UW-Stevens Point is moving to lessen electronic waste

As with many sustainability initiatives at the UW-Stevens Point, a student is taking the lead on investigating how UWSP students can better mitigate the disposal of electronic waste including cell phones, TVs, DVD and VHS players, computers and microwaves.

Amanda Dent of Mayville, a senior majoring in waste management with a minor in soil science, received a $6,000 UW System Student Research Grant to assess the amount of E-waste being dumped in regional landfills by students, faculty and staff at UWSP.

Phase one of the three-phase project was the collection of on-campus E-waste. Approximately 16,000 pounds of electronic waste was collected and shipped to 5R Processors of Ladysmith for processing and recycling. 5R Processors specializes in recycling computers and other electronic goods.

“Computers and computer monitors were by far the most prevalent E-waste collected on campus,” says Dent.
Phase Two will take place in May. According to Dent, once students have completed the spring semester and have vacated their residence halls, a second collection will be held at the 13 residence halls and the greater campus. The final phase will be a report of findings to be completed by midsummer with a proposed management plan to continue this effort into the future. According to UWSP’s Facilities Services, student E-waste makes up about 26 percent of the city of Stevens Point’s E-waste.

“Our goal is to get this E-waste to recyclers, like the plant in Ladysmith, rather than in our overburdened and overfilled landfills,” says Dent. “We want UWSP to be a role model for all UW System campuses who have to face a growing E-waste problem. Part of my goal is to educate campus students and personnel on how to properly dispose of electronic components.”

Federal Reserve predicts continued downturn for district

The economic downturn will continue through 2009 in the Ninth Federal Reserve District, according to the forecasting model at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. The Ninth District includes Minnesota, Montana, North and South Dakota, northwestern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

“Even though the employment forecast is disappointing, some good news is forecast for personal income which is forecast to increase modestly, and for housing units authorized, which are expected to increase after reaching historically low levels in fourth quarter 2008,” says Toby Madden, regional economist at the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank.

Overall employment is expected to contract in 2009. Nonfarm employment will decrease in all areas except North Dakota, where growth of 1.1 percent is expected. A six-percent drop is expected in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, followed by Northwestern Wisconsin at 3.2 percent.

Unemployment rates in the fourth quarter of 2009 are predicted to climb above historical averages in all areas of the district. The highest unemployment rates of 14 percent are expected in the Upper Peninsula with a projected unemployment rate of 6.9 percent for this geographic area of Wisconsin.

MOVERS

>> ESE Inc., Marshfield, added Christopher Panici as a process controls engineer.

>> The Chippewa Valley Home Builders Association recently elected  Roy Rico of Rico Quality Homes as its president for 2009.

>> Resilient Technologies, LLC, Wausau, has appointed D. Richard (Dick) Stephens to its Board of Directors.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

CHIPPEWA FALLS: Advanced Laser Machining received the 2009 WEDA Biennial Award for Business at the 2009 Governor’s Conference on Economic Development. In 2007, this contract metal fabrication company was also named as one of the top 5,000 growing private companies in the country by Inc. Advanced Laser Machining has added $1.65 million in laser and machining equipment during the past two years, resulting in the addition of 15 new employees with additional job growth projected for 2009.