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                                                               EXHIBIT  10.01(q)
                                      TERM NOTE
    $350,000                                                    Cleveland, Ohio

                                                                  July 25, 1996


    FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, jointly and severally, promise to pay
to the order of NATIONAL CANADA FINANCE CORP. ("Bank") the principal amount of
THREE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($350,000) as hereinafter provided, with
interest on the unpaid principal balance from time to time outstanding at a rate
per annum equal to one and one-half (1 1/2) percentage points above Bank's Base
Rate (as defined in the Loan Agreement, as described below).  Interest shall be
payable monthly commencing on July 31, 1996, and continuing on the last day of
each month thereafter until the entire principal amount has been repaid in full.
Any increase or decrease in the interest rate resulting from a change in Bank's
Base Rate shall become effective on the date of such change. Interest shall be
computed on a 360-day year basis based on the actual number of days elapsed.

    The undersigned agree to pay the principal of and any unpaid interest on
this Term Note (the "Note") in full on August 15, 1996.

    Payment of the principal of and interest on this Note shall be made in
lawful money of the United States of America to Bank at 125 West 55th Street,
New York, New York, or at such other place as the holder shall have designated
to the undersigned in writing.

    This Note is issued pursuant to the Loan And Security Agreement, entered 
into by and among Meridian National Corporation, Ottawa River Steel Co., 
National Metal Processing, Inc., Interstate Metal Processing, Inc., Precise 
Pac, Inc., Meridian Environmental Services, Inc. (collectively "Borrowers") 
and Bank of New England, N.A., dated December 9, 1989, as amended (the "Loan 
Agreement"), to which reference is hereby made for a statement of the rights 
and obligations of Bank and the duties and obligations of the Borrowers in 
relation thereto, but neither this reference to the Loan Agreement nor any 
provision thereof shall affect or impair the absolute and unconditional 
obligation of the undersigned to pay the principal of, and interest on, this 
Note when due.

    This Note is secured by, among other things, the security interests and
liens described in the Loan Agreement.

    The undersigned may prepay all or any portion of this Note at any time and
in any amount without penalty.

    In the event the undersigned fail to pay, when due, any principal or
interest owed under this Note, or upon the occurrence of an Event of Default (as
defined in the Loan Agreement) which has not been waived in writing by Bank, the
undersigned shall pay Bank interest on the daily average balance of


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all amounts outstanding under this Note at a rate per annum (the "Default Rate")
of two (2) percentage points plus the rate otherwise applicable to all amounts
outstanding under this Note from the date when due or the date such Event of
Default has occurred, as applicable, until all amounts due herein are paid in
full or such Event of Default has been waived by Bank; provided, however, that
the Default Rate shall not exceed the maximum rate permitted by applicable law.

    Upon the nonpayment or partial payment of any payment of principal or
interest or any other obligation due and owing to Bank, all or any portion of
the principal and interest due or to become due under this Note shall become at
once due and payable at the option of the holder of this Note without notice,
demand, presentment, or dishonor, which the undersigned hereby waive.

    The undersigned agree to pay upon default the costs of collection including
reasonable fees of attorneys.

    No delay or omission on the part of the holder in exercising any right 
under this Note shall operate as a waiver of such right or of any other right 
of such holder, nor shall any delay, omission or waiver on any one occasion 
be deemed a bar to or waiver of the same or any other right on any future 
occasion. The undersigned and every endorser of this Note regardless of the 
time, order or place of signing waive presentment, demand, protest and 
notices of every kind and assent to any one or more extensions or 
postponements of the time of payment or any other indulgences, and to any 
substitutions, exchanges, or releases of any other parties or persons 
primarily or secondarily liable.

     The undersigned authorize any attorney-at-law to appear before any court of
record, state or Federal, in the county of the State of Ohio in which this Note
was executed or in any other State of the United States of America after the
unpaid principal of this Note becomes due, waive the issuance and service of
process, admit the maturity of this Note, confess judgment against the
undersigned in favor of Bank for the amount then appearing due, together with
interest thereon and costs of suit, and thereupon to release all errors and
waive all rights of appeal and stay of execution.  The foregoing warrant of
attorney shall survive any judgment, it being understood that should any
judgment be vacated for any reason, the foregoing warrant of attorney
nevertheless may thereafter be used for obtaining an additional judgment or
judgments.


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    This Note is being executed and delivered in Cleveland, Ohio.

WARNING - - BY SIGNING THIS PAPER YOU GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO NOTICE
AND COURT TRIAL. IF YOU DO NOT PAY ON TIME A COURT JUDGMENT MAY BE
TAKEN AGAINST YOU WITHOUT YOUR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND THE POWERS OF A
COURT CAN BE USED TO COLLECT FROM YOU REGARDLESS OF ANY CLAIMS YOU
MAY HAVE AGAINST THE CREDITOR WHETHER FOR RETURNED GOODS, FAULTY
GOODS, FAILURE ON HIS PART TO COMPLY WITH THE AGREEMENT, OR ANY
OTHER CAUSE


ENVIRONMENTAL PURIFICATION                  MERIDIAN NATIONAL CORPORATION
INDUSTRIES

By:/s/ Real P. Remillard               By:/s/ James L. Rosino
   -------------------------              --------------------------

Title: Chief Financial Officer         Title: Vice President - Finance
     ------------------------                -------------------------


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