June 2008
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
NERC NEWS
- Market Resources for Recycling Industries Updated
- NERC FY 2009 Officers
- SUNY Fredonia and City of Keene, NH, Join State Electronics Challenge
- 2,800 Pounds of Food Waste Diverted
- How to Decrease Power Usage by Computers and Other Electronics
STATE UPDATES
CONNECTICUT
RHODE ISLAND
ADVISORY MEMBER NEWS
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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 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
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
Market Resources for Recycling Industries Updated
The Market Resources for Recycling Industries has been updated and contains numerous new listings. The guide, a comprehensive compendium of web-based recycling market resources, was updated with funding from a grant from the USDA. This reference tool is intended to save recycling entrepreneurs, municipalities, businesses, and others time in identifying available markets for recyclable materials. It includes listings of brokers, collectors, processors, end-users, and recyclers of recyclable materials, as well as material recovery facilities. The guide includes vendor and contact information for a range of materials, from electronics to mercury containing devices, as well as a list of publications, trade associations, regional recycling market development organizations, national organizations, materials exchanges, and other market resources.
If you have questions, comments, or can think of missing resources that we should have in the guide, contact Athena Lee Bradley of NERC.
On July 1, NERC’s fiscal year begins and a new slate of Officers will ascend to the NERC leadership. The Officers will be:
Jim Short, Delaware – President of the Board
Jeff Schmitt, New York – Vice President of the Board
Don Maurer, New Hampshire – Treasurer
Lynn Rubinstein, NERC – Secretary.
We would like to express great appreciation and respect for the outstanding leadership and support that President of the Board, Brenda Grober, New York, has provided for the past two years.
Thank you to one and all.
SUNY Fredonia and City of Keene, NH, Join State Electronics Challenge
The ranks of the State Electronics Challenge (SEC) have grown to 14 with the additions of the State University of New York at Fredonia and the City of Keene, NH. As the first campus in New York to join the SEC and the first community in New Hampshire, they are demonstrating their commitment to sustainability and environmental improvements. They are also benefiting from the support and services that the SEC provides in changing their use, procurement, and disposal of computers.
Among the benefits of being a Partner are Partner-only Teleconferences, recognition, and individual technical assistance. And all at no cost! For more information, visit the SEC Web site, or download a fact sheet about the program.
For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein.
2,800 Pounds of Food Waste Diverted
The Northeast Recycling Council, Inc. (NERC), with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recently collaborated with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP) to collect more than 2,800 pounds of food and paper wastes for composting at the Hallsmith Sysco Food Show in Boston. Approximately 1,300 people attended the event. The Food Show was held at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston on April 17 and featured 178 booths.
During the event, vendors were provided biodegradable bags donated by Heritage Bags in which to place preparation scraps, leftover samples, de-packaged display foods, and paper towels, napkins, and paper plates. At the end of the event, staff from the NERC, MA DEP, and EPA New England circulated through the event with carts to collect the bags and other items for composting. The waste was transported by Save That Stuff to Brick Ends Farm in Saugus, Massachusetts for composting.
- Hallsmith Sysco is a subsidiary of the Sysco Corporation, the largest foodservice marketing and distribution organization in North America.
- Save That Stuff is a waste management company that provides recycling services for New England businesses.
- Brick Ends Farm is a compost operation that accepts food scraps from local communities and businesses and turns them into compost.
This project was the result of a grant that NERC received from EPA to promote pilot food composting at special events in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Vermont. For more information contact Athena Lee Bradley, Projects Manager, NERC.
How to Decrease Power Usage by Computers and Other Electronic Equipment
In mid-May, the State Electronics Challenge hosted a Partner-only Teleconference on power management. The presentations included practical advice and tips about how to decrease energy consumption by computers and other “plug load” devices, as well as provided data about the practical effects of such actions.
The teleconference featured three very informative presentations by guest speakers from New York State, and a dynamic question and answer period. From the conversation and requests for follow-up information, we can anticipate that several entities will be making changes to their power management practices.
The PowerPoint presentation (all three are in one document) is available to anyone who is interested. It will remain posted on the SEC Web site.
STATE UPDATES
CONNECTICUT
The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CT DEP) is working hard to get the lead out -- of packaging. Connecticut is one of nineteen states that have passed laws prohibiting the use of four toxic metals in packaging or its components, such as inks, adhesives, or labels. Historically these metals were used in colorants and inks, and as stabilizers to slow down the breakdown of certain plastics when exposed to heat and ultraviolet light.
Connecticut’s toxics in packaging law prohibits the distribution or sale of packaging containing any amount of intentionally added cadmium, lead, mercury, and hexavalent chromium. The law also sets a limit on the incidental presence of these metals. Product packaging is often quickly discarded and becomes a large portion (33%) of the municipal solid waste. The law helps prevent these toxic metals from entering landfills, waste incinerators, recyclable materials, and ultimately, the environment.
CT DEP is a founding member of the Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse (TPCH), which was formed in 1992 to promote the Model Toxics in Packaging Legislation. It is administered and staffed by NERC.
Last year, with funding from an EPA Pollution Prevention grant, TPCH and its member states screened 355 packaging samples for the presence of the four restricted metals using a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer. The samples were selected to represent different packaging materials (e.g., aluminum, glass, paper, plastic, and steel) and products, mostly found in retail stores.
Of the packages tested, approximately 16% exceeded the screening threshold of 100 parts per million (ppm) for the presence of one or more of the restricted metals. Cadmium and lead were most frequently detected. For example, test results for one package -- a plastic mailing bag -- indicated that it was almost 1% (10,000 ppm) lead by weight. The vast majority of non-compliant packaging was imported.
As a result of the study, TPCH notified the companies whose products failed the screening test. They were required to either certify that their packaging is now in compliance (backed up by new test data) or discontinue the sale and distribution of the packaging. Those few companies that did not comply were referred to one or more member states for possible enforcement action.
With additional funding from EPA New England, TPCH has begun a multi-state campaign to educate the packaging industry about requirements of the laws through speaking engagements at trade organization meetings, articles in industry publications and fact sheets. The outreach efforts are designed to reach the entire supply chain from retail to manufacturing. CT DEP will continue its work with TPCH on this educational campaign and will assist with additional packaging screening in 2008.
You can view the report on the 2007 Study on the TPCH Web site.
What's in Connecticut's Trash?
In 2006, CT DEP published the State's Solid Waste Management Plan that is now being used for solid waste management planning and decision making in Connecticut through to the year 2024. Currently, the municipal solid waste (MSW) that is generated in Connecticut is estimated at 3.8 million tons per year, with 30% being recycled. The Plan sets a target of 58% of MSW to be diverted through increased source reduction, reuse, recycling and composting.
CT DEP needs more data and information to determine how best to achieve the 58% target rate and plans to have a waste disposal characterization study conducted. The study will analyze CT's trash from households, institutions, businesses, and industries. It will help identify the type, amount and origin of material that presents the best potential for achieving increased waste reduction and recycling.
CT DEP is preparing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for this statewide study. The RFP was posted in May on the CT DAS Web site, with a closing date of June 19. It is expected that a contract will be in place later this summer.
RHODE ISLAND
Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management together have reinvigorated their commercial recycling efforts to increase recycling and reduce waste in this sector.
Last month, the pair launched a new educational and marketing initiative to motivate businesses to leave their non-recycling ways behind. The focus of the “Green Zone” is to help businesses understand the environmental and economic advantages of workplace recycling, and to provide assistance in implementing source reduction and recycling programs. DEM and RIRRC have branded the program, collaborated on resources, created a Web site and collateral materials, and launched it at the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce Business Expo in early May.
In January, DEM instituted a new online reporting system to facilitate compliance. Both RIRRC and DEM are marketing their free waste assessment capabilities to business and the initial response has been encouraging. DEM has performed assessments at more than 45 companies, and RIRRC visits companies weekly, helping them achieve their green goals.
Rhode Island businesses account for 660,000 tons per a year, or approximately 60 percent of waste buried in the Central Landfill. Despite regulations requiring businesses to recycle, compliance is very low.
ADVISORY MEMBER NEWS
PRESSTIME, the flagship magazine of the Newspaper Association of America, recently took a look at how some newspapers are going greener and reducing their energy consumption. The article describes how these companies calculated their operation’s carbon footprint or conducted an energy audit to determine how much electricity, water and heat they use.
PSEG Recognized by EPA for NPEP Goals
The U.S. EPA recently posted a PSEG “Success Story” on its National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP) Web site. The success story describes PSEG’s successful efforts during 2007 to reduce and recycle hazardous materials.
PSEG set three NPEP goals for 2007. These goals involved the reduction and recycling of PSEG equipment containing mercury and lead.
The first goal was to remove mercury-containing thermostats and gas regulators, and replace them with similar devices containing no mercury. The equipment was safely and effectively removed from the environment, with all components being recycled, including the mercury contained within it. The goal was to remove the equivalent of 422.4 pounds of mercury contained within this equipment during calendar year 2007. PSEG was able to remove the equivalent of 460.1 pounds, exceeding the goal by 10%.
The second goal involved the removal and recycling of mercury-containing High Intensity Discharge (HID) street lamps, and fluorescent lamps. These lamps were safely removed with all components recycled. The goal was to recycle the equivalent of 2.37 pounds of mercury contained within these lamps during calendar year 2007. PSEG was able to remove the equivalent of 4.14 pounds, exceeding the goal by 75%.
The third goal involved the removal and recycling of lead-containing old, surplus computers and cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors. PSEG's surplus consumer electronics are first evaluated for potential extended life through donations. Remaining equipment, unsuitable for this purpose, are shipped offsite with all components recycled. The goal was to recycle the equivalent of 523.6 pounds of lead contained within these consumer electronics during calendar year 2007. PSEG was able to remove the equivalent of 821.5 pounds, exceeding the goal by 57%.