1986-07-23; Central Michigan Life

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VoL 68 No. 97
C1986 CM UFE
Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48859
12 Pages
Wednesday, July 23,1986
machines to be phased out
by PAT HOUSLEY
LIFE Editor
Plans are underway to replace the University's
existing Spirit duplicator machines with dry copiers
within the next few months.
"Within the next few months, all of them will be
replaced with Xerox machines," Ronald Johnstone,
associate dean ofthe College of Arts and Sciences, said.
Concerns about machine safety were voiced in
January when a CMU clerical worker reported
symptoms of nausea and dirzine&s when operating a
ditto machine.
At that time Terry Stoner, director of personnel and
staff relations, said tests indicated some of CMlTs 62
machines registered 800 to 900 parts per million of
methyl alcohol. The Occupational Safety and Health
Administration has determined that 200 parts per
million is safe.
Officials considered ventilating some areas but
.Johnstone said that idea was dropped.
"Most office situations don't allow for good ventilation systems," he said. The machines are a long way
from windows or walls..Even with a strong fan or
ventilation, it wouldn't entirely eliminate the fumes."
He said it will cost the University between $2,500
and $7.500 a piece to replace all the machines.	
Left, President Ford is greeted by long-time friend and
high school football coach Dan Rosa last Thursday-
Above. President Ford listens to questions from the
press. Please see related story on page 7.
"It depends on the capacity of the machine, and the
needs of the office or department," he said. "Ordering
so many should put us in a good competitive position
forbids."
Some effort will be made to consolidate use but any
department mandated to use something more costly
should be able to add extra costs to its budget, he said.
Johnstone said the ditto machines will be sold
separately either by advertisement or auction if
necessary. He did not know how much they are worth.
"Some of them are fairly new," he said.
Although Johnstone could not say where the money
is coming from to purchase new machines, he did say
"we should know within two or three weeks."
Honored
dance prof
dead at 91
Professor Emeritus Grace I..
Ryan, 91, CMU instructor and
pioneer of American folk dance,
died Saturday at the Isabella
Medical Care Facility.
To research background for a
hook she published, Dances of
Our Pioneers, Ryan traveled
back roads and visited villages,
where she learned many of the
dances she later taught.
She" called square dance
instructions, taught physical
education classes and lx*gan
CMlTs Country' Dancers.
Physical Education
Chairman Jerry Mcisner said
the Country Dancers
performed in schools and
educational settings
throughout Michigan to demonstrate dance as an art form.
"It  was  viewed  as a   public
ISee "Ryan"—page 7
CMirtnCwttHmmmml
r
Disposal plan may reduce trash problems
by PAT HOUSLEY
LIFE Editor
Although garbage is everyone's problem, how often
do you think about disposing of garbage beyond setting
the trash cans out once a week?
Some people, however, are considering the safety of
our air and water while looking for alternative
methods to dispose of solid waste.
Kent Gray, Central Michigan District Health
Department Director, said a new alternative to
traditional landfill or incineration types of solid waste
removal is in the planning stages.
This is a research and development project," he
said. "I think it has a lot of promise."
The new project involves pyrolysis, or the breaking
down of organic material using heat in the absence of
oxygen. He said others using the pyrolitic process claim
they work without oxygen, but actually do use it,
because doors are opened to insert the solid waste, thus
allowing oxygen to enter.
Tve been all over the United States looking at
different waste plants, and none of them completely
get rid of solid waste," he said.
The two options in use now, landfill and incineration,
both have problems, he said.
"Even if the ground is lined with concrete, eventually
the ground water is contaminated with seepage," he
said. "And with incineration, after a certain amount of
usage, it pollutes the air."
He said most incinerators actually create dioxin, the
most poisonous cancer causing substance in the U.S.
today.
The new entropytec technique Gray wants to see
utilized would break down solid waste into its original
hydrocarbons, producing petroleum products, such aa
methane gas. pyrolitic oil. and carbon char. And these
products can be sold, making solid waste management
a profitable venture.
However, the process he would like to implement has
never been used.
This particular system has never been done
anywhere else in the world," Gray said.
"We still need landfills, but we are getting
rid of landfills that have pollutants in
them."
—Max Berry,
Isabella County Board
of Public Works chairman
Dick Curtiss, Chairman of the Central Michigan
Solid Waste Committee, which received a DNR grant to
research the project, said the final part ofthe process is
experimental, but he thinks it will work.
There probably will be some problems and
stumbling blocks along the way, but this will be
something fantastic in solid waste," he said."It will put
Michigan way ahead in solid waste management."
To finance the $15 million venture. Gray said
CMSWC received a $942,000 grant from the DNR.
Private citizens will supply the remainder, he said.
"I already have the private money needed, although I
can't tell you the names of the people involved yet," he
said.
He said the plant will be a profitable venture owned
and operated by a private corporation, Entropic
Technologies, Inc
"You dont get $15 million from private investors if
you can't make money," he said.
Curtiss said the solid waste committee subcontracted some of the grant money to ETI to pay for
engineering, design and testing of a complete prototype
ofthe final stages ofthe plant itself.
"Once it's been tested and proven, from there, that's
when private investors come in and build the plant," he
said.
The private investors are from outside the five-
county area, which includes Arenac, Isabella, Clare,
Gladwin and Osceola, Gray said. They will receive a 2-1
payback over a five-year period. He said they are
people who "just have the capital to invest and want to
invest it here."
"All the equipment, debts and dividends will be
amortized over a five-year period," he said. Then it
will just need repairs or equipment replacement."
For public protection and as part of the original
subcontracting agreement, ETI has agreed to allow
CMSWC to determine "tipping fees," the fee charged an
independent hauler to unload his waste at landfill
sites. .
That way the corporation cannot raise the fee," he
said. The committee is made up of members from alt
five counties, he said.
"Maybe there will be a couple of commissioners from
each county, maybe a couple of independent haulers or
citizens, too," he said.
Gray said there will still be a need for a landfill to
bury the non-toxic materials
"You really should have a landfill in case somebody
blows the plant up, too," he said. "Sometimes people
could throw a stick of dynamite into their trash and not
even know it."
Curtiss said the plant will not put people out of work.
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