckham, Kim Trella, Mary Sherwin, Lynn Stoddard and Connie Mendolia.

Publication of this newsletter is funded by a grant from the U.S. EPA.

Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper using water-based ink.

STATE OF CONNECTICUTDEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION79 Elm StreetHartford, CT 06106-5127www.dep.state.ct.usArthur J. Rocque, Jr., Commissioner

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

PRSRT STD

US POSTAGE

P A I DHARTFORD CT

PERMIT NO. 4313

P2 Lecture SeriesDEP sponsors a monthly lecture serieson pollution prevention topics.Lectures are free, open to the public, and

are held from 11:00 a.m. to noon in the

Phoenix Auditorium, DEP Building, 79 Elm St.,

Hartford. For additional information, contact

Lynn Stoddard at (860) 424-3236 or go to

www.dep.state.ct.us/calendar/calendar.htm.

June 22, 2003

Organic Farm Tour,Eastern CT

A tour of four organic farms in easternConnecticut. Tickets cost $30.00 andinclude an organic luncheon with locallygrown organic foods. Pre-registrationis required. For more information,call the CT NOFA office at (203) 888-5146or visit www.ctnofa.org.

1. What issues do you want to read about in future issues?2. Which information in past articles has been most useful to you?

Call (860) 424-3694 or email me, judith.prill@po.state.ct.us to respond to the survey.The first 25 to complete the short reader survey will receive a free digital thermometer.Plus, everyone who completes the survey will be entered in a raffle for a special P2 prize.

June – October 2003

Bicycle to WorkBreakfasts: Old State

House, HartfordEvery last Friday of each month throughOctober, bicycling commuters can get afree breakfast and register for prizes.CT DEP volunteers are staffingthe June 27th breakfast. Other sponsorsinclude the Capitol Region Council ofGovernments, American LungAssociation, CT Departments of PublicHealth and Transportation, ALL ABOARD!,CT Sierra Club and CT Bicycle Coalition.For more information and to connectwith others who commute by bicycle inyour area, visit www.crcog.org or contactSandy Fry, CRCOG, at (860) 522-2217.

June 19, 2003:Choosing Greener Transportation – Hybrids, Alternatively Fueled Vehicles, andFuel Cells. Nancy Hazard, Director Transportation Programs, Northeast SustainableEnergy Association.

July 17, 2003:Promoting Green High Performance Buildings in Connecticut. Kim Trella andFrank Gagliardo, CT DEP.

What doYOU think?(about the P2 View)