The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) convened a Work Group to develop model legislation for minimum post-consumer recycled content requirements for glass beverage and food containers, and fiberglass insulation. View the Glass Minimum Post Consumer Recycled Content Model Legislation. 


Work Group Chairs:

  • Chris Nelson, Supervising Environmental Analyst of the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection
  • Stephen Burm, Director of State Government Affairs at Anheuser-Busch with technical assistance from Ed Ferguson, Director of Sustainability at Anheuser-Busch.

The goals for developing the model legislation were to:

  • Develop markets for post-consumer glass containers.
  • Increase the use of post-consumer glass containers in the manufacture of new beverage and food containers and fiberglass insulation.


Stakeholders invited to participate in the Work Group included: 

  • Brands
  • Glass Container Manufacturers
  • Fiberglass Insulation Manufacturers
  • Glass Recyclers/Beneficiators
  • Industry Associations
  • Distributors/Retailers
  • Haulers/Material Recycling Facility Operators
  • State Environmental Agencies
  • State Recycling Organizations
  • Environmental Advocacy Groups


Any questions regarding the Glass Model Legislation may be sent to Megan Fontes, Executive Director.

Organics-End Market Committee

Formed in April 2021, focused on organics end-markets in the region. The committee was open to Advisory Members as well as Board members. It was sunsetted July 1, 2022.

State Electronics Challenge

The State Electronics Challenge (SEC) was a free program that encouraged state, regional, tribal, and local governments, including schools and other public entities, to demonstrate environmental sustainability and reduce costs by "greening" the management of their office equipment.


It was offered Fall 2007 to June 30, 2022. Government agencies and organizations participated as "Partners" in the program. The SEC provided Partners with resources and technical assistance for implementing best practices, and offers annual recognition to Partners that have achieved program goals.


We'd like to thank the funders that supported the formation and early years of the program: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Regions 2, 5, and 8, Samsung, Panasonic, Sims Recycling Solutions, and the ISRI R2/RIOS program. 

Glass Recycling In Rural Communities in Maine

NERC was awarded a USDA Solid Waste Management grant in October 2020 to work with nine rural communities in Maine with developing and sustaining a safe and economically feasible glass recycling program for their residents. The participant regional recycling organizations, communities, and project partners include: North Aroostook Solid Waste Association (NASWA) - Eagle Lake, New Canada, Wallagrass, Winterville, Unorganized Territory (Township 15, Range 6); Unity Area Recycling Center - Jackson, Thorndike, Troy, and Unity; Maine Department of Environmental Protection (ME DEP); and the Maine Resource Recovery Association (MRRA).



The project objectives are to identify glass recyclers that serve Maine; provide technical assistance and guidance to implement glass recycling programs; develop resources to inform and educate the public about the new glass recycling programs; develop glass collection and handling safety education for transfer station attendants, including best management practices and training; and promote glass recycling and the project resources through two webinars, social media, press releases, articles, presentations and announcements.

Project Resources:

Minimum PCR Content Requirements for Plastic Products and Packaging Model Legislation

Recycled Content Mandates:

In 2020, NEWMOA and NERC partnered to develop model post-consumer recycled content legislation for targeted plastic products and packaging. Through this initiative, the organizations were focused on:

  • Encouraging a circular economy in plastics
  • Promoting conservation of resources and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts of producing plastics products from petroleum and gas
  • Strengthening domestic markets for products made with post-consumer plastics
  • Increasing stability in the plastic scrap markets


In August 2022, NERC and NEWMOA announced the publication of Model Minimum Postconsumer Recycled Content Requirements for Plastic Products and Packaging Legislation. A joint Workgroup of state recycling officials worked from 2020 to 2022 on the model legislation. The model incorporates many of the suggestions received from 37 organizations and individuals during a public comment period in early 2022.


This Model bill would require producers of covered plastic products and packaging to use a specified amount of minimum postconsumer recycled content, phased in over time. The covered plastic packaging and products include film bags, single-use containers used for food, beverages, household cleaning, and personal care products, and rigid plastic containers. The Model does not address all types of plastic products and packaging.



The Workgroup included the following state agency individuals.


Recycled Content Legislation Workgroup:

Mission: Joint Workgroup with NEWMOA to facilitate the development of model recycled content legislation to advance increased use of recycled materials in a plastic packaging and products.


Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Sherill Baldwin
Chris Nelson

Maine Department of Environmental Protection
Megan Pryor

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
Claudine Ellyin
Brooke Nash

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Erin Jensen
Christopher Mikulewicz

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
John Vana

Northeast Recycling Council (NERC)
Megan Fontes

Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation
Anne Bijur