News &
Updates

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

July 2012

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

Donate A Car 2 Charity

NEW NERC PUBLICATIONS

NERC NEWS

TOXICS IN PACKAGING CLEARINGHOUSE UPDATE

Discount Stores Importing PVC Packaging in Violation of State Laws

STATE UPDATES

MAINE

Maine Solid Waste & Recycling Responsibilities Re-Assigned

NEW YORK

ADVISORY MEMBER NEWS

OF GENERAL INTEREST

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.

MEMBERSHIP

We are delighted to welcome Sharp Electronics and the American Chemistry Council as a renewing Sustaining Members, and Donate A Car 2 Charity 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.

NEW NERC PUBLICATIONS

Four New C&D Resources Developed by NERC

Through a Construction & Demolition Debris Zero Waste project, funded by EPA Regions 1 & 2, NERC has developed four new resources. These documents are intended to promote the reuse of C&D materials, as well as provide information on existing C&D recycling regulations. They include:

Reuse Tips for Builders, Remodelers, & Do-it-Yourselfers
- Building Materials Reuse in Remodeling & New Construction
Reuse Tips for Builders & Remodelers
For more information, contact Mary Ann Remolador, NERC's Assistant Director

Minutes from NERC Spring Board Meeting Posted

The NERC Board met in April and discussed topics including adopting a new Strategic Plan, voted to elect a new Executive Committee for fiscal year 2013, and the semi-annual Treasurer's Report. Minutes from the meeting are now available.

NERC NEWS

Successful Recycling: Programs, Plans and Realities – NERC's Fall Conference

NERC's Fall Conference Agenda and Registration Form are now posted. Don't miss the opportunity to attend this informative event. The Conference will be held on October 23–24 at the Hotel Northampton in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Conference sessions include:

GHG Emission Comparisons of Solid Waste Management Strategies To Energy Programs
Best Management Practices for
- Zero Waste & Recycling Plans
- Food Waste Collection Programs
- Single Stream Recycling Programs
- Pay-As-You-Throw Programs
"Next Steps" for Implementing Best Management Practices for Diversion & Collection Programs, Outreach, & Related Policies
Reuse & Recycling Roundtable Discussion

For more information, contact Mary Ann Remolador, NERC's Assistant Director & Conference Organizer.

Sponsors for the Fall Conference 2012

New Leadership Team

With the new fiscal year at NERC comes a new leadership team. The Board of Directors has elected the following Board members as the Executive Committee for fiscal year 2013:

Sarah Kite, returns as President of the Board. Sarah is the Director of Recycling Services for the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation. A certified Recycling Systems Manager, she has more than 12 years of experience in the solid waste and recycling industry. Ms. Kite worked at the grassroots level as an advocate for increasing recycling, reducing waste, and composting, and as a municipal recycling coordinator with responsibility for solid waste contract management and resident education and programming. In her current position, Ms. Kite manages the statewide municipal recycling program, the Corporation's recycling education program, legislative and public relations, and also has general oversight of the Materials Recycling Facility, one of the largest MRFs in New England.

Robert Isner, joins the Executive Committee as the Vice President. Robert has been with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for over twenty years, the past fourteen years as the solid waste and hazardous waste program manager. His current responsibilities as Director of Waste Engineering and Enforcement Division include management of enforcement, permitting, and compliance assistance activities for the recycling, pesticide, solid waste, and hazardous waste programs. Prior to joining CT DEEP, Robert worked for over eight years as a municipal land use planner for two municipalities in Connecticut. Robert holds a Bachelor of Science from UConn and a Master of Science from Central Connecticut State University. He is currently onthe Board of Directors for the:

Connecticut Chapter of the Air and Waste Management Association;
Northeast Recycling Council; and
Connecticut Recyclers Coalition.

Description: Students at the Maine Compost School. George MacDonald, continuing as the Treasurer. George recently became the Director of Special Projects within the Office of Commissioner at Maine's Department of Environmental Protection. George has been Maine's representative to the NERC Board of Directors for the past fourteen years when he was the Program Manager for the Waste Management and Recycling Program within the Maine State Planning Office. His experience with solid waste management issues spans over thirty years and includes employment in the private sector as well as the public sector, at local and state levels. When NERC was founded in 1987, George participated in NERC's early activities when he served as Chair of the Maine's Recycling Advisory Council and continued as the state's representative when he became the Director of the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling within the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.

In a non-elected position, Lynn Rubinstein, NERC's Executive Director, continues as the Secretary.

The Executive Committee has general administrative oversight for the management of NERC. For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein, NERC Executive Director.

Greg Cooper, Massachusetts, Ends Tenure as Vice President of NERC Board

After serving as the Vice President of NERC's Board for 18 months, Greg Cooper, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, ended his term on the Executive Committee on June 30th.

NERC is very grateful to Greg for his support and assistance, and for his remarkable insights and guidance. Thank you Greg!

New Opportunity to Support NERC Now Available – "Individual Supporters"

For more than ten years, trade associations, companies, state recycling organizations, non-profit organizations, resource recovery corporations, and other affiliations have had the opportunity to support NERC and its mission by being an Advisory Member. Now individuals are being offered a way to become involved as an "Individual Supporter."

By making a donation to NERC and becoming an Individual Supporter, you will be offered several benefits — in addition to helping NERC. These benefits include discounted conference and workshop registrations, and having your name listed on the NERC website (optional).

For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein, NERC Executive Director, or visit the NERC website.

New States and Organizations Participate in the State Electronics Challenge

Since the February, 2012, ten new organizations have joined the State Electronics Challenge bringing the total number of Partners to 95, representing 35 states and 138,000 employees.

The newest Partners are:

The full list of Partners is available at http://stateelectronicschallenge.net/current_partners.html.

The State Electronics Challenge is a national voluntary program that works with government entities, including schools, colleges and universities, to decrease energy usage and the environmental impact of the way they buy, use, and manage computer equipment at the end-of-life. The program should be of interest to anyone who works in IT, procurement, or recycling — no matter the level of government. It also offers free technical support, annual sustainability reports on participants' accomplishments, and recognition for their achievements.

The State Electronics Challenge is managed by the Northeast Recycling Council, and has funding from the EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and private sector sponsors: Samsung, Panasonic, Sims Recycling Solutions, ISRI R2/RIOS, the Consumer Electronics Association, and Metech Recycling.

For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein, Challenge Program Manager.

See Electronics Recycling in Action – Sims Recycling Solutions & Metech Recycling.

A recent webinar presented by the State Electronics Challenge featured videos of Sims Recycling Solutions and Metech Recycling electronics recycling in action. Both companies are sponsors of the Challenge, and offer different approaches to handling materials. Both companies are third party certified to either the R2 Standard or the e-Stewards standard; a requirement of electronics recyclers that work with Partners in the Challenge.

The webinar was recorded and is available on the SEC website. Caveat – it's big and will take several minutes (approximately 6 minutes depending on your connection) to download.

For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein, Challenge Program Manager.

TOXICS IN PACKAGING CLEARINGHOUSE NEWS

Discount Stores Importing PVC Packaging in Violation of State Laws

Almost 40 percent of imported PVC packaging of products tested, sold by discount retailers, was found to violate state toxics laws based on a new report just released by the Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse ("TPCH"). These packages contained cadmium or lead, which are restricted by laws in 19 states due to toxicity.

Packaging from all discount retailers — a total of eight — where products were purchased failed screening tests for these metals. "Packaging in violation of state laws is likely not one-time sourcing or production mistakes, but rather appears pervasive in imported PVC packaging," according to Kathleen Hennings of Iowa Department of Natural Resources. For one brand of personal care products, eleven PVC packages were tested, including three different products purchased in seven states over several months, and all failed for excessive cadmium.

"Retailers pulled non-compliant products off shelves and from distribution channels rather than face state sanctions," said Alex Stone of the Washington State Department of Ecology. "Statutory authority allows Washington State to outright ban retailers from selling products that are not in compliance with our laws."

Six of the eight retailers have a significant presence in the U.S., operating at least 500 locations each across 35 or more states. The other two discount retailers were regional with at least 100 stores in multiple states.

Non-compliant packaging was not confined to specific product sectors. Packaging that failed the screening tests was used for children's products, pet supplies, personal care, household items, home furnishings, hardware, and apparel.

TPCH routinely screens packaging for the presence of regulated metals using x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis. Over the past several years, TPCH has demonstrated that manufacturers and distributors must be vigilant about their packaging materials, particularly PVC packaging sourced from overseas. Lead and cadmium may be added to flexible PVC packaging as an inexpensive plasticizer. Although these substances may pose no threat to those handling the packaging, when the packaging material is disposed of in landfills or incinerators, these toxic metals can enter the environment and pose a risk to health and safety.

The report, An Assessment of Heavy Metals in Packaging: A Focus on Flexible PVC from Discount Stores, is available for download on the TPCH website.

For more information, on toxics in packaging, visit the Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse website.

STATE UPDATES

MAINE

Maine Solid Waste and Recycling Responsibilities Re-Assigned

The duties and responsibilities of the Waste Management and Recycling Program within the Maine State Planning Office have been divided between the state's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and jointly between the Department of Administrative and Financial Services DAFS) and the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) following that Office's elimination in the last legislative session.

The majority of the former waste management and recycling program's responsibilities will be transferred to the DEP effective July 1. These tasks include: solid waste and recycling policy review and development; planning for systems for managing solid waste; technical assistance to municipalities, residents and businesses; data collection, utilization and determination of local and state recycling rates; education and promotion of programs and strategies to encourage increased waste reduction, reuse, recycling and composting; and related activities. No positions were transferred to the DEP with this reassignment of responsibilities as existing staff there are expected to take on the new work.

Responsibility for the three state-owned landfills has been re-assigned to DAFS and DECD, with DAFS as the title, right and interest holder on behalf of the state for the three properties and DECD as the department responsible for landfill oversight. One staff position was transferred to DECD to accomplish the necessary work in ensuring the disposal facilities are properly operated and maintained and will represent the state on all activities related to the landfill's operations. The staff position is currently vacant but is expected to be filled in the near future.

An update on the transfer of programmatic responsibilities will be provided in future NERC E-bulletins. George MacDonald, who recently became the Director of Special Projects within the Commissioner's Office at DEP, will continue to represent Maine on the NERC Board of Directors and as its treasurer.

NEW YORK

Using Whole Tires in Civil Engineering & Residential Construction

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Division of Materials Management staff has seen a rise in applications for approval to use whole used passenger car and truck tires in "rammed-earth" civil engineering and residential structures. Tires used in "rammed-earth" construction are packed with soil or structural fill and placed in staggered rows to create retaining walls for embankments or load-bearing outer walls for residential homes. A sturdy, insulating wall is the result that can be stuccoed or covered with fascia or vines.

To avoid running afoul of NYS's waste tire storage law, individuals, businesses or municipalities interested in using tires for rammed-earth construction should petition the NYSDEC for a beneficial use determination (BUD) prior to the project. A BUD is not difficult to obtain; a simple letter to DEC enclosing a plan for your structure, how many tires you will use and how long the construction will take is sufficient to obtain a BUD for most projects.

Anaerobic Digesters on New York's Farms: The Need for Organics

According to Cornell University, as of August 2011, there were 20 New York State dairy farms with operating anaerobic digesters. These farms manage a total of 22,175 cows (an average of 1100 cows per farm) and the energy generated is equal to the needs of 3,550 average homes. Another 10 anaerobic digesters on farms are in the planning stages. In addition to addressing pressing manure management issues on farms, anaerobic digesters present the farms with an opportunity to benefit from the addition of food residuals and other organics from off-site sources. Many of the farms with digesters are seeking clean organic wastes as a source of income and to boost gas production. For example, ice cream waste can produce twice as much methane per ton as dairy manure. Working together, these operations can provide a benefit to both the farm and the organic waste producer. The farm is better able to finance the cost of the digester through tipping fees and increased electric generation and the organic waste generator may be able to reduce disposal costs and is able to recycle this waste stream. Case studies on many farm digesters can be found on the Cornell Dairy Environmental Systems website at: www.manuremanagement.cornell.edu.

ADVISORY MEMBER NEWS

John Shegerian and Electronic Recyclers International Named to International Green Industry Hall of Fame

Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the nation's leading recycler of electronic waste, and its Chairman and CEO, John Shegerian, were both named to the International Green Industry Hall of Fame at the annual induction ceremony in May at Fresno State University. In an unprecedented move, both ERI as an organization, and John Shegerian himself, as an individual Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient, have been inducted into the Hall in the same year.

The mission of the International Green Industry Hall of Fame (IGIHOF) is to promote ecological sustainability excellence worldwide. IGIHOF's mission is to recognize individuals and organizations for excellence and outstanding achievements in green industry. Induction ceremonies are held at various locations all over the world.

"It is a great honor to be inducted into the International Green Industry Hall of Fame for our efforts as a green and sustainable organization," said John Shegerian, ERI's Chairman and CEO. "And it is truly humbling to receive a similar honor as an individual. It's really all a testament to our constant commitment to the proper disposal of electronic waste and the hazards it presents to our environment. We are passionate about doing everything we can, beyond our industry-leading e-waste recycling efforts, to be a green and sustainable organization as well. To enter this Hall of Fame beside sustainability and green industry legends is added motivation for us to continue our mission in new, innovative and industry-changing ways. The green business revolution is here to stay and we are proud to help lead the charge!"

"The ERI story is truly amazing," said Sam Geil, Chair of the Board of Directors for the International Green Industry Hall of Fame. "In 2002, John and his team pioneered electronic recycling on a national and international level and built a socially responsible company earning a place in the Hall of Fame. ERI is an example of what can be accomplished with great people, hard work, disciplined commitment and innovation. The best part of this story is that they are just getting started."

About Shegerian the individual Hall of Famer, Geil added, "John has also earned a place in the International Green Industry Hall of Fame as a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient for his tireless work as Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of ERI, Co-Founder and CEO of 1-800-Recycling, Co-Founder and Host of Green is Good, and Co-Founder of Addicted.com. John is truly an industry icon as an entrepreneur, advocate, and innovator. He has no equal when it comes to success and passion in the Green Industry."

Shegerian established ERI's headquarters in Fresno in 2005 and since then, under his stewardship, the company has fast become the largest and most efficient recycler of electronic waste in the world. With longstanding private sector and government contracts and relationships, ERI is licensed to de-manufacture and recycle televisions, computer monitors, computers, and virtually all other types of electronic equipment with a cord.

ERI developed and houses the largest e-waste shredder in the world and processes more than 120 million pounds of electronic waste annually at its locations in California, Colorado, Indianapolis, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Texas, Washington State and Washington DC.

It was announced last month that as inductees into the Hall of Fame, ERI and John Shegerian are enshrined into the Hall permanently and will be members for life.

Need an Electronics Recycling Locator for Your Website?

The Consumer Electronics Association is leading an effort to recycle one billion pounds of electronics annually by 2016, and as part of this effort created GreenerGadgets.org to educate consumers about recycling locations near them. The site features an electronics recycling zip code locator with more than 8,200 locations nationwide. Virtually all of these locations send their e-Waste to third-party certified facilities, so it's the best recycling locator out there.

UNTHA Introdues New Shredder to America

UNTHA shredding technology America, Inc. is pleased to announce the U.S. debut of its latest shredding equipment, the RS 150 four shaft shredder. 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.

Already, nine RS 150s have been installed worldwide, including two in the States. Another three United States installations are already planned. At 500 horsepower and standing 20 feet tall, the RS 150 is a marvelous monster of a shredder. According to Charles Hildebrand, regional sales manager for UNTHA, "scrapyards love it because it increases the volume of material they can process, allowing them to boost sales. Circuit board refining companies use it to shred circuit boards then refine the precious metals they contain, such as gold, silver and copper. Refrigerator recyclers are also getting on board because once the compressors are removed and the freon is drained out, this machine can gobble up entire refrigerators. It's an amazing multi-purpose product."

The RS150 has a four-shaft shredding system. It first coarse shreds material, then fine shreds it, all in one single operation. The RS 150 comes from the illustrious RS Series, which has been tried and tested for decades. It is well known as a line of powerful, rugged shredders which easily handle difficult operating conditions and multiple-shift continuous operation. "More than 30 years of expertise is built into the RS Series," says Bernhard Mueggler, president and CEO of UNTHA America. "We have a few thousand of these shredders in daily operation around the globe."

With the launch of the RS 150, fans of the RS series can now obtain a shredder that is known for its reliability and increased throughput. They are designed to handle products as diverse as sheet metal casings, aluminum rims and tubes; electronic WEE scrap such as small and large appliances, IT and telecommunications equipment, consumer electronics and tools; hazardous waste; tires from anything from planes to automobiles; copper and aluminum cables, and tough jobs such as spring mattresses, pulper ropes, carpets and Gore-Tex rolls.

For more information about UNTHA America and UNTHA shredding equipment, visit www.untha-america.com or call (603) 601-2304.

New Group Dedicated to Promoting Flex Film Recycling Launches Summer Recruitment Drive

The Flexible Film Recycling Group (FFRG), a new self-funded work group within the American Chemistry Council's Plastics Division, has initiated an aggressive member recruitment push in advance of the launch of a national public awareness campaign to help promote the recycling of polyethylene (PE) film packaging, including wraps and bags. FFRG, which formed this spring, is comprised of companies representing the entire spectrum of the PE film value chain including film manufacturers, brand owners and recyclers. Since its formation, FFRG has been involved in the national multi-stakeholder effort that resulted in the development of the How2Recycle label for film products, initiated by GreenBlue's Sustainable Packaging Coalition.® And, FFRG members are actively participating in the pilot phase of the label's use. Additionally, FFRG soon plans to implement pilot programs to assist small and medium businesses and major universities in establishing innovative and effective mechanisms that will significantly expand collection of PE film for recycling. The group is also working to develop other programs involving fiber collectors and wholesale distributors in collection efforts to further increase commercial film recovery. For more information about FFRG, including membership, please visit the group's online home at plastics.americanchemistry.com/ffrg.OF GENERAL INTEREST

Volume To Weight Conversions

Keep America Beautiful (KAB) is requesting your help. We are working to update and improve volume-to-weight conversion factors for various commodities. The results from the surveys will provide KAB and the recycling community with better conversion factors for recycling competitions, grant programs and other studies.

The first survey found here is the most important and is for traditional recyclables such as cans, bottles, paper, etc
The second survey found here is for trash, food waste and other non-traditional recyclables

The information you provide will be aggregated and shared in a final report that will be placed on KAB's website in the fall of 2012. Each survey should take around 15–20 minutes to complete. Your participation will provide valuable information to this process and improve upon current conversion factors. In order to show our appreciation of the time you dedicated to take this survey, ten randomly selected survey responses will receive a $25 American Express gift card in a drawing to be held this summer.

Please reply by Friday, July 6, 2012, however, this isn't a hard deadline. If you have cookies enabled on your computer, you should be able to come back to the survey at a later date to complete.

Social Marketing Case Studies

Keep America Beautiful (KAB) is looking to catalog various social marketing case studies (definition below) around the topics of waste reduction, recycling and litter. We are soliciting case studies from our affiliates, state recycling partners, recycling organizations and others with interest in increasing recycling rates.

Case studies will be screened by KAB and partners. KAB will then follow up with prospective case study participants to get more information regarding impact, innovation, replicability and adaptability. We ask that you complete the survey found here to start the case study reporting process. We only need you to provide answers to 23 quick social marketing questions so that we can follow up with you to gather more detailed information. Please complete the survey by Friday, July 6, 2012, again, this isn't a hard deadline.

Benefits
1. Professional recognition and visibility. Gain exposure for your successes which can make it easier to maintain or increase program funding.
- Placement on the KAB website and possible webinar highlighting the successful program
- Placement on the Tools of Change website - one or more of the case studies will be designated a "Landmark" case study (more information below)
- Possible placement into a published academic book about social marketing
2. Help build the recycling community's body of knowledge regarding social marketing and behavior change.
3. Establish baseline data for measuring future efforts to increase recycling rates through public participation.

Timeline

June 2012 – Case studies solicited
August 2012 – Case study follow up
January 2013 – KAB and partners will draft selected case studies
March 2013 – Case studies completed

Feel free to email me any social marketing/behavior change research you may have regarding litter and recycling. Thanks to our partner, Tools of Change, for allowing us to build this survey based off their Landmark case study form.