The Smell in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco's big push for low-flow toilets has turned into a multimillion-dollar plumbing stink, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Skimping on toilet water has resulted in more sludge backing up inside the sewer pipes, which has created a rotten-egg stench near AT&T Park and elsewhere, especially during the dry summer months, the article stated.

The city has already spent $100 million over the past five years to upgrade its sewer system and sewage plants, in part to combat the odor problem, the article noted.

According to the article, officials are stocking up on a $14 million, three-year supply of highly concentrated sodium hypochlorite — better known as bleach — to act as an odor eater and to disinfect the city's treated water before it's dumped into the bay: It will also be used to sanitize drinking water.

That translates into 8.5 million pounds of bleach either being poured down city drains or into the drinking water supply every year, the article added.

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UGL Services contracted to clean New Meadowlands Stadium

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ — UGL Services, a division of UGL Limited, has announced that it has signed a five-year contract, with three one-year extensions, with the New Meadowlands Stadium Company LLC, according to a press release.

Under the contract, UGL Services provides pre-event, event and post-event stadium cleaning, plaza policing and snow removal services, the release noted.

Along with the full portfolio of value-added services, the New Meadowlands Stadium will benefit from UGL Services' advanced employee training, the UGL Services GreenClean sustainability and recycling program, the UNI-Q^® proprietary handheld inspection and web-based performance reporting system and the company's Program Absolutes quality assurance initiative, the release stated.

"The New Meadowlands Stadium is a significant addition to our prestigious lineup of sports and entertainment customers. They'll reap the benefits of our extensive facility services capabilities in the tri-state area. UGL Services is proud to support this fantastic new venue," said UGL Services Senior Vice President Michael Dunn.

Click here to read the complete release.

Cleaning firms accused of defrauding seniors

SCHAUMBURG, IL — Attorney General Lisa Madigan is suing a Schaumburg man and his two cleaning businesses, claiming he targeted senior citizens by encouraging them to purchase services they didn't need, according to Trib Local.

The lawsuit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, names Moshe Kesem of Schaumburg and his two Schaumburg-based businesses, Warranty USA Inc. and Air Duct Cleaning Pros, the article noted.

Since November 2009, Kesem charged customers for expensive work repairing mold and mildew damage, but, according to the lawsuit, there was no damage, the article stated.

"This company targeted vulnerable seniors and deceived homeowners into purchasing services they didn't need," Madigan said in a statement.

According to the article, Madigan alleges Kesem showed customers fake photos of mold and mildew damage in order to prompt them to purchase the services.

Customers have reported to Madigan's office more than $17,350 in fraudulent charges from Kesem, the article added.

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EPA honors Navato Unified School District's efforts to improve indoor air quality

SAN FRANCISCO — The Novato Unified School District has been honored with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 2010 Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools National Excellence Award for its exemplary efforts to improve indoor air quality for students, teachers and staff, according to a press release.

EPA created the IAQ Tools for Schools program nearly 20 years ago in response to studies that revealed the increasing age and deterioration of the nation's school buildings, the alarming rise in asthma and allergies among schoolchildren and the knowledge that indoor air pollutants can bring about or even worsen a variety of health problems, the release stated.

"Novato Unified School District is demonstrating national leadership through its commitment to promote healthy indoor air quality in their community's schools," said Mike Flynn, director of EPA's Office of Radiation and Indoor Air.

"Their work is helping to protect the health and support the performance of students, faculty and staff. We are proud of their valuable efforts and commend them on this outstanding accomplishment," Flynn added.

The relationship between indoor air quality and student performance and productivity is clear: Research suggests that students attending schools in poor conditions score 11 percent lower on standardized tests than students who attend schools in good conditions, the release noted.

According to the release, with nearly 55 million children spending their days inside 132,000 public and private school buildings in the United States, managing indoor air quality in schools is a vital part of improving student performance and achievement.

Click here to read the complete release.

Dirtiest hotels in the United States

WASHINGTON — With the recent resurgence of bedbugs, most hotels are being extra careful when it comes to cleanliness; some, however, haven't done such a good job, according to TripAdvisor.

TripAdvisor has compiled a list of the dirtiest hotels throughout Asia, Europe, India and the United States, based on user reviews of those hotels, the site stated.

The site compiled a list of the top 10 hotels with the highest percentage of reviewers who would not recommend staying there.

The list is accompanied by excerpts from actual reviews, along with photo documentation of all the dirt and decay.

Click around, if you dare.

Washington University introduces new effort to help students go green

ST. LOUIS — In Washington University's continued effort to remain green, the Office of Sustainability has developed a plan that it calls a "pledge for sustainability," according to Student Life. The pledge aims to deal with the issue of sustainability on a micro level, teaching the university community to take small steps toward becoming green, the article stated. The pledge is broken down into five categories: energy, food, water, transportation and waste, and offers 24 recommendations to students who aim to incorporate more sustainable habits into their daily lives, the article noted. "I think the point is to give people an opportunity to learn more about the small parts about leading a sustainable lifestyle," said Will Fischer, assistant coordinator for special projects and fellow in the Office of Sustainability. Click here to read the complete article.

Suspected illegal immigrant hired as custodian at E.A. Cox Middle School, TN

COLUMBIA, TN — A woman who reportedly worked as a custodian at E.A. Cox Middle School is behind bars suspected of being in the country illegally, according to WTVF-TV.

Olga Bueno-Romero, 25, was arrested late last week by the U.S. Marshal's Office, immigration and customs enforcement officers, and investigators from the Maury County Sheriff's Department, the article stated.

"We believe, by the information that we have, that she'd been here quite a long time," said Lt. Mike Diaz, with the sheriff's department. "Possibly since last year, or maybe longer than that."

Romero is wanted, on a felony warrant for violation of probation, in the state of Texas, the article noted.

According to the article, the federal government can either opt for immediate deportation, or it can send her back to Texas to face those charges.

Click here to read the complete article.