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April 2011

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

New Sustaining Member

  • E-World Recyclers

Renewing Sustaining Members

NERC NEWS

TOXICS IN PACKAGING CLEARINGHOUSE NEWS

STATE UPDATES

Maine

Rhode Island

ADVISORY MEMBER NEWS


NERC's mission is to advance an environmentally sustainable economy by promoting source and toxicity reduction, recycling, and the purchasing of environmentally preferable products and services.

State and Advisory Member Updates, as well articles of General Interest are provided as submissions to NERC and may not reflect the policy or position of the Northeast Recycling Council, Inc.

NERC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.


MEMBERSHIP

We are delighted to welcome E-World Recyclers as NERC’s newest Sustaining Member, and Sharp Electronics and the Steel Recycling Institute as renewing Sustaining Members. 

A hallmark of NERC is the strength of multi-stakeholder involvement and problem solving. This is a direct result of the active participation and support of NERC’s Advisory Members. To see a listing of Advisory Members and the benefits of membership, visit the NERC Advisory Membership web page.

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

NERC NEWS

NERC’s C&D Training Registration Deadline Extended!

You now have until April 12th to register for the C&D Reuse and RecyclingTraining being offered by NERC in Massachusetts and New York. WasteCap Resource Solutions, nationally renowned waste reduction specialists, will be the training presenters. WasteCap will share their experience in developing a reuse and recycling waste management plan for new construction, remodeling, and demolition jobsites; steps required to implement the plan; methods for identifying and selecting markets and haulers; case studies; and more.

Training:  Building for the Future – A Construction & Demolition Waste Reuse and Recycling Training (USGBC Education Provider Program)

Training Dates & Locations
Tuesday, April 19, 2011      
NERC’s Spring Training, Hotel Northampton,
Northampton, Massachusetts

Thursday, April 21, 2011
SyracuseCoE Center for Sustainable Community Solutions
Syracuse, New York 

NERC Social Marketing Program Beginning Soon

Thanks to the support of the American Chemistry Council and Steel Recycling Institute, NERC will be launching a social marketing program in the coming weeks.  A Facebook page, blog, and Twitter feature will be part of this new-to-NERC communications program.  Stay tuned! 

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

Free School Recycling & Composting Webinars

Much of the school waste stream is recyclable and compostable.  As part of its USDA-funded “Rural School Waste Reduction, Reuse, Recycling, and Composting” project, NERC conducted waste sorts at schools in Connecticut, Delaware, and New York and found that between 60-85% of waste included materials that could be recycled or composted.  These amounts are similar to the results of other school waste audits conducted around the country.

While there are many successful school waste reduction efforts, schools in rural areas and small towns often lack the resources to know how to start tackling the issue. To address this, NERC will offer two — free — Webinars to assist schools in implementing waste reduction, recycling, and composting programs. 

The first Webinar will be held on Wednesday, May 4, from 3:00 to 4:15 pm.  The topic will be “Small Town/Rural School Waste Reduction & Recycling.”

Norm Staunton, Executive Director of Association of Vermont Recyclers and Grants Manager for the  Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA) will provide an overview of the NRRA’s School Recycling Club, including:

  • How to get started,
  • Collection logistics and options,
  • Education and marketing to schools, and
  • Strategies for success and tips for replication.

Eric Magers and Scott Morrison from the Manchester Essex (CT) Regional Middle School will present on the school’s Green Team.  Their presentation will cover:

  • Funding and cost effectiveness of the program, including cost savings for the school,
  • Green Team – business model, mission statement, and branding,
  • Getting students to participate in the program,
  • Collection logistics – who, what, where, single-stream recycling,
  • Greening the kitchen, cleaning supplies, and other green initiatives,
  • Composting and switching to biodegradable trays in the cafeteria, and
  • Strategies for success: building community partners.

The second Webinar will be in September and will focus on composting at schools.  Virginia Walton (Ginny), Recycling Coordinator for the Town of Mansfield, Connecticut, will present “Composting at Mansfield Middle School.”  Her presentation will include an overview of the Mansfield Middle School composting program. 

Karen DiFranza, from Hands to Earth will present “On-site School Composting: Students as Earth Stewards.” 

More information about the September Webinar will be published in the July Email Bulletin.

NERC’s school project is funded through a USDA grant. Tips on school waste reduction, recycling, composting, and more can be found on NERC’s website.

For more information on the Webinars or on the school project, contact Athena Lee Bradley, Projects Manager.  

NERC Begins Work with Akamai Technologies, Inc.

The Northeast Recycling Council, Inc. (NERC) has begun working with Akamai Technologies, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to assist them in further developing their paper and overall recycling program. Akamai has been providing market-leading, cloud-based services for optimizing Web and mobile content and applications, online HD video, and secure e-commerce since 1998. The company employs approximately 2,200 people at eleven domestic and fifteen international offices.

NERC will provide direct technical assistance to Akamai on further defining and setting recycling goals, creating strategies for achieving the goals, providing training to staff, replicating best practices across offices, and documenting the company’s recycling progress. NERC is able to provide this assistance through an EPA, New England Resource Conservation Challenge grant.

For additional information, contact Mary Ann Remolador, NERC’s Assistant Director.

TOXICS IN PACKAGING CLEARINGHOUSE NEWS

TPCH Awarded Two Contracts for Testing Packaging

The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) recently awarded two contracts to the Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse (TPCH) to conduct studies to evaluate laboratory performance in testing for toxics in packaging. In mid-March, TPCH received a contract for $50,000 to evaluate analytical testing for glass and ceramic packaging by independent laboratories. The results of this study will be used by CA DTSC to develop and provide technical assistance and outreach to stakeholders on best practices for compliance testing under toxics in packaging statutes.

Later this spring, TPCH will release a final report under the first CA DTSC contract. Under this contract, TPCH performed a round-robin study to evaluate the performance of testing laboratories in determining compliance with toxics in packaging statutes, specifically focused on the potential for inconsistencies in testing results for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) matrices. The goals of this testing project were: 1) to increase awareness of the challenges and problems of obtaining consistent laboratory results, and 2) to stress the importance of communicating data quality objectives to laboratories.  The report will be posted on the TPCH Website when available, likely in May 2011.  

STATE UPDATES

Maine

26 Recycling Education Grants Awarded

The Waste Management & Recycling Program at the Maine State Planning Office has awarded grants to 26 municipalities/municipal recycling organizations to promote recycling. With help from these matching grants, Mainers will get the message that recycling is important. Funds will help municipalities with: writing and disseminating brochures and newsletters; creating new recycling facility signs; and developing new Websites. A diverse mix of communities received grants, with many of the grantees having populations less than 5,000 — such as Bradley, Dexter, Fayette, Monroe and Stockton Springs — and a few larger ones such as Brunswick and Skowhegan. 

Recycling & Composting Program Grants Available for Municipalities

The Maine State Planning Office, through its Waste Management & Recycling Program, announced the availability of competitive grant funds to assist with the implementation or expansion of municipal recycling and composting efforts. This grant program is designed to help municipal recycling programs increase their ability to capture more materials, with a focus on corrugated cardboard, and also to develop or expand leaf and yard debris composting operations.

Tim Glidden, Acting Director of the State Planning Office, says that “municipalities have been providing recycling and composting services for their residents and businesses for over twenty years and this grant program recognizes those commitments and is aimed at helping improve those services.”

Eligibility for the competitive grants includes municipalities or publicly supported solid waste programs, with priority given to regional programs. Approximately $300,000 is available in this program with individual grant awards not exceeding $25,000. A local match at least 15% of the total grant amount is required; local ‘match’ options include certain ‘in-kind’ contributions as well as a cash match.  Applications are due at the State Planning Office by 4:00 p.m. on April 15, 2011. Faxed or emailed submissions will not be accepted. 

Rhode Island

RIRRC Commits to Major Overhaul of State’s Recycling Program

By its vote to retrofit its MRF for single-stream recycling, Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC) is poised to make sweeping changes to Rhode Island’s recycling program next year.

At its February board meeting, the commissioners of RIRRC approved a $16.9 million contract to retrofit its MRF in Johnston, R.I. for single-stream processing.  RIRRC expects that the volume of recyclables will increase by 47 percent, and the added material will result in approximately $4 million of additional revenue, half of which will be returned to cash-strapped cities and towns through its profit-sharing program.

The quasi-public agency, serving all 39 R.I. municipalities, studied its options for approximately four years. The change to single-stream is universally supported by the R.I. environmental community, and state and municipal officials, including all recycling coordinators. It is the most dramatic change Rhode Islanders have seen since the late 1990s, when the list of eligible materials was expanded. Van Dyk Baler Corp, of Stamford, Conn., was the successful bidder in an RFP process for the retrofit project.   

RIRRC has two strong reasons to convert to single stream: First, the R.I. General Assembly passed a law mandating that the state recycle all household plastics — so the MRF would have to be the most convenient and affordable option for RIRRC customers to recycle the additional material; and second, the MRF equipment needed to be replaced because it was at the end of its life cycle.

After the MRF upgrade, RIRRC will accept #1-7 with some exceptions. Currently, the state recycles only blow-molded PETE and HDPE. The conversion to single stream will not disrupt municipal collection efforts. Municipal customers will decide how the materials will be collected within their jurisdictions.  Some have transitioned to automated collections, some use transfer stations, and others have contracts with private haulers. 

The new program will formally begin on Earth Day, 2012.

ADVISORY MEMBER NEWS

New Boston Transfer Receives First Facility of the Quarter Honor

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Principal Rick Matthews, New Boston Central School, and on the right is Gerry Cornett, New Boston Transfer Facility Operator.

NRRA has been encouraging increased cooperation between the “Community within the Community” and their town whenever possible, and Gerry and Rick get KUDOS for taking that encouragement to the next level!  They are shown with the keys to the new Recycling truck purchased with help from a NH the Beautiful grant.

NRRA is by no means saying that every town/school has to go out and buy a truck, nor that this is the only model to follow. Whatever form of cooperation that your school and town can develop such that recycling increases waste stream diversion (saves costs), and increases recycling, is to be commended.  NRRA is aware of many of its member communities and facilities where this type of outstanding cooperation between town and gown is reducing costs and in some cases they are returning a portion of the revenue to the schools to use for improved recycling programs or scholarships. These will be featured in the upcoming issues of the Full of Scrap to appropriately commend their efforts also. NRRA is proud to select the New Boston Transfer Facility as the first recipient in recognition of this outstanding outreach program.

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Back row (l to r): John Dumais, NH Grocers Association/NHtB, Rodney Towne, Selectman, Gerry Cornett, Transfer Station Manager, Michael Durfor, NRRA, Rick Matthews,  Principal, Wes Elmer, Coca Cola Bottling Co. of NNE/NH the Beautiful.  Row 2 (l to r):  Lilly Proulx, Emma Revaz, Heather McGlauflin, Avery Ouellette, Will Rollins, Danielle Vermette, Devon Willard, Melissa Mullen.  Row 1 (l to r): Griffin Cook, Isaac Borges, Sierra MacIntire, Rachel Rohe, Jack Mappus, and Kaylyn Paquette. 

NRRA cannot commend enough the cooperation between the school and the town as evidenced by the New Boston Program, and the individual leadership displayed by both Principal Matthews and Facility Operator Cornett.  This type of cooperation should serve as a model for all communities, and will most importantly serve to help motivate an entire new generation of life long recyclers!

Once or twice a week Gerry drives to the school from the facility or stops there on his way to work, picks up the recycling truck, delivers the material (MSW stored in the rear partition, recyclables in the front) and then returns the truck to the school. The recyclable material is weighed out and processed and then given credit when shipped with the rest of the New Boston Recyclables. To date, in a few short months, the school has received revenue of $486.30.  In addition, the New Boston School will be proudly displaying a sign in their lobby courtesy of the transfer station and NH the Beautiful that will indicate the cornerstone of the school culture that recycling has become, and the student, administration, and staff representatives to contact will be listed so the program will be ongoing and sustainable. 

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Picture courtesy of New Boston Bulletin

For more details on how this program came about please contact Gerry directly at the facility in New Boston or Principal Matthews at the school. NRRA thanks the NH the Beautiful Board for their outstanding support of the grant and the school outreach program, and congratulates Rick and Gerry for their leadership, and the students and staff of the New Boston Central School and the New Boston Transfer Facility staff for their dedication to increasing recycling.

For information on this program or to receive a free school recycling program inventory for your recycling program contact any member of the NRRA Team or check it out on the School Recycling Club website or the link from www.nrrarecycles.org.  NRRA and the Association of Vermont Recyclers are currently half way through assessments of over 125 schools and would be happy to add your school to the list.  In addition to this program, don’t forget to sign up soon for the Second Annual School Recycling Conference June 7 in Manchester, NH.

Electronics Recycling Directory Features Take-Back Programs

The Electronics Recycling Directory/ERD has added a new category of listings and a new information section that feature electronics recycling collection and take-back programs from States, Provinces, and Industry.

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With over 3,300 listings including recyclers, refurbishers, processors, equipment manufacturers and service providers, the Electronics Recycling Directory is an important resource for those involved and interested in electronics recycling.  Now, users can find the Websites, specific web pages and email contacts for States and Provinces with electronics recycling programs as well as manufacturers and retailers with national electronic product take-back programs for consumers.

The new ERD category of “Government & Industry Take-Back Programs” facilitates easy searches and the new “Find Your State Program” section provides additional information about state programs supporting consumer electronics recycling.

The Electronics Recycling Directory continues to expand its features, which include listings, banner ads, current e-scrap prices, current articles, an events calendar, blogs, and classified listings.  Its biweekly newsletter, Updates, features industry news, new patents, and technology, prices.

Generating Confidence in Electronics Recycling Services – the Responsible Recycling Practices Standard

As consumers we have grown to rely on eco labels and certifications to ensure a level of quality in particular services and products.  Certification programs and standard systems are designed to define the best practices in a particular area and hold companies that elect to use these eco labels to those defined practices. For example, many customers rely on the USDA Organic label for food, which is used to identify food that is gown using particular land and biological management practices.  Without the National Organic Program, which manages the USDA Organic label, customers would have to rely on self-declared product labeling. The USDA Organic label, which is backed by an accreditation and certification program, offers consumers confidence that food labeled as such, is handled in accordance with a set of clearly defined and environmentally favorable practices; and that this can be verified.
         
The confusion and uncertainty that would occur in the absence of the USDA Organic label program is analogous to the confusion that used to exist around selecting vendors for electronics recycling services.  Until recently, municipalities, businesses, and residents seeking recycling services for used electronic equipment had very few assurances that electronic scrap would be handled correctly by their chosen recycler. Aside from a recycler’s promise, how would consumers of electronics recycling services know claims of environmental and social responsibility were authentic? Large corporations often take on the expense of auditing a recycler, and possibly even the recycler’s downstream vendors. However, this is a time consuming and expensive process that few customers have the resources or expertise to perform. 

A certification program specifically designed for the electronics recycling industry was clearly needed.  There was rising industry support to develop a standard that would effectively address the operational and materials management concerns associated with electronics recycling activities, and give customers confidence that their electronic equipment was being responsibly recycled.

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In response, US EPA convened a group of stakeholders in 2008 to develop a standard that would establish best practices and consider the environmental and social impacts of electronics recycling. To design a standard that met the needs of all sectors of the industry, a multi-stakeholder workgroup including regulatory agencies, OEMs, recyclers, refurbishers, and trade organizations was formed. The result of the two and a half year, open and collaborative effort was the Responsible Recycling (R2) Practices Standard.  The first recycler became R2 certified in January of 2010 and since that time 47 facilities have become R2 certified and dozens of other facilities are under review.

Why choose an R2 certified recycler?
According to a survey conducted by Converge, IT managers at mid- to large-size companies cite data breach from discarded computers as the number one concern when disposing of IT, or electronic equipment. Environmental practices, ensuring proper e-scrap disposal, and supporting reuse activities were also top priorities listed in this report. The R2 Standard addresses all of these areas of concern, creating confidence that electronic equipment is managed according to the highest industry standards.  Every certified R2 recycler has been rigorously audited by an independent third party auditor to 55 areas of operational and environmental performance. 

The R2 Standard strongly considers the environmental impacts that electronics recycling can have if not done properly. The standard identifies “Focus Materials,” or materials that can pose environmental concern, and outline how these materials should be managed to ensure environmental and worker safety. Downstream vendors handling Focus Materials must also employ the same best practices as the R2 certified facility. The standard also prohibits the export of equipment and components containing Focus Materials unless the transaction is legal under both the export and import countries’ laws and the receiving facility is state-of-the-art. No illegal exporting is tolerated under the R2 Standard.

By choosing an R2 certified recycler, customers can be confident their data is being securely managed.  All R2 certified recyclers are required to sanitize, purge, or destroy data on hard drives and other data storage devices. The data destruction processes that each R2 certified recycler uses are reviewed and validated by an independent party. And, R2 recyclers are required to have a security program in place that is appropriate for the equipment they handle and the customers they serve. 

Recognizing the importance that reuse has, both environmentally and socially, R2 Practices establishes a “reuse, recover, dispose” hierarchy. R2 certified recyclers are required to perform diagnostic testing to confirm that key functions of the unit are working in order to divert that piece of equipment from the “recycling stream” and to sell it for reuse without meeting additional “downstream” R2 requirements. 

The R2 Standard creates important assurances for customers seeking electronics recycling services that stringent requirements are being followed in environmental management, data security, and reuse practices. 

Why become R2 certified?
Recyclers that choose to become R2 certified send a clear message to customers that they take the issue of responsible recycling seriously. R2 certification is the right certification program for those recyclers that: 

  • Take environmental responsibilities seriously in the U.S. and globally.
  • Can demonstrate accountability for the electronic equipment they process, all the way to final disposition.
  • Make data security is a top priority.
  • Adhere to the highest industry standards and best practices.  And,
  • Ensure worker safety.

The heavy Web traffic seen on the “R2 Certified Recyclers” section of the R2 Solutions Website, which is a directory of R2 Certified facilities, is a strong indicator that R2 certification is becoming a driving criterion for customers looking for electronics recycling services.  

R2 shaping the industry
Now that the R2 Standard has been in operation for more than a year, the impact that it is having on the industry is evident. R2 Solutions is working hard to educate customers of electronics recycling services about the value of the R2 Standard, which is becoming a trusted brand for those seeking electronics recycling services. And, customers of R2 certified recyclers have a new level of confidence in their service providers. 

From a recycler’s standpoint, the R2 standard is improving industry practices. In terms of individual performance, we have seen R2-certified recyclers choose more transparent downstream vendors. And collectively, the standard is raising the bar for the industry as a whole as the expectations of customers rise. Through the continued involvement of key stakeholders, the R2 Standard is positioned to have a positive and lasting impact on this important sector of the recycling industry.

For additional information about the R2 Standard, including finding an R2 certified recycler or to download a free copy of the standard, visit the R2 Solutions Website.

Electronic Recyclers International to Partner with Alcoa

Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the nation’s leading recycler of electronic waste, announced today that it has reached a partnership agreement with Alcoa, the world’s leading aluminum producer.  As part of the agreement, Alcoa will become a minority investor in ERI.
 
Consumer electronics represents a fast-growing market for aluminum because of the metal’s light weight, durability, heat conductivity and limitless surface finishes. Aluminum content in laptops alone is expected to increase 30 percent by 2013, from a 2010 baseline. Through this new partnership, Alcoa will bring its expertise in aluminum and recycling to the growing challenge of e-waste, enhancing the role aluminum plays in making electronics more sustainable.

“We see tremendous opportunity for aluminum in the consumer electronics market,” said Alcoa Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer Kevin Anton. “This partnership with ERI enhances Alcoa’s ability to deliver on its commitment to sustainability by increasing the recycling of consumer electronics and driving sustainable practices. As the country’s largest e-waste recycler, ERI shares Alcoa’s commitment to financial success, environmental excellence, and social responsibility, and I look forward to working with ERI to drive recycling in the consumer electronics market.”

Alcoa partnered with ERI in 2010 to develop the free “Aluminate” recycling app for iPhone, as part of the company’s goal of increasing the recycling rate of aluminum cans in the U.S. to 75 percent by the year 2015.

Alcoa’s investment will help further develop ERI’s industry-leading recycling technologies and expand its geographic footprint across the U.S.

“We are honored to be partnering with Alcoa, the leading aluminum company in the world today,” said John Shegerian, ERI’s Chairman and CEO. “As aluminum’s use in the global consumer electronics market continues to increase rapidly, our partnership with Alcoa will allow us to continue expanding and improving our operations while keeping pace with the ever-growing demand for sustainable solutions to electronic waste.”

For more information on recycling needs, visit ERI .

Association of Vermont Recyclers Announces Youth Environmental Summit

High school students from around the nation will attend 13th Youth Environmental Summit (YES!), July 29, 30, and 31 on the campus of Keene State College in New Hampshire. YES!  is an opportunity to reward, challenge, and encourage student recyclers and activists and will offer a 3-day program filled with state-of-the-art recycling and sustainability workshops specifically designed for tomorrow’s environmental leaders.

YES! is organized by a steering committee of high school students, the Association of Vermont Recyclers (AVR), and the Youth Environmental Coalition — a grassroots network of high school environmental and recycling clubs, Earth Groups, and involved students.  YES! is co-sponsored by the Northeast Resource Recovery Association, the Presidents Council for Sustainable Future at Keene State College, the Environmental Science Department of Antioch New England, and the National Recycling Coalition.

Unlike the concerts, games, skate parks, and shopping trips more commonly associated with teens, this event is planned by and for teens to rally committed student-activists and teen-environmental organizers to an action planning event. High school students from across the nation are invited.

The Youth Environmental Summit will bring together high school student-activists for three days of training, planning, networking, and celebration of student-led direct action environmental campaigns.  Afterwards, participants will return to their schools and communities to organize and lead their own environmental campaigns. The YES! curriculum is specifically designed to give student-leaders the tools needed to organize their own pro-environmental campaigns.

The Association of Vermont Recyclers, an environmental non-profit, began in 1982 as grassroots effort to support recycling programs in Vermont. Today, AVR is a leader in education and technical assistance on solid and hazardous waste prevention and reduction, resource conservation, responsible consumerism, and environmental health. 

Attendance at the 3-day event is limited to 175 student-activists with a demonstrated interest in planning and leading environmental action campaigns in their schools and communities. Tuition for the event is only $225, which includes two nights lodging at Keen State College in Keene, New Hampshire, all meals from a menu of local and sustainable producers, world renowned trainers and speakers, and supervision by AVR staff and volunteers. Tuition is subsidized by AVR, its members, and the co-sponsors. 

The theme of this year’s Summit is “Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow” and will incorporate expert presenters, training sessions, outdoor adventures, local foods, hands-on learning, and a number of other YES! traditions. While waste prevention and responsible consumerism are key focuses of the event, all aspects of environmental activism will be addressed, from forums on specific issues to trainings on running campaigns.

“YES is an intense weekend” says AVR Executive Director Norm Staunton. “But while the goal is to prepare teens to lead their own campaigns, you can’t neglect the need to network, socialize, and celebrate the success of past campaigns. The Steering Committee does a great job of balancing those needs.”

Metech Recycling Awarded e-Stewards Certification

metech_recycling

Metech Recycling, a national leader in electronic waste recycling, has announced that it was awarded e-Stewards Certification. The e-Stewards Certification was created by the Basel Action Network (BAN), a non-profit organization focused on preventing irresponsible trade in toxic wastes.  Metech Recycling is the seventh recycling company in the U.S. to achieve the e-Stewards Certification following rigorous, independent audits conducted at its facilities. The e-Stewards Certification enables Metech Recycling to serve companies seeking electronics recycling services certified to the world’s top e-waste recycling standard.”

“We have been looking forward to e-Stewards Certification ever since we agreed to be an e-Stewards Founder when the program was first formed,” stated Chris Ryan, President of Metech Recycling. “I am proud of our Compliance, Quality & Sustainability team that was able to demonstrate to the auditors Metech Recycling’s commitment and implementation of the e-Stewards Standard which is really the gold standard in our industry.”

The e-Stewards Standard is consistent with international trade rules such as the Basel Convention and includes ISO 14001 Certification as well. It specifically prohibits export of hazardous waste from developed to developing countries. The Standard also prohibits toxic waste from being disposed of in solid waste landfills and incinerators and the use of prison labor in the recycling of electronics.  Finally, it maintains strong standards to protect worker health and safety.

“We are delighted to see Metech Recycling add its name to the growing list of electronics recycling companies recognized as industry leaders. They are among those recyclers that are willing to go the extra mile to be truly socially and environmentally responsible with their customer’s electronic waste,” said BAN Executive Director, Jim Puckett.

Metechoperates recycling facilities in California, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Massachusetts. Metech Recycling is ISO 9001:2008 certified and ISO 14001:2004 certified and meets the highest standards for electronics recycling.