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July 2015

NERC’s Advisory Members

Distinguished Benefactors

Consumer Technology Association (CTA)

Benefactors

Coca-Cola

Samsung

Waste Management

Sustaining Members

  • Advanced Drainage Systems

  • American Beverage Association

  • Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR)

  • Blount Fine Foods

  • BlueTriton Brands

  • Bulk Handling Systems

  • Casella Resource Solutions

  • CLYNK

  • Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, Inc.

  • Council of State Governments/Eastern Regional Conference

  • Eco-Products

  • Fire Rover, LLC

  • GDB International

  • Glass Packaging Institute

  • Henkel

  • Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI)

  • International Bottled Water Association

  • Keep America Beautiful

  • Keurig Dr. Pepper

  • MRM

  • Nestle USA

  • NEWMOA

  • PaintCare

  • Plastics Industry Association

  • Re-TRAC

  • Recycling Partnership

  • Republic Services

  • Reverse Logistics Group

  • Revolution

  • Serlin Haley

  • Sims Municipal Recycling

  • Sonoco

  • Strategic Materials

  • Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC)

  • TOMRA

  • US Composting Council (USCC)

A list of all the logos of our Sustaining Members can be found under Advisory Members

MEMBERSHIP

Renewing Distinguished Benefactor

samsung

Renewing Supporting Member

Member Spotlight - National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA)

NERC NEWS

STATE UPDATES

NEW YORK

ADVISORY MEMBER UPDATES

 MEMBERSHIP

NERC thanks its renewing Distinguished Benefactor: samsung

And also thanks renewing Supporting Member - hibu, publisher of Yellowbook.

To see a complete listing of NERC's Members and Supporters, as well as the benefits of membership, visit the NERC Advisory Membership web page.

The broad spectrum of interests represented by NERC's Advisory Members, Individual Supporters, and Board Members and their willingness to participate significantly contribute to the unique and important role that NERC plays in recycling in the region.

Member Spotlight - National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA)

The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) became a Sustaining Member with  the Northeast Recycling Council in 2014.  ThouNWRA logogh this relationship is just starting, NWRA has a long history of working with hundreds of businesses and organizations throughout the United States.  NWRA is the trade association representing private-sector U.S. waste and recycling companies, as well as the manufacturers and service providers that do business with those companies.  Association members operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  NWRA provides leadership, advocacy, research, education and safety expertise to promote North American waste and recycling industries, promotes the concept of “Environmentalists. Every day.”

Steve Changaris, NWRA Regional Manager – Northeast Region, has attended NERC conferences and values his organization’s membership in NERC.  “I am very impressed with NERC.  Having been in this business for over twenty years, I really like being able to connect with other professionals at the conferences.  It is a great place to meet old friends and make new ones.  The information presented is first-rate and the staff has always been helpful to me and to NWRA.”

History

The Association was launched in 1962, formed as the National Council of Refuse Disposal Trade Associations.  In 1968, the group moved to Washington, DC and was chartered as the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) and hired its first full-time staff.

In 1993, a major reorganization occurred. The Waste and Equipment Technology Association (WASTEC) was formed, and both NSWMA and WASTEC became quasi-independent trade associations under the umbrella of the Environmental Industry Associations (EIA).  Sharon H. Kneiss became the new president and CEO of EIA in June 2012. During her first year leading the group, she oversaw a strategic planning effort, in which the EIA leadership moved to reorganize the group, merging EIA, NSWMA, and WASTEC into a single entity with a single name. This process was completed in November 2013, when the EIA Board of Trustees adopted new bylaws for the merged group and renamed the merged association the National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA).

In 2015, NWRA has targeted their efforts using key strategic themes  – promoting safety initiatives through professional grade training programs: advocating for laws to make roads safer for employees: explaining the true cost of recycling: and offering real solutions that continue to make recycling feasible for both the private waste and recycling industry and their municipal customers

“In speeches to key industry groups, in interviews with the media, and elsewhere, we’ve been aggressively informing the public and policy makers that there is a cost to recycling, and the fact that global economic forces have been threatening the business models upon which the current recycling system was built,” said Kneiss.  Their efforts are focused in different categories of advocacy, market statistics, professional development, safety, and ANSI standards.  

Advocacy

The National Waste & Recycling Association plays an active leadership role in advancing policies that benefit the solid waste industry and improve the quality of life for all Americans. Its advocacy work focuses on the legislative and regulatory objectives of its members across a variety of important solid waste issues like climate change and the recycling industry. The Association comments frequently on EPA proposals relating to climate change. NWRA believes that improved solid waste management will continue to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and states on their website that they are proud that America’s solid waste industry is one of the few to have reduced greenhouse emissions in the last 20 years.

Market Statistics

NWRA has provided market data to its members since 1994.  Participating companies report organizational information, and receive manufacturing and sales data on the industry as well as their company’s relationship to the market and competitors. The goal of the program is to provide a forecast of market trends and an indicator of resource pricing used in the manufacturing industry.

Women’s Council

The Women’s Council fosters the professional development of women in the waste industry while striving to increase their business, financial and leadership skills through education, workshops, mentoring, and networking opportunities.   In addition, the Women’s Council established an educational scholarship program to assist qualified individuals in their suit of an education that will lead to productive careers in the environmental industry. All National Waste & Recycling Association member employees and their dependents are eligible to apply.

Other Programs

NWRA offers its members Professional Development services of certification and education for professionals in the recycling and solid waste industry.   

The NWRA staff frequently speaks at regional conferences, provides media contact, and press conferences providing opinions on various policies and describing how the changing recycling environment will affect the industry.   They also had a monthly column in Waste 360 magazine discussing commodities and markets. 

Chaz Miller, Director of Policy/Advocacy, has served as an Ex Officio member of the NERC Board since 2014.

NERC NEWSDate Change for NERC’s Fall Event on Recycled Glass & Markets

NERC’s 2015 Fall event dates have changed to November 9 – 10.  Please make this change in your calendar so you don’t miss the opportunity to discuss and learn about recycled glass and recycled glass markets. 

The event agenda will include presentations by industry experts, a forum for discussing the issues of recycling glass and the potential for recycled glass markets, and a training on glass. In addition, Rhode Island Resource Recovery will be sponsoring a tour of Strategic Materials’ glass processing facility and of the Material Recycling Facility, both in Johnston, Rhode Island. 

The agenda and registration will be available on NERC’s website by mid-July.  If you have any questions regarding the event, please feel free to contact Mary Ann Remolador, NERC’s Event Organizer.

Summer Membership Drive

Don’t fear. You haven’t accidentally received an email from public television.  At NERC, we have a membership program too, and it is part of our organization’s budget each year.  Now that our new fiscal year has begun, NERC is starting the year and the summer right with an invitation for our readers to consider becoming an Advisory Member.  Our members help broaden NERC’s mission to facilitate change in sustainability practices across the country.  This SUMMER INVITATION is extended to businesses, corporations, trade associations, non-profits, recycling organizations, solid waste districts, and municipalities. 

Click here to see a list of our current Advisory Members.  Would you like to see your organization on this list for our many Email Bulletin readers and visitors to nerc.org?  Read about Benefits of Membership online or download our Advisory Member brochure

NERC Works on Reuse in Lyons Falls, New York

As part of a USDA grant, NERC staff is working with the Lyons Falls, New York community in organizing a community-wide tailgate flea market and county-wide reuse training.  The project partners include the Village of Lyons Falls, Lyons Falls ALIVE, the Development Authority of the North Country, Lewis County Solid Waste Department, Lewis County Opportunities, and Fingerlakes ReUse.

The Tailgate Flea Market will be held Saturday, July 11, from 9 - 3 at Riverside Park. This event will be the first annual Lyons Falls Tailgate Flea Market. And is an opportunity for the community to sell, exchange, barter, giveaway, and/or purchase usable clothing, housewares, toys, games, sports equipment, tools, electronics, furniture, etc.  

The Lyons Falls & Lewis County Reuse Training will be held on Monday, July 13, from 9am–2pm at the Lyons Falls Library. The Training provides an opportunity for nonprofit organizations, community activists and decision makers, schools, municipal staff, and individuals to learn about and discuss the role reuse plays in reducing waste and benefiting communities.  Examples of the topics to be discussed include: ongoing reuse activities such as developing reuse sheds and establishing a reuse center; planning and managing textile collection programs; hosting reuse events such as toy exchanges and fix-it clinics; organizing reuse events and programs in any setting; and related logistical and legal questions.

For more information about the Lyons Fall events, contact Mary Ann Remolador, NERC’s Assistant Director.  For more information about NERC’s Reuse Project, contact Athena Lee Bradley, NERC’s Projects Manager.

Southwest Vermont Schools Compost

NERC recently completed its Vermont School Project, working with four schools to expand recycling and implement food scrap composting. NERC held stakeholder meetings with school administrators, facility directors, custodians, cafeteria staff, and other key individuals to plan and implement the project. NERC provided trainings in food scrap collection at each school and on-site technical assistance in program implementation. The project ended successfully, with all the schools composting food scraps five days per week.

Ms. Jaclyn Doran and Ms. Cheri Bates, with the High School Learning Center, took on the responsibility of implementing composting at Arlington Memorial High School/Middle School. A group of environmentally interested students participate as cafeteria and compost monitors. The students built a temporary pallet compost bin on campus to hold the collected food scraps; a large three-unit wooden compost bin is under construction by the school’s Technology Class. The bin is designed to be large enough to hold the food scraps generated from both the High School and Fisher Elementary School (see below). A student Environmental Club was organized in the spring to also help out with the collection and to maintain the compost bin. NERC staff provided instruction on food scrap collection, along with the composting process and compost maintenance to the instructors and student monitors.

Fisher Elementary_Recycle ZoneCompost collection at Fisher Elementary is under the purview of the school’s head custodian, Ralph Nesbitt. Mr. Nesbitt has elementary students who enthusiastically volunteer to assist him in monitoring the food scrap collection during each lunch period. He also designed a compost collection station and signage. Collected food scraps are transported by Mr. Nesbitt to Arlington High School/Middle School for composting. To help improve their school recycling, Fisher established a very visible, centralized “Recycle Zone” to encourage greater participation.

NERC worked with Esther Fishman, Recycling Coordinator for the Londonderry Solid Waste Group to implement food scrap diversion at Flood Brook School. A group of parents volunteered to assist students during the lunch periods for two months following the initial compost program implementation. Flood Brook students proved to be quick learners and enthusiastic supporters of composting. The collected food scraps are hauled by TAM Organics to their facility in Bennington, Vermont.

The cafeteria staff at Flood Brook is completely on-board with the composting effort. School Compost_Flood BrookStaff helps to monitor the collection bins to ensure that no contaminants are found. At the end of the lunch periods, cafeteria staff transport the collected food scraps to outside carts for storage. The cafeteria staff also washes the collection buckets. Approximately 250 pounds of food scraps are collected from the school each week.

Principal Donna Cauley and custodian Gary Kinney worked with NERC to implement food scrap collection and improve recycling at Monument Elementary. All classes at Monument now have recycling bins and comSchool Compost_Monument Elementarypost buckets. Classroom food scraps, collected primarily from snack period, are taken by a student to the cafeteria during lunch and put in the cafeteria collection buckets. Food scraps are collected on a weekly basis by TAM Organics and hauled to their facility in Bennington. Food scrap diversion tonnages are averaging about 125 pounds a week for Monument and approximately 300 pounds of recyclables are generated each week.

All four schools have dedicated staff to continue on the program without NERC’s assistance. Mechanisms are in place or are being discussed for integrating new students into the food scrap collection next year.

For more information, contact Athena Lee Bradley, Projects Manager.

NERC Blog Worth Repeating—Coffee Controversies—Invasion of the Coffee Snatchers

Coffee Controversies—Invasion of the Coffee Snatchers was first posted on the NERC Blog on May 19, 2015.

With all the news these days about the purported health benefits of coffee, I figure it’s time once again to visit the K-Cup. NERC Blog readers may recall two previous articles devoted to the K-Cup discussion—Coffee Controversies and Coffee Controversies meets Recycling Capacity.

Keurig Green Mountain, the producer of the much vilified K-cup, notes that as of September 2014, 30 billion plus K-cups have been sold worldwide. According to the Atlantic, nearly one in three American homes now has a pod-based coffee machine.

In its fiscal 2014 Sustainability Report, Keurig Green Mountain stated that it has a goal to make 100% of K-Cup pods recyclable by 2020. According to the company, three out of the four pod types available for the Keurig 2.0 system—Vue®, K-Carafe™, and Bolt® packs, are currently recyclable. These pods are made of polypropylene (#5) plastic, which, according to the company is accepted by 60% of communities in the U.S. However, while these pod types have been better designed with recycling in mind, they still require that the pod’s plastic cup be separated from the lid, filter, and coffee grounds for recycling.

K-Cup Packs, the signature single-serve coffee pods manufactured by Keurig, are not currently recyclable. In 2014, K-Cups accounted for most of the company’s $4.7 billion in revenue. Finding a recycling solution for the K-Cup presents multiple challenges for the company. A recyclable K-Cup must meet all the requirements of the Keurig brewing system, while also being designed to be easily separated by consumers. The company states it is moving toward using polypropylene (#5) plastic for the pod itself (currently made from plastic #7). The current design of the K-Cup, however—plastic integrated with a filter, grounds, and plastic foil top—makes it difficult for the consumer to separate the components for recycling.

In a country where 2/3 of all beverage containers do not get recycled, I find it hard to believe the K-Cup will achieve a significant recycling rate no matter how easy it is to recycle. Also, these smaller pods can be difficult for materials recovery facilities to process and bale.

Resource Recycling recently reported on a fully compostable single-serve coffee pod developed by Club Coffee. The compostable “PurPod100” works in machines made by Keurig Green Mountain. The ring of the pod is made from coffee chaff, the skin of the bean that comes off during the roasting process. It is reportedly designed to be digestible by bacteria. The PurPod100 is currently being tested for certification by the Biodegradable Products Institute. The company states that the pod is compostable even in backyard composting…certainly intriguing if true.

In an interesting “pod” twist, John Sylvan, the inventor of the K-Cup, recently expressed his regrets over having made the single-serve pod. (Of course he also expressed his misgivings about selling his stock in Keurig for a mere $50,000.) I imagine if he didn’t invent the single-serve pod certainly someone would have. According to the Atlantic, K-Cups are exceptionally profitable, selling standard coffee grounds for around $40 per pound.

While concern over the environmental impact of disposing of billions of plastic pods is certainly being expressed, the popularity of single-serve coffee machines continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Sales of drip coffee-makers remain stagnant, while pod-machine sales have increased six-fold since 2008. And, my coffee-maker of choice—the humble French press—enjoys a relatively small, but dedicated following of coffee connoisseurs in this country.

Like many products with questionable environmental impacts, single-serve coffee systems do have their advantages. For offices and other commercial establishments, the water savings from being able to brew a single cup of coffee at a time reduces the amount of brewed coffee dumped when no one drinks it. As a frequenter of Bed and Breakfast lodging, I confess that the K-Cup has revolutionized coffee service for my travel needs. However, I believe the jury is still out on the ultimate environmental impact of the coffee pod.

By Athena Lee Bradley

STATE UPDATESNEW YORK

Tom Lynch Takes the Plunge - to Retirement

After 30 years of dedicated service to New York State’s Department of Environmental Tom LynchConservation (NYSDEC), Tom Lynch, Chief of the Recycling and Outreach Section within the Bureau of Waste Reduction and Recycling, Division of Materials Management, has retired.  He has been NYS’s Board of Director’s representative to NERC for the past 4 years.  In addition, he has represented the NYSDEC on various other organization’s committees and task forces including: NEWMOA, ASTSWMO and the New York State Association of Solid Waste Managers to name a few.  Over the years, he worked in various programs within NYSDEC including the following program areas; Solid and Hazardous Waste, Waste Transporters, Beneficial Use Determinations, Pesticides Management, and many others.  His knowledge and expertise, along with his easy going demeanor will be missed by NERC and NYSDEC.

Edible Food & Food Scraps Diversion

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation encourages diverting wasted edible food and food scraps from disposal.  Recovering and recycling this material can be a key solid waste management strategy to combat climate change and reach the diversion goals established in the State’s Solid Waste Management Plan, (http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/41831.html).

Grocery stores and other large generators of food scraps in New York State have indicated a willingness to reduce food scraps, donate more edible food, and recycle more food scraps. To explore how New York State can promote and encourage these practices, the Department is holding a two-day, by invitation-only, forum on June 15 and 16. The first day will focus on the food and retail industry to receive their ideas and interests in establishing stronger food reduction, donation and food scrap recycling programs.  The focus of the second day will be on infrastructure development including hauling. The input gained from these meetings will help the Department to develop and implement a strategy to reduce wasted edible food and to reduce and recycle more food scraps.

ADVISORY MEMBER UPDATEsKeep America Beautiful Announces Results of “Recycling at Work” Research Study

Providing employees with a desk-side recycling bin and a smaller trash bin attached to it can serve as a success model for increasing recycling and reducing waste in the workplace. The recommendation, referred to as the “Little Trash” scenario, is one key insight comprising the first wave of the “Recycling at Work” study, commissioned by Keep America Beautiful with support from PepsiCo Recycling and CBRE.

Conducted over a six-month period in 2014, the study’s purpose is to help define best practices for a recycling program that will foster improved recycling behavior in the workplace and result in an increase of quality and quantity of materials collected. The results, released today, provide a number of common-sense approaches that can be broadly applied in most workplace environments.

The overarching recommendation, which achieved a 20 percent increase in office recycling during the study, is to provide employees with a desk-side recycling bin along with small trash bin. In common areas, it’s recommended that recycling and trash bins be paired with simple, consistent signage provided on bins and posters with the most common recyclables identified on the recycling bin. For more research findings and recommendations, go to the “Recycling at Work” website

The study, conducted by Action Research, focused on the effects of office bin placement on recycling rates and level of contamination. In addition, the research team collected qualitative information about the potential issues encountered prior to and during the study’s implementation, as well as other important factors to consider when setting up a workplace recycling program.

“Our research clearly shows that by combining specific-sized trash and recycling receptacles, with simple signage and messaging, businesses and other organizations can increase employee participation and improve their rate of recycling of office-generated materials,” said Jennifer Jehn, president and CEO of Keep America Beautiful.

Most research conducted about recycling behavior has focused on residential or curbside environments. In a national poll of adults 18-65, when asked, 87 percent of respondents indicated that they typically recycle in their home, but only 41 percent indicated they do so in the workplace. Furthermore, 50 percent of those respondents indicated that it is difficult to extremely difficult to recycle in the workplace.*

Four different workplace recycling approaches were tested. While the “Little Trash” scenario proved to be the most successful, the “Equal-Size” set-up also produced positive results. With convenience being the most common barrier to recycling, it’s important to note that these two equally convenient options — providing a recycling and trash bin at each desk — produced different results. 

The “Little Trash” approach yielded improved quality of material collected in the recycling bin – an increase of 20 percent in the quality of recyclables – along with a significant increase in knowledge about recycling and proper recycling behavior. After implementing the “Little Trash” condition, offices significantly increased the proportion of material in the recycling bin that was actually recyclable and decreased the amount of trash collected in the bin. There was also a decrease in the amount of recyclables improperly placed in the trash bin, especially that of office paper. Paper in the trash bin was reduced to nearly zero.  Moreover, the respondents of the “Little Trash” approach had a positive experience with the program.

As part of the “Recycling at Work” Study, baseline waste audits were followed by two short-term and two long-term audits for a total of 200 audits that were conducted in partnership with Great Forest, one of the leading sustainability consultancies in the U.S. The data was used to look for changes over the course of the program, including total recycling and trash collected by weight; weight and percentages of recyclables in the recycling and trash; among other measures.

Based on the frequency of the 10 targeted items in the recycling and trash, the study suggests the following items should serve as higher priorities for an office recycling program:

1.  Office paper is the most frequently recycled material, but it was still present in the trash in 50 percent of offices.

2.  Plastic beverage bottles and aluminum beverage cans are about equally present in recycling bins and trash bins. Similar to paper, these materials remain a priority.

3.  Paper towels were very frequently ending up in the recycling bin, with a steady decrease of presence over the course of the project.

4.  Food scraps had enough of a similar pattern to deserve a priority focus, though they were not present in recycling bins as frequently as paper towels.

Ed Socci, director, advanced research, PepsiCo said, “We strive for the smallest possible environmental footprint in developing, producing and packaging our foods and beverages. One way to accomplish this is by utilizing recycled PET (rPET) in our beverage packaging. For more than a decade, PepsiCo has included rPET in our primary soft drink packages and we’re especially proud that Naked Juice is made with 100 percent post-consumer rPET. With current recycling rates, there’s a significant opportunity to increase rPET supply. Knowing that many beverages in the U.S. are consumed in the workplace, we saw the study with Keep America Beautiful and partners as a powerful way to understand current recycling practices and improve them—which increases the availability of rPET and enables us to provide our consumers with even more sustainable products.”

Keep America Beautiful’s “Recycling at Work” program is a national voluntary initiative challenging businesses, government agencies, schools, hospitals and other institutions to commit to increase workplace recycling. By taking the pledge and becoming a Pledge Partner, businesses and organizations can access special recycling bin discounts, free tools, and other resources to help them increase recycling, encourage employee participation, and earn recognition for their actions.

Full copies of the Executive Summary and research are available online at recyclingatwork.org.

*Survey conducted Aug. 28 – Sept. 15, 2014, of 1,000 adults 18-65 by C+R Research, Inc., on behalf of KAB and the Ad Council.

RIT Collaborates with Staples on Sustainability Video

A new video produced at Rochester Institute of Technology illustrates the importance of sustainable purchasing decisions, explaining through animation how it matters for people to buy “green” products and how those decisions can impact the environment.

Produced in part by the Staples Sustainable Innovation Lab (SSIL), located at and sponsored by RIT’s Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS) with funding from Staples Inc., the approximately two-minute video titled “small choices, Big Impact” was developed as a means to educate viewers on the broad topic of sustainability and the significance of their everyday purchases.

“We want to demonstrate to people how their purchases have a critical impact on the world around us,” said Brian Hilton, a senior staff engineer at GIS and director of SSIL who worked closely on the video with Patricia Donohue, senior engineer and Sustainable Supply Chain Program manager at the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute.

“When we approach people on the topic of sustainability, they don’t always understand the impact a single product can have in terms of material use, energy, transportation and chemical use,” Donohue said. “Hopefully after seeing this video they will have a better idea.”

Some of the factoids that scroll on screen throughout the engaging animation are daunting: 55 percent of the rivers and streams in the United States are too polluted to support healthy aquatic life; 40 percent of Americans live in areas with unhealthy air quality; and about one quarter of the Earth’s land area is considered highly degraded.

But the video—created in the studios at RIT Production Services—ends on a promising note and shares encouraging developments: 20 percent of the world’s electricity today is generated using renewable sources; more than 60 percent of paper in the U.S. is recycled each year; and material changes have restored the ozone layer to 1980 levels.

“People have to know and understand how their choices do make a difference and that there is hope for our planet,” Hilton observed. He added that team members from both GIS and Staples would like this to be the first in a series of videos—with a new one produced about every six months—to delve into additional impacts of sustainability and environmentally benign purchasing decisions.

“One of our challenges is that sustainability is such a broad topic,” Donohue added. “We initially thought about addressing other subjects such as labor and poverty, climate change and ozone depletion, but we knew we had to keep it around two minutes.”

GIS aims to solicit feedback on the video from purchasing and sustainability groups and to develop webinars on topics such as eco-labels and choosing products that are remanufactured.While the topic of sustainability may be elusive for some, Hilton said the videos will provide a simple, engaging way to educate and inform.

“Most of us look at sustainability and see such a large issue and ask, ‘what’s my impact on the planet?’” Hilton said. “All of us working together really can make a difference. It’s up to all of us to help drive change.”

Go to http://www.rit.edu/gis/ssil/to learn more.

2015 Awards For Leadership In Sustainable Purchasing Announced

The Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC) announced on Wednesday, May 27th, the 2015 Awards for Leadership in Sustainable Purchasing. Recipients included a Federal agency, a county government, an office products supplier, and a consulting firm.

 

·         US Department of Energy received the Purchaser Leadership Award for an Overall Program—which is SPLC’s highest honor and recognizes a purchasing organization whose overall sustainable purchasing program exemplifies leadership—for its GreenBuy Award Program.

 

·         County of Alameda received the Purchaser Leadership Award for a Special Initiative—which recognizes a purchasing organization whose work with a specific purchasing category, issue, or supplier demonstrates exceptional leadership in improving the environmental, social, and economic performance of its supply chain—for implementing a strategic plan for copy paper.

 

Two organizations received the Supplier Leadership Award, which recognizes a supplier organization whose actions have enabled institutional purchasers to better understand and take responsibility for the consequences of their spending. Office Depot received the Award for advancing sustainability by engaging its customers. Vital Metrics received the Supplier Award for providing sustainability impact spend analysis services.

 

The Leadership Awards recognize organizations that have demonstrated or actively supported the kind of leadership envisioned in the SPLC’s Principles for Leadership in Sustainable Purchasing. The Principles state that an organization demonstrates leadership in sustainable purchasing through:

  • Understanding. Understanding the environmental, social, and economic impacts of its purchasing.
  • Commitment. Taking responsibility for the environmental, social, and economic impacts of its purchasing by committing to an action plan.
  • Results. Delivering on its commitment to improve the environmental, social, and economic impacts of its purchasing.
  • Innovation. Actively promoting internal and external innovation
    that advances a positive future.
  • Transparency. Soliciting and disclosing information that supports a marketplace of innovation.

“The winners of these Awards have each demonstrated their commitment to leadership in sustainable purchasing,” says SPLC Executive Director Jason Pearson. “Collectively, they focus the powerful market influence of institutional purchasers--in public and private sectors alike—to advance a socially just, ecologically robust, economically prosperous future. The winners of SPLC’s Leadership Awards exemplify, encourage, and support a constructive cycle of innovation that will define the global marketplace of tomorrow.”

 

In addition to the four Leadership Awards, twenty-two organizations received Outstanding Case Study Awards for a total of thirty-three high quality case studies that document these organizations’ diverse efforts to exercise and support leadership in sustainable purchasing. Recipients of the Outstanding Case Study Awards included: Aflac, Asia Pulp and Paper, Citi, City of Portland, County of Alameda, Dell, Domtar Corporation, Ecolab, Emory University, FedEx, Government of the District of Columbia, GreenCircle Certified, LLC, HDR, KEITI, King County, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Province of Nova Scotia, Sphere E, State of California Department of General Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and University of California San Diego.

 

The winning Case Study Awards will become part of SPLC’s Case Studies Database, an online reference tool cross-linked with SPLC’s Principles for Leadership in Sustainable Purchasing and Guidance for Leadership in Sustainable Purchasing.

 

The winners were selected by a prestigious jury from government, the private sector, and civil society, which included: Karl Bruskotter (City of Santa Monica), Barry Giles (Buildingwise, LLC), Harry Lewis (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), Christina Macken (SPLC), Amanda Stevens (World Resources Institute), and Nancy Wahl-Scheurich (Little Footprint Lighting).

ISRI2015 Highlights the Best in Recycling

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) held its annual convention and exposition in Vancouver, British Columbia April 21-25.  ISRI2015 was ISRI’s 10th largest convention ever, and those who attended gained an abundance of new knowledge and connections that will help in their business operations. Overall, ISRI2015 was a huge success thanks to all of the exhibitors, sponsors, attendees, and speakers.

Some of the highlights from ISRI2015 include the presentation of the 2015 Design for Recycling® Award to LG Electronics, Inc. for advanced new television products that emphasize recycling during every lifecycle phase. The DFR Award is ISRI’s highest award given annually to the most outstanding contribution to products designed with recycling in mind. It recognizes proactive steps made by manufacturers that have actively incorporated DFR principles into products and processes. LG was specifically being recognized for its 4K ULTRA HD OLED and LED TVs. The product design for these models include the following recycling-friendly traits: mercury-free display panels; use of recycled and recyclable plastics; inclusion of PVC and BFR-free components; small and lighter packaging; ease of disassembly and label/seal separation; and standardized materials and connection types.

Scott Newell, founder of The Shredder Company and Toby Shine of Shine Brothers Corporation were each recognized with Lifetime Achievement Awards, as individuals who took over family businesses and ushered in an era of innovation and success for the entire industry and the association. Mr. Newell’s work led to the continued evolution of the shredder, a powerful, transformative machine that changed how materials are processed and sorted. Mr. Shine took a small, family-run business and made it into one of the top wire chopping operations in North America.

As part of its partnership with JASON Learning, ISRI also recognized the winners of its video and art contest. This year’s contested showcased the value of the automobile recycling. Students in grades K-12 were asked to either create an original video or poster in the style of a public service announcement to raise awareness that nearly every commodity involved in making car parts is recyclable. Students were tasked with the challenge of researching one or more of the commodities that go into making a car and find out what happens to each commodity, including the challenges faced, through the automobile recycling process and beyond. The winners, Georgina Cahill for Grand Prize Video; Elizabeth Korn for top Middle School Video, and Caitlin Tynanes for Grand Prize Poster, were each recognized during a special presentation.

During the convention, ISRI also recognizes achievements in transportation safety. In addition to the Driver of the Year, Pacesetter, and Best Fleet awards, ISRI for the first-time hand out the Golden Wrench Award. The award was presented to Francis Duran of OmniSource in Lima, Ohio for exhibiting outstanding efforts, achievements, and contributions during his 35-year career in vehicle maintenance.

ISRI’s 2016 Convention and Exposition will take place at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, NV, April 3-7. 

ISRI Launches Recycling App with Added Member Benefits

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) recently launched ISRI Mobile, an application for iPhone and Android users. ISRI Mobile is a quick way for the association’s members to access the resources and information they need about ISRI and scrap recycling. There are multiple features that are available to the public: safety resources, commodity information, ISRI convention information, ISRI’s recycling curriculum, industry facts, news and events listings, the benefits of being a member, a buyers’ guide, chapter information, and access to ISRI’s social media pages.  There are also features that are members-only, including a searchable membership directory, advocacy tools, ISRI governance documents, member newsletters, and access to the latest addition of Scrap magazine. The app also allows ISRI to send push notifications that would interest members, such as breaking news and calls to action to support scrap recycling.

ISRI has offered users of ISRI Mobile various ways to make the most out of the app, for example: the ability to add events, webinars, and convention sessions to your calendar simply by clicking the icon in the upper right hand corner; making calls or sending emails directly from the Member Directory; and accessing a majority of the app without wifi, while offering you an opportunity to download important documents by clicking an icon next to the document’s name.

ISRI Mobile aims to make being active in ISRI easier and more accessible to all its members, and much of the public who are interested in scrap recycling. Its many features are a way to adequately and more frequently engage ISRI’s members and offer more benefits to having a membership. For more information on ISRI Mobile, contact Mark Carpenter.

New Study Shows Strong Economic Impact of the U.S. Scrap Recycling Industry

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) has released a new Economic Impact Study revealing that the industry accounts for nearly half a million jobs in the U.S. and generates more than $105 billion annually in economic activity. The study was performed by the independent consulting firm of John Dunham and Associates to explore the size and scope of the scrap industry in the U.S., and measure its significant contribution to the economy in terms of employment, tax generation, and overall economic benefit.

According to the report, the recycling industry is responsible for 471,587 direct and indirect jobs in the U.S. This includes 149,010 direct jobs that pay an average of $77,153 in wages and benefits. Direct jobs include those in facilities that process scrap materials into new, usable commodities. Indirect jobs come from those that supply machinery, equipment and services to processors, and the wages and taxes paid by the scrap recyclers to their workers and suppliers.

Other highlights of the study include:

  • The industry generates about $4.4 billion in state and local revenues annually, and another $6.8 billion in federal taxes are paid each year by the industry and its employees;
  • The scrap recycling industry provides for 0.68 percent of the national’s total economic activity, making it similar in size to the country’s data processing and hosting, dental, and automotive repair industries;
  • Exports account for 26.8 percent of the industry’s economic activity, creating roughly 125,276 jobs; and
  • Export activity generates $28.3 billion in economic benefits, including $1.3 billion in federal tax revenue and $1.7 billion in state and local taxes.

The full report, along with state by state and Congressional district breakdowns can be found at www.isri.org/.

ISRI Launches National Recycling Curriculum Pilots within Schools in New York, Maryland, & Michigan

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc. (ISRI), has launched three school recycling curriculum pilots in Staten Island, New York; Baltimore, Maryland; and Kalamazoo, Michigan. These pilots combine standards-based lessons that teach the science of recycling with local outreach through community recycling partners for students to receive hands-on learning on the recycling process.

Over the last few years ISRI has worked closely with JASON Learning, a nonprofit organization and long-time partner of the National Geographic Society, to develop a recycling curriculum for teachers to use within STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects in grades K-12. This comprehensive curriculum includes curricular experiences; interactive Web-based experiences to enhance student engagement; classroom posters featuring key educational messages; strategies for school visits to ISRI member recycling facilities; age-appropriate lesson plans based on life cycle for each commodity; and more.

Staten Island, New York
With the assistance of Staten Island Borough President James S. Oddo, ISRI’s recycling curriculum was launched within 12 Staten Island public schools this spring and will be expanded borough-wide during the next school year, serving nearly 65,000 students. ISRI Member Pratt Industries is sponsoring this pilot and is an active partner in its implementation. This pilot includes hosting school tours at their recycled paper mill so students can see firsthand how the paper recycling process works. Other key partners that have contributed resources and expertise to ensure proper implementation of this program include GrowNYC, the Department of Sanitation of New York, and the sustainability department for the NYC Department of Education.

Baltimore, Maryland
A second pilot program is taking place at Lakeland Elementary/Middle School located in Baltimore, Maryland. This inner-city school has more than 800 students from pre-K through 8th grades. JASON Learning has been providing Lakeland teachers with a series of training sessions on effectively delivering the recycling curriculum which it plans to implement at the school this coming fall. ISRI Member United Iron & Metal LLC (owned by the Atlantic Recycling Group) is the community recycling partner for this pilot.

Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kalamazoo County Public Schools are hosting ISRI’s third recycling pilot program. JASON Learning is conducted recycling curriculum training on May 6 for more than two dozen teachers from across the Kalamazoo County School District and throughout Southwest Michigan. These teachers are planning to integrate the recycling curriculum into lesson plans this coming fall. This pilot is being sponsored by ISRI’s Michigan Chapter with active participation from ISRI Member Schupan & Sons serving as the pilot’s community recycling partner. Schupan & Sons will arrange to provide tours of their recycling facility in conjunction with the curriculum implementation.

ISRI Hosts Second Annual Industry-Wide Safety Stand-Down Day

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), hosted its second Annual Safety Stand-Down Day on June 24. During Safety Stand-Down Day, all ISRI member and other industry facilities were encouraged to spend at least one hour each shift focused on safety education. The theme for this year’s Safety Stand-Down Day was “Be Safe to Be There.”

This year’s Stand-Down Day took place during National Safety Month. Throughout the month, ISRI provided training guides, videos, and other resources for recycling facilities to use which focused on four areas of concern: mobile equipment, lockout tagout, confined spaces and machine guarding, and fall protection. During Stand-Down Day, recycling facilities from coast to coast used these resources to provide safety education.

Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels wrote issued a letter in support of Stand-Down Day, saying, “I am pleased that ISRI is organizing an industry-wide Safety Stand-Down event on Wednesday, June 24, 2015.We share your concern that the rate of injuries and fatalities may be unacceptably high for your industry. Stand-Down events can be an effective tool in the broad arsenal of efforts that employers can use to control or eliminate safety and health hazards among the recycling workforce.”