NERC Committees
NERC currently has six substantive committees that are exclusive to NERC State and Advisory Members:
Bottle Bill
Purpose: To provide an opportunity for information exchange, updates on efforts to improve/expand bottle bills, the nexus between EPR and bottle bills and issues this may present, as well as other related topics. The committee will not be developing model legislation nor advocating on behalf of NERC for any specific position.
Chair: Gary Feinland, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Meetings: every other month (formed Spring 2021)
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Purpose: NERC’s DE&I Committee is a collaborative initiative designed to bring together organizations and companies within the Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) field that are committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. The committee’s purpose is to encourage a more inclusive and equitable space to foster a successful industry by sharing best practices, driving joint initiatives, and engaging with the broader community on issues related to the intersection of DE&I and SMM.
Chair: Jessica Levine, Diversity and Inclusion Manager, The Recycling Partnership
Meetings: every other month (formed Spring 2022)
Glass
Purpose: To better understand the recycled glass value chain and gaps in the region, and to promote greater diversion of glass containers to the highest-value end uses.
Chair: Jennifer Heaton-Jones, Executive Director, Housatonic Resource Recovery Association
Meetings: every other month (formed Summer 2017)
Regional Recycling Market Development
This vibrant committee is pursuing a number of projects to support and expand recycling markets in the NERC 11-state region.
Chair: Chaz Miller, ExOfficio, NERC Board
Meetings: every month (formed Fall 2018)
Organics Management
Purpose: To advance sustainable organic waste management practices in the Northeast through collaboration among industry experts, regulators, and other stakeholders.
Chair: Debra Darby, Tetra Tech
Meetings: every other month (formed Summer 2024)
Supply Side Policies
Purpose: The committee’s goal is to increase the supply of post-consumer plastics, glass, and paper to the marketplace by exploring different supply-side strategies and to compose a Supply Side Policy Guide to compliment minimum post-consumer recycled content model legislations.
Chair: Bradley Baker, Maryland Department of the Environment
Meetings: every other month (formed Winter 2023)
