The Solid Waste Management Act of 1988 created the center, to coordinate research, training, and service activities relating to waste management. Following a request for proposals (RFP) process, the Chancellor of the Board of Regents designated the University of Florida to be the Host Institution. The Center's primary funding comes from the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund, administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

 

 

Nine universities are the primary recipients of research funding:

Florida A&M University	Florida Atlantic University
Florida Institute of Technology	Florida State University
University of Central Florida	University of Florida
University of Miami	University of South Florida
University of West Florida

Primary research areas include:

Construction and Demolition Debris
Hazardous Waste Management
Incineration
Landfills
Medical Waste Management
Municipal Solid Waste Management
Pollution Prevention
Recycling and Reuse
Socioeconomic Issues
Special Wastes
Waste Reduction

The Center serves the citizens of Florida by providing leadership in the field of waste management research and by supporting the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in its mission to preserve and protect the state's natural resources.

The Executive Director's Report provides comprehensive information on sponsored research, Center projects and administrative matters in the past three months.

The Center's functions include:

• responding to the state's waste management research needs by coordinating and sponsoring research efforts at Florida's universities;
  
• responding to requests for information and technical assistance from state and local government, business, and industry; and
• responding to public education and public service needs.
  

The Center's research program is designed to meet two major objectives:

• develop and test innovative, low-cost, and environmentally sound methods and strategies for managing Florida's solid and hazardous wastes; and
• transfer research results to the public and private sectors for practical solutions to Florida's waste management problems.
  

To determine the most critical research needs in Florida, an annual survey is mailed to city and county governments, consultants, state environmental agencies, waste management and recycling companies, environmental advocacy organizations, academic institutions and private citizens. The Center uses the survey responses to develop a research agenda. Each year the Center issues a Request for Proposals for research that addresses the issues on the research agenda.

For more information about the Center or to request a copy of Center publications, please call 352/392-6264 or fax 352/846-0183. Address correspondence to:

Hinkley Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
4635 NW 53rd Avenue, Suite 205
Gainesville, Florida 32606
E-mail: rogersrd@ufl.edu