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June 2013

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

NERC NEWS

STATE UPDATES

MAINE

NEW YORK

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 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.


NERC NEWS

New Leadership for NERC

Come July 1, NERC will have a new President and Vice President; Robert Isner of Connecticut, and Rick Watson of Delaware, respectively. George MacDonald of Maine will continue in his role as Treasurer.

Rick Watson is a newcomer to the Executive Committee, although he has been on the NERC Board for several years. We are looking forward to working with him as the Vice President of the Board. Rick is the Chief Operating Officer of the Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA). Rick received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Clarkson University and a Masters of Civil Engineering degree from the University of Delaware. He has been a part of the DSWA family since 1981, where he first served as a project engineer for Delaware's first double lined sanitary landfill. He has served as DSWA's Chief Engineer since 1991 and has overseen design, construction, and operation of all solid waste projects, including landfills, transfer stations, landfill gas control systems, and various recycling projects. He is a Professional Engineer in Delaware, a Board Certified Environmental Engineer with the American Academy of Environmental Engineers, and is the first United States International Waste Manager for the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA). Rick has led instruction in landfill design and operation for the ISWA and served as Past President of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America. In addition, he has served as an Environmental Engineering Program evaluator for the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. As Chief Operating Officer, he is responsible for a wide range of duties, including planning, organizing, and implementing all programs, budgets, and operations for the DSWA.

Robert Isner, who will now be President of the Board, has been the Vice President for the past two years. George MacDonald has been the NERC Treasurer for a number of years, and does an outstanding job, so we are all delighted that he will be continuing.

We must say a hearty thank you to Sarah Kite of Rhode Island who has served as the President of the Board for more than two years. Sarah, fortunately, will continue on the Board of Directors. Her leadership and direction has been essential in guiding NERC through both challenging and innovative times. Thank you Sarah!

Minutes from Board Meeting now Available

Minutes from the NERC April Board of Directors meeting are now available. For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein, Executive Director.

Reuse Marketplace - A Great Website to Get Rid of or Find Reusable and Surplus Items

On any given day, the Reuse Marketplace lists a variety of reusable and surplus items. If you look right now, you will find cosmetic jars, Gaylord bins, granite tiles, bakery boxes, etc. The list changes and you never know how long an item will be available. The site also lists items members want, so you may more quickly find a home for the items you no longer need. In addition, members can receive email alerts when new items are posted to the site, which can give them the advantage of obtaining an item before someone else.

How is the Reuse Marketplace different from Craigslist? We are frequently asked that question and here are some of the ways that the Marketplace is unique:

  • The primary purpose of the site is to promote the continued use of reusable items instead of throwing them out. Examples of some of the reusable items commonly found on the Marketplace include packing peanuts, pallets, buckets, plastic liners from Gaylords, plastic nursery pots and trays, etc.
  • The site only includes lists of available and wanted reusable and surplus items and reuse-related events. The site does not include personal ads, hazardous waste, guns and ammunition, live animals, illegal goods, services, and recycled materials.
  • The site is administered to make sure that:
    • Members are approved before they are able to post items on the site. Eligible members include businesses, non-profits, institutions, and government from the participant states of Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
    • The only items posted are reusable and surplus items

Although the posting of items on the site is limited to eligible members, anyone can browse and obtain items from the site.

NERC's Blog Worth Repeating: The Reuse Marketplace

NERC's Blog worth Repeating was posted on the NERC Blog on Tuesday, April 16, 2013. It's a feature about an ongoing NERC project – the Reuse Marketplace. Remember to check us out (and "Like Us") on Facebook too!

Use the Reuse Marketplace for Getting Rid of Unwanted & Surplus Items

Many workplaces are faced with the problem of what to do with unwanted and surplus items. Often, the common solution is to get rid of them by throwing them out. This method is an immediate solution, but costly. To address this problem, a regional materials exchange was developed by the Northeast Recycling Council, Inc. (NERC) - the Reuse Marketplace

The Reuse Marketplace is a free-to-use website where reusable items are posted for sale or for the taking. The site provides a means of trading reusable items for businesses, government, non-profits, and institutions within the participant seven states (Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, & Vermont). Anyone is welcome to use the site for browsing the listings. Site members save money by avoid disposal fees and site users/browsers will save money obtaining the items they need or want at a reduced rate or at no cost. Examples of the items that may be found on the site include: heavy equipment, office equipment and supplies, packing peanuts, buckets, barrels, electronics, organics, construction materials, etc.

How can the Reuse Marketplace benefit users?

  • It's free to post items - state environmental agencies and private businesses sponsor the site, which allows it to be free for members.
  • Members can save money on trash disposal. Instead of throwing unwanted reusable items out, they can post them on the site for others to find.
  • Reusing items decreases the users' environmental impact and reduces their carbon footprint.

What makes this site unique from other online marketplaces?

  • Peer-to-Peer listings—only businesses, government, non-profits, and institutions can post items on the site. Anyone can browse and obtain the items.
  • Easy to Use-there are 35 item categories to choose from when posting to the site.
  • Easy to create a wish list of items you are seeking.
  • Multi-state participants--seven states participate in the site— Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, & Vermont.
  • Administered site-before listings are posted, they are reviewed by the site administer within 24 hours. New members are also reviewed before allowed to participate.

Responsible Recycling Webinar Recording Posted: featuring Robin Ingenthron, Good Point Recycling, & Kris Murphy, Metech Recycling

The State Electronics Challenge recently hosted a Partner-only webinar about responsible recycling of electronic equipment. The webinar featured presentations by Robin Ingenthron of Good Point recycling and Kris Murphy of Metech Recycling. Robin's presentation included a video of his recycling operation, as well as a detailed PowerPoint about reuse of electronic equipment. Kris also presented a webinar of the Metech Recycling operation and a PowerPoint about certification; what it means and why it's important. A recording of the complete webinar is now available. It's a large file so may take some time to download, but it's worth it! Responsible Recycling Demonstration E Scrap Processing & Why Certification Matters. For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein, State Electronics Challenge Program Manager.

The State Electronics Challenge is funded through a grant from the EPA Region 5 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, as well as sponsorship from Samsung, Panasonic, the Consumer Electronics Association, Sims Recycling Solutions, and the R2/RIOS program.

STATE NEWS

MAINE

Program to Reduce Municipal Costs in Management of Unwanted Mercury-Added Lamps

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association is implementing an extended producer responsibility program to assist municipalities and households with recycling of unwanted mercury-added lamps. Until now, many Maine municipalities have charged a fee for fluorescent lamps dropped off for recycling at their transfer stations and recycling centers, which was used to cover the municipality's cost in managing these products.

By participating in this NEMA program, costs can be reduced for residents and the municipalities managing used fluorescent lamps, and in many cases, eliminated. The program began in 2011, and currently includes 116 municipal solid waste facilities serving 299 towns and 135 retailers as collection sites. Staff from the Department of Environmental Protection's new Sustainability Program are actively reaching out to municipalities and retailers to promote this program and encourage their participation. Each year, staff guide the National Electrical Manufacturers Association's program manager to visit both municipal facilities and retailers to identify any program implementation problems and encourage increased participation. Both DEP and NEMA staff have found the meetings to be extremely productive in addressing individual issues. NEMA historically has seen an increase in program enrollments as a result of these visits, with municipalities anticipating savings in their waste management costs.

Municipalities and retailers in Maine can find out how to participate in the program on-line at www.lamprecycle.org/maine

New Web Portal Identifies Locations for 'Drop-Off' Of Unwanted Electronics, Fluorescent Bulbs and Mercury Thermostats

To assist residents and businesses in identifying locations for the recycling of unwanted electronics, mercury-added lamps, and other Universal Wastes, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection has developed a web portal named 'Help ME Recycle'. Through this portal the user may select from a listing of Maine municipalities and a list of four products they wish to drop-off for recycling. Municipal and retail locations available to the user appear on a map of Maine as symbols for the recycling facility or product. Clicking on that symbol provides the name and address of the facility or store and additional relevant information for the user. This new service has been included as part of Department presentations at recent public events and has been well received.

NEW YORK

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations & Anaerobic Digestion Facilities

Amendments have been adopted to 6 NYCRR Part 360: Solid Waste Management Facilities and Subpart 750-01: Obtaining a SPDES Permit - relating to Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO), land application and storage of food processing wastes and manure on CAFOs, and activities relating to anaerobic digestion facilities. For further information see http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/87499.html

ADVISORY MEMBER NEWS

R2:2013 Standard Adopted by R2 Solutions Board

The R2 Solutions Board of Directors has adopted the R2:2013 Standard. It will become effective, and a transition phase will begin, on July 1, 2013. R2:2013 – the first revision of the R2 Standard which was published originally in 2008 – was developed by the multi-stakeholder R2 Technical Advisory Committee, with input from the public, over the last eighteen months. The revisions make R2:2013 the most rigorous EHS certification available today for the electronics recycling industry. 

UNTHA America Offers Waste-to-Energy Technology

Americans throw out about 90,000 pounds of trash during the course of their lifetimes, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, there is increased interest in converting this waste into energy. Europe has been producing clean energy from trash for more than a decade and now the United States is looking to get on board.

Already among the industry leaders in Europe's waste-to-energy market, UNTHA-America hopes to be in the forefront as America gets involved. Based in Hampton, NH, UNTHA America is a division of the Austrian-based UNTHA shredding technology GmbH, world leaders in the development and production of size reduction equipment for the recycling industry.

"When it comes to waste-to-energy, we are the front-end of the fuel production process," says Bernhard Mueggler, president and CEO of UNTHA America. "Our machines get materials ready to be combusted or gassified, depending on the technology being used. It is important to get the fuel down to a uniform consistency to meet the combustion system's requirements, thus creating a more efficient combustion process. This also results in less ash and a higher energy output.

UNTHA became involved in producing equipment for the waste-to-energy field in 2002 with the debut of its XR series, which are pre-shredders, designed to handle untreated waste. The XR models easily dispatch bulky waste, municipal waste, industrial waste and commercial waste. They have become Europe's leading waste-to-energy pre-shredders. In 2008, UNTHA furthered its commitment to the waste-to-energy field by launching the TR series; a line of secondary shredders which provide the extensive, fine shredding needed to get materials to combustion-grade.

"The first step in any waste-to-energy conversion is subjecting household waste or similar commercial waste to biomechanical treatment in order to reduce its volume, create consistency, and stabilize the organic substances within the waste," explains Mueggler "First, the waste undergoes pre-shredding, as provided by UNTHA's XR models. These produce coarse and medium particles. Next, the waste is put through a series of separating equipment to eliminate ferrous and non-ferrous metals, inerts, heavy particles, and other materials that have either low BTU value or are problematic for the combustion process, such as PVC. Then the pre-shredded and sorted trash goes through a secondary shredder, using models such as those in our TR series. These produce fine particles which can then be burned as fuel. Those items that were separated from the fuel can be recycled or, if toxic, sent for safe disposal."

Mueggler notes that the XR and TR shredders do not have to be used only with conventional incinerators. "They can also be used with the latest gasification technology, which some communities prefer." Proponents contend that gasification allows for more control of emissions, compared to combustion, and thus is a cleaner process. Both options are used in Europe and are being pursued in the United States.

UNTHA sees a future for waste-to-energy technology in America. "Waste-to-energy is a huge market in Europe and we believe America will follow," says Mueggler. "I think it is the wave of the future, and we want to be part of its development here in the States."

ISRI Update

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries held its 25th Annual Convention and Exposition, April 9-13, in Orlando, Florida. With 5,200 attendees and 300 exhibitors it marked ISRI's third largest convention ever, and largest outside of Las Vegas. Some of the many highlights included Arnold Gachman, president of Gachman Metals and Recycling, receiving the ISRI Lifetime Achievement Award and the presentation of the first-ever Vehicle Safety Awards. Bill Willis, of Grossman Iron and Steel Company in St. Louis, MO, was presented with the inaugural Safe Driver of the Year Award for operating his entire 35 year career and driving more than 1.5 million miles without a single preventable accident.

(left to right) Commodor Hall, ISRI's transportation safety manager; Bill Willis; Cap Grossman, president, Grossman Iron & Steel Co.; Jerry Simms, ISRI chair

The award recognizes outstanding drivers who have driven a commercial vehicle for at least 20 years without incurring a preventable accident.

During the Convention, three new members were elected to the ISRI Board of Directors: Gary Champlin of Champlin Tire Recycling, Michael Lewis of Lewis Salvage Corporation, and Andy Wahl of Newell Recycling.

Also in April, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a clarification that the existing PCB regulations allow for the separation, recycling, distribution in commerce and reuse of plastics recycled from shredder aggregate from the recycling of automobiles and appliances. ISRI initially approached EPA more than 2 years ago with the request for the clarification and worked closely with the Agency ever since to ensure that it had all the data and information necessary to make an informed decision. The clarifying of the regulations creates certainty for business and enables much more recycling. The technologies for separating and recycling the plastics are already being employed in Europe and Asia, and the Agency's action will now allow similar investments to be made here in the U.S., instead of overseas.

In conjunction with Earth Day on April 22, ISRI announced an innovative partnership with the JASON Project to provide America's students with a mind-enhancing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning experience via an informative introduction to the scrap and recycling industry. The program will use visits to scrap yards and recycling facilities, and the development of a K-12 standards-based curriculum module developed by JASON Learning and ISRI to educate students about multiple scientific, technological and engineering disciplines and how they are applied in a real-world industry. ISRI members can download teaching tools to share with local school districts to help teach recycling. Stay tuned for more exciting developments with this partnership.

In May, the Recycling Research Foundation (RRF), a nonprofit organization closely associated with the ISRI, announced the creation of the Veterans' Scholarship Program. The scholarship, to be awarded annually, provides up to $8,000 over four years to a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. The foundation is also awarding a $5,000 national scholarship open to individuals seeking a graduate degree in a program that supports the scrap processing and recycling industry as a whole. The deadline for both scholarship applications is July 1, 2013.