News &
Updates

To view our archived Bulletins, click on a date below.

April 2013

NERC’s Advisory Members

Distinguished Benefactors

Benefactors

Sustaining Members

A list of all the logos of our Sustaining Members can be found under Advisory Members

MEMBERSHIP

Renewing Sustaining Members

Renewing Supporting Member

Newspaper Association of America

NERC NEWS

STATE UPDATES

CONNECTICUT

NEW YORK

Green Chemistry Workshop for Science Teachers in New York City

ADVISORY MEMBER NEWS

OF GENERAL INTEREST

International Electronics Recycling Professionals to Meet at Fair Trade Recycling Summit

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 and guest blogs 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.

ARTICLES

MEMBERSHIP

We are delighted to welcome the Steel Recycling Institute and MRM as renewing Sustaining Members and the Newspaper Association of America as a renewing Supporting Member.

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. NERC has more than 50 Advisory Members. To see a complete listing 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

New Board Member from Vermont

NERC is delighted to welcome Bryn Oakleaf as the new Board member from Vermont. She is replacing Carey Hengstenberg who has accepted a new position within the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. Carey was a wonderful Board member and NERC wishes her all the best in her new position.

Bryn is a senior Environmental Analyst with Vermont Agency of Natural Resources' Waste Management & Prevention Division (VTANR). Her main work is focused on revising and implementing the State Materials Management Plan. In addition to that she serves as the Project Manager for legislatively mandated studies which include the 2012 Waste Composition Study and the Act 148 solid waste management system analysis. Ms. Oakleaf has been pivotal in obtaining State Electronics Challenge recognition for the agency.

Ms. Oakleaf has experience working with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act in Washington State and Vermont as a state employee. She has national and international waste compliance experience while working for a consulting firm whose clients included medium and large manufacturing, and disposal companies. Ms. Oakleaf has her Masters of Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School, and Bachelor's in Biology and Philosophy from Mount Holyoke College.

NERC Conducting National Survey on CRT Management

Through a contract with the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), NERC is engaged in a national survey and study of the current status of CRT management by e-scrap recyclers in the United States. The survey was launched in late March and the results are currently being analyzed. The results are anticipated to be presented at a by-invitation only multi-stakeholder meeting organized jointly by CEA and ISRI. The meeting, to take place in Washington D.C. in May, will be facilitated by NERC's Executive Director, Lynn Rubinstein.

NERC Presenting at Fair Trade Recycling & Job Development Events

In April, NERC will be presenting at two prestigious events: the Vermont Fair Trade Recycling Summit and the 10th Annual Massachusetts Workforce Development Conference Sharing Skills ~ Building Connections – Opening Doors to Opportunity.

At the Fair Trade Recycling Summit, taking place in Middlebury, Vermont, Lynn Rubinstein, NERC's Executive Director, will participate on a panel entitled "Meet the E-Waste Exporters: Balancing Bans & Free Trade." Organizers are expecting participants from around the globe, including several developing nations.

The Summit will be offering online streaming, as well as active participation via Remote Assistance will be provided during certain parts of the Fair Trade Recycling Summit.

The workforce development event will be an opportunity to introduce the reuse and recycling industry to workforce development specialist; seeking to expand employment opportunities and resources for employers in the reuse and recycling industry in Massachusetts. The presentation is a result of NERC's participation in the SkillWorks Recycling Jobs Taskforce project led by Amy Perlmutter, Perlmutter Associates.

State Electronics Challenge Now Boasts More Than 110 Partners in 36 States

Celebrating two years as a national program, the State Electronics Challenge is now working with 112 Partner organizations from around the country — and more are joining almost weekly.

The State Electronics Challenge (SEC) is a free program that encourages 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.

Why Office Equipment? Computers are the poster-child for environmental concern. They are ubiquitous, pervasive and constantly changing. Computers, monitors, copiers and printers contain toxic materials; they are heavy users of energy and paper and are often hard to recycle. Nearly everyone has seen or heard about the negative practices in end-of-life scenarios for electronics. The SEC offers a positive strategy for addressing the problem.

Partners are state and local government agencies, tribal governments, any school, college or university, and other public entities that sign up to participate in the program. Currently, the SEC has 112 Partners in 36 states representing more than 151,000 employees. For a list of current Partners, see the website.

Partners reap many benefits:

Conserve energy
Cut operating costs
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Avoid solid and hazardous waste
Take toxic materials out of commerce

How does the program work? The SEC provides strategies, tools and support that assist Partners in:

Buying green equipment, using the EPEAT^® rating system
Using equipment efficiently by reducing energy and paper consumption
Recycling unwanted equipment responsibly using certified recyclers

Who is eligible to participate:

State agencies
Tribal governments and organizations
Cities, counties, and towns
K–12 schools
Colleges and universities
Public utilities
Public libraries

Support for the State Electronics Challenge is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and sponsorship by Samsung Electronics, Panasonic, the ISRI R2/RIOS program, and the Consumer Electronics Association. For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein.

NERC Showcases Reuse Marketplace

The NERC Showcases Reuse Marketplace, a multi-state materials exchange, was the topic of discussion on a webinar presented by NERC in March. It was obvious from the number of webinar participants —140 — and the quantity of questions that people are seeking reuse opportunities. A recording of the webinar is available on the NERC website at: www.nerc.org/documents/reuse_marketplace_introductory_webinar.wmv

The Reuse Marketplace is a unique website that provides members with an alternative to disposal. Members can post items they no longer need and anyone browsing the Internet can find the listing. Membership — which is free — is limited to businesses, government, non-profits, and institutions in the 7 participant states: Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

NERC would like to thank the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for assisting with planning and promotion, as well as EPA, Regions I & II for hosting and promoting the webinar.

For more information about the Reuse Marketplace, contact Mary Ann Remolador, NERC's Assistant Director.

Vermont Organics Management Workshop and Roundtable April 16

An organics management workshop and roundtable for rural and small towns will take place on Tuesday, April 16, from 9 until noon at the Vermont Technical College in Randolph, Vermont. The workshop — which is free to attend — will serve as a gathering for decision makers, municipal officials, commercial and institutional food waste generators, haulers, and others interested in advancing yard waste and food scraps reduction and composting in Vermont.

This half-day event has a packed agenda, including:

Organics management best management practices
Reduce (smart landscaping, grasscycling, leaf mulching, food waste reduction)
Reuse (food recovery, food to animals)
Recycle (backyard and neighborhood composting, commercial composting, centralized composting)
Collection options
Composting in Vermont—and overview of composting site regulations
Public-private partnerships and regional organics management opportunities
Food waste composting in action (featuring programs in the Central Vermont Solid Waste
Management District, as well as the Highfields Center Close The Loop Program).

The event is free but registration is required by April 12 so we can plan accordingly. To register or for more information contact, Athena Lee Bradley, NERC Programs Manager.

The event will be followed by a networking lunch and Vermont Organics Partnership meeting; please bring a brown bag lunch.

Sponsors of the event include: the Northeast Recycling Council, Inc.; the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources; and the Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District. The workshop is funded in part by a grant from the Rural Utilities Services, United States Department of Agriculture.

Take a Moment…to Like Us!

Are you on Facebook? Is your organization, agency, or business on Facebook? Please take a moment to "Like" us! on NERC's Facebook page. In addition, our Blog is reaching out — if you would like to join others in receiving the NERC Blog please email Athena at athena@nerc.org. We welcome Guest Blogs and of course your comments as well.

NERC Blog Worth Repeating: Steel Recycling 101

This month's "NERC Blog Worth Repeating" was first posted March 5, 2013. "Steel Recycling 101" was written by Guest Blogger Casey Fenton, Communications Assistant for the Steel Recycling Institute.

As long as steel has been around, steel has been recycled. Melting down scrap metal to process into new material to create useful products has always been a vital part of steel's life cycle. The creation of a vast recycling infrastructure was essential to grow and expand as the nation grew. The essential need of steel scrap continued to push sustainable advances of steel along with positioning the material as North America's #1 most recycled material.

More steel is recycled each year than paper, plastic, aluminum and glass combined. Steel has an overall recycling rate of 92% (2011) and over 90 million tons of steel are recycled annually. While many industries attempt to promote themselves as "being green", steel has no need since they already have been for so long. With increased innovation they have been able to recycle more, increasing the overall steel recycling rate 25% in 20 years, while decreasing the energy intensity per ton of steel by 30% over the same time period. Steel is not only being recycled more often but it is being recycled more effectively than ever.

With over 8,000 curbside programs and nearly 13,000 drop-off programs, according to the National Recycling Database run by the Steel Recycling Institute (SRI), the availability of responsible avenues for disposing of steel products is accessible to almost every American. The ease of putting a steel food or beverage can in their blue bins is only matched by the near effortless sorting methods at material recovery facilities (MRF).

When materials are collected and transported from a blue bin or drop-off to a MRF, all recyclables are loaded on to a sorting line. Steel food and empty aerosol cans, like all steel products, are magnetically attracted. Virtually all MRF's have magnetic belts which are used to separate the valuable steel scrap. Once sorted, they fall into a large bin, then are baled and shipped to mills to be melted down into a variety of new steel products across several markets.

The steel industry from cradle to grave, or cradle to cradle as some in the steel industry describe it more accurately to represent the continuous life cycle of the material, is made up of gatherers, collectors, processors and end users. The gatherers are the consumers and businesses that place their discarded steel products into the bins. Each steel can represents a charitable donation to Earth by helping it avoid wasting landfill space and conserving natural resources. For each ton of steel recycled, 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal and 120 pounds of limestone are saved.

The collectors are the curbside operators and drop-off haulers who bring your recyclables to the processors, which are the MRF operators and scrap dealers who oversee the automatically magnetically separated steel, as they are crushed into large bales. They next deliver the bales of steel cans to the end users, that is, the steel mill operators in turn for making new steel to ship to manufacturers. These manufacturers could also be seen as the beginning users as they create the products that start this cycle in the first place.

Absent any one of these important stations in the continuous life cycle journey, all others will suffer. They all simultaneously receive and provide, and rely on while being relied upon.

Despite the ease of the consumer providing and the industry processing, why is it that some valuable steel scrap continues to slip through fingers? Why are there still misconceptions about empty steel aerosol cans that unnecessarily diminish their acceptance rates? Recycling steel conserves resources, including energy and water, while also providing a commodity that supports an entire industry to create jobs across all regions of our country.

The next time you're holding a steel can in your hand, remember that it isn't just a few ounces you're holding. You're holding all the benefits that recycling that can will provide as well.

The Steel Recycling Institute (SRI) is an industry association that promotes and sustains the recycling of all steel products. SRI helps to educate the solid waste industry, government, business, and ultimately the consumer about the benefits of steel's infinite recycling cycle.

STATE NEWS

CONNECTICUT

Governor's Modernizing Recycling Working Group Submits Final Report

In April 2012, Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy appointed members to a Modernizing Recycling Working Group to analyze and make recommendations on how the state can modernize its approach to source reduction, reuse, and recycling, more efficiently use waste materials and reduce costs for municipalities, residents, and businesses. Those recommendations can be found in The Report of the Governor's Modernizing Recycling Working Group, which was submitted to Governor Malloy in December 2012.

The Working Group heard from experts and thought leaders from around the country, listened to members of the public, interviewed stakeholders, and evaluated information about the current state of materials management in Connecticut. The report supports a further integrated approach to sustainable materials management in the state. Connecticut will drive environmental and economic benefits today and in the future through:

Promoting an environmentally beneficial infrastructure;
Fostering economic development and job creation through increased materials recovery;
Reducing economic, operational, and administrative burdens on municipalities and individuals;

and

Redefining the role of the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority and the role and value of multiple Regional Solid Waste Authorities.

For more information, please contact DEEP.CTRecycleWG@ct.gov.

New Covered Electronic Recyclers Approved for Connecticut's E-Waste Program

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's (DEEP's) statewide electronics recycling ("E-Waste") Program is collecting millions of pounds of E-Waste and saving Connecticut municipalities hundreds of thousands of dollars in avoided disposal costs. DEEP plans to publish initial E-Waste statistics later this year once finalized figures for the program since inception are compiled.

DEEP has recently published a new list of approved Covered Electronic Recyclers (CERs) on its website. Connecticut municipalities must contract with an approved CER and continue to provide convenient and accessible recycling opportunities to Connecticut residents. For any questions regarding Connecticut's E-Waste Program, please contact Mark Latham, DEEP E-Waste Program Lead.

Connecticut Governor Announces Formation of Recycling Market Development Council

On February 28th, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) hosted a "Recycling Means Jobs" Legislative Day. Governor Dannel P. Malloy, joined by DEEP Commissioner Daniel Esty, Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) Commissioner Catherine Smith, and state leaders, announced the formation of a Recycling Market Development Council to expand and strengthen Connecticut's efforts to recapture valuable materials that are in the waste stream.

The Council was a recommendation of the Governor's Recycling Working Group, established last April, to modernize the state's solid waste system and materials management policies, and to increase recovery of recyclable materials.

"The recommendations of the Recycling Working Group will help us strengthen and expand the recycling and reuse economy in Connecticut," said Governor Malloy. "Modernizing the state's process will support an industry that is nearly 5,000 strong and contributes hundreds of millions to our local economy—and it will reduce the volume of trash and air pollution."

The Connecticut Economic Resource Center estimates that these businesses account for 4,800 direct and indirect jobs, $746 million in sales, and $59 million in tax revenue into the state's economy.

"Expansion in the reuse and recycling sector can play an important role in the continued economic growth of our state," said DECD Commissioner Catherine Smith. "Right now we have valuable material being incinerated — we have an opportunity to support business in this sector and examine the incentives they need to grow and create jobs."

Close to a million tons of paper and other 'blue bin recyclables', over a million tons of construction and demolition debris, and over a million tons of organics and other compostable materials are locked in Connecticut's waste stream — despite having significant value as recycled materials.

"Three decades ago, Connecticut was a leader in solid waste management by ending our reliance on landfills and moving to a waste-to-energy system," said DEEP Commissioner Daniel Esty. "Waste-to-energy will remain a vital part of our solid waste management efforts, but the time has come to more effectively capture the value of millions of tons of materials that are now sent off for disposal. With this approach we can reduce costs for our residents, municipalities and businesses, grow our economy, create jobs, and reduce environmental risks."

The Market Development Council will be a stakeholder group with representatives of the businesses engaged in the collection, hauling, sorting, processing, sale, and purchasing of recyclable materials. The Council will drive modernity and innovation in materials management by supporting the recyclable materials markets, increasing the recovery of materials, and connecting companies with products manufactured from recycled materials. Related to the development of this Council, DEEP also recently published a new "Recycling Means Jobs" webpage for businesses and entrepreneurs.

For additional information about the council and its meeting schedule, please contact Sherill Baldwin at CT DEEP.

NEW YORK

Green Chemistry Workshop for Science Teachers in New York City

High school science teachers from New York City attended a hands-on training on the principles of green chemistry, provided by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), in late March, at The Cooper Union in Manhattan. This is the fourth green chemistry workshop offered to science teachers as part of the DEC's Green Chemistry for New York State High Schools pilot program, which is funded by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Using green chemistry encourages teachers and students to consider the life cycle of the chemicals they work with and promotes awareness of chemical toxicology, focusing on sustainability and how actions in the chemistry lab can impact the environment. The High School for Health Professions & Human Services, located in Manhattan, was chosen by DEC as New York City's green chemistry candidate school based on the science teachers willingness to embrace and implement green chemistry practices in their classroom laboratories for one school year.

For additional information about DEC's Green Chemistry for New York's High Schools program, see DEC's website at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/77750.html. Inquiries about the New York City green chemistry workshop can be directed to: greenchemistryinschools@gw.dec.state.ny.us.

ADVISORY MEMBER NEWS

UNTHA America to Attend Major Industry Trade Shows

UNTHA shredding technology America, Inc. will be appearing at several major trade shows this spring. Located in Hampton, NH UNTHA America is a division of the Austrian-based UNTHA shredding technology GmbH, one of the world's leading providers of size reduction equipment for the recycling industry. The shows provide the perfect opportunity for businesses, industries and communities to gain more information about UNTHA America's wide range of products and its ability to customize equipment for recycling needs.

UNTHA will be at the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI) show at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL from April 9 - 13, 2013. This is the largest gathering of scrap recyclers in the world, with more than 5,000 industry professionals from around the globe in attendance. At the ISRI show, UNTHA will feature its RS 150 with its four-shaft shredding system. The RS 150 first coarse shreds material, then fine shreds it, all in one single operation. "More than 40 years of expertise is built into the RS Series," says Bernhard Mueggler, president and CEO of UNTHA America. "We have more than 8,000 of these shredders in daily operation around the globe."

On April 22–24, 2013, UNTHA America heads to Fort Myers, Florida and the North American Waste-to-Energy Conference (NAWTEC). NAWTEC brings together experts from throughout the waste-to-energy field who will discuss the latest developments in research and technology. UNTHA's presentation will feature their XR pre-shredder and TR secondary shredder. Both of these models convert household and industrial waste into secondary fuel.

For more information about UNTHA America, please visit www.untha-america.com.

Sims Recycling Solutions Becomes a U.S. Certified Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher

Sims Recycling Solutions is now a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR) program partner in the United States. This partnership allows Sims to install genuine Microsoft software on refurbished desktops and laptops.

Although Sims has years of experience responsibly and securely refurbishing computers and servers according to industry best practices, the MAR certification enables Sims to offer more complex and sustainable products because these devices will now come equipped with the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system preinstalled.

"Sims Recycling Solutions has maintained this Microsoft partnership in Europe since 2011 and last year became the largest MAR in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa based on Windows 7 sales," stated Steve Skurnac, president, Sims Recycling Solutions, Americas. "After the success Sims experienced with its MAR program in EMEA, it was only natural to want to expand the program to the United States so we can offer our customers here the same competitive refurbishment service. We can now provide quality products at a great value while also extending the useful lives of these computers."

"The Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher team is pleased to be expanding globally with Sims to deliver high quality refurbished personal computers with genuine operating system software in a sustainable manner both in Europe and the U.S. markets," stated Chris Acker, WW MAR program director.

The Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher program is for large refurbishers headquartered worldwide who meet a minimum average threshold of PCs shipped per month. Refurbishers in the program professionally refurbish desktop and laptop computers with genuine Microsoft software.

Innovative Educational Initiative – Environmental Awareness among Children and Young Adults

Panasonic Corporation of North America has announced an innovative educational initiative aimed at inspiring greater environmental awareness among America's children and young adults.

Working with Panasonic Kid Witness News Schools around the country, the company invited middle and high school students to create short Public Service Announcement (PSAs) videos that promote greater eco-awareness and environmental sustainability. After careful review and narrowing the field to five kid-produced PSAs, Panasonic is now asking kids around the country to watch these eco message videos and vote for their favorite one.

By watching the videos and selecting their favorite, children and young adults ages 13–21 will be automatically enrolled in a sweepstakes to win valuable Panasonic prizes.

Prizes include:

1st prize: New SMART Viera 55" Class GT50 Series Full HD 3D Plasma HDTV - Model number TC-P55GT50
2nd prize: LUMIX G5 16 Megapixel Compact System Camera - Model number DMC-G5KK
3rd prize: 25 DJ Style Headphones with swivel Mechanism and carrying pouch - Model number RP-DJ600-K

Panasonic is pleased to provide this innovative eco-educational opportunity and encourages people of all ages to watch these clever, informative educational videos created by kids concerned about living more sustainable lifestyles. "Environmental education for our children is crucial to achieving the environmentally sustainable society that Panasonic envisions and strives for in our everyday business activities," said David Thompson, Director, of Panasonic's Corporate Environmental Department."

OF GENERAL INTEREST

International Electronics Recycling Professionals to Meet at Fair Trade Recycling Summit

The Vermont based World Reuse, Repair and Recycling Association, a Fair Trade Recycling association, will host importers of recycled electronic products and policy experts from African, Asian, and Latin American at a April 16th summit at Middlebury College.

The event is free and open to the public and will highlight the environmental and economic benefits of socially responsible e-waste recycling practices.

The event is the first time a comprehensive group of colleges and universities will join regulators, watchdogs, activists and e-waste recycling professionals in discussing the importance of e-waste recycling, particularly in emerging and developing markets. Research on establishing fair trade practices in the recycling industry from MIT, Memorial University, University of Peru, and University of Southern California, and Thunderbird University in Arizona will be presented. And importers from Africa, Asia, and South America will speak, noting how repair and recycling businesses are considered good jobs and the products in-demand.

Fair Trade Recycling president Robin Ingenthron said the association set out to improve recycling practices and achieve important economic goals in developing nations. "Recyclers here and from emerging markets have come together to identify and implement clear Fair Trade Recycling policies that ensure we are achieving all of the desired environmental and economic benefits, while substantially reducing the risk of waste or abuse," Ingenthron said. "In particular, extending the life of electronics helps to speed the transition of developing nations into the progressively global exchange of commerce and ideas that technology has provided, further reduce the environmental foot print of producing electronics and keeps toxics and other materials out of landfills or illegal dump sites. It's important work."

The summit will also include the announcement of five-year, $479,000 research grant to study Fair Trade Recycling. The subject of the first study will be the partnership between Vermont's Good Point Recycling and its sister company, Retroworks de Mexico, in a Sonoran Desert mining town. American Public Media (Marketplace, Living on Earth), PBS, Associated Press, and others have profiled the Vermont–Mexico partnership as a model of cooperative reuse and recycling.