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June 2018

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

New & Renewing Members

Renewing Distinguished Benefactor

Renewing Sustaining Members

Renewing Supporting Members

NERC News

Newly Posted

Advisory Member News

Of General Interest

New & Renewing MembershipsMembership is key to NERC's regional and national commitment to sustainable materials management. We are delighted to welcome renewing Distinguished Benefactor Samsung, as well as renewing Sustaining Members Organix Solutions and the Steel Recycling Institute. We also thank renewing Supporting Members - the American Coatings Association, hibu, publisher of Yellowbook, the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center (RMC), and the Maine Resource Recovery Association (MRRA) - who renewed with a 3-year membership.

Thank you to all our Advisory Members. To see a complete listing of NERC's Members and Supporters, as well as the benefits of membership, visit the NERC Advisory Membership web page.

The broad spectrum of interests represented by NERC's Advisory Members, Individual Supporters, and Board Members and their willingness to participate significantly contribute to the unique and important role that NERC plays in recycling in the region.

For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein, Executive Director.

NERC News

NERC’s Fall Conference—The Future of MRFs

NERC Fall 2018 Conference graphic

The Fall ’18 Conference will be held on October 30 – 31 at the Sheraton Hartford South in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. Registration for the Conference is now available.  We decided to extend the Call for Papers until May 24th and the agenda will be posted by June 4th. (Check NERC’s home page in June for the agenda details.)

The primary topics to be discussed during the Conference include:

  • Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) capacity in the Northeast – current & future
  • Available & upcoming technology for differently sized MRFs
  • Best Management Practices for MRFs to effectively manage current market conditions
  • MRF’s ability to adapt to the impact of e-commerce
  • MRFs’ ability to communicate with the public about what is recyclable
  • Safety Concerns

And for those who are seeking visibility, exhibit space is available at the Conference.

For more information about the Conference, contact Mary Ann Remolador, NERC’s Assistant Director and Events Organizer.

NERC Environmental Sustainability Leadership Award Program Announced - Accepting Applications

The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) will be presenting an award in recognition of an individual or organization for the impact they have made on sustainable materials management within the NERC 11-state region.  The award will be presented at NERC's Fall Conference, October 30, Rocky Hill, Connecticut.

Award Eligibility: Organizations and individuals located within NERC’s 11-member states. 

Criterion: Demonstrated change in support of sustainable materials management as the result of a project that is in line with and furthers NERC’s mission.

Application Process

  • Applications will be accepted through September 12, 2018 and must be submitted by email to executive.director@nerc.org.
  • Narratives cannot exceed 250 words, although attachments that demonstrate the achievement are acceptable.
  • You may nominate yourself or another party for an award. 

Application - Complete answers to each question are a requirement for consideration.

  1. Your name, title, and affiliation.
  2. Your mailing address, phone number, and email address.
  3. If different than individual submitted the award application, name of individual or organization being nominated.  If an organization, designate an individual to whom the award should be presented.
  4. Address, phone number, and email address of organization or individual being nominated.
  5. Narrative describing the project, why it should be selected for the award, and how it fulfills the criteria for the award. 250 word limit

Thank you for your award application.  Notification of award decisions will be made in October, with the award presented at NERC's Fall Conference, October 30, Rocky Hill, Connecticut. 

Advisory Membership Dues Structure Updated

As of July 1, NERC's Advisory Membership dues are increasing.  The previous adjustment was in January 2014.  The new dues are as follows:

Supporting Members:

  • Municipalities, non-profits, non-NERC states, Northeast provinces, U.S. Territories - $500
  • Small Businesses - Annual revenues under $1 million: $600
  • Medium Size Businesses - Annual revenues under $100 million: $1,500
  • Large Business - Annual revenues over $100 million: $2,000
  • Trade Associations, and all other businesses:  $2,000

Sustaining Members: $2,500

Please take a look at our Advisory Membership brochure for details on the benefits of membership, or visit the NERC website.

Webinar - Effective Education Strategies for Proper Recycling - June 7

Effective Education Strategies for Proper Recycling webinar graphicThe Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) and the Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA) will host a free webinar — Effective Education Strategies for Proper Recycling — June 7th at 2:00 – 3:30 PM (eastern). The purpose of this webinar is to provide insights into campaigns to educate the public about what is recyclable and what is not. The presenters will focus on the impacts of projects in a variety of municipalities, including those with multi-lingual populations.  

The webinar speakers and presentations:

  • Cindy Jolicoeur, Communications Consultant, and Anna DeMers, C + C, with many years of experience working on recycling education campaigns will present on the key elements of effective marketing and messaging for proper recycling and lessons learned from communities with whom she has worked.
  • Charlotte Ueta, Acting Manager, Waste Management Planning, Solid Waste Management Services, City of Toronto, will present on Toronto’s experience and lessons learned with proper recycling messaging and outreach in a multi-lingual community where approximately 100 languages are spoken.
  • Sherill Baldwin, Sustainable Materials Management, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) will present on DEEP’s initiative to develop and implement a state-wide single list of recyclables and how it fits into their campaign to reduce contamination of the recycling streams.

For more information, contact Mary Ann Remolador, 802-254-3636.

NERC FY19 Officers Elected

With the beginning of the fiscal year - July 1 - NERC will have a new slate of Executive Officers. 

Kaley Laleker, Maryland  Department of the Environment steps up to the President of the Board position, having previously served as the Vice President.

Kaley Laleker photoKaley is the Acting Director of the Land and Materials Administration. The Land and Materials Administration includes the Solid Waste, Resource Management, Oil Control, Lead Poisoning Prevention, Mining, and Land Restoration Programs. Kaley formerly worked in the Resource Management Program, primarily on composting and other recycling issues, and in the Director’s Office on regulations, legislation, and other issues affecting the Land Management Administration's work. She has a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and has been with the Department for 7 years. 

New to the Executive Officers is Megan Pryor,

Megan Pryor is an Environmental Specialist with the Maine Department of EnvironmMegan Pryor photoental Protection, where she oversees and administers the architectural paint, mercury thermostat, and mercury lamp product stewardship programs.  Megan also provides outreach, education, and technical assistance, working with municipalities and businesses to meet specific situational needs in waste reduction and recycling efforts. Megan holds a graduate certificate in sustainable development and a bachelor's degree in environmental planning and policy from the University of Southern Maine.

Richard Watson, Delaware Solid Waste Authority will continue as the Treasurer.  Rick is the Chief Executive Officer of the Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA). He leads the organization which is responsible for managing all municipal solid waste, recycling, household hazardous waste, electronic waste and other special waste programs for the entire State of Delaware.  He joined DSWA in 1981 as a project engineer for Delaware’s first double lined sanitary landfill.  Through the next 35 years he has overseen design, construction, and operation of solid waste projects, including landfills, transfer stations, landfill gas control systems, and various recycling projects.

He holds a B.S. Degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering from ClarksonRick Watson photo University and a M.S. Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Delaware.  He has been a Professional Engineer in Delaware since 1983 and received his BCEE certification in 1996 from the American Academy of Environmental Engineers & Scientists. He has been a member of several professional organizations including SWANA, ISWA, AAEES, ASCE, NSPE, WEF and NERC.  He has served as Treasurer, Vice President and President of NERC in the recent past.

Ex Officio Board Members Re-Elected

Ex Officio Board Members, Chaz Miller and Chip Foley, have been re-elected to one year terms on the NERC Board.  This will be their fourth year of serving on the Board.

Chip Foley photoWalter J. “Chip” Foley, a graduate of Penn State, started his career with the Federal Election Commission in 1976.  He got his true start in public policy by serving over 7 years on the personal staff of Pa Governor Dick Thornburgh’s Washington office working on agriculture, military, insurance and environmental issues.  In 1988 he became the first director of the Coalition of Northeastern Governors’ Source Reduction Council.  That position led to his recruitment by the steel industry to open a Washington D.C. office for the Steel Can Recycling Institute (eventually becoming the Steel Recycling Institute).  Chip continued in that position as Vice President - - promoting the recyclability and recycled content of steel to decision makers.  In addition, he held the position of Director of Public Policy for the American Iron and Steel Institute’s Steel Market Development Institute.  He was an advisory member of the Northeast Recycling Council, past Chair of the industry sector of the National Lt. Governors Association, and Vice President for public policy on the Board for the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships.  Chip retired from the steel industry in May, 2014.  Chip continues to be a contributor to the on-going work of the Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse and the Northeast Recycling Council.  Chip is also a member of the Titanic Historical Society.

Chaz Miller worked for EPA’s solid waste office doing recycling and other waste-related work.  After a stint at the GlassChaz Miller photo Packaging Institute, he came to NSWMA in 1991.  He has worked on a variety of issues facing recycling waste waste management including market development, state recycling legislation, extended producer responsibility, flow control, interstate and international waste shipments, truck safety, transfer station siting and organics management.  He has testified at state and Congressional hearings.  He recently retired from the National Waste & Recycling Association. Chaz has been a keynoter and speaker at recycling and solid waste conferences in the United States, Canada, Japan and China.  He writes “The Circular File”, an award-winning column for Waste 360

MRF Glass Webinar Attracts Large Audience

NERC’s webinar—Finding Opportunity in MRF Glass—attracted more than 420 registrants from 42 states, Puerto Rico, and five Canadian provinces.  The webinar began with Eileen Berenyi, Principal of Governmental Advisory Associates Inc. providing an overview of research about diverted glass from Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs). Ellen Martin, VP of Impact and Reporting at the Closed Loop Fund (CLF) followed with a presentation about CLF’s MRF Glass Study, their low-interest loan program for upgrading MRFs’ sorting and processing equipment, and the tool they developed to assist towns in calculating the cost/savings of recycling glass.

Herb Northrop Chief Operating Officer of Aero Aggregates talked about his perspective on the opportunities of recycling MRF glass; as well as operational, financial, and sustainable solutions of today and in the near future. 

Brooke Nash, Branch Chief of Waste Reduction Programs at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection discussed the strategies that the State is exploring and implementing to find and develop new recycled glass end markets.  Earlier this year, 28 communities were directly impacted by the closure of a Massachusetts-based bottle manufacturer, and now find few markets for source separated glass.

Following are links to the webinar recording and presentations:

Finding Opportunity in MRF Glass Webinar Recording

Eileen Berenyi, GAA Presentation

Ellen Martin, CLF Presentation

Herb Northrop, Aero Aggregates Presentation

Brooke Nash, MassDEP Presentation

For more information about the webinar or glass recycling in the Northeast, contact Mary Ann Remolador, NERC’s Assistant Director.

NERC Staff Participates in Glass Recycling Coalition Meeting

Mary Ann Remolador, NERC’s Assistant Director, attended the Spring Meeting of the Glass Recycling Coalition (GRC) in Tennessee earlier this month.  GRC’s meeting included discussions about potential interventions to support glass recycling in the US, the next steps in forming the Glass Recycling Foundation to fund GRC’s projects, and a recognition program for company’s involved in the recycled glass value chain.

For more information about NERC’s work with GRC, contact Mary Ann Remolador, NERC’s Assistant Director.

A Hot Topics Training Pay as You Throw & Beyond

On May 15, as a part of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) Continuing Professional Development for Certified Solid Waste Facility Operators, NERC provided a training titled, “Pay as You Throw, Recycling Strategies, and Toxics in Packaging”. The training was well received, with 62 participants.

An “Overview” of Pay as You Throw (PAYT) set the stage for the first part of the training, including a discussion of how PAYT incorporates two primary principles of environmental policy: the “polluter pays principle” and the “shared responsibility” concept. Garbage as a Utility; the Impact of “Free or Flat Rate Garbage Collection”; and, the Pros and Cons of Pay as You Throw were also presented. “PAYT Implementation” included a discussion of the various PAYT systems—Imprinted Trash Bag Systems, Stickers, Per Bag Punch Cards, Container or Cans, Hybrid systems, Weight-based Systems; as well as, Implementation Steps and Pricing of Unit-based Systems. The Education/Promotion overview included Communicating the Transition and Building Public Support. Of course, PAYT Program Start-Up and Ongoing Costs were important to review. Monitoring and evaluating the PAYT system; PAYT “add-ons,” such as developing complementary programs, including special collections and events, was also offered. PAYT in New Hampshire and success stories from around the country rounded out the first part of the training.

The Recycling Solutions segment of the training proved to be particularly important in today’s recycling market “crisis”. The goal was to offer a range of tips for strengthening and expanding waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting. Topics included: Ensuring Easy Access to Recycling Options; Incentives and Public Policies; Community Drop off Locations or Events—from special collections to reuse events; Public Spaces Recycling; and, Communication-What, How and the Best Tools to Use. A dialogue on New Program “Targets” included ideas for engaging non-recyclers, residents of multi-family dwellings, schools, special events, and new homeowners. Also discussed: Revitalize Your Recycling Goal; Recycling/Diversion Incentives; Making Financial Sense; Managing Materials…not just recycling; and, Supporting Market Development.

The Toxics in Packaging portion of the training included a discussion of the issue of toxics in packaging, disposable food serviceware as a growth industry, and why we should care about the issue. A short overview of the chemical compounds found in disposable food serviceware, including fluorinated compounds, Phthalates and Bisphenols, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), and Styrene. Alternatives, such as reusable food serviceware, recyclable containers, and disposable serviceware with no or low chemical presence were also presented.  Finally, NERC’s Toxics and Packaging Clearinghouse was discussed.

The presentation is posted on the NERC website.

Promoting Organics & Food Waste Management in Rural Maryland

NERC staff had the opportunity to spend some time in Allegany and Cecil counties in Maryland to work on our USDA funded Implementing Food Waste, Organics, and Manure Management in Rural Maryland Communities project.

In Allegany County, NERC worked with project partners, including representatives from Allegany County’s Recycling Program and the University of Maryland Extension-Allegany County/Western Maryland Food Council, to organize several forums on food waste and the Food Recovery Hierarchy for the Focus Frostburg 2018: ‘Learn-In’ For a Sustainable Future held on Wednesday, April 18, at Frostburg University. Panels featured a range of presenters, including Frostburg students who have started a food recovery program on campus; a tour of the University’s in-vessel compost system was also offered. The highlight of the day was a showing of the film Wasted! The Story of Food Waste produced by Anthony Bourdain.

NERC also provided “mini” home food scrap composting workshops held in conjunction with the Allegany County Recycling Program’s Earth Day compost bin sale. Both the compost bin sale and workshops were a huge success. The County sold 60 compost bins and 43 residents attended the mini-workshops to learn how to effectively and safely compost food scraps.

Additionally, NERC met with organizers for Frostburg Grows, a community garden located just outside of Frostburg on a closed mine. NERC will be providing technical assistance in composting at the garden site.

In Cecil County, NERC met with project partner Cecil County Recycling Program Coordinator, as well as an instructor and students from West Nottingham Academy (WNA), the oldest private boarding and day school in the United States. The campus has 130 students; 70 percent of students live on campus, 30 percent attend as day students from surrounding counties. About 40 percent of the WNA student body come from countries outside of the United States.  

As a part of its environmental sustainability efforts, West Nottingham School in Maryland has developed a partnership is with Kilby Farm and Creamery. Kilby Farm serves as an outdoor classroom for WNA students and provides internship opportunities for students.  The Farm also has a methane digester for processing manure from its 600-cow dairy operation. Last year, Kilby Farm started accepting all of the food waste and soiled napkins from the WNA Dining Services to feed into their methane digester.  

Students designed the food scrap collection program, developed promotion (with assistance from Kilby Farm), and provided training and ongoing monitoring of the food scrap collection. Once per week the collected food scraps are transported by school staff and students to be tipped into the digester.

NERC staff is working with Virginia Kennedy, WNA’s Director of Sustainability Programs; Amber Penaloza, Mike Cairns Environmental Sustainability Fellow; Bill Kilby; and others to help promote their Kilby Farm partnership and to bring together stakeholders to strategize on ways to advance the model to benefit farms and rural communities. Stakeholder meetings are planned for this summer to discuss how the model can serve to promote the use of farm-based digesters as a means to divert food scraps from schools and communities, providing a much needed revenue stream for farmers and building more sustainable communities.

In late May, NERC is heading back to Maryland to follow-up with WNA on their food waste diversion project and strategize on potential funding and options for promoting the project as a model for the region. NERC will attend a preview of a short film on the project designed and produced by WNA students.

NERC will also provide technical assistance in manure management at a horse farm in Cecil County. Additionally, in May NERC is providing a Cecil County Master Gardner training on “Food Waste & Yard Trimmings Home & Community Composting Success.” A compost training will also take place at Frostburg Grows in Allegany County.

Newly Posted

NERC FY19 Operating Plan & Budget

Every year NERC adopts an operating plan and budget.  This resource is now available on the NERC website.

Advisory Member News

Recipients of 2018 Maine Recycling & Solid Waste Awards Announced

The winners of the 2018 Maine Recycling and Solid Waste Awards were announced at the 25th Annual Maine Recycling and Solid Waste Awards Banquet held Monday, April 23rd at the Samoset Resort in Rockport.

The following individuals and programs were recognized for their contributions to the advancement of economically sustainable and environmentally friendly recycling and solid waste practices in Maine:

  • Volunteer of the Year: Rockland Waste Watchers, Sarah Bartz, Amy Files, Jeff Oehlert, and Zander Shaw
  • Composter of the Year: We Compost It! / MB Bark, Bill Crawford, Manager
  • Outstanding Service Organization: Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments, Becky Secrest, Environmental Planner
  • Most Improved Program: City of Eastport, Ellaine Abbott, City Manager
  • Program of the Year: Town of Bowdoinham, Dave Berry, recently retired Manager
  • Manager of the Year: Eva Murray, Recycling and Solid Waste Coordinator, Matinicus Island
  • Sustainable Business Leader: Clayton Kyle, Founder and CEO, Clynk
  • Distinguished Service Award: George MacDonald, recently retired Director of the Sustainability Division, Maine DEP

Maine Resource Recovery Association (MRRA) congratulates and salutes the excellent contributions these individuals and organizations are offering to Maine’s solid waste management industry. 

“Betting on Innovation,” the 25th Annual Maine Recycling and Solid Waste Conference, was held on Monday and Tuesday, April 23-24, at the Samoset Resort in Rockport. The conference is organized annually by MRRA, Maine’s non-profit trade organization for professionals in the recycling and solid waste industry.  MRRA's mission is to foster professional recycling and solid waste management practices by helping Maine communities and businesses implement environmentally sound and economically sustainable recycling and solid-waste management systems.

Resource Recycling Conference Grant Application Is Open!

Make your conference funding go further this year! For the third year in a row, The Recycling Partnership has teamed up with Resource Recycling to bring recycling professionals from across the U.S. together at the 2018 Resource Recycling Conference.

The Steve Thompson Memorial Grant gives free travel, accommodations and registration for the 2018 Resource Recycling Conference to the 40+ chosen winners. The grant includes conference registration, a two-night hotel stay, and travel reimbursement up to $500. The 2018 Resource Recycling Conference will be held in St. Louis, MO from October 22-24.

Sustainable Packaging Coalition Announces 2018 SPC Innovator Award Winners

The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) has announced the winners of its 4th annual SPC Innovator Awards. The winning entries showcase the most sustainable and groundbreaking people, companies, technology, and packaging in the United States. The winners were recognized at SPC Impact 2018 (April 24 – 26) in San Francisco, California.

This year, awards were given in the following categories:

  • Outstanding Person
  • Packaging Innovation
  • Outcome of a Partnership
  • Breakthough Process

“Every entry in the 2018 SPC Innovator Awards embodied creativity, inventiveness, and progressive action, truly demonstration the ingenuity and power industry wields to drive positive change” said Adam Gendell, Associate Director of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. “We thank each and every entrant, and it is our pleasure to recognize the select few entries that we felt went above and beyond to advance the state of sustainable packaging.”

Award Recipients:

Outstanding Person(s)

  • Ashley C. Hall, Walmart
  • Victor Bell, Environmental Packaging International

Packaging Innovation

Coca-Cola’s 89 oz Simply Juice Container: The 89oz Simply Package has undergone a sustainability renovation. Working within the guidelines of The Association of Plastics Recyclers and leveraging our great supplier relationships, multiple efforts have come together to improve the recyclability and sustainability of the 89oz Simply package.

  • We worked with suppliers to innovate a solution for a recycling-compatible extrusion blow molding PET resin for shuttle machines – the first known commercialization of this technology. This allowed the package to transition from the hard-to-recycle resin code #7 to the widely-accepted resin code #1.  
  • We converted to a recycling-compatible pressure sensitive label with innovative adhesive designed to separate during the recycling process. We received recognition during the APR’s Recycling Showcase for this innovation.
  • In addition, we were able to optimize package design resulting in an overall reduction in annual plastics usage by more than 1.5 Million pounds.

“When we work together, great things can happen. The sustainability improvements to the Simply 89 oz bottle, including enhanced recyclability and material reduction of 1.5 million pounds, is a great collaboration example. Suppliers and numerous organizations worked together to make this packaging innovation a success with benefits that will be realized throughout the recycling community,” said Sarah Dearman, Sustainability Packaging Program Director for Coca-Cola North America.

Outcome of a Partnership

Pepsico’s Supply Chain Partnership to Deliver New Bio-Based Film to Market. Partnership with Natureworks, Danimer Scientific, Omya, Berry Plastics, and Johnson-Bryce.

“It is an honor to receive this award from the SPC.  PepsiCo has the privilege of working with some great vendors within our supply chain and it is with their help they we were able to introduce the next generation of bio-based/compostable packaging,” said Brad Rodgers, R&D Director of Sustainable Packaging & Advanced Materials Research at Pepsico. “ We look forward to continuing to expand the use of these materials over the coming years.

The hope of bio-based polymers versus traditional fossil-based polymers has been touted for years. Examples of these materials used for packaging have been shown for more than a decade now, but only in limited applications and scope. The problem is that most of these materials are being created by small, innovative companies with minimal resources to solve all the complex issues that lead to a successful and cost effective package. PepsiCo has formed partnerships with some of the key material suppliers to combine efforts to deliver on the promise of these materials. The first examples of these packages created from this effort have been in a U.S. test market since early 2017 with expansion to global markets expected in 2018.  

Breakthrough Process

Envision & ViTA’s OceanBound Plastic Bottle: Envision’s OceanBound Plastic is sourced from areas lacking professional plastic collection efforts, and as a result there is a high likelihood that the plastic in these at-risk zones will enter the ocean. Conservative estimates suggest that approximately 8 million, and potentially up to 12 million, metric tons of plastic entered the ocean from land in 2010 alone, so interception before it gets into the ocean is the only viable way to stop the flow of plastic into the oceans. Now that Envision has proven that plastic from these areas can be captured and recycled, ViTA has proven that it can be functionally used in place of virgin resins. With this proven breakthrough, plastic that would have ended up in the ocean is now transformed to attractive bottles, effectively serving a needed purpose, and after their use they are much more likely to be placed in effective recycling streams giving them a circular life cycle.

“Plastic in our oceans is perhaps the greatest environmental tragedy of our day,”said Sandra Lewis, Director of Business Development, Envision Plastics.  “It is an honor and privilege to prove to the world that we can intercept this plastic before it reaches our waterways, recycle it into a high-quality resin and use it in bottles at 100%. We ask others to follow the example set by ViTA in using Envision’s OceanBound Plastic in your products and packages. By creating the demand for this resin, we can keep more plastic from ever reaching the ocean and put it back in the value chain so that it can be used again and again.”

Pennsylvania 2018 Annual Recycling & Organics Conference

Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania
2018 Annual Recycling & Organics Conference
July 25 - 27, 2018

Best Western Premier, The Central Hotel & Conference Center

800 East Park Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17111

ACC Sponsors Green Up Day in Vermont

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) Plastics Division was pleased to sponsor Green Up Day in Vermont again this year on May 5th. For more than five years, ACC has been a sponsor of Green Up Vermont, an annual statewide event where more than 20,000 volunteers remove litter from the roadside and public spaces on the first Saturday in May. As part of the spring clGreenup Day poster contest photoeaning campaign, Green Up Vermont also hosts a poster art design and writing contest for school children.  Representing the American Chemistry Council, Margaret Gorman, Senior Director for the Northeast Region, participated in a kick off celebration hosted by Vermont Governor Phil Scott. Margaret also was joined by her family in cleaning up Vermont’s roadside on Green Up Day.

ISRI & EPA Focus on Lithium-Ion Battery Processing     

At the recent the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) convention, the Electronics Division hosted a panel discussion on lithium-ion battery processing. The safety of lithium-based batteries has attracted a significant amount of media and legal attention as of late, so it is no surprise it has been a hot topic with ISRI members. At the ISRI convention, speakers discussed collection strategies of lithium-ion batteries, proper handling of the different types of lithium batteries, testing for reuse for specific types of reusable batteries, and packing of batteries designed for recycling to meet DOT guidelines.

The panel was composed of industry experts: Craig Boswell, president of HOBI International Inc., Todd Ellis, director of production stewardship programs for Call2Recycle, Inc., Todd Coy, executive vice president at KBI and vice president of Retriev Technologies, Inc., and Robert Kang, CEO of Blue Whale Materials responsible for overall strategy, consumer acquisition, and partnership development at BMW. Together, the group discussed how different types of lithium batteries are recycled into feedstock for refining and the final refining process used to create materials to manufacture new batteries. Craig Boswell of HOBI International, Inc. explained “this is a critical issue for our industry, as these batteries become more ubiquitous across all types of products, we need to insure we protect employees and recover the valuable commodities contained in the batteries.”

In addition, the EPA has assisted with this very important issue by conducting two webinars on lithium-ion battery processing and safety. The first webinar entitled, “Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Web Academy Webinar: An Introduction to Lithium Batteries and the Challenges that they Pose to the Waste and Recycling Industry,” speakers discussed how quickly lithium-ion batteries are becoming more prevalent in American homes and businesses as electronic devices become smaller, more portable and more essential to our daily lives. The webinar covered the basics of lithium batteries, the impacts to the waste management industry, and information on lithium battery recycling.

The second EPA webinar entitled, “Sustainability Materials Management (SMM) Web Academy Webinar: Management Challenges for Lithium Batteries at Electronics Recyclers,” continued the discussion on problems presented by lithium batteries at material recovery facilities (MRFs). This webinar was presented as a panel discussion on the problems of electronic recyclers are facing, recommended best practices for removal and transportation of lithium batteries from electronics and suggestions for how manufacturers and recyclers can work together to solve this problem.

The development of lithium-ion technology has played a significant role in technology evolution, never more so than in the consumer electronics sector. Today’s consumer demands that mobile devices and other technologies give them increased functionality with portability, and lithium-ion has helped manufacturers deliver that performance. However, considering the growing number of lithium-ion batteries being used on the market, electronic manufacturers and recyclers must strive to continue examining and improving safe handling and transport of these devices.

Of General Interest

Recycling Terms for Beginners

As domestic recycling markets reel from the changes in the international marketplace, it is all the more important to remember the basic driver for a successful recycling economy – using recycled content.  This is sometimes referred to as “demand” for recycled materials. 

Recycled content refers to the use of recycled materials in a product.  For example, 20% recycled content paper means that 20% by weight of the feedstock that went into making that paper is not from virgin materials.

There are different categories of recycled content and it is post-consumer recycled content that drives the recycling economy. 

Post-consumer recycled content is defined as waste materials generated by a household that can no longer be used for its initial purpose.  Examples include plastic beverage bottles that are turned in for recycling, then processed and used to make a new product such as a fleece jacket.  Or, plastic bags that you recycle at a grocery store that are then used to make plastic lumber.

By contrast, post-industrial recycled content comes from a manufacturing process, rather than a household.  Generally, it is scrap from a manufacturing process that is then used within the manufacturing process itself.  It is material that might have been wasted were the company not wise enough to re-incorporate it into its product.