September 2006
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
- Renewing Sustaining Member: American Plastics Council
- Renewing Supporting Members: Connecticut Daily Newspaper Association, Connecticut Recyclers Association, and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
NERC NEWS
- NERC to Host Discussion with Haulers & Northeast States’ Environmental Agencies
- Recently Updated Materials Exchange List
- New Hampshire Unwanted Medication Collection
- Recycling Economic Information Study Update
- Procuring Green Electronics – New Resources Available
- NERC Thanks Summer Volunteer
STATE UPDATES
- Connecticut Draft Solid Waste Management Plan Available for Review
- Marine Shrink Wrap Recycling
- Recycling at the Delaware State Fair
- Disaster Debris Management Workshop Held In York
- Meeting To Discuss Re-Invigorating Recycling
- Blue Ribbon Commission on Solid Waste Management Convenes
- Sign Up for the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services E-News
- Electronics Recycling Collection Events in Butler and Lawrence Counties
- Upper St. Claire Residents in Allegheny County can Recycle Unwanted Electronics
- Electronics Recycling Collection Event in Delaware County - September 29, 2006
- Electronics Recycling Collection Event in Bucks County - September 30, 2006
- Luzerne County Recycles 377,301 Pounds of Electronics in 2 Days
- Rhode Island Resource Recovery Awards Municipal Recycling Incentive Grants
ADVISORY MEMBER NEWS
- Connecticut Recyclers Coalition Sets Annual Meeting for November
- Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania Announces Additional Certified Recycling Professionals
- E-Scrap Conference Addresses Recycling and Reuse of Obsolete Electronics
- WeRecycle!, Inc. Hires Former County Director to Serve as First Director of Government Affairs
To join the EMail Bulletin list…
Send an email to Lynn Rubinstein making the request. Please be sure to include your full name and organization.
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NERC's mission is to advance an environmentally sustainable economy by promoting source and toxicity reduction, recycling, and the purchasing of environmentally preferable products and services. |
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NERC's Fall Conference is Fast Approaching - Register Now!
October 24 – 25, 2006
Hotel Northampton, Northampton, MA
Learn about some of the most popular issues in recycling today by taking part in the discussions on:
- Role of Organics for Sustainability ~ Dr. Rick Stehouwer, PennState University
- Market Forces Effecting Organics ~ Composting - Carla Castagnero, AgRecycle; Anaerobic Digestion - Maria Kelleher, RIS International Ltd.; & Bio-reactors
- Strategies for Increasing Recovery from Schools ~ Go Green Initiative - Jennifer Spoor, Naef Recycling; Rhode Island’s Report Card Method - Chris Ratcliffe, Triple M Production and Recyclemania.
- Rethinking Recycling Metrics - Differing views of a state’s recycling agency and a manufacturing industry ~ Chip Foley, Steel Recycling Institute; and Larry Holley, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Conference Sponsors Include: Public Service Enterprise Group, American Forest & Paper Association, and the Steel Recycling Institute
For more information, contact Mary Ann Remolador, NERC’s Assistant Director and Conference Organizer
MEMBERSHIP
We are very pleased to share with you the following renewing memberships:
Sustaining Members
American Plastics Council
Supporting Members
Connecticut Daily Newspaper Association
Connecticut Recyclers Association
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
Thank you one and all!
It is through the active participation & support of its Advisory Members that NERC is able to provide the
strength of multi-stakeholder involvement and problem solving.
To see a listing of Advisory Members and the benefits of membership, visit the NERC Advisory Membership web page.
NERC to Host Discussion with Haulers & Northeast States’ Environmental Agencies
NERC will be hosting a discussion with haulers and the NERC member states’ environmental agencies at the Hotel Northampton on October 26 from 1:30 – 3:30 (following the NERC Board Meeting). It is an opportunity for states and haulers to discuss the opportunities and challenges of increasing recycling services to residents and businesses throughout the region. Project partners include Chaz Miller and Steve Changaris of the National Solid Wastes Management Association. Please note: This event is by invitation only.
For more information, contact Mary Ann Remolador, NERC’s Assistant Director and discussion organizer.
Recently Updated Materials Exchange List
NERC has updated its Materials Exchanges in the Northeast. This resource is regularly among the top three documents used on the NERC website.
For more information, contact Mary Ann Remolador, NERC’s Assistant Director.
New Hampshire Unwanted Medication Collection
NERC's eighth pilot unwanted medication collection was held in August in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Hosted by the Lakes Regional Household Hazardous Product Facility, and the towns of Wolfeboro and Alton, the collection was held in conjunction with a monthly household hazardous waste event.
This pilot was unique in several ways, including:
- The first unwanted medication collection in New Hampshire.
- Organized through NERC’s USDA Rural Development grant; targeting communities with populations under 5,000.
- Police required that they remove the medications from the vehicles and hand them to the pharmacist for inventorying.
- Held at a permanent household hazardous waste site – taking advantage of the reduced pricing for hazardous waste destruction that such settings offer.
- Pharmacist was paid directly by the program.
Interestingly, the data about how much material comes in continues to be consistent. At this event individuals averaged 0.8 gallons per person. The average for all of the events to date is 1 gallon per person. At this event 5% of what came in was controlled substances, and for all events the average is 7%.
A guidance document about setting up unwanted medication collections will be available on NERC’s website in early October. For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein.
Recycling Economic Information Study Update
Pennsylvania has taken a leadership role in ensuring there will be an update of the Recycling Economic Information Study published in June 2000, by committing funds for the Pennsylvania portion of the project. NERC will be developing a request for proposals for this update and expects to be making that request public before the end of the year. For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein.
Procuring Green Electronics – New Resources Available
During the teleconference held on June 20, 2006 to introduce the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT©), there were many important questions and answers shared by the participants. A summary of that discussion has been posted on the NERC website; Questions & Answers - Procuring Green Computers Teleconference. The document includes questions that were received via email after the teleconference.
In addition to the Questions & Answers document, the NERC website offers several other resources for supporting the procurement of green computers and monitors:
- The PowerPoint presentation from the June 20th teleconference
- Link to the official EPEAT© website
- A fact sheet about EPEAT© and how it works, entitled: EPEAT©: A Purchasing Tool, as well as
- A more general PowerPoint Presentation that explains EPEAT© and what it has to offer to the procurement community, and
- A description of the NERC green procurement of electronics project funded by EPA Regions 1 & 3.
NERC will be offering another teleconference in the fall. The date has not yet been finalized. For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein.
NERC Thanks Summer Volunteer
Amanda Mero, an undergraduate student at Hamilton College, volunteered her free summer hours to work with NERC. Amanda was very helpful in assisting staff with tasks that led to the completion of several projects. Thank you for all of your hard work, and good luck with your senior year, Amanda!
STATE UPDATES
CONNECTICUT
Connecticut Draft Solid Waste Management Plan Available for Review
On July 13, 2006, the CT DEP released the Proposed Amendment to the State Solid Waste Management Plan, July 2006. The proposed plan and the schedule for the Public Hearings will be public noticed on July 25, 2006 in the Connecticut Law Journal. Hearings will be held during July and August. A schedule is available at the DEP web site. The DEP will be posting legal notices in the various generally circulated Connecticut newspapers as well. Written and oral comments will be accepted at the Public Hearings. Written comments on the proposed amendment can also be submitted to Mr. Michael Harder, DEP, 4th Floor, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106. All written comments must be received by 4:30 on Sept. 8, 2006 and cannot be accepted or considered if received after this date and time. Comments sent electronically will not be accepted.
DELAWARE
Marine Shrink Wrap Recycling in Delaware
Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) is wrapping up a pilot project to recycle shrink wrap from boatyards that use the material to winterize boats. There is an estimated 20 tons of the LDPE film that could be easily captured each year in Delaware. This project is a joint effort that involved three state agencies; DNREC, the Department of Corrections DOC, and the Department of Agriculture. The collection and processing of the shrink wrap was conducted by the DOC – Work Release Program. The Department of Agriculture allowed DNREC and the DOC use of a baler and caged trailer they use for a different program. Despite a late start, and collection from a select few boatyards, over 4.5 tons of material has been collected. DNREC is hopeful that a sustainable program will result with expanded collection and diversion in future years.
Recycling at the Delaware State Fair 
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) was part of an effort that launched a program to collect recyclables at the Delaware State Fair. DNREC worked with the Delaware State Fair, Inc. and the Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA) to recycle cardboard, aluminum, and plastic containers. DNREC set out 20 containers for collection of cardboard and 24 containers for the collection of plastic and aluminum. The Fair advised vendors to recycle their cardboard in the appropriate recycling containers. A group from DNREC’s AmeriCorps team collected the aluminum and plastic and deposited those materials at the nearest DSWA Recycle Delaware Center, and transferred cardboard from DNREC containers into the DSWA cardboard dumpsters on site at the Fair. Despite the small recycling presence (44 recycling containers to 400 larger trash containers) and no fairgoer education, about 3.5 tons of recyclable material was diverted with only about 8% contamination.
MAINE
Disaster Debris Management Workshop Held in York
The Northern New England Chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) held its summer technical session at the Cliff House in York on July 18. Responding to waste management needs following the recent severe flooding in York County and, in particular, the town of York, the full-day workshop covered a variety of topics related to debris management and response, including: elements of the debris, components of a disaster recovery operation, preparedness activities, and impact from a public works perspective.
The workshop was arranged and coordinated by Sam Morris of the Waste Management and Recycling Program who is one of the two Maine representatives on the Chapter Board of Directors. It was attended by public works, emergency management, and solid waste officials from Maine and New Hampshire, and by representatives of private sector engineering and waste management firms.
Meeting to Discuss Re-Invigorating Recycling
At this spring’s annual solid waste and recycling conference, hosted by the Maine Resource Recovery Association (MRRA), attendees were introduced to “social marketing” techniques, which are being employed elsewhere in the country that promote recycling. Building upon the energies created by this presentation and encouraged by regional groups and the MRRA, the State Planning Office invited managers from municipal and regional recycling programs from across the state to discuss how to develop and implement a similar strategy in Maine, including a consistent statewide recycling message.
Nearly 20 people attended this first meeting, where attendees first shared what has worked/not worked in terms of promotional efforts and then moved into broader topic areas such as what is the objective of the message, who is the intended audience, what is the message, and other related issues. Attendees were both pleased with this meeting as well as with the progress that was made, and set August 22nd for the next gathering, where the results of a telephone survey that was conducted to determine recycling habits of Maine residents will be presented.
Blue Ribbon Commission on Solid Waste Management Convenes
The first meeting of the Legislature’s solid waste management commission was held on August 1, 2006 in Augusta. Senator John Martin and Representative Bob Duchesne co-chair the commission. SPO Deputy Director, Sue Inches, represents the State Planning Office on the commission. At this first meeting, Sue Inches presented an overview of the work and conclusions of the Office’s 2006 Solid Waste Management Policy Review Task Force. The Department of Environmental Protection will provide primary staff support to the Commission, with assistance from the State Planning Office. Commission members provided staff with questions and requests for data related to the issues being discussed.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Sign Up for the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services E-News and Get the Latest Information
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services has launched an electronic information service for anyone interested in receiving up-to-the-minute press releases, advisories, and newsletters from the Agency and its programs.
Listed below are the publications available through the service:
- Press Releases (announcements by DES)
- Press Advisories (upcoming event or meeting announcement)
- Environmental News (Main DES newsletter)
- GreenWorks (DES Watershed Assistance Program monthly bulletin)
- Rip Tides (NH Coastal Program bimonthly e-newsletter)
- The Sampler (DES Volunteer Lake Assessment Program newsletter)
- The Source (DES Drinking Water Source Protection Program quarterly newsletter)
- Streamlines (newsletter from the DES Volunteer River Assessment Program)
- Supply Lines (newsletter from the DES Water Supply Engineering Bureau)
- Tidelines (NH Coastal Program bi-annual newsletter)
- Wastelines (NH Pollution Prevention Program quarterly newsletter)
In addition to the publications, subscribers may select areas of interest, which will be used by DES for special announcements.
PENNSYLVANIA
Electronics Recycling Collection Event in Butler and Lawrence Counties
There will be an electronics recycling collection event at the Lawrence County fairgrounds on September 23, 2006 at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds hosted by PA Cleanways.
Upper St. Claire residents in Allegheny County Can Recycle Unwanted Electronics
Residents of Upper St. Claire can recycle unwanted electronics on September 9, 2006 at the Public Works Building in Upper St. Clair, Allegheny County. The collection event is open to residents only. For more information contact Mark Mansfield at 412-831-9000.
Electronics Recycling Collection Event in Delaware County September 29, 2006
There will be an electronics recycling collection event at Rose Tree Park on North Providence Road (Route #252) in Media, Upper Providence Township. For more information, check out the county website.
Electronics Recycling Collection Event in Bucks County September 30, 2006
There will be an electronics recycling collection event at Quakertown Community Pool on Mill Street in Quakertown Borough. For more information, contact the county Planning Commission.
Luzerne County Recycles 377,301 Pounds of Electronics in Two Days
The Luzerne County Solid Waste Management Department recently held its electronics recycling collections, enabling residents and businesses located in Luzerne County the opportunity to recycle over 26 electronic items free of charge.
The June collections, in Butler Township and Hanover Township combined, brought in 377, 301 pounds of electronic equipment to be recycled, including 317,301 pounds in Hanover Township alone! 2,812 vehicles from 2,984 residents and over 46 business and education entities participated in the events.
In four years, the Luzerne County Solid Waste Management Department in conjunction with DEP and the Luzerne County Commissioner, have diverted 1,250,338 pounds (625.169 tons) of electronics material from the landfill. For more information on electronics recycling in Luzerne County.
RHODE ISLAND
Rhode Island Resource Recovery Awards Municipal Recycling Incentive Grants
At an awards breakfast on September 9th, Rhode Island Resource Recovery will award $300,000 in grants to 14 municipalities in Rhode Island as part of their municipal recycling incentive grant program.
To achieve this distinction, municipalities must attain a “MRF” recycling rate of 20% or higher. The grant pool was divided up based on each municipality’s percentage of total recycled tonnage sent to the Corporation’s Materials Recycling Facility. Only communities contracted with Resource Recovery were eligible.
Fourteen of the state’s 39 cities and towns received a grant for their recycling efforts in FY 2006. They are:
|
MUNICIPALITY |
RECYCLING RATE |
GRANT AMOUNT |
|
North Kingstown |
32% |
$33,615.68 |
|
Charlestown |
30% |
$3,640.25 |
|
Warwick |
26% |
$103,562.37 |
|
Barrington |
26% |
$22,941.37 |
|
Burrillville |
23% |
$16,539.02 |
|
Newport |
22% |
$21,375.14 |
|
Exeter |
22% |
$5,711.15 |
|
Jamestown |
22% |
$9,167.84 |
|
Glocester |
22% |
$9,025.24 |
|
East Greenwich |
21% |
$15,422.88 |
|
West Greenwich |
21% |
$3,533.19 |
|
Richmond |
20% |
$3,682.14 |
|
East Providence |
20% |
$40,557.13 |
|
North Smithfield |
20% |
$11,226.59 |
Each year, the Corporation’s Materials Recycling Facility processes more than 90,000 tons of recyclables, a majority of which is from Rhode Island’s Municipalities. The average municipal MRF rate in Rhode Island is 16%.
ADVISORY MEMBER NEWS
Connecticut Recyclers Coalition Sets Annual Meeting for November
The CRC will hold its annual meeting on Wednesday, November 8, 2006. The meeting will once again be held at the CRRA Visitor's Center in Hartford, CT. The meeting is 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., and includes a short business meeting, a guest panel or speaker(s), and lunch. The meeting ends with an optional tour of the MRF and "Trash Museum." All are welcome. Details to follow.
Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania Announces Additional Certified Recycling Professionals
The Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania (PROP) proudly announce the addition of 21 graduates to their Certified Recycling Professional Certification program, and four graduates to their Senior Certified Recycling Professional program, one of those receiving her certificate at PROP’s Annual Banquet, held in conjunction with their annual conference, at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh in July 2006. The Certification program is operated in conjunction with the Pennsylvania State University, Altoona Campus and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Currently, over 900 participants are enrolled in the certification program. There are currently 134 Certified and 30 Senior Certified Recycling Professionals. Professional recycling certification is offered to recycling and solid waste managers in both the public and private sector who have completed 40 hours of Continuing Education Units (4.0 CEU’s), and successfully pass the Certified Recycling Professional examination within a four year time period. The Certified Recycling Professional curriculum must include core courses in several aspects of recycling plus electives chosen from subjects such as Recycling and the Law, Public Policy and Data Management. Once certification is attained, 3.0 CEU’s will be required every three years following graduation to maintain certification.
PROP is a non-profit nonpartisan statewide organization of recycling professionals dedicated to promoting and enhancing the interests of municipal and county recycling programs in Pennsylvania. Their purpose is to develop the skills and resources of members by enhancing recycling, to promote the common interests of those engaged in recycling in Pennsylvania, to educate the public and private sectors, institutions, and media about the appropriate role of recycling, to facilitate communication and informative exchange among recycling professionals in the public and private sectors and among various levels and branches of government, to establish and promote standards within the profession of recycling, to consider and express opinion on solid waste and recycling issues and to provide comment on proposed rules, regulations and legislation. PROP represents over 450 members from the public and private sector as well as the composting community.
The certification program has been designed to offer educational training objectives that promote the establishment of high professional standards, as well as providing a career track for new professionals entering the field. PROP also offers Specialty Certificates in Processing, Composting, Education, Collection, Management and Recycling Markets. All classes and examinations are monitored by Penn State.
Among those who received their certificates were two PROP staff members - Marissa Carney, Program Manager and Jill Reigh, Communications Manager. PROP’s President of the Board of Directors, Kurt Fenstermacher, was one of those awarded the Senior Certified Recycling Professional designation.
E-Scrap Conference Addresses Recycling and Reuse of Obsolete Electronics
E-Scrap 2006: The North American Electronics Recycling Conference will be held October 18 - 19, 2006 in Austin, Texas at the Hilton Austin. The conference is presented by E-Scrap News and Resource Recycling magazine.
E-Scrap 2006 will feature extensive and detailed industry assessments, including analyses of stewardship systems and trends in the U.S. and Canada, e-scrap collection issues, recycling market factors, and legislative and policy considerations. Presentations will be given by leading experts in electronics product stewardship.
In addition to informative sessions, E-Scrap 2006 will feature a tradeshow showcasing the latest innovations and service offerings from firms providing e-scrap equipment and processing systems as well as firms providing reclamation opportunities, consulting services and markets for e-scrap materials.
The conference format and tradeshow provide a collaborative setting and numerous networking opportunities. E-Scrap 2006 will attract equipment manufacturers, generators of e-scrap, federal, state and local government officials, trade association leaders, e-scrap processors and buyers of e-scrap parts and materials from the U.S. and Canada. The 2005 conference held last October in Orlando, Florida, attracted more then 500 attendees from 15 countries.
WeRecycle!, Inc. Hires Former County Director to Serve as First Director of Government Affairs
WeRecycle!, Inc., a leading electronics recycler is pleased to announce the addition of a new employee, James J. Hogan III. Mr. Hogan joins the WeRecycle! team as the Director of Government Affairs, bringing over 18 years of industry knowledge and professional experience to the company. Mr. Hogan will be working with local municipalities, counties, state and national agencies to forward electronics recycling initiatives and legislation. Maximizing opportunities to get the word out on environmentally responsible electronics recycling will be Mr. Hogan’s primary focus.
“We are very pleased to have Mr. Hogan join us here at WeRecycle! The anticipation of what Mr. Hogan will bring to our company is high and the electronics recycling industry will benefit from his presence as well,” said Mick Schum, President of WeRecycle! “As the first Director of Government Affairs, I believe that Mr. Hogan will lead the path for success at WeRecycle!”
Mr. Hogan has a Master of Science degree in Recreation Administration from Lehman College and was the Recycling Director of Westchester County, New York for 18 years, where he spearheaded a number of innovative municipal recycling programs. This includes one of the earliest and most successful municipal electronics recycling programs in the nation. Mr. Hogan has been effective in identifying and organizing appropriate legislative initiatives in support of the recycling movement.
WeRecycle!, Inc. is committed to meeting and exceeding globally accepted best management practices for the recycling and management of used electronics. In addition to recycling, WeRecycle! provides certified data destruction, asset tracking, remarketing, logistics and reporting. WeRecycle! upholds the highest environmental standards for all managed materials.