Baywood Publishing Company
0047-2433
1541-3802
Journal of Environmental Systems
BWES
300323
http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=journal&id=300323
20
4
4
0
0
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000020000419900101
Number 4 / 1990-91
CBKDQUJD4DP3
http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=issue&id=CBKDQUJD4DP3
10.2190/P25E-HNAE-7G81-JAPY
P25EHNAE7G81JAPY
4
Disposable vs. Reusable Systems: Two Source Reduction Case Studies
343
357
20020509
20020509
20020509
20020509
P25EHNAE7G81JAPY.pdf
http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=P25EHNAE7G81JAPY
4
Gregory
A.
Keoleian
Dan
Menerey
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
This is the first of two articles presenting case studies of successful solid waste source reduction programs at five businesses. Both process and economic analyses were performed for each case study. The first article examines the substitution of reusable products for single-use equivalents at a hospital and day care center. Replacing polystyrene foam dishware with washable ceramic dishes at a hospital reduced dishware solid waste generation by 42.8 pounds/1000 meals, or 99 percent. Total costs in the washable dishware case increased 6 percent, but this cost differential is very sensitive to wage rates and disposable dishware costs. When disposable diapers at a day care center were replaced with cloth diapers laundered by an outside service, solid waste generation was reduced by 0.34 pound per diaper, or 99 percent. The unit cost per disposable diaper is $0.25 compared to $0.22 for cloth diapers. Disposable items constituted the major cost of both single-use systems, while labor and services were the major cost of both reusable systems. At present, solid waste avoidance provides relatively minor cost credits for the reusable systems.
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