Book Excerpts by Lynn Thompson

Interest in the recycling of phone books began in the late 1980’s, when America was facing a landfill crisis. Space in existing landfills was being depleted, with land suitable for siting new landfills rapidly dwindling. Although old telephone directories (OTD) made up only 0.5% of all material going to landfills, the public’s perception, fueled by the media, was that OTD was a major problem.

At about the same time, several states were proposing legislation mandating that directory publishers provide for collection of outdated directories they had distributed. As of 1998, only Connecticut had passed such legislation. Most realized that OTD represents only a small portion of the larger solid waste picture, and that to impose such restrictions on only one type of waste producer was arbitrary and discriminatory.

Major directory publishers across America began their involvement in recycling programs at about this time. A campaign in Jacksonville, Florida that year yielded 111 tons of OTD. In 1991, the Yellow Pages Publishers’ Association (YPPA) implemented its first Environmental Council Action Plan, with annual updates following. The plan specified publishing guidelines for environmentally-responsible directories and measures that could be taken toward source reduction. It also called for member publishers to “...work with local communities, governments, businesses and agencies to develop on-going programs for the collection and recycling of old directories.”[1]

Communicating the importance of recycling to the public is easier if they are aware of the impact of their actions. Commonly accepted figures for the resources saved by recycling paper may be used to show this. Each ton of paper recycled saves approximately:

Multiplying the tons recycled in a given campaign or state by these figures often gives impressive totals of resources saved.

Large figures are more meaningful, however, if they can be related to “real world” things that people can picture in their minds. For example, saying that “enough lumber to build 200 houses was saved” is more meaningful in publicity than saying, “1,000 tons of lumber was saved” by recycling phone books. Using houses, animals, football fields, or other visual objects allows people to picture the amount in their minds. This is a more powerful message and will be remembered longer than mere numbers.

Phone book recycling programs work best when they involve a mix of private firms and public-sector representatives. In most instances, cities and counties already have collection infrastructure for recyclables in place, as well as public education programs to promote these methods. Waste haulers and processors have a vested interest in the recycling industry, and may be willing to provide some services at cost or gratis in exchange for publicity. Major directory publishers are interested in community involvement and publicity, as well, and will usually assist with promotion or costs of the campaign.

As with any recyclable, knowing exactly what phone books are made of is important. The books’ composition can affect the end user selected, the collection methods, or even whether the books are recycled at all.

The components a particular mill can handle will depend on the product into which the OTD is being made and upon that mill’s technology for handling inks, glues, etc. A basic understanding of the papermaking process is useful in matching the optimal end user to OTD from a specific community.

Most mills begin the recycling of OTD by shredding, or “hogging”, the books. This may have been done earlier, prior to baling, depending on the mill’s specifications and who processed the OTD for shipment to them. The baling strips are removed, and the shredded books are processed with chemicals and water to remove ink, coatings, and glue. Deinking technologies vary by mill, and are closely guarded trade secrets.

This cleaned fiber may be mixed with some virgin pulp fiber, depending on the recycled content of the end product. The wet paper mixture is thinned and pressed into sheets, dried by hot air blowers as it runs through a series of rollers, then is fed onto long spools. Finally, the paper rolls are cut into standard sizes and wrapped for shipment to customers.

There are many grades of recycled paper, the prices of which fluctuate daily. OTD is considered to be one of the lower grades. This, coupled with its lower volume in comparison to other grades, may be why OTD’s price is not quoted in common sources, such as Waste News, Recycled Paper News, or The Paper Stock Report. Prices paid by the same mill may differ if the OTD is baled or loose. Other mills may pay a lower price, but include transportation. Still others may have agreements with directory publishers for a standard price. All of these factors make it difficult to pinpoint a prevailing market price for OTD.

Since end users are limited, the most reliable method is to call the intended end user and negotiate a price directly. Prices for all paper grades are somewhat interrelated, so monitoring of the markets and the factors that affect them is advisable. One grade of special interest is Number 6 Newspaper (ONP), as this price is often similar to that of OTD. This is discussed in more detail in the “Effect of Market Factors” section of this chapter.

In soft markets, some processors move OTD by mixing it into loads of ONP or residential mixed paper (RMP). This is an option for smaller amounts, but there are usually restrictions on how much OTD can be in a load of RMP, depending on the end use for the paper. This is also something that must be discussed individually with the end user, as some may consider phone books to be contamination in loads of ONP or RMP.

Besides paper, phone books contain glue, inks, dyes and coatings. Mills differ in their capabilities to process some of these. Depending on the deinking and cleaning processes, some may prefer water soluble glue, while others prefer hot-melt. Different types of ink (e.g., flexographic) may also present a problem to some mills. Awareness of both the mill’s needs and the composition of all directories in circulation in the community will decrease the likelihood of rejected loads.

Most major directory publishers in the U.S. now manufacture their books to be recyclable. This mandated a change for many in the materials used to print the books. Industry standards are set by the Yellow Pages Publishers’ Association Environmental Council, including representatives from YPPA member publishers.

Since many paper mills prefer the use of water-soluble glue to hot-melt, most major directory publishers now specify water-soluble as their preferred glue. Soybean-based inks have replaced petroleum-based as the industry standard, along with vegetable-based dyes and environmentally-friendly coatings for the directory covers. YPPA member publishers also complete the recycling loop by buying recycled paper, with 40% recycled content becoming standard as of January, 1998.

Some publishers may not adhere to these industry standards. Knowing the environmental policy of all publishers with directories in circulation within a given community is essential to a successful phone book recycling program.

Several obstacles to a successful phone book recycling program can be overcome by careful planning. Awareness of these obstacles is the first step toward conquering them.

OTD, as a commodity, is difficult for paper mills to process. The paper used in phone books is thinner and stronger than newsprint, to keep book size manageable and to withstand a year of frequent use. The covers and tabs are a different type of paper than the pages. OTD’s fibers are shorter, sometimes becoming lost in the longer cleaning process that is required to remove the inks and dyes. They are also more difficult to process by nature--they’re a “glob” of paper, bound together, as opposed to loose newsprint.

Changes in the yellow pages publishing industry have also affected the nature of OTD. The prevalence of “white knock-out” ads in today’s phone books (ads with a white background appearing in the yellow pages) mean that publishers are printing the yellow color onto white paper with ink. Yellow pages used to be printed on paper that was dyed yellow. Since dyes are removed differently than inks, this affects the cleaning process for OTD and the treatment of the mill’s wastewater.

Some end users don’t need to deink the paper. These include manufacturers of insulation, hydromulch, or any other product consisting chiefly of shredded paper. Others don’t need a high brightness for their product (e.g., egg cartons or packing material). Some actually want a lower brightness (e.g., wallboard manufacturers) and will use OTD to get it. Depending on their location in relation to the source and available transportation, one of these end users may be a better option than manufacturers of newsprint, writing or directory paper.

Many costs must be factored into the equation for recycling phone books. These begin with collection (including placement and servicing of containers), publicity and advertising of the campaign, and transportation to the processor.

Separation costs for the processor cannot be ignored. These companies are in the recycling business, and must remain profitable. Since phone books are not a year-round commodity, no automated separation systems exist for them. Most processors hire a staff specifically to pull phone books from the mix of paper at the materials recovery facility (MRF). Storage of the collected books may also be a cost factor, as they must be kept dry for recycling. If the processor has no covered area for storage, the books must be kept in a trailer or warehoused elsewhere. The use of prison labor or subcontracting with an organization for the disabled are possible ways to reduce processing costs.

If the end user requires that the OTD be hogged (shredded) and baled prior to shipment, there will be a cost involved. Some processors have their own machinery for accomplishing this task, but others subcontract it out. If the OTD must be transported for hogging and baling, this is an additional cost. This could be a determining factor in which end user to select; some will accept OTD loose-loaded.

Transportation to the end user must also be accounted for. Depending on the MRF’s location, and that of the end user, options include rail, truck or containerized shipping. Most processors are aware of the various options, since they ship other recycled materials year-round, and can select the optimal transportation mode. Trailers usually hold 20-ton loads of OTD; transportation chargebacks may result for less than a full load. In cases where the campaign has yielded less than 20 tons, co-marketing the OTD with a nearby community may be an option.

If a load of OTD arrives too wet for the selected mill to use, it can be rejected. This results in both freight chargebacks and a “homeless” load of OTD. Careful storage of the collected material prior to shipping can avert this problem. While some dampness is to be expected, be aware of the mill’s maximum allowable amount.

If an export end market is used, there may be tariffs or other charges involved. It is best to allow an exporter or broker to handle such matters, as they are aware of markets and customs regulations in the countries with which they regularly do business. Also ask the exporter about their fees; this may be an additional expense.

Once accounting for all the above costs, the possibility of a profit on the OTD seems unlikely. Depending on the end user selected, their location in relation to the OTD source, and the price they’re paying for the material, a profit may be possible.

Reducing some of the costs through partnership with the parties involved offers some help. The value of publicity for their company’s involvement must be greater than the revenue they’d otherwise gain for providing the service. Community service has value to companies, mainly for the publicity they gain from it. This is not because companies are inherently evil or greedy, but they must make a profit or they cease to exist. Supporting partners through the publicity they need is essential to success of the partnership.

As any other commodity, the price of OTD is affected by many external factors. Even economists can’t fully predict commodities prices, but an awareness of the factors affecting them can help to plan for phone book recycling campaigns with some assurance of having an end market for the books collected.

The economy in general is the first major factor affecting OTD prices. This includes the U.S. economy, that of the region in which you’re collecting and marketing OTD, and that of the world markets.

The availability and price of labor will affect the cost of doing business for the mills and recyclers in the region. Other economic trends to watch include:

All of the above affect the demand for paper and other products made from OTD, as well as the cost of manufacturing those products and moving them to market. And don’t forget about non-economic factors, such as weather, that can affect collection and transportation efforts.

Other factors, such as the amount of OTD available by month, also have an impact. Since directories are being issued somewhere throughout the year, and the size of these communities varies greatly, the flow of OTD is not constant. Even the largest consumers of OTD have a finite capacity. Demand for the products made from OTD is another important factor.

Within the paper market, related grades to watch include old newspaper (ONP--especially #6 news) and residential mixed paper (RMP). While prices for both of these are generally higher than for OTD, they are similar grades of paper that are often consumed by the same end users, and the prices may rise or fall similarly.

When phone book recycling began in the late 1980’s, many communities saw it as a way to turn the expense of waste disposal into a revenue-producing operation. Once the reality -- that recycling is merely an alternative form of waste disposal that still costs money -- was realized, enthusiasm began to wane. Keeping the public excited about recycling is not an easy task when those in positions of leadership are blasé about it.

Public education is the best tool for overcoming this apathy. Appeals to recycle because “it’s the right thing to do” have proven to be only mildly effective. Realize that recycling something takes extra effort on the part of the consumer--what benefits do they receive in exchange for this effort? They must be made aware of the savings in resources and landfill space, if not in cost. Appeal to their desire to keep the next landfill out of their back yard. Appeal to their dislike of bigger, more intrusive government; if they recycle voluntarily, they won’t be forced to by law.

Educating children is also quite effective in this effort. Children are more receptive to messages about “saving the planet”, and are great motivators of families. They love projects that allow them to be creative, and can incorporate basic information about recycling into such projects.

Another challenge is when more than one publisher issues directories in the same community. While most major publishers manufacture their books to be recyclable, some publishers do not. If the optimal end user cannot accommodate hot-melt glue, for instance, and a book bound with hot-melt has been distributed in the area, you must choose between selecting a different end-user and separating the hot-melt books from those to be recycled.

Various publishers may also differ in their willingness to support the recycling campaign. While many large publishers offer assistance to communities, smaller ones may not be in a position to do so. Making them aware of program needs and asking for their help is a first step to ensuring future participation. (Involvement of their competitor in the campaign may help to motivate them!)

Reporting your results from a recycling campaign can be one of the most difficult aspects. If there is only one processor and one end user involved, freight bills or reports from the end user can be used to determine tonnage. If the books are marketed to different end users, however, it will take several phone calls to get tonnage from each. If some of the OTD has also been commingled with other paper grades, make sure to factor this into the totals.

Some large entities may collect, process and market their OTD separately from those collected in curbside and drop-off locations. Examples are military bases, colleges and universities. If some of these are in the community, call their recycling coordinators to get tonnage.

In the absence of reliable figures from any sources, you may use surveys to estimate the percentage of phone books that were recycled in the community. Publishers can provide figures for the previous year’s delivered tonnage, and applying the survey percentages to this total will yield a recycled tonnage figure.

If surveys are used to estimate, make sure that the sample size is large enough to be statistically projectable to the general population, and that the sample is randomly selected across all demographics. There is also a tendency among respondents to give the answer they think you want, so a portion of the “yes, I recycled my old phone book” answers should be subtracted to account for this bias.

There are several elements that must be in place to have a successful phone book recycling program. The absence -- or loss -- of any of these elements can result in the collapse of an otherwise promising program.

Although their role in the program is at the end, a market for collected OTD is the first piece that must be in place for the program to occur. Without an end user, there is no reason to collect or process the books for recycling. There are several ways to identify and cultivate potential end markets.

Networking at paper and recycling industry events is essential to keep abreast of market trends and uncover potential end users. Membership in groups such as SWANA, National Recycling Coalition and Keep America Beautiful affiliates also reflects your support for recycling, while attendance at their meetings give you access to those in the industry. All of these groups are also looking for officers, which makes you more well-known to the membership. Local chambers of commerce and groups such as the American Forestry & Paper Association are other networking avenues.

Serving as a speaker at some of these events is a good way to get some visibility and become well-known to industry leaders. This can result in even more leads on potential markets. Exhibiting at industry expositions is another means of gaining exposure to end users. Strolling through such expositions may also introduce you to manufacturers who need your OTD to make their products.

Subscriptions to recycling publications will provide you with important industry news that affects end markets, as well as leads on mills of which you may not have otherwise been aware. Waste News, Recycling Today, Waste Age, World Wastes, Scrap and BioCycle are a few to try. Don’t neglect community business publications: chamber newsletters, statewide business magazines and even the daily newspaper are additional sources of leads.

Many of the above-listed groups and publications also have web sites on the Internet. Use a search engine to find them, then bookmark them and check back often. They can be a wealth of useful information.

If local markets dry up, the export market may be an alternative. Although transportation costs are higher, many manufacturing operations are based overseas. Most countries of the world generate only a fraction of the waste paper in the U.S., so these countries cannot supply the mills located there with enough recycled fiber to meet their needs. Egg cartons, packaging material and school paper are among the items manufactured overseas.

It’s important to support end markets by encouraging the purchase of products made from OTD. Use any publicity opportunity to inform the public about these products. Displays and flyers at local chamber trade shows, Earth Day, America Recycles Day and other environmental events should feature samples of the products and information about the brands and where they can be purchased. This helps to ensure that the end market will remain viable in the future.

The participation of several partners is essential to a successful phone book recycling program. Each provides a unique service that is difficult to find without their support. The planning committee for a phone book recycling program should include representatives of each of these partners.

City and County governments usually have collection infrastructure for a number of recyclables. This may be public, or contracted with private haulers and processors. They are experts on recycling programs and public education, and many have staff who handle recycling full-time.

In privatized operations, private waste haulers collect phone books in the program, whether from drop-off sites or in curbside programs.
As with public collection methods, the books are heavy and are out of the ordinary for them to handle. Private haulers will often provide and service some containers for the phone book program at no charge.

The operator of the materials recycling facilities (MRF’s) that process phone books once they’re collected, whether public or private, is an important partner. They sort and store the OTD, sell it to the end market and arrange for transportation there. MRF’s with an adjacent rail site expand the transportation options, which increases the end markets available and helps control transportation cost. The recycler also arranges for any necessary shredding and baling before shipment to market.

Directory publishers provide services ranging from end market cultivation to public education, and may include financial support. The costs they cover may include advertising, containers, special collection events, hauling, processing, transportation, or contest sponsorship. They have a small budget and staff, and are usually charged with the company’s involvement throughout a region.

Directory publishers also support recycling campaigns by printing their directories on recycled-content paper. The Yellow Pages Publishers Association (YPPA) set a 1998 industry standard of 40% recycled content in directory paper for its member publishers. Most of the members meet or exceed this standard, purchasing over 600,000 tons of recycled-content directory paper in 1997.

Schools are excellent partners because children are a receptive audience to the recycling message. If the campaign occurs at a time when school is in session, a collection contest provides a great way to recover OTD. Many school boards have a full-time recycling coordinator who can be the liaison to individual schools, channeling information and drumming up support for the contest.

Local businesses can be enlisted to provide prizes for contests or incentives for recyclers. These can include restaurants, retailers, recreational venues, shopping centers, or sports teams. Some may volunteer to serve as drop-off sites for phone books during the campaign. Offers may include discounted admission, a free soft drink, a free round of miniature golf, or a free promotional item in exchange for the books.

Media partners can be an invaluable asset. They may provide free airtime or ad space, or offer a discount on purchased ads. If a broadcast partner has a news department, they may provide coverage of collection events to boost attendance. Ask about appearance on a morning talk show for additional educational value.

A local end user is an excellent partner. Having a local market for the OTD eliminates major transportation costs and supports local industry. If they pay a good price for the books, a profit may even be possible.

Most of these partners provide whatever services they donate in exchange for publicity. Giving them credit for their contributions to the campaign’s success cannot be overlooked. Logos should be included in all advertising and publicity. Good P.R. for the partners helps to ensure future participation.

There are many ways phone books can be collected during the campaign. Each has pros and cons, some of which can be avoided with proper planning and education.

Curbside bins -- Pros: Easiest for consumers. Usually significantly boosts results for the campaign. Once the public is used to recycling old phone books in their curbside bins, it will be difficult to convince them to do otherwise. Cons: Some haulers and processors may not want to handle phone books in the curbside program, as they must be commingled on the trucks and require extra personnel at the MRF to be sorted from other recyclables. There’s currently no automated way to separate the books, so costs go up for the recycler. Tip: Publicity should include instructions to hold the books until a sunny day, as they can’t be recycled if they get wet.

Drop-off sites -- Pros: A good way to collect “pure” loads of OTD. Cons: Contamination can occur at unattended sites. It can be difficult to convince some people to go to this much effort to recycle their old phone books when they can more easily just throw them in the trash. Tips: Covered containers must be used to keep the OTD dry. In smaller towns, you may be able to persuade some local businesses, such as fast-food restaurants, to contribute some type of incentive to phone book recyclers at their locations. An incentive seems to increase the recycling rate.

Collection contests -- Pros: Schools, churches and other volunteer groups are always looking for funds. Involving them is an excellent way to educate them on recycling. Competition can boost results. Loads of OTD are clean. Directory publishers are usually happy to sponsor these contests, and other local businesses may also be persuaded to offer prizes. Cons: If not carefully constructed, payoffs to participants can be higher than budgeted. Uninsured groups may cause liability risks. Tips: Provide collection safety tips in the contest package. Use tally sheets for individuals, listing all directories in circulation within the area, to provide good recordkeeping for determination of award winners. Awarding a special prize for the oldest or farthest-away phone book can add interest.

Collection events -- Pros: A good way to recover books from those who don’t have a curbside or convenient drop-off option. A directory publisher or other business partner may handle arrangements. Cons: require the cooperation of a local sports team, recreational venue, or festival organizing committee to get permission to set up the collection site and perhaps offer a discounted admission or other incentive to recyclers. Tips: Containers should be placed immediately prior to the event and picked up just after it to avoid contamination. Advance publicity is a must to ensure a good turnout of recyclers. Provide staffing volunteers with a tent in case of rain or strong sun, a table and chairs, and sufficient water to drink in hot weather. Free attendance after they have worked their shifts, and/or special promotional shirts or badges are also good motivators.

Collection by volunteer groups -- Pros: Good way to collect phone books from area businesses. Badges can be provided for scouts, contributions to other groups, in exchange for their efforts. Tips: Scouts, woman’s clubs, churches, garden clubs, and environmental groups are some possibilities. Ensure that any group enlisted has liability insurance to cover them for any injuries or property damage that may occur during the collection.

There are two aspects of public awareness of a phone book recycling campaign: first, that people know it’s going on and why it’s important to recycle phone books, and second, that they know how to recycle the books.

Advertising can be effective at communicating the “how-to’s” of the program. Tell people to keep the books dry, and include partners’ & sponsors’ logos. Often, broadcast media will offer a discounted price for ads, or may run additional free spots, as a community service. List drop-off sites in print ads, but a large number of them will not be effective in broadcast. If the directory publisher places ads, they may qualify for an agency commission that can be applied to purchase additional spots. The city or county government may get a discount on ads that can be used to stretch the budget. The key to getting such deals is to ASK for them.

Publicity is not the same as advertising; it’s free! Press releases should always be used to notify the media about the upcoming recycling campaign. Make the releases newsworthy by including some type of “gee-whiz” information that will be of interest to readers. Appearance on local morning TV talk shows is another means of communicating your message at no charge. Take samples of products into which the books will be made, photos from past years’ campaigns, or anything else visual that will be memorable to the audience.

Lastly, don’t neglect internal promotion! Make sure all employees are aware of the whys and hows of recycling. This will allow them to answer questions from others outside the organization.

Everyone loves to get awards! Payoffs of collection contests should be swift, with local media present if possible. School contests can be paid off at school board meetings or awards assemblies.

Recognition should also be given via press releases, including a photo of the winners receiving their prizes and program partners who provided valuable services. These stories stand a better chance of running in smaller newspapers, so target them with your releases. Gifts, plaques and/or certificates can be presented at an awards luncheon or dinner to make them extra-special. Invite collection contest winners to the event, as well.

Phone book recycling efforts in Louisville, Kentucky, reached a new high (43.8%) in 1998 during delivery of the area’s yellow pages books. In addition to inclusion of old phone books in the city’s curbside recycling program, collection was accomplished through centrally-located drop-off sites sponsored by the city and county. Business participation was increased via a per-book “bounty” paid by BellSouth to Crusade for Children, a local charity. Letters to the businesses from their appropriate sanitation departments informed them of the bounty program. Additional promotion was accomplished through radio advertising, articles in city & county newsletters, and a message on delivery bags for new directories. The collected books were used by Greenstone to make cellulose insulation and greenmulch.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, non-profit groups collected 218 tons of OTD and delivered it to the Mecklenburg County recycling facility over two successive Saturday mornings. The groups were recruited through a newspaper article about the “Non-Profit Challenge”, in which a group could earn a per-pound amount for collecting old phone books from area businesses. Additional promotion was obtained by the Charlotte Clean City Committee. A list of likely locations for large amounts of phone books was provided to all groups who signed up for the program, with a minimum of 750 books collected as a qualifier for participation. The area also included phone books in its curbside recycling program and offered eleven drop-off sites for public use.

In Jacksonville, Florida, new directories are delivered after school has recessed for the summer. Most non-profit groups are also less active during the summer months, making the above type of collection impractical. To involve schools in the phone book recycling process, an annual public service announcement (PSA) contest is held in Duval County Public Schools. Students film their ideas for a 30-second PSA to promote the program to the public, then a committee judges each entry based on its originality, ability to adapt to the :30 time limit, and communication of the message. Fact sheets provided to the students ensure that they learn about phone book recycling while working on the project. The top three spots are re-filmed in Beta format by a media partner and run on local television during the summer delivery. Duval and St. Johns Counties include phone books in their curbside recycling programs, while adjacent Clay County provides drop-off sites for the books at its regular recycling centers. The Jacksonville Suns baseball team also sponsors a “Phone Book Recycling Night”, where recyclers are admitted for $1 with their old phone books. The program recovered over 852 tons of OTD in 1999, which went to U.S. Gypsum to be made into backing & facing paper for Sheetrock^® brand gypsum wallboard.

The Atlanta, Georgia area’s program is a partnership between the cities and counties, Bellsouth, Southeast Recycling, six local Keep America Beautiful affiliates, and Bowater. The program runs year-round, with collection via containers located throughout the metro Atlanta area. Additional containers are placed during delivery of BellSouth’s new directories. Nearly 40% of the OTD in circulation in the area was recycled in 1998 through this program. A variety of end users, including Greenstone (cellulose insulation, greenmulch), Sonoco (tubes, cores & packaging), and Rock-Tenn (envelope paper) received the books.

Public and private schools in Bay County, Florida (Panama City area) partnered with the BellSouth Telephone Pioneers to recycle over 20 tons of OTD in 1999. The program was unique in that the area had no local recycling processor who could handle OTD. Paper supplier Bowater handled transportation by dropping a trailer at the Panama City News-Herald building for three days, during which the schools brought their collected books. Tally sheets maintained by each school provided records that were used to determine the total amount earned by collecting the books. The full load was transported to Sonoco for use in making tubes, cores and paper packaging.

[1] Yellow Pages Publishers Association Environmental Council Action Plan, June 1996 edition

[2] Resource Recycling magazine, May/June 1984

[3] University of Southern Mississippi study, Appendix B, “Solid Waste Facts”