CARI Convention Calls for Change

Canada’s scrap recycling industry, like that in the United States, has experienced dynamic changes in recent months. Attendees of the Canadian Association of Recycling Industries’ annual convention discussed these conditions and ways to cope with them.

When the Canadian Association of Recycling Industries (CARI) named its 49th annual convention "New Directions," it wasn't just dispensing pretty words. It was setting the stage for some major association changes, which were presented at the June convention held in Vancouver.

Key among the changes offered was a proposal to rename the association, give it a new corporate identity, and expand its staff and membership. According to CARI Public Relations Chairman Graham Allen, Noranda Sales Corp., Toronto, who addressed attendees at the convention's general meeting, the association is "being eclipsed by other organizations that are better at getting their story out and garnering public support." Therefore, he said, "CARI has decided that a comprehensive communication program is needed. However, before this can be launched, we have to determine what kind of organization we are and where we want to go in the future." To help make this conclusion, Graham said, the association hired a public issues consulting firm to survey the association's membership and make recommendations about how CARI and its members can prosper in the 1990s and beyond.

After surveying 40 CARI members, MWR & Associates, the Toronto-based firm retained by CARI, concluded that members are concerned about CARI's ability to lobby government and educate the media on a national level. Combining these results with MWR's examination of CARI staff and services, the public recycling sector in Canada, other national trade associations, government policies, and more, MWR representatives, on behalf of CARI's outgoing board of directors, presented its recommendations for revamping the association at the general meeting of the convention.

Discussing the Past and the Future

Outgoing CARI President Albert Adelstein, Sam Adelstein & Co. Ltd., St. Catharines, Ontario, opened the general meeting, and introduced Stan Parker, CARI executive director. Parker described some of the activities of the association during the past year. "We've established the techniques," he said, "especially in the areas of environmental and government bylaws. We've shown that through the success that we've had on regulation of imports/exports and battery handling. We have the expertise, the system, and the staff," he continued. "Now it's merely a matter of expanding it.”

On the issue of growth, Parker noted that the association's board of directors amended the bylaws to establish regional chapters. "We expect to be growing,” he said, “and if the regional concerns of CARI are to be addressed, we have to have more activity on a regional basis."

Parker presented the slate of members nominated to serve as officers of the board of directors. They include president, Larry Kummer, London Salvage & Trading Co., London, Ontario; first vice president, John Kis, Intermetco Ltd., Hamilton, Ontario; second vice president, Jack Lazareck, General Scrap & Car Shredder Ltd., Winnipeg, Manitoba; third vice president, Max Zalev, Zalev Brothers Ltd., Windsor, Ontario; secretary, Bernard Ziff, Bonus Metal Canada Inc., Montreal; and treasurer, Jack Rosen, Rosen Industries Ltd., Kitchener, Ontario. All were unanimously elected during the board of directors meeting held later in the morning. Jack Rosen presented the association's financial picture and described it as "little changed since last year’s convention."

Proposing New Directions

Mary Rowe and Walter Tedman of MWR presented the consulting firm’s improvement proposal for CARI. Rowe spoke of the challenges currently facing CARI. "We're not just talking about the future of CARI, but, in fact, we're talking about the future of recycling in Canada,” she explained.

Rowe noted that the association's small staff size creates problems: CARI's legislative lobbying efforts are often defensive or nonexistent since there's no one monitoring legislative activities before they're introduced, and its public and media relations lack strength. Therefore, MWR proposed adding a lobbying/public relations employee to CARI's staff.

Tedman described reaching a wider audience as a crucial part of CARI's future. To highlight this sense of outreach, he suggested both a new name and a new logo for the association. Tedman explained that the firm's proposed new name, "The Recycling Association of Canada," would better indicate the association's goal of becoming an advocate for recycling in every part of Canada.

The proposed logo that Tedman unveiled also would reflect what he termed "the energy and the dynamic nature of the industry": a rainbow with a maple leaf at one end and the words "Recycling Recyclage Canada" stacked at the bottom end. Using this logo, Tedman said, would create "a brilliant, multifaceted image of the association's desire to reach out and to take on new goals."

The outreach efforts and new goals that MRW proposed for CARI require an annual budget increase of at least $120,000 and would include funding for membership recruitment, salary for a policy development and communications staff member, revamped and new publications, and external communications/public education. To raise these funds, MRW suggested implementing a few activities, including increasing membership, setting a special assessment on members, and establishing a "President's Gold Key Club" for special contributions, a portion of which would fund an environmental awards program for young Canadians. At the 1990-91 CARI board of directors meeting that followed MWR's presentation, the board voted to accept, in principle, the proposals and send them on for evaluation by the public relations committee.

Farber Describes Challenges and Opportunities

At the keynote luncheon, featured speaker Jake Farber, Alpert & Alpert Iron & Metal Inc., Los Angeles, and president of the Bureau International de la Recuperation, noted that all the attendees, as businessmen, recyclers, and citizens, are concerned about the environment and are working actively to save it. “However,” he said, "we also want to make sure that governments, in their frantic efforts to curb pollution or toxic wastes, do not indiscriminately destroy our businesses." Farber continued, "It is ironic that the recycling industry--an industry that offers opportunities for the future--is being hard-pressed by ill-advised and discriminatory legislation that may indeed force many recycling companies out of business."

A major altering of the industry's image must take place, Farber believes. "One of the prime objectives of our industry in the next few years should be to prove that scrap is not waste," he said.

Current events also loom as influences for the industry. The unified European Community, set for 1992, and the reunification of Germany could well challenge North America in the marketplace, Farber pointed out. On the other hand, he added, events in Eastern Europe may open a variety of markets for everyone.

Farber noted that "while we live in times of quick change, one factor remains unchanged--the continuing friendship and partnership of the United States and Canada." The two countries still have some issues to work out in their trade talks, he said, but, knowing the tradition and history of friendship, he is hopeful that things will be worked out and that scrap will continue to flow regularly across the border.

Adelstein Reflects on His Presidency and Need for More Dialogue

In his last speech as CARI's president, Albert Adelstein described some of the rewarding moments of the last two years and noted some of the challenges he sees for the future.

The establishment of the Canadian Alliance of Recycling and the Environment (CARE) stands out as a highlight for Adelstein. Formed in conjunction with CARI and business, government, and environmental groups, the CARE held a conference in March 1989 that effectively linked various interests concerned with recycling in Canada. The association, however, he pointed out, must do more to work with the public, the media, and the government. It must create a dialogue with environmentalists, manufacturers, service companies, restaurants, and institutions and open the association's membership to them. With a larger group of unified recyclers, he emphasized, points can be made more strongly to the necessary groups.

"The 1990s are offering us an opportunity to be on the crest of the wave, leading rather than following, initiating rather than just reacting," Adelstein concluded, adding, "This opportunity brings with it several challenges to recruit new members, serve better the ones we already have, and be able to deal with new partners in advancing recycling.”

Ferrous Industry Works with Successes and Problems

Chaired by Harold Goldblatt, Hagersville Recycling, Hagersville, Ontario, the ferrous meeting included presentations by Bernard Ziff and members of the Ferrous Scrap Consumers Group: Rene Hill, Sidbec-Feruni Inc., Longueuil, Quebec; Philip Kelly, Courtice Steel Inc., Cambridge, Ontario; Charlie Holt, Lake Ontario Steel Co., Whitby, Ontario; and David Fingold, Slater Steels Corp., Hamilton, Ontario.

Ziff opened the discussion with an assessment of the iron and steel industry. "The supply line for recyclable ferrous material is going up and the domestic and U.S. steel mill operating rates are on the upswing," Ziff noted. "The demand from offshore buyers has strengthened, with increased buying from Turkey, Korea, and Taiwan. This led to a strong six months of business. Although the second half looks weaker, certain trends indicate stronger markets for the end of the year and into early 1991."

Ziff reflected that several problems still confront the ferrous industry: environmental issues, the quality of products, and transportation costs. "In the 1990s, governments and the public will make great demands on our industry," he said, adding, "The challenge is to continue to work together as a team to solve these problems. If we can achieve this goal, we as an industry will continue to prosper.”

Rene Hill spoke on the objectives and functions of the Ferrous Scrap Consumers Group, an informal organization of Canadian steel mill buyers formed in 1986. The group meets twice a year to discuss mutual issues, including inspection methods for detecting radioactive scrap, impurities in scrap and its effect on steelmaking, safety improvements for employees, food and beverage container recycling, and legislation, Hill said.

Charlie Holt described the need to distinguish between scrap and waste, and also reflected on the problem of identifying radioactive scrap. "The first line of defense is probably at the scrap scale," he said. Because the disposal and management costs involved when radioactive scrap turns up at a steel mill are passed on to the scrap supplier, he said, "I wonder if an investment on the part of scrap dealers in radiation detection equipment wouldn't be cheaper in the long run."

David Fingold wrapped up the meeting with a discussion of quality standards for the industry. Because many of his company's Canadian scrap suppliers are not able to meet the steel producer's specifications, he said, "We have had to turn to American suppliers to make up for this shortfall." There's no reason for this to be the case, he noted, since the main criteria for quality is consistency.

Nonferrous Meeting Attendees Consider Competition

Addressing attendees at the nonferrous meeting, Mark A. Nantais, Motor Vehicles Manufacturers' Association, Toronto, emphasized the importance of enhancing communications channels between the automobile and recycling industries. "If we are to remain in business, we have to be competitive internationally. And not just economically, but in environmental friendliness, including recyclability," Nantais said.

The meeting was chaired by Ken Mallam, Wabash Alloys Ontario, Toronto.

How to Handle the Press

Mary Rowe and Walter Tedman of MWR & Associates drew convention attendees into active participation during a seminar on dealing with the press.

"Nothing is more nerve-wracking than facing a reporter," Tedman said, but it's vital during an interview to maintain control and composure. Establish beforehand the main points you want to get out, he advised, and then control the message delivery during the interview. To prepare for this, Rowe added, companies should have a designated company spokesperson and established guidelines of the company's position on key issues.

Tedman cautioned attendees to find out who they are speaking with and what the story angle is when they're approached by a reporter. If a reporter asks for an on-the-spot interview, he advised them to request a few hours preparation time. Tell the reporter you want to be better prepared, he suggested.

Learning About Fluff Disposal Problems

Presenting the latest information disseminated by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment on shredder fluff disposal to attendees of the shredders' meeting, meeting chairman Max Zalev said that the ministry's study of shredder fluff generated by a Toronto recycler revealed that the fluff should be considered nonhazardous, and therefore, acceptable for landfill disposal. Because of landfill capacity shortages, however, the study recommends alternative disposal methods for Ontario shredder fluff. These include use as landfill cover, disposal in a dedicated landfill for later use, incineration with municipal solid waste or sewage sludge, and use as a fuel supplement in cement kilns.

"The important thing [about the study] for our industry at this point,” Zalev said, "is that the status quo has been maintained.”

Proposed Tax Attempts to Reduce Deficit

Norbert Bunte, Bunte & Bunte, Waterloo, Ontario, presented an overview of the proposed Canadian goods and services tax (GST). At the time of the seminar, noted Bunte, the proposal had passed the House of Commons and was being debated in the Senate.

Bunte described the new tax as no different than a value-added tax commonly found in European countries. The GST would add a 7-percent sales tax to every step in the recycling chain; however, tax credits would be given as the material moves through the manufacturing process.

Businesses should plan for the GST, Bunte suggested, by reviewing long-term contracts; arranging for inventory count, if necessary; -evaluating timing of capital acquisitions and of imports; and reviewing cash flow budgets.

Environment Group Facing Variety of Issues

At the environmental seminar, John Cox, Exploranium G.S. Limited, Bolton, Ontario, gave an in-depth presentation on radioactive scrap. He noted that more than 500,000 radiation sources--typically measuring only 12-inches-cubed--exist in North America, "so there's a high probability that sources go missing." Approximately once a year, he noted, a source is "found the hard way."

Cox considers scale detection systems as vital to detecting radioactive scrap before it enters a scrap plant. The advantages of this detection system include its ability to catch the source early, thus protecting workers, and its false alarm prevention system.

Steve Hart, Office of Waste Management, Environment Canada, told seminar attendees that one of the greatest challenges facing Canada today is reducing the amount of waste entering the waste stream. Canada produced 1.7 kilograms of waste per person per day last year, he noted--a figure that's higher than any other country in the world. “CARI,” he said, “has played and continues to play a critical role m alleviating that waste through recycling.”

"I hope I don't sound like I'm boasting, but I'm proud," said David Serls, president of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Colonial Metals Co., Columbia, Pennsylvania, and L. Lavetan and Sons Inc., York, Pennsylvania, when he described for the audience ReMA's hard fight to change language in a bill to reauthorize the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Language was rewritten to exclude recyclables from the legislation's definition of hazardous wastes, he said, adding, "I must attribute that success to our members--who wrote more than 3,000 letters opposing the amendment."

Serls continued, "We hope that our Canadian friends will join us in fighting any proposals here that will affect our ability to do business together," particularly those that lack a clear distinction between scrap and waste, and therefore, could impede on international movement of recyclables.

Canada’s scrap recycling industry, like that in the United States, has experienced dynamic changes in recent months. Attendees of the Canadian Association of Recycling Industries’ annual convention discussed these conditions and ways to cope with them.

When the Canadian Association of Recycling Industries (CARI) named its 49th annual convention "New Directions," it wasn't just dispensing pretty words. It was setting the stage for some major association changes, which were presented at the June convention held in Vancouver.

Key among the changes offered was a proposal to rename the association, give it a new corporate identity, and expand its staff and membership. According to CARI Public Relations Chairman Graham Allen, Noranda Sales Corp., Toronto, who addressed attendees at the convention's general meeting, the association is "being eclipsed by other organizations that are better at getting their story out and garnering public support." Therefore, he said, "CARI has decided that a comprehensive communication program is needed. However, before this can be launched, we have to determine what kind of organization we are and where we want to go in the future." To help make this conclusion, Graham said, the association hired a public issues consulting firm to survey the association's membership and make recommendations about how CARI and its members can prosper in the 1990s and beyond.

After surveying 40 CARI members, MWR & Associates, the Toronto-based firm retained by CARI, concluded that members are concerned about CARI's ability to lobby government and educate the media on a national level. Combining these results with MWR's examination of CARI staff and services, the public recycling sector in Canada, other national trade associations, government policies, and more, MWR representatives, on behalf of CARI's outgoing board of directors, presented its recommendations for revamping the association at the general meeting of the convention.

Discussing the Past and the Future

Outgoing CARI President Albert Adelstein, Sam Adelstein & Co. Ltd., St. Catharines, Ontario, opened the general meeting, and introduced Stan Parker, CARI executive director. Parker described some of the activities of the association during the past year. "We've established the techniques," he said, "especially in the areas of environmental and government bylaws. We've shown that through the success that we've had on regulation of imports/exports and battery handling. We have the expertise, the system, and the staff," he continued. "Now it's merely a matter of expanding it.”

On the issue of growth, Parker noted that the association's board of directors amended the bylaws to establish regional chapters. "We expect to be growing,” he said, “and if the regional concerns of CARI are to be addressed, we have to have more activity on a regional basis."

Parker presented the slate of members nominated to serve as officers of the board of directors. They include president, Larry Kummer, London Salvage & Trading Co., London, Ontario; first vice president, John Kis, Intermetco Ltd., Hamilton, Ontario; second vice president, Jack Lazareck, General Scrap & Car Shredder Ltd., Winnipeg, Manitoba; third vice president, Max Zalev, Zalev Brothers Ltd., Windsor, Ontario; secretary, Bernard Ziff, Bonus Metal Canada Inc., Montreal; and treasurer, Jack Rosen, Rosen Industries Ltd., Kitchener, Ontario. All were unanimously elected during the board of directors meeting held later in the morning. Jack Rosen presented the association's financial picture and described it as "little changed since last year’s convention."

Proposing New Directions

Mary Rowe and Walter Tedman of MWR presented the consulting firm’s improvement proposal for CARI. Rowe spoke of the challenges currently facing CARI. "We're not just talking about the future of CARI, but, in fact, we're talking about the future of recycling in Canada,” she explained.

Rowe noted that the association's small staff size creates problems: CARI's legislative lobbying efforts are often defensive or nonexistent since there's no one monitoring legislative activities before they're introduced, and its public and media relations lack strength. Therefore, MWR proposed adding a lobbying/public relations employee to CARI's staff.

Tedman described reaching a wider audience as a crucial part of CARI's future. To highlight this sense of outreach, he suggested both a new name and a new logo for the association. Tedman explained that the firm's proposed new name, "The Recycling Association of Canada," would better indicate the association's goal of becoming an advocate for recycling in every part of Canada.

The proposed logo that Tedman unveiled also would reflect what he termed "the energy and the dynamic nature of the industry": a rainbow with a maple leaf at one end and the words "Recycling Recyclage Canada" stacked at the bottom end. Using this logo, Tedman said, would create "a brilliant, multifaceted image of the association's desire to reach out and to take on new goals."

The outreach efforts and new goals that MRW proposed for CARI require an annual budget increase of at least $120,000 and would include funding for membership recruitment, salary for a policy development and communications staff member, revamped and new publications, and external communications/public education. To raise these funds, MRW suggested implementing a few activities, including increasing membership, setting a special assessment on members, and establishing a "President's Gold Key Club" for special contributions, a portion of which would fund an environmental awards program for young Canadians. At the 1990-91 CARI board of directors meeting that followed MWR's presentation, the board voted to accept, in principle, the proposals and send them on for evaluation by the public relations committee.

Farber Describes Challenges and Opportunities

At the keynote luncheon, featured speaker Jake Farber, Alpert & Alpert Iron & Metal Inc., Los Angeles, and president of the Bureau International de la Recuperation, noted that all the attendees, as businessmen, recyclers, and citizens, are concerned about the environment and are working actively to save it. “However,” he said, "we also want to make sure that governments, in their frantic efforts to curb pollution or toxic wastes, do not indiscriminately destroy our businesses." Farber continued, "It is ironic that the recycling industry--an industry that offers opportunities for the future--is being hard-pressed by ill-advised and discriminatory legislation that may indeed force many recycling companies out of business."

A major altering of the industry's image must take place, Farber believes. "One of the prime objectives of our industry in the next few years should be to prove that scrap is not waste," he said.

Current events also loom as influences for the industry. The unified European Community, set for 1992, and the reunification of Germany could well challenge North America in the marketplace, Farber pointed out. On the other hand, he added, events in Eastern Europe may open a variety of markets for everyone.

Farber noted that "while we live in times of quick change, one factor remains unchanged--the continuing friendship and partnership of the United States and Canada." The two countries still have some issues to work out in their trade talks, he said, but, knowing the tradition and history of friendship, he is hopeful that things will be worked out and that scrap will continue to flow regularly across the border.

Adelstein Reflects on His Presidency and Need for More Dialogue

In his last speech as CARI's president, Albert Adelstein described some of the rewarding moments of the last two years and noted some of the challenges he sees for the future.

The establishment of the Canadian Alliance of Recycling and the Environment (CARE) stands out as a highlight for Adelstein. Formed in conjunction with CARI and business, government, and environmental groups, the CARE held a conference in March 1989 that effectively linked various interests concerned with recycling in Canada. The association, however, he pointed out, must do more to work with the public, the media, and the government. It must create a dialogue with environmentalists, manufacturers, service companies, restaurants, and institutions and open the association's membership to them. With a larger group of unified recyclers, he emphasized, points can be made more strongly to the necessary groups.

"The 1990s are offering us an opportunity to be on the crest of the wave, leading rather than following, initiating rather than just reacting," Adelstein concluded, adding, "This opportunity brings with it several challenges to recruit new members, serve better the ones we already have, and be able to deal with new partners in advancing recycling.”

Ferrous Industry Works with Successes and Problems

Chaired by Harold Goldblatt, Hagersville Recycling, Hagersville, Ontario, the ferrous meeting included presentations by Bernard Ziff and members of the Ferrous Scrap Consumers Group: Rene Hill, Sidbec-Feruni Inc., Longueuil, Quebec; Philip Kelly, Courtice Steel Inc., Cambridge, Ontario; Charlie Holt, Lake Ontario Steel Co., Whitby, Ontario; and David Fingold, Slater Steels Corp., Hamilton, Ontario.

Ziff opened the discussion with an assessment of the iron and steel industry. "The supply line for recyclable ferrous material is going up and the domestic and U.S. steel mill operating rates are on the upswing," Ziff noted. "The demand from offshore buyers has strengthened, with increased buying from Turkey, Korea, and Taiwan. This led to a strong six months of business. Although the second half looks weaker, certain trends indicate stronger markets for the end of the year and into early 1991."

Ziff reflected that several problems still confront the ferrous industry: environmental issues, the quality of products, and transportation costs. "In the 1990s, governments and the public will make great demands on our industry," he said, adding, "The challenge is to continue to work together as a team to solve these problems. If we can achieve this goal, we as an industry will continue to prosper.”

Rene Hill spoke on the objectives and functions of the Ferrous Scrap Consumers Group, an informal organization of Canadian steel mill buyers formed in 1986. The group meets twice a year to discuss mutual issues, including inspection methods for detecting radioactive scrap, impurities in scrap and its effect on steelmaking, safety improvements for employees, food and beverage container recycling, and legislation, Hill said.

Charlie Holt described the need to distinguish between scrap and waste, and also reflected on the problem of identifying radioactive scrap. "The first line of defense is probably at the scrap scale," he said. Because the disposal and management costs involved when radioactive scrap turns up at a steel mill are passed on to the scrap supplier, he said, "I wonder if an investment on the part of scrap dealers in radiation detection equipment wouldn't be cheaper in the long run."

David Fingold wrapped up the meeting with a discussion of quality standards for the industry. Because many of his company's Canadian scrap suppliers are not able to meet the steel producer's specifications, he said, "We have had to turn to American suppliers to make up for this shortfall." There's no reason for this to be the case, he noted, since the main criteria for quality is consistency.

Nonferrous Meeting Attendees Consider Competition

Addressing attendees at the nonferrous meeting, Mark A. Nantais, Motor Vehicles Manufacturers' Association, Toronto, emphasized the importance of enhancing communications channels between the automobile and recycling industries. "If we are to remain in business, we have to be competitive internationally. And not just economically, but in environmental friendliness, including recyclability," Nantais said.

The meeting was chaired by Ken Mallam, Wabash Alloys Ontario, Toronto.

How to Handle the Press

Mary Rowe and Walter Tedman of MWR & Associates drew convention attendees into active participation during a seminar on dealing with the press.

"Nothing is more nerve-wracking than facing a reporter," Tedman said, but it's vital during an interview to maintain control and composure. Establish beforehand the main points you want to get out, he advised, and then control the message delivery during the interview. To prepare for this, Rowe added, companies should have a designated company spokesperson and established guidelines of the company's position on key issues.

Tedman cautioned attendees to find out who they are speaking with and what the story angle is when they're approached by a reporter. If a reporter asks for an on-the-spot interview, he advised them to request a few hours preparation time. Tell the reporter you want to be better prepared, he suggested.

Learning About Fluff Disposal Problems

Presenting the latest information disseminated by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment on shredder fluff disposal to attendees of the shredders' meeting, meeting chairman Max Zalev said that the ministry's study of shredder fluff generated by a Toronto recycler revealed that the fluff should be considered nonhazardous, and therefore, acceptable for landfill disposal. Because of landfill capacity shortages, however, the study recommends alternative disposal methods for Ontario shredder fluff. These include use as landfill cover, disposal in a dedicated landfill for later use, incineration with municipal solid waste or sewage sludge, and use as a fuel supplement in cement kilns.

"The important thing [about the study] for our industry at this point,” Zalev said, "is that the status quo has been maintained.”

Proposed Tax Attempts to Reduce Deficit

Norbert Bunte, Bunte & Bunte, Waterloo, Ontario, presented an overview of the proposed Canadian goods and services tax (GST). At the time of the seminar, noted Bunte, the proposal had passed the House of Commons and was being debated in the Senate.

Bunte described the new tax as no different than a value-added tax commonly found in European countries. The GST would add a 7-percent sales tax to every step in the recycling chain; however, tax credits would be given as the material moves through the manufacturing process.

Businesses should plan for the GST, Bunte suggested, by reviewing long-term contracts; arranging for inventory count, if necessary; -evaluating timing of capital acquisitions and of imports; and reviewing cash flow budgets.

Environment Group Facing Variety of Issues

At the environmental seminar, John Cox, Exploranium G.S. Limited, Bolton, Ontario, gave an in-depth presentation on radioactive scrap. He noted that more than 500,000 radiation sources--typically measuring only 12-inches-cubed--exist in North America, "so there's a high probability that sources go missing." Approximately once a year, he noted, a source is "found the hard way."

Cox considers scale detection systems as vital to detecting radioactive scrap before it enters a scrap plant. The advantages of this detection system include its ability to catch the source early, thus protecting workers, and its false alarm prevention system.

Steve Hart, Office of Waste Management, Environment Canada, told seminar attendees that one of the greatest challenges facing Canada today is reducing the amount of waste entering the waste stream. Canada produced 1.7 kilograms of waste per person per day last year, he noted--a figure that's higher than any other country in the world. “CARI,” he said, “has played and continues to play a critical role m alleviating that waste through recycling.”

"I hope I don't sound like I'm boasting, but I'm proud," said David Serls, president of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Colonial Metals Co., Columbia, Pennsylvania, and L. Lavetan and Sons Inc., York, Pennsylvania, when he described for the audience ReMA's hard fight to change language in a bill to reauthorize the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Language was rewritten to exclude recyclables from the legislation's definition of hazardous wastes, he said, adding, "I must attribute that success to our members--who wrote more than 3,000 letters opposing the amendment."

Serls continued, "We hope that our Canadian friends will join us in fighting any proposals here that will affect our ability to do business together," particularly those that lack a clear distinction between scrap and waste, and therefore, could impede on international movement of recyclables.