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December 2010

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

  • Electronics Recycling Directory

New Supporting Members

Renewing Supporting Members

NERC NEWS

STATE UPDATES

MAINE

NEW YORK

ADVISORY MEMBER NEWS

OF GENERAL INTEREST


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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.


TOPICS

MEMBERSHIP

We are delighted to welcome the Electronics Recycling Directory as the newest Sustaining Member and two new Supporting Members: Blue Star Recyclers and The Council of State Governments Eastern Regional Conference.  We also are pleased to welcome the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority (CRRA) and the Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania (PROP) as renewing Supporting 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

Samsung
NERC President Sarah Kite presents recognition of Distinguished SEC Sponsorship to Michael Moss, Samsung Director of Corporate Environmental Affairs.

Samsung First Distinguished Sponsor of State Electronics Challenge

The State Electronics Challenge is delighted to announce its first Distinguished Sponsor: Samsung Electronics.  This support will enable the Challenge to be offered nationally in 2011. 

CEA
Walter Alcorn, Vice President, Environmental Affairs & Industry Sustainability for the Consumer Electronics Association, is recognized for SEC Supporting Sponsorship.

And, joining Samsung, the Institute for Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Sims Recycling Solutions, and Panasonic is the latest sponsor of the Challenge – the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA).

The State Electronics Challenge (SEC) is a voluntary program that encourages state, regional, and local governments, including schools and other public entities, to:

    • Purchase greener electronic products.

    • Reduce the impacts of electronic products during use.

    • Manage obsolete electronics in an environmentally safe way.

The SEC provides resources to help state, local, and regional government and agencies to become leaders and face the new challenges posed by the electronics waste stream.

For information on how to support the national expansion of the SEC, go to the Sponsor Information Web page.

Thank you to Samsung and to CEA!  For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein, NERC Executive Director.

Samsung
CEA

 

NERC’s Fall Conference a Resounding Success – Spring Event Scheduled

NERC would like to thank everyone who participated in its Fall ’10 Conference — The Changing Tide of Recycling’s Future.  Record-breaking attendance, great speakers, lively discussions, interesting exhibitors, and networking all contributed to the event’s success. 

NERC’s next event will be a one-day Workshop to be held at the Hotel Northampton in Northampton, Massachusetts. 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW SO YOU DON’T MISS IT!

April 19, 2011 – NERC Spring Workshop

The NERC Board of Directors meeting will take place on April 20, and all are invited.

For more information, contact Mary Ann Remolador, Assistant Director.

Two New NERC Board Members

The NERC Board has two new members: Peter Pettit from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) and Richard Watson from the Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA). 

Richard P. Watson, P.E., BCEE is the Chief Operating Officer of the Delaware Solid Waste Authority.  The DSWA owns and operates all three municipal solid waste landfills in the State of Delaware, four transfer stations, five collection stations, and 185 drop-off recycling centers.  In addition, DSWA currently provides curbside recycling service (single stream recyclables and/or yard waste) to 30,000 households, an electronic goods recycling program, a household hazardous waste collection program, and an oil filter collection program statewide.  DSWA recently adopted a new Statewide Solid Waste Management Plan that incorporates Zero Waste Principles.  Mr. Watson has been with DSWA for 29 years, is a Civil Engineering graduate of the University of Delaware and Clarkson University, a licensed Professional Engineer in Delaware, a Board Certified Environmental Engineer of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers, and an International Waste Manager of the International Solid Waste Association.

Peter M. Pettit, P.E. is the Bureau Chief of the Bureau Waste Reduction & Recycling within the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).  He has been with the Bureau for over 22 years.  The programs that he manages include:      

  • All outreach and education program efforts regarding waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting for the Department within NYS,
  • Tracking and implementation of New York’s Returnable Container Act (Bottle Bill),
  • Coordination of mercury reduction and management programs,
  • Management of the Toxics in Packaging reduction program, and
  • Responsible for the Bureau’s product stewardship and beneficial use determination programs.

Other more specific program areas and efforts include:

  • Executive Board member of the Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse,
  • NYS representative on the Great Lakes Mercury Product Phase Down Strategy Team,
  • NYS State representative on Interstate Mercury Education and Reduction Clearinghouse,
  • Chair, ASTSWMO MSW Recycling Task Force (NYS & EPA Region 2 representative),
  • NYSDEC legislative contact on all the above program areas,
  • Chair, NYS Mercury Advisory Committee and DEC’s Internal Mercury Task Force, and
  • Division’s Program Emergency Response Coordinator.

Peter is a registered Professional Engineer and has a Master of Science Degree in Environmental Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Union College, Schenectady, NY.  Before joining the state, he worked with Albany County Health Department, Metcalf & Eddy, Consulting Engineers, and Clough Harbor & Associates; inspecting, permitting, and designing water, wastewater and solid waste management facilities.

Welcome to Rick and Peter!

FREE Compost Marketing Workshop/Field Day

Learn how to make your compost product work for you, whether selling compost is your primary business or a side business. The workshop will provide marketing insights and sales techniques, including technical information on compost applications and benefits, feedstocks, quality standards, and marketing principles.  Learn tips on developing a marketing plan for your compost operation, how to position your product, the ins-and-outs of compost market segments, bulk sales vs. bagged, distribution strategies, and making money on tipping fees. Sales strategies will also be covered, including sales points, using social media and new media techniques, branding, and customer education tips. 

The workshop will be held on Wednesday, January 12, from 9:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Snow date – Wednesday, January 19) at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Presenters include:

  • Jean Bonhotal, Associate Director, Cornell Waste Management Institute
  • Dr. Robert Rynk, SUNY Cobleskill, Agricultural Engineering Dept., and Charles Duprey, Business Development, WeCare Organics, LLC. 

The workshop is free, but all attendees must register by January 4th (late registrants will need to pay their own parking). To register or for more information, contact Athena Lee Bradley by email or at 802 254-3636. Lunch will be provided. Funding for the workshops is from the Northeast SARE (Sustainable Agriculture, Research, and Education).

NERC Annual Report for FY 2010

In the Fiscal Year that ended June 30, NERC once again excelled in the breadth of projects and initiatives it pursued.  NERC actively promoted reuse, recycling, zero waste, green procurement, responsible e-waste management, regional and national collaboration, and more.  A full report on NERC’s accomplishments in FY10 is now available online: NERC Annual Report FY 2010.  For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein, NERC Executive Director.

Minutes from NERC Summer Board of Directors Meeting

The minutes from NERC’s Summer Board Meeting are now available.  For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein, NERC Executive Director.

STATE UPDATES

MAINE

Engaging Schools on Recycling & Composting

School food service directors request presentation on recycling and composting.  Bruce White, of the State Planning Office’s (SPO) Waste Management and Recycling Program, presented at the fall meeting of the state’s school food service directors on possibilities for composting food discards, as well as ideas for increasing recycling and waste reduction in Maine’s schools.  The presentation was developed by SPO’s Suzanne Duplissis and Bruce White.

The gathering of about 100 school directors and staff in Bangor was very receptive to the message and its possibilities and already has resulted in SPO staff receiving numerous questions and requests for assistance.  The presentation was made possible by partnering with the Department of Education’s Nutrition team, a partnership that has already begun to show a positive response and support from many schools, and complements the efforts of other agencies and organization, such as the Department of Agriculture’s Farm to School Program and the Maine Dairy Council. 

Maine Recycles Week 2010

By the time you read this, Maine Recycles Week 2010 will be over, except for the selection of the winning posters that will be used in the 2011 calendar and presentation of awards to schools and sponsors of Maine Recycles Week. 

NEW YORK

New Listing of Electronics Recyclers & Collection Facilities

As part of its efforts to promote electronics recycling businesses in New York as its new e-waste law is implemented, Empire State Development has compiled a spreadsheet of New York State e-waste processing and collection facilities.  The purpose is to provide contact and other basic information to the electronic equipment manufacturers who are now devising plans to comply with NY’s e-waste law.  The spreadsheet also contains a list from NY State Department of Environmental Conservation of municipalities who have held electronic waste collections. 

Additional recycling markets information can be found in the Empire State Development Recycling Markets Database.  The Database is an interactive, searchable database to locate markets for materials that can be reused, recycled, or composted.  It provides exposure for recycling and reuse businesses and helps end markets for recovered materials in and around New York State access the raw materials they need for production.

ADVISORY MEMBER NEWS

Heather Greenwood
Heather Greenwood

NRRA Congratulates Heather Greenwood!  Intern Extraordinaire!

The Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA) acknowledges the excellent work that Heather Greenwood did for it in working with Kelly Pearson and the School Recycling Club last spring.  She came to the NRRA through Antioch New England to complete her Master’s Degree Project by designing a comprehensive school recycling assessment tool for NRRA to use on school site visits.  Not only did she complete her project work, but she did such an excellent project that she presented her work at the first School Recycling Conference last June and has just been hired as the new Recycling Coordinator for Keene State College.  NRRA is proud of its role to help her professional efforts, and we know she will do an excellent job for Keene State College. 

OF GENERAL INTEREST

Solid Waste Manager Position, Newton, Massachusetts

The City of Newton, Massachusetts, is hiring a Solid Waste Manager in the Division of Environmental Affairs in the Department of Public Works.  

Holiday Cheer & Zero Waste

At NERC’s recent conference, Michael Alexander from Recycle Away spoke on zero waste.  The topic sparked some great discussion.  With the holidays upon us perhaps the goal of zero waste seems harder to achieve.  Americans generate 25% more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year's holiday period than any other time of year (Use Less Stuff and EPA).  While zero waste may seem out of reach, there are things that each of us can do to make our holidays more environmentally friendly.

Shop Recycled.  Many local stores or online “green stores” carry products made from recycled materials.  Help our business grow! 

Purchase Green Electronics.  Make sure those trendy electronics gifts are green.  Consider upgrading your family’s computer with a new hard drive or RAM instead of purchasing a new one.  Check on EPEAT to find a new computer with the best environmental features.  Be sure to recycle your old electronics.  The National Center for Electronics Recycling has a list of various electronics recycling directories.

Consider Reuse

Happy Holidays from the NERC staff!

Your thoughts and comments are welcome.  Send them to Athena Lee Bradley, NERC Projects Manager.

PSI's 10th Networking Conference Call Series

Procurement: What role can it play in driving greater product stewardship?
Wednesday, December 8th  2:00 – 3:30 PM EST / 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM PST

procurement

Government procurement policies can support environmentally preferable products and may also encourage cradle-to-cradle product stewardship.  Marcia Deegler will share how MA agencies are successfully implementing environmental procurement policies and Mark Petruzzi will discuss how his company, Green Seal has developed environmental standards and certification process.  Manufacturers will describe how procurement standards are influencing their product design decisions and the business decisions.

EPR for Packaging: What can we learn from successes of European Directive and Canada?
Tuesday, January 20th 1:00 - 2:30 PM EST / 10:00 - 11:30 AM PST - Note – NEW DATE!

EPR

Overview:  Nearly one-third of all municipal solid waste in the U.S. is packaging waste and it is on the forefront of the sustainability agenda for both the public and private sector.  We will hear from Joachim Quoden, from PRO Europe and Derek Stephenson, StewardEdge Inc., about the lesson we can learn from the successful EPR programs in place in Europe and Canada.

 

New England Green Chemistry Networking Forum

Join Curt Spalding, EPA New England Regional Administrator, and green chemistry leaders, Paul Anastas, Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) and the Science Advisor to the Agency, and John Warner, President and Chief Technology Office, Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry, on December 16 at the MIT Faculty Club to create a sustainable green chemistry future for New England.

The goals of the forum are to:

  • Bring together green chemistry practitioners and potential customers and/or funders
  • Enlist participation in strategic groups
  • Showcase the many successful green chemistry activities in New England

The focus of the meeting is networking:

  • Network with green chemistry leaders in
    • Education
    • Government
    • Industry
    • Investment and Development
    • Healthcare
    • Advocacy
  • Participate in creating a sustainable green chemistry future
  • Showcase your work with a poster or table exhibit