Memories of NERC’s Past

December 4, 2012

Jan Ameen, the Executive Director of the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District had these thoughts on her first encounter with NERC—early in her career in the waste management field.

"I recently read Shelley Dresser's article and it brought back lots of memories from my early days in the field. I graduated from Antioch in May 1990 and landed a job as the Vermont State Offices Recycling Coordinator in September of that year. My job was to set up recycling collections in state buildings in Waterbury, Montpelier (including the State House), correctional facilities, judicial buildings, state parks, and regional state offices.

In 1991, I participated in NERC's Office Wastepaper Study conducted by Jaakko Poyry. Mary from Jaakko Poyry showed up in Waterbury and together we sorted through office paper from the collection program I had set up. Then we had a lovely lunch. Not surprisingly for a waste management junkie, I still have the mug she gave me for participating in the study. It sits on my desk in Greenfield (Massachusetts) and is still used. Whenever I use it, I time travel right back to that day of sorting paper at the Waterbury office complex.

Over the past 21 years I have interacted with all of the Executive Directors and staff at NERC. I appreciate all that NERC has done and all it continues to do."

Jan Ameen

The Franklin County Solid Waste Management District is comprised of twenty-two member towns in western Massachusetts. It provides a wide-range of solid waste management services for its member communities.

Guest Blogs represent the opinion of the writer and may not reflect the policy or position of the Northeast Recycling Council, Inc.