June 2021
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
New & Renewing Members
New Supporting Members
Renewing Sustaining Member
Renewing Supporting Member
Member Spotlight - AMP Robotics
NERC News
- NERC Annual Environmental Leadership Award - Applications Being Accepted
- NERC Webinar Series - Upcoming Webinars
- NERC Planning for Virtual Fall Conference
Newly Posted
- Updated Blended Value of a Ton Report
- Summary of Announced Increased Capacity to use Recycled Paper Updated
- New Webinar Section of Website - includes Registration Links, Recent Webinar Recordings & PowerPoint presentations
Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse News
State Updates
MASSACHUSETTS
- MassDEP 2020 Municipal Recycling & Solid Waste Survey Data Now Online
- MassDEP’s Sustainable Materials Recovery Program Grant Awards Announced
- Recycle Smart MA reaches 28,000 Followers
- MassDEP-hosted Home Composting Webinar Available on YouTube
- MassDEP Implements Minimum Performance Standard for Construction & Demolition (C&D) Handling Facilities
- RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts Compost Training
- Upcoming Webinar: Green Your Bottom Line in Food & Beverage Businesses
NEW YORK
Advisory Member News
- Nestlé Waters North America Becomes BlueTriton Brands
- The Glass Packaging Institute Announces Glass Recycling Roadmap
- CSWD Receives Hazardous Waste Management Grant from Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation
- Circularity 21 Discount Offered Courtesy of Reloop
- NRRA Conference Shares Municipal “Recycling with Results”
Membership is key to NERC's regional and national commitment to sustainable materials management. 2021 continues as a dynamic time with several new members, along with a great show of support by renewing members.
We welcome our newest Supporting Members:
We sincerely thank our renewing Sustaining Member the Council of State Government/Eastern Regional Conference, as well as renewing Supporting Member Rockland County Solid Waste Management Authority, New York.
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.
Member Spotlight - AMP Robotics
In 2019, when recycling in the United States was beset by problems 
associated with China’s revised requirements for accepting shipments of foreign recyclables, the periodical Fast Company published an important article that highlighted positive achievements in four areas of recycling: collection, sorting, processing and design.
The section of the article focusing on sorting highlighted the innovations of AMP Robotics, a Colorado-based company whose developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning has, Fast Company observed, allowed materials recovery facilities (MRFs) to increase the accuracy, and lower the costs, of sorting recyclables.
“Our vision is to continue to innovate with the AI so it can be used to operate an entire recycling facility optimizing for highly pure commodities at high efficiency to drive down costs,” Matanya Horowitz, founder and CEO of AMP Robotics, told Fast Company. “The 
opportunity is to create something that is much more like an automated manufacturing facility. We see this as the path to making recycling more economically sustainable.”
AMP Robotics recently joined the roster of NERC’s Advisory Members, bringing to the table a voice for technological breakthroughs in recycling. Earlier this year, the company announced the pilot of a Denver-based automated facility design for advanced secondary sortation of recyclables. “Results we’ve observed at our test facility are promising and represent an infrastructure solution that can increase recycling rates, divert recyclables from the landfill, meet the growing demand for recycled content, and protect our environment,” Horowitz said.
“Joining NERC has allowed us to broaden our outreach and relationships to directly engage with critical policy and decision makers in the region,” observed Carling Spelhaug, Marketing Communications Manager.
Recently, AMP Robotics partnered with Greenbridge to deploy six AI-guided robotic sorting systems at the latter’s Ohio-based Evergreen subsidiary, one of the nation’s largest recyclers of PET bottles. According to a press release, AMP’s technology identifies and sorts green and clear PET from post-consumer bales of plastic soft drink bottles, which Evergreen recycles into reusable flakes or pellets (rPET) and sells to end markets as feedstock for new containers and packaging.
Continuing on its innovative trajectory, AMP also recently introduced an AI-powered material characterization software solution that enables the recognition and classification of recyclables that flow through different recovery stages of the recycling process. This solution serves as a breakthrough in the effort toward providing measurable transparency on the recyclables captured and missed during different recycling processes, as well as confirming the composition of recovered material bales destined for resale to end markets in the supply chain.
AMP Robotics’ pioneering technology has not gone unnoticed. Cleantech Group, an influential consultant, included AMP Robotics in its 2021 Global Cleantech 100, noting “the uptick in automation and robotics-enabled solutions” in recycling. And in April, Fast Company named AMP’s AI platform a finalist in its World Changing Ideas Awards program. This accolade followed Fast Company’s 2020 recognition of AMP as one of the Most Innovative Robotics Companies, stating that the company uses “machine-learning algorithms to show its software millions of images of the items that its robots might come across as they separate recyclables from landfill.”
With numerous accolades and financial support, AMP Robotics seems prepared to build upon its early success to provide extensive solutions to the sorting challenges faced by MRFs. NERC looks forward to a productive relationship.
NERC News
NERC Annual Environmental Leadership Award - Applications Being Accepted
Advancing and supporting a sustainable economy and environment is especially critical this year. In recognition, NERC seeks nominees for its annual Environmental Sustainability Leadership.
The award program offers a unique opportunity for individuals and companies in NERC’s 11-state region that demonstrate an impact on an environmentally sustainable economy in furtherance of the NERC mission. Awards are given to the public and private sector, with a special category reserved for NERC Advisory Members.
To be eligible, an organization or individual must be located within one or more of NERC’s 11-member states. Applications are due August 14.
“Every year we receive dozens of outstanding applications and are always impressed by the range and depth of what is accomplished in our region, “ Lynn Rubinstein, NERC Executive Director commented. “It is obvious that the commitment to an economically sustainable economy thrives in the Northeast and we are proud to be able to recognize the leaders in these efforts,” she added.
Award presentations will be made in October during the NERC Conference. For more information about the Conference, visit the NERC website.
For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein, Executive Director.
NERC Webinar Series - Upcoming Webinars
NERC's webinar series has maintained its momentum with several upcoming webinars and more in the planning stages. Each of the following webinars are offered in partnership with the Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association (NEWMOA).
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Environmental Benefits Calculators - How they Work & How they Can Help - June 8, 2 pm eastern
A comprehensive webinar highlighting environmental benefits calculators that can estimate the climate change value of source reduction, reuse, and recycling. Featured calculators include:
- WARM - a tool for solid waste planners and organizations to track and voluntarily report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions, energy savings, and economic impacts from various waste management practices. WARM calculates and totals these impacts from baseline and alternative waste management practices—source reduction, recycling, anaerobic digestion, combustion, composting, and landfilling.
- ReCon – companies, government entities, and individuals can estimate the environmental impacts from purchasing and/or manufacturing materials with varying degrees of post-consumer recycled content using this tool.
- ReFed – calculator to estimate the impacts of reducing food waste. .
- Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculators – Cellphones, monitors, computers, televisions, servers, and imaging equipment
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Lithium Battery Recycling, June 14, 1 pm eastern
This webinar is jointly offered by NERC, NEWMOA, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). The presentations will provide an in-depth examination of multiple aspects of spent lithium-ion batteries, including innovations that reduce the environmental impacts of operations in recycling, reuse, and recovery of valuable materials.
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The Spectrum of Approaches to U.S. Packaging EPR: from Reimbursement to Full Responsibility, June 17, 1 pm eastern
This webinar is hosted by NERC, NEWMOA, and the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI). As extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation for packaging and paper products (PPP) gains momentum in the U.S., many different approaches have emerged. This webinar will summarize the spectrum of EPR models in use around the world, from “Full EPR” systems run by producers to “Municipal Reimbursement” systems with more municipal control, and many hybrid structures. PSI will present an overview of the emerging EPR for PPP models and share lessons learned from around the world about the pros and cons of each approach. Then, experts from New York, Vermont, and Maryland will share insights into why each state has taken a distinct approach to EPR for PPP.
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Growing the Upcycled Food Economy - July 14, 1 pm eastern
This joint NEWMOA and NERC webinar will focus on the emerging business of upcycling food waste. The presenters will cover:
- State of the upcycled food movement - definition, certification standard, and environmental benefits
- How upcycling is different than other methods of diverting wasted food – donation, animal feed, composting, anaerobic digestion
- Key challenges with upcycling food waste
- Business leaders who are building the food upcycling economy
CEU credit available from NJ Rutgers, NH DES, and PROP
NERC Planning for Virtual Fall Conference
NERC staff completes the first step in preparing for its Fall ‘21 Conference—identifying the Agenda Planning Committee (APC). The APC is a group of volunteers that works collaboratively on developing the Conference theme, identifying primary topics to be presented, selecting abstracts, and fleshing out the individual session content.
NERC would like to thank the 18-member APC for their willingness to work on the virtual Fall ’21 Conference that will be held on October 12 – 13. The APC includes eight Board of Directors and/or agency staff and 10 Advisory Members. They are:
NERC Board of Directors
- Sherill Baldwin, Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection
- Rick Watson, Delaware Solid Waste Authority
- Megan Pryor, Maine Department of Environmental Protection
- Brooke Nash, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
- Michael Nork, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
- Terry Laibach, New York Department of Environmental Conservation
- Emma Stuhl, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation
- Chaz Miller, Ex Officio
NERC Advisory Members
- Jonathon Levy & Carling Spelhaug, AMP Robotics
- Barbara Heineken, Carton Council
- Eadaoin Quinn, EFS-plastics
- Robin Ingenthron, Good Point Recycling
- Charlie Schwarze, Keurig Dr. Pepper
- Rusty Angel, Machinex Technologies
- Reagan Bissonnette, Northeast Resource Recovery Association
- Sydney Harris & Amanda Nicholson, Product Stewardship Institute
- Debra Darby, Tetra Tech
For any questions regarding the Conference, please contact Mary Ann Remolador, Assistant Director & Conference Organizer.
Newly Posted
Updated Blended Value of a Ton Report
This report, covering the period January - March 2021, is the seventh update of this important study. As has been evidenced through recycling media reports - and perhaps your own experience - the value of recyclables has increased dramatically in 2021.
As reported by the survey participants, the blended average of a ton marketed from residential MRFs in the 10 state region was:
|
January – March 2021 |
Percentage Change from Previous Quarter |
|
|
Without residuals |
$99.73 |
+ 65% |
|
With residuals |
$88.46 |
+ 57% |
The full report is available on the NERC website: MRF Blended Commodity Values in the Northeast April 2021. For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein, Executive Director.
Summary of Announced Increased Capacity to use Recycled Paper Updated
When the bans were announced in 2017, North American paper mills saw an opportunity. They are meeting the challenge with dramatic increases in recycled paper capacity. When NERC first published this list in November, 2018, it included new capacity at 17 mills, of which three projects were completed. This latest update includes new capacity projects at 30 mills, of which 15 have been completed. Whether or not all of the new capacity is built depends on overall economic circumstances and demand for the final products.
The majority of new capacity increases are for mills producing linerboard and corrugated medium. They will use old corrugated containers (OCC), often called “cardboard boxes”, as their primary feedstock. They are unlikely to use mixed paper unless their stock preparation system allows for its use. Nonetheless, about half of these mills plan to use some mixed paper. Several plan to consume significant amounts of residential mixed paper (RMP) which is collected at curbsides throughout the country.
The list of additional North American recycled paper capacity includes several totally new paper mills. Most of the new capacity, however, is occurring at existing or closed mills. In some cases, the mill is adding new capacity. In other cases, it is converting an existing papermaking machine to produce different end products (e.g. from making newsprint to packaging). The list also includes two new mills that will be using recycled feedstock other than OCC and RMP. One is designed to produce paper pulp and plastic pellets using beverage cartons and aseptic packages as its primary feedstock. The other will use food contaminated paper from commercial sources.
Capacity projections are based on the expanded or new mill running at full capacity. Normally this takes several years after a new machine or mill opens as the manufacturer finds customers for its products. Existing mills that are being expanded or replaced have the advantage of an existing customer base. Announcement of a new mill does not guarantee it will be built. One planned conversion is now on hold.
Sources include the Fibre Box Association, articles in Resource Recycling, Paperstock Reports, Recycling Today, Scrap Magazine, Waste 360 and Waste Dive along with company press releases, local or national newspaper articles. Resource Recycling Magazine publishes a map with detail on 18 of these facilities. See https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/2019/08/27/these-projects-are-boosting-domestic-capacity-for-recycled-paper.
The full report is found here: Summary of Announced Increased Capacity to use Recycled Paper Updated May 2021.
If you have any questions about facilities on this list, please contact Chaz Miller, NERC Board of Directors and Chair, NERC-NEWMOA Regional Recycling Markets Committee.
New Webinar Section of Website - includes Registration Links, Recent Webinar Recordings & PowerPoint Presentations
A new dedicated web page has been posted on the NERC website that provides registration links to all upcoming webinars, as well as the recordings and PowerPoint presentations of the most recent webinars. The webinar page can be found here. You can continue to find registration links and the most recent webinar recording on the NERC home page.
Toxics in packaging clearinghouse news
Update to Model Legislation Webinar Recording
Recently, the the Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse (TPCH), presented a webinar about TPCH's recent update to its model legislation. In February, TPCH announced the 2021 update to its Model Toxics in Packaging Legislation. The update includes the addition of the class of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and ortho-phthalates as regulated chemicals, as well as new processes and criteria for identifying and regulating additional chemicals of high concern in packaging.
A recording of the webinar is available: TPCH Update to Model Legislation webinar recording.
For more information, contact Melissa Nadeau, Program Manager.
State updates
MASSACHUSETTS
MassDEP 2020 Municipal Recycling & Solid Waste Survey Data Now Online
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has posted the first round of 2020 Municipal Recycling and Solid Waste Survey data online at https://www.mass.gov/lists/recycling-solid-waste-data-for-massachusetts-cities-towns. This information is reported by municipalities on a yearly basis and includes annual trash and recycling tonnages, solid waste program and service descriptions, waste reduction elements and types of recyclables, difficult to manage and hazardous materials collected, and more. Note: When you open the spreadsheet file, there is a sheet titled “Read Me” that provides descriptions of each data field in the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet includes data from municipalities that submitted their reports by February 15, 2021. Municipalities are required to submit their 2019 and 2020 data through the online platform Re-TRAC Connect™ in order to be eligible for Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP) grants.
MassDEP’s Sustainable Materials Recovery Program Grant Awards Announced
On May 6, 2021, the Baker-Polito Administration announced $1.3 million in Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP) grants to 34 municipalities and regional districts to increase the diversion, reuse, composting and recycling of materials in the solid waste stream. This is the second round of awards through the SMRP, which was created under the Green Communities Act and is administered by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). An alphabetical list of the city, town, regional group or non-profit that has been awarded, as well as additional grant information can be found on our SMRP program webpage.
Recycle Smart MA reaches 28,000 Followers
MassDEP continues to work to get the word out about what items should and should not be placed in recycling bins through our Recycle Smart MA (RSMA) program. You can read our most recent newsletter, “It’s in the bag…” here, or view our archive. And, if you would like to help get the word out about how to reduce contamination and improve the quality of our recyclables, you can sign up as a Recycle Smart MA partner here. Follow RSMA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and please feel free to share our content!
MassDEP-hosted Home Composting Webinar Available on YouTube
In honor of Earth Day, MassDEP’s composting guru Ann McGovern hosted a home composting webinar for general audiences. The webinar, titled “Home Composting for Zero Waste (Everything You Wanted to Know about Composting but Were Afraid to Ask),” was well attended and Ann answered dozens of audience questions related to home composting. The webinar was recorded and can be found on MassDEP’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/Sd3dE3ZHSVo. The video has a few technical glitches in the beginning (till about the 6 minute mark) but stick with it because it becomes more pleasant to watch and it is very informative. It ends with an original compost song.
MassDEP Implements Minimum Performance Standard for Construction & Demolition (C&D) Handling Facilities
MassDEP is continuing to work with our C&D Handling Facilities – processors and transfer stations – to implement our Minimum Performance Standard (MPS) for waste ban compliance by these facilities. Implementation of the MPS will ensure a level playing field that will result in consistent separation of C&D materials across the industry. For more information, please visit this Mass DEP web page as well as a frequently asked questions document.
RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts Compost Training
The RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts program provided a training workshop for compost site operators in April. The presentation, training materials, and a recording of the workshop are available online here. Scroll down to Compost Site Operator Workshops to view these materials, as well as materials from past workshops.
Upcoming Webinar: Green Your Bottom Line in Food & Beverage Businesses
RecycingWorks in MA, in collaboration with the UMass Amherst Center for Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Companies (CEERE), will be hosting a free webinar on the topic of preventing, rescuing, and diverting food waste on June 18 (1pm-2pm). In this hour-long webinar, RecyclingWorks will share program information and resources with food manufacturers and distributors, and make connections to facilitate further food donation activity between food recovery organizations.
Companies that manufacture or process food and beverages are increasingly important to the New England economy. While products and facility size vary, they all use and pay for energy, water, chemicals (cleaning products or others) and waste management. Reducing these costs can help to sustain and expand a business, while ensuring that products are safe for consumption.
Green Your Bottom Line is an initiative to support food and beverage businesses in making improvements to their facilities and processes, which will benefit both their businesses and the environment.
For more information, please visit Green Your Bottom Line.
NEW YORK
DEC & SUNY ESF Partner to Improve Recycling Quality Statewide
The New York State Center for Sustainable Materials Management (NYS Center for SMM), based at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), launched a first-of-its-kind statewide recycling website to address residential recycling confusion and contamination across the State. Visitors to RecycleRightNY.org will learn about the value of everyday materials and why it is important to recycle correctly.
The Recycle Right NY campaign was originally launched by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) after a series of recycling stakeholder meetings in 2018 to jump start discussion aimed at addressing challenges facing New York's recycling system. Campaign management was transitioned to the Syracuse University Center for Sustainable Community Solutions (SU-CSCS), a core partner with the NYS Center for SMM. The SU-CSCS team worked with more than 100 New York state recycling professionals to further build out this important resource.
The Recycle Right NY site features new resources such as a search tool to help visitors easily find their local recycling guidelines, as well as a "Recyclopedia" - an encyclopedia for recycling - that will provide waste reduction, reuse, and recycling tips for more than 300 common household items. Together, these resources will help residents to learn more about what is and is not recyclable, and how best to reduce, reuse, and recycle in their communities.
"So many people ask me: Can any item with the recycling symbol on it be recycled? Recycling can be confusing and often leads residents to "wish-cycle," or optimistically place items in their recycling bin even if it is not an acceptable recyclable item. Meanwhile, municipalities face complex challenges to properly collect, sort, and market clean recyclable materials. I am thrilled that the Recycle Right NY effort will reduce contamination of recycling streams across the State by offering direct support to community leaders on how their residents can improve their recycling habits," said Gary Carrel, NYS Association for Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling (NYSAR3) Board President and Erie County Solid Waste Recycling Specialist.
"Our goal is to make recycling easy to understand and simple to do. We hope to shift the perception of used materials as 'waste to be discarded' to 'resources to be recovered '", said Melissa Young, Assistant Director for Syracuse University's Center for Sustainable Community Solutions, "Beyond recycling, we hope to inspire and empower New Yorkers to reduce and reuse items when possible, which will greatly aid us in our journey to becoming the lowest waste producing state in the country."
In addition to the new recycling website, the Recycle Right NY campaign has launched its own social media pages and e-newsletter, and will develop new educational resources such as short videos, a resource locator map, and much more.
Advisory Member news
Nestlé Waters North America Becomes BlueTriton Brands
The company formerly known as Nestlé Waters North America has announced that it has begun operating under a new corporate name, BlueTriton Brands (“BlueTriton” or the “Company”). This announcement follows the completion of its acquisition by One Rock Capital Partners, LLC (“One Rock”), in partnership with Metropoulos & Co., from Nestlé S.A., on March 31, 2021.
Triton is a god of the sea in classical Greek mythology. Combined with the color blue, representing water, the new name reflects the Company’s role as a guardian of sustainable resources and a provider of fresh water. Moreover, BlueTriton signifies the Company’s continued commitment as an independent business to sustainability and high-quality products and services.
“I am very excited to join with my One Rock partners and lead this company as we begin a new chapter together as BlueTriton, building on the rich heritage of our historic, iconic and beloved brands,” said Dean Metropoulos, Chairman and Interim Chief Executive Officer of BlueTriton Brands. “We have all become increasingly aware of how critical our products and their rapidly evolving innovations are to human wellness and our communities. Our unique U.S. and Canadian platforms provide us opportunities to touch every consumer, in all facets of their lives, and we look forward to strengthening our bonds with consumers and communities by leading with innovation and relevance.”
Tony W. Lee, Managing Partner of One Rock, commented, “The Company has an established reputation as a top provider of water and hydration that is favored by consumers across North America. We see significant opportunity to further the market leadership of BlueTriton and look forward to building on the strong foundation that exists in the business today.”
Mr. Metropoulos, who has 40 years of experience operating and investing in successful food and beverage brands, added, “We proudly recognize that communities of today and generations to come depend on the Company to be a good neighbor, responsible corporate citizen and faithful steward of our environment. We will continue to support the Company’s commitment to being at the forefront of sustainable water management, advancing recycling and waste reduction, working toward carbon-neutral operations, and investing in, and partnering with, local communities to support a better world.”
BlueTriton consists of the former United States and Canadian operations of Nestlé Waters and offers an extensive portfolio of highly recognizable, responsibly sourced, and sustainably packaged regional spring water and national purified water brands including Poland Spring® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, Deer Park® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, Ozarka® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, Ice Mountain® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, Zephyrhills® Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, and Arrowhead® Brand Mountain Spring Water; Pure Life® and Splash. Continuing a longstanding commitment to environmental leadership, the Company has 27 production facilities across North America, 16 of which are Alliance for Water Stewardship (“AWS”) certified across 15 sites, with five of the certified facilities being AWS Platinum, the highest-level certification. The Company also operates the direct-to-consumer and office beverage delivery service ReadyRefresh®, a certified Carbon Neutral® business.
In the coming months, the Company will unveil additional branding changes including a new corporate logo, website and social channels. Until that time, additional updates and information can continue to be found at https://www.nestle-watersna.com/
The Glass Packaging Institute Announces Glass Recycling Roadmap
The Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) is excited to announce our new “A Circular Future for Glass” initiative. This is a 10-year plan to raise the U.S.’s glass recycling rate to 50 percent and boost the average use of recycled content in domestically made glass containers. GPI partnered with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to undertake the study, design study solution sets in different regions, and develop a set of options for achieving that goal.
“A Circular Future for Glass” has three important pillars:
- Leave no bottle behind: An initiative that captures the best of what works—like deposit return systems—and seeks innovative and disruptive glass collection systems, unlocking the potential of recycling from non-residential sources and multi-family dwellings.
- Transform the recycling system: Investments and improvements to every step of the glass recycling process, from collection to manufacturing, in order to further existing end-markets in regions where glass is built to work in a circular economy and reduce the amount of glass that is needlessly delivered to landfills.
- Inspire collective action: Forging partnerships across the recycling industry to create innovative programs that dramatically change the recycling system in key markets with poor glass recycling programs and end-markets. These could include deposit return programs or collaborative initiatives that plug systemic gaps where the traditional waste hauling arrangements have failed to provide clean, reliable streams for glass to be reused, recycled and remanufactured.
“We are energized by this new national initiative, and thankful for the opportunity to work with BCG on this project,” said GPI President Scott DeFife. “Increasing the U.S. glass recycling rate to 50 percent improves the supply of raw material for glass container manufacturing and would result in lower greenhouse gas emissions, create jobs and improve upon the already recognized sustainability performance of glass. It is an ambitious but achievable goal that can be accomplished with collaboration and cooperation within the glass manufacturing supply chain and with help from all levels of government. We are excited to begin this journey with the help of BCG, GPI member companies, and other stakeholders in the industry.”
“Glass is an infinitely recyclable material, but unfortunately in the U.S. it mostly ends up in landfills,” said Elfrun Von Koeller, Managing Director & Partner of BCG. “We partnered with GPI to design workable solutions to reach an ambitious 50% glass recycling goal. Setting the goal is not enough. We must all continue to work collectively to help transform the recycling system end-to-end.”
“Cullet, or crushed recycled glass, is the most important raw material in our glass manufacturing process,” said Conrad Winkler, President and CEO of Ardagh Group, Glass – North America. “Ardagh is fully committed to supporting the glass manufacturing industry and working with GPI to improve the levels of quality cullet we use.”
“The infinite recyclability of glass is what makes it superior to other packaging materials,” said Nipesh Shah, President and CEO of Anchor Glass Container Corporation. “However, in the United States there are significant cullet shortages. By improving our recycling systems, we can increase cullet supply and protect our environment.”
"Among all packaging materials, glass is ideal for the circular economy," said Tim Connors, Managing Director, North America for O-I Glass and chairman of the GPI Board of Directors. "Glass can be recycled continuously without loss of purity or quality. Improving glass recycling will help meet a strong demand for cullet and enhance the sustainability for packaging."
“It’s important for companies to play a role in promoting recycling and the use of sustainable packaging and we believe GPI has the right plan in place to help move the glass industry forward with these efforts,” said Bob Kunkle, Interim Plant Manager Rocky Mountain Bottle Company.
“We are encouraged by the glass container industry’s commitment to a multi-faceted approach to capture more glass from new and existing recycling streams,” said Chris Dods, President & CEO, Strategic Materials. “We believe industry collaboration with concerted government efforts is the most effective way to drive meaningful change in diverting glass from landfill, while operating more efficiency and protecting our planet.”
GPI’s next steps include working to develop pilot projects that will bring these important roadmap concepts to life. We are also focused on expanding association membership with a network of participants in the glass recycling sector who will work beside us to achieve the outlined goals and replicate the best results from pilots in varying regions across the country.
CSWD Receives Hazardous Waste Management Grant from Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation
The Chittenden Solid Waste District has been awarded a grant worth $106,849 by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to help cover costs for providing facilities and education for the proper disposal of hazardous waste generated by residents and qualifying businesses.
The grant is part of a solid waste assistance fund provided by the state to help towns and solid waste planning entities implement their solid waste plans, as required by state law. The grant is awarded annually by the DEC, an arm of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.
CSWD uses the grant to help fund the District's hazardous waste collection program, which includes the Environmental Depot, a facility located in South Burlington that accepts hazardous waste year-round from households and Chittenden County businesses, and the Rover, a mobile collection program that complements the Depot.
"These funds will be used to help support our hazardous waste collection program for residents and qualifying businesses," said Josh Estey, CSWD's Director of Compliance. "This program costs more than $500,000 to manage more than 600,000 pounds of waste collected each year. The grant will help alleviate some of these costs."
The funds will be used specifically to help cover costs for proper disposal of waste collected--expected to be nearly $225,000 in Fiscal Year 2022--as well as for making District members aware of the collection program.
"The grant will cover only a fraction of the cost of this program, but it is a significant help to receive this funding so we can continue to provide convenient access for our members to dispose of their hazardous waste properly," says Estey.
Some program expenses are offset by revenue sources including product stewardship programs, which reimburse CSWD for collecting certain products and materials, hazardous waste handling fees charged to businesses, and proceeds from the sale of Local Color paint, made by District staff from latex paint brought in for recycling.
Circularity 21 Discount Offered Courtesy of Reloop
Reloop has become a community partner for Circularity 21. As the largest online convening of professionals building the circular economy, Circularity 21 offers thought-provoking keynotes, engaging breakouts, an interactive expo and valuable networking opportunities. Join the growing global community of thousands of visionaries and practitioners to learn, connect and accelerate the circular economy.
In addition, Circularity 21 is offering a 15% off discount to our friends. Registration is below!
Event details & descriptions:
Name: Circularity 21
Dates: June 15-17, 2021
NRRA Conference Shares Municipal “Recycling with Results”
Over 185 presenters and attendees from New England and beyond participated in the Northeast Resource Recovery Association's (NRRA) virtual "Recycling with Results" Conference on May 10-11, 2021. The conference featured six key topics currently faced by the municipal solid waste and recycling industry. Recorded conference presentations and slides now available!
On Day One, attendees learned about "Engaging Residents with Municipal Recycling" from three speakers who have successfully educated and engaged their residents about municipal recycling programs. Meghan Theriault, P.E., Director of Public Works, Town of Gilford, NH, shared her community's use of social media and their website to engage residents. Steve Bullek, Public Works Director, Town of Lee, NH & NRRA Board Member, provided examples of how his community shares transparent revenue and cost information with residents. Michelle Goetsch, CEO, Betterbin and Marc Morgan, Solid Waste Manager, Lebanon, NH, discussed how Lebanon is using the Betterbin app to provide recycling and composting information to residents.
The next session discussed "Waste Reduction Strategies – Reduce, Reuse, Rot" where attendees learned practical ways to save money by reducing the waste their community disposes. Dennis Patnoe, Former Transfer Station Supervisor, Town of Lancaster, NH & NRRA Board Member, shared how Lancaster, NH implemented and maintains a successful Pay As You Throw program. Marc Morgan, Solid Waste Manager, City of Lebanon, NH, described Lebanon's Refill Not Landfill campaign, which encourages residents to reuse. Joan Cudworth, Director of Public Works, Town of Hollis, NH & NRRA Board President, explained how her community implemented a food scrap composting program at their transfer station.
Reagan Bissonnette, NRRA Executive Director, provided a brief tour of NRRA’s redesigned website and shared the most popular resources available to enable municipalities to make recycling environmentally responsible and financially sustainable.
The last session of the day, "Recycling Safely During COVID-19," featured Dr. Ben Locwin, Healthcare Executive and International COVID-19 Advisor, who provided national safety updates regarding the pandemic. Bonnie Bethune, Member Services Manager, NRRA, shared how municipal recycling programs are adapting their practices during the pandemic.
Day Two began with "National & Local Recycling Markets and Market Specifications," where attendees learned about current recycling markets and what the future may hold at both the national and New England levels. Chaz Miller, CEO Chaz Miller Associates, NERC Board member, former Director, National Waste & Recycling Association, presented on national and Northeast recycling markets. Bonnie Bethune, Member Services Manager, NRRA, discussed New England markets and specifications.
Next was "Plastics with a Plan: Municipal Options." Despite news about challenges with plastics recycling, many municipalities are doing so successfully, and speakers shared different municipal models for source-separated recycling of plastics. Joe Gore, Transfer Station Manager, Town of Wakefield, NH, shared how his community recycles #1-7 baled plastics. Jon Edgerly, Operations Supervisor, BCEP Solid Waste District, Pittsfield, NH, discussed his community's #1 and #2 baled plastics program. Last, Eadaoin Quinn, Director of Business Development & Procurement, EFS Plastics and NRRA vendor, discussed EFS's #3-7 baled plastics operations.
Reagan Bissonnette, NRRA Executive Director, briefly shared how NRRA is successfully enabling over 100 municipalities to recycle glass for over 500,000 residents in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts, with a spotlight on using crushed glass as an aggregate for infrastructure projects.
In the final session of the conference, "Understanding End Markets - What Happens with Your Recycling?" representatives from NRRA’s vendors that acquire common recyclables discussed what happens with those recyclables after collection. Ira Gross, Manager, Regional Accounts, Schnitzer Northeast, discussed scrap metal recycling. Dave Cameron, General Manager at OPRSystems, Inc., explained how OPRSystems recycles fiber products. François Ierfino, Strategic Purchasing, Sourcing and Sales Manager, 2M Ressources, explained how glass from NRRA is made into new glass bottles and fiberglass insulation.
Speaker biographies and the recorded conference presentations and slides are available at www.nrrarecycles.org. Thanks to dedication, commitment, and generosity of conference sponsors, NRRA was able to offer this year’s virtual conference free to all NRRA members. The Conference Sponsor Virtual Exhibit Hall, full of information about those sponsors, is available through mid-July.