Implementing Rural Community Composting in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, & Vermont - Grant

NERC was awarded grant funding from the US Department of Agriculture, Rural Utility Services, Solid Waste Management Grant Program, for Implementing Rural Community Composting in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont.


The project worked with communities and organizations to divert food scraps and yard/garden trimmings to community-based compost operations.


Participating sites (Connecticut - 1, Maine - 1, Massachusetts - 2, New Hampshire - 3, New York - 1, Vermont - 2) received training, site visits, and technical assistance in support of their efforts. 


A team of organics experts has been assembled to work with NERC to develop training and educational resources, including: Natasha Duarte, Director, Composting Association of Vermont; Libby Weiland, Statewide Network Coordinator, Vermont Community Gardens Network; Dawn Pettinelli, Assistant Extension Educator, Department of Plant Science & Landscape Architecture, University of Connecticut Soil Nutrient Analysis Lab; Jean Bonhotal, Director, Cornell Waste Management Institute (CWMI), Department of Crop and Soil Sciences; and, Beret Halverson, State Coordinator, UVM Extension Master Gardener & Master Composter Program. 


Key NERC staff were Athena Lee Bradley and Cindy Sterling.

BioBags America, Inc. donated Solid BioBuckets (“kitchen caddies) and Compostable Food Scrap Bags to project sites

Many innovative resources were created through this project, and two national webinars. 


Tip Sheets:

Videos:

Other:

Webinars:


Recycling Businesses in the NERC Region that Process or Use Post-Consumer “Blue Bin” Materials after MRF Processing 

The NERC-NEWMOA Regional Recycling Market Development Committee has produced this list of businesses that process or use post-consumer recycled content after processing by MRFs, derived from so-called “blue bin” recyclables: paper, plastic, glass, aseptic cartons, aluminum and steel cans.   

 

The list is limited to facilities in the NERC region – Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. 

 

There may be errors and even omissions. If you identify either, please contact Megan Schulz-Fontes, NERC Executive Director (Megan@nerc.org).


View the Full List Here