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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

[1] Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio Food Scraps Recovery Initiative

[2] Pedal People

NERC – A Regional Leader Offering Innovative Opportunities for Communities & Businesses

NERC will be making two presentations at the upcoming fall NYSAR3 conference in Cooperstown, NY.  Lynn Rubinstein, NERC Executive Director will be participating on a panel with the Executive Directors of the Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania (PROP) and the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center. The session will introduce the organizations and highlight their programs and achievements.  In addition, Athena Lee Bradley, NERC Projects Manager, will be presenting on Small Towns, Big Opportunities in Organics.

Innovative Farm Composting in Massachusetts & New York

To help expand and support compost markets in the Northeast, NERC was awarded a grant from the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. Resources developed by NERC for the project, as well as presentations from seven compost marketing workshops, are available for download on the NERC website.

Recent site visits were made by NERC staff to two farm compost operations in Massachusetts and one in New York.

Newland Farm

Newland Farms, in Norton, Massachusetts, specializes in raising emus and sales of emu products.  Newland Farm also operates a compost site on 22 acres. Yard trimmings, including leaves and brush, as well as food scraps, are processed into compost. The farm compost operation has one full time employee plus the farm operator/owner.

Newland Farms compost is produced with good quality ingredients and a consistent recipe. Organic material is delivered to the site by local haulers and landscapers. The organics are mixed in mixing bays, using a front loader, as soon as material is delivered. Some grinding of yard trimmings and brush is done when necessary. Stumps previously dumped at the site are mined and with brush into a grinder to mix in with other feedstocks. Loam under the stump area is used in a screened loam/compost mix end product. A tub grinder is rented to accomplish for this process.

The finished Newland Farm compost is marketed as a rich, dark soil conditioner that adds vital organic matter and nutrients to regular soil. Products include screened and unscreened finished compost as well as a premium screened loam/compost mix. Compost has been marketed locally and in some direct retail sales. Approximately 40 percent of the current product is sold through three wholesale operations. The compost operators provide loading and delivery of finished products, including 10-20 cubic yard handled by the farm, and 40 cubic yard deliveries subcontracted to private haulers.

Tripp's Dairy Farm

Tripp’s Dairy Farm is a family farm started in 1945 by the late Howard Tripp. The Farm has been at its present location in Westport Massachusetts since 1958. The primary mission of the farm business is to raise high-grade dairy replacement and beef cows, along with developing and marketing a high quality natural compost to help increase farm profitability.

Tripp’s Dairy Farm compost is a mix of leaves, cow manure, cranberry waste, shellfish, and other organics. Collection services for pre-consumer fruits/vegetables and bakery waste are offered by farm operators. Residents and landscapers can drop-off leaves and grass at the site. The town of Dartmouth delivers leaves to the operation; cranberry discards are also delivered to the operation. Material is mixed using a front loader and managed in large outdoor windrows.

Tripp’s Dairy Farm compost is screened and mixed with soil and other ingredients to make three compost products: “regular-blend,” “premium-blend,” and “ultra-blend.” Currently Tripp’s Dairy Farm compost product is sold retail from the operation. Compost operators will load on-site or provide product delivery services; some bagging of product is also done. The Farm also sells aged cow manure.

Stone Hill River Farms

The Stone Hill River Farms compost operation is associated with Coker Farms, a 110-acre horse farm in Bedford, New York. The compost operation began in August 2010, collecting horse manure with shavings and straw bedding, along with leaves and cow manure. The material is mixed using a front loader and formed into windrows. Windrows are turned using a windrow turner.

The compost operator provides weekly collection services for area horse farms, offering 30 cubic-yard and 20 cubic-yard dumpsters for rent. The compost operation was designed with excess capacity in order to provide composting services to benefit other small horse-keeping operations in the area. Tipping and service fees are charged for hauling and processing the manure and bedding.

The goal of the operation is to have enough incoming materials to produce 1,000 yards of finished compost annually. The operator would also like to potentially expand into offering equipment rentals, such as compost spreaders, various compost products, and a service package of excavating, landscaping, delivery, and collection.

The Stone Hill River compost product is sold in bulk. Material is loaded onsite or delivered. Related services offered by the operation include: stump removal, excavating and trucking, firewood sales, and retail and wholesale screened topsoil.

ELECTRONICS RECYCLING COORDINATION CLEARINGHOUSE

ERCC & NCER Workshops Offered before E-Scrap Conference in Orlando

The Electronics Recycling Coordination Clearinghouse (ERCC) is offering a pre-conference workshop as part of E-Scrap 2013 on September 10^th in Orlando, FL.  The workshop, which will take place from 1 – 4, will address key issues facing stakeholders under the implementation of state electronics recycling laws focusing on three topics: 1) ensuring the integrity of recycling programs; 2) management of CRTs under state law programs; and 3) designing sustainable programs.

In addition, if you are interested in learning more about state electronics recycling laws, the National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER) will be presenting a workshop on Tuesday, September 10th from 9:30 - noon called E-Scrap Laws 101: Making Sense of the Patchwork of State Policies. Be sure to register early to secure your spot, as we have had workshops fill to capacity in prior years. 

ERCC Annual Member Meeting Planned for Chicago

The date and location for the ERCC annual Member Meeting has been set for Thursday, October 17^th in Chicago, IL.  This meeting is an opportunity to review key activities from the past year and set priorities for the coming year.  At the 2013 Member Meeting, ERCC will discuss outcomes from the E-Scrap Workshop and finalize plans for a multi-state consumer awareness survey of electronics recycling programs.  Non-members may also attend, but must RSVP to Jason Linnell.  

ERCC Member Meeting

Date: Thursday, October 17, 2013

Time: 1 - 4 PM CDT

Location: EPA Region 5 building, Room 330

77 West Jackson Boulevard,

Chicago, IL 60604
STATE NEWSCONNECTICUT

EPA Merit Awards for CT DEEP Staffers

Several individuals and organizations from Connecticut – including members of the DEEP staff – were among the award winners at the recent annual U.S. EPA Merit Awards ceremony in Boston. Tess Gutowski of DEEP's Air Bureau received a well-deserved Lifetime Award for all she has accomplished in her more than 30 years of service to the agency.  In addition, a team of people from DEEP's solid waste unit won a Merit Award for their efforts to build a 21st century materials management system in Connecticut.  Members of the team are: K.C. Alexander, Sherill Baldwin, Judy Belaval, Diane Duva, Paul Guerrera, Chris Nelson, Joseph Schiavone, Jennifer Weymouth and Deputy Commissioner Macky McCleary.  Find more information about the Connecticut EPA Merit Award winners and their work.

Mattress Stewardship

In May 2013, Connecticut became the first state to pass comprehensive mattress recycling legislation.  Public Act 13-42 requires mattress manufacturers to establish a program to manage unwanted mattresses generated in Connecticut. The law will assess a fee at the point of sale to finance the program.  When a consumer purchases a new mattress, there will be an additional fee charged.  The retailer will transfer this money to the mattress manufacturers who will use it to pay for transportation and recycling of unwanted mattresses. 

Mattress manufacturers are required to submit a plan to the DEEP by July 1, 2014.  If approved, the plan will be implemented in late 2014 to early 2015.  In order to provide the mattress industry with the information necessary to draft the best plan possible, DEEP is convening a Mattress Stewardship Stakeholder Working Group on September 18 in Hartford.  Municipalities, recyclers, mattress manufacturers, environmental groups, entrepreneurs and any other interested parties are invited and encouraged to participate.   For more information contact Tom Metzner, CT DEEP.

Used Textiles: Donate, Recycle, Don't Throw Away

DEEP hosted an in-depth panel discussion on Textiles Reuse and Recycling at the June 2013 Solid Waste Advisory Committee meeting.  The well attended meeting included an overview on textile recovery rates in Connecticut, overviews and details from many industry members about how to recover more in our local communities and a representative from Consumer Protection who spoke of legal requirements of any business operating in Connecticut – profit or non-profit – especially regarding using and placing collection boxes.    

In 2011, the average person in Connecticut threw away an average of 55 pounds of clothing, shoes, and linens - generating approximately 96,500 tons of trash. Ninety-five percent of these textiles could have been reused and recycled, saving disposal costs, creating jobs and realizing environmental benefits. Recovered textiles are generally separated into three grades of reusable or recyclable material - usable clothing (45%), fiber conversion into padding and insulation (20%) and wiping cloths (30%). Only a small percentage (approx. 5%) of donated or collected textiles is disposed, usually because the materials are wet, mildewed, odorous, or oily.

DEEP will be working to increase the current textile recovery rate by getting the word out that all textiles (i.e., clean and dry) should be donated or collected for reuse and recycling.  

EPP Paints & Food Service Supplies Now on Contract

State agencies, municipalities, schools and not-for-profit organizations now have environmentally preferable products (EPP) to choose from when purchasing paint and food service supplies. The CT Department of Administrative Services has awarded two new contracts that encourage the use of these green products.  

The paint and related products contract makes available paints and coatings that have recycled content and are low toxicity (low odor, low VOC emitting) products. By choosing low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, you reduce the harmful effects on indoor air quality. The food service supplies contract includes bowls, plates, cutlery, hot and cold cups, trays, napkins and paper towels, deli containers and sandwich bags. This contract promotes the use of products that are reusable, unbleached, have recycled content and are compostable.  Food service products with these health and environmental attributes reduce the amount of trash needing disposal and disposal costs as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Paint Recycling Program Launched

DEEP estimates that state residents have more than 5 million containers of unwanted paint waiting to be disposed of properly.  A new program began July 1^st to collect and recycle latex and oil based paint. It is a result of Connecticut's paint stewardship law (PA 11-24) and will be administered by PaintCare, a non-profit organization. Funded through a fee paid by the consumer when purchasing paint, the program utilizes a network of retail locations, transfer stations and household hazardous waste collections as drop points for residents. To facilitate statewide collection points, DEEP issued a General Permit for Collection and Storage of Unwanted Paint authorizing retailers to collect and store post-consumer paint. For more information on the program, including drop-off locations, visit DEEP's Paint Recycling web page.

Financing the recycling of a product through the purchase price of the product instead of municipal tax dollars is an example of extended producer responsibility (EPR). This approach is already in place for electronics and legislation passed this year will establish a similar program for mattresses.

MASSACHUSETTS

Meeting Recycling Workforce Needs in Massachusetts

In 2011, the Environmental Business Council of New England and MassRecycle collaborated on a study that looked at the workforce needs of the recycling industry in Massachusetts. This study, Recycling and Jobs in Massachusetts, A Study of Current and Future Workforce Needs, was funded by SkillWorks, as well as the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, E.L. Harvey and Sons, and Costello Dismantling. The study was conducted by Perlmutter Associates, with Green LMI, Green Economy, and JFYNetworks. This study, published in March 2012, surveyed public and private sector recycling employers, as well as interviewed several employers and employees. 

The report made recommendations for additional investigation, including the need for recycling industry employer engagement with the workforce development community needs improvement o-awareness comes from recycling work. To address some of these recommendations, SkillWorks provided additional funding to convene a Taskforce of workforce development professionals and recycling companies.  The Taskforce was convened over four months in the winter 2012 through the spring of 2013, by the Northeast Recycling Council and was facilitated by Perlmutter Associates.

The Taskforce developed a number of recommendations for ways workforce developers and recycling employers can engage each other more effectively, with the ultimate goal of helping these employers find, train and retain a qualified workforce.  These recommendations were geared towards private sector employers, although many of them could easily apply to public sector employers as well. The recommendations fell into three general categories:

1.   Regional & Statewide Strategies to Bring Together Recycling Employers & Workforce Development Professionals

These ideas included convening a longer term Taskforce, organizing periodic meetings between employers and workforce development professionals, and designating liaisons from the recycling industry and workforce development agencies to be the contact people for each group.

2.    Data Needs to Create More Effective Working Relationships

These suggestions included additional surveys of recycling employers to learn more about their employment needs; identifying pathways –within and between businesses- to higher level employment in the recycling industry; gathering more information about standard titles, job descriptions, and competencies; keeping an updated database of the state’s recycling employers; and learning what kind of experiences employers have had with the state’s workforce development system.

 3.    Information Dissemination

These ideas included a central database of recycling employers and jobs available; some basic information that is accessible to workforce development professionals about how recycling works and typical jobs; case studies of how recycling companies have successfully worked with the state’s workforce system; Webinars targeted to workforce development professionals or the recycling industry; and presentations, articles, and handouts.

While the intent was to group these ideas into high, medium, and low priority action items, it was interesting to see that, with a few exceptions, there was little consensus among Taskforce members about how to prioritize them. This perhaps simply illustrates the wide range of approaches that workforce development professionals can and do take when working with individual companies or industries, and the different ways that companies get their information and want to engage with outside assistance. 

Even though there may not be a consensus about the first steps on the path forward, it is clear that there is a need and interest among workforce development professionals and recycling employers to work together, that this would benefit recycling companies in the state, and that there are a number of different approaches that can be taken to achieve this.

Both reports can be found at http://www.skill-works.org/resources-greenjobs.php.   For more information, contact Lynn Rubinstein, Executive Director NERC.

ADVISORY MEMBER NEWS

Fair Trade Recycling Launches new Initiative with ReSolve

WR3A, doing business as "Fair Trade Recycling", announced the start of a collective, consensus project to review electronics export regulations in the EU and USA.

“Recycling Without Borders” is a multi-stakeholder, consensus project to identify, review and discuss current information and research and its relationships to electronics export regulations in the EU and USA. ReSolve, an independent non-profit, organization will house the project as part of its Solutions Network. It will include researchers and experts from Memorial University, PUC de Peru, USC (Josh Lepawsky, Ramzy Kahhat, and Josh Goldstein, respectively) and others.

“The catalyst for the new fact finding project, Recycling without Borders, are the gaps that exist in information and information sharing on this issue. Illegal actors should be held accountable, but enforcement should be informed, with all facts on the table, and a keen eye on the development agenda,” said Stephen D'Esposito of ReSolve.

To invite collaborators to the new project, Fair Trade Recycling visited Geneva, Lyon and London (July 2013) for face to face meetings with the Basel Convention expert Katharina Kummer, now head of NGO Voice of Industry for a Circular Economy (VoICE), the new head of Interpol's Environmental Enforcement Program, and three African exporters (who were accused in London based of exporting televisions for dumping. UNEP audited several dozen of the containers and found 91% reuse, better than new product sold in Africa).

"We believe in reforming and improving exports to Africa, Latin America, and Asia" said FTR president Robin Ingenthron. "But by talking face to face with accused 'exporters', we find that their chief complaint is being forced to purchase used equipment from back alleys, and laws which require nations who have lost their repair industry to perform the very repair work the emerging markets excel at." Development experts call the refurbishing industry "The Tinkerer Blessing", in contrast to the "Curse of Natural Resources", and cite the high pay achieved through education in repair markets overseas.

Researchers are looking at hand disassembly and "computers for clunkers" take back models in rural Mexico to assess the feasibility of using repair and refurbishing centers in emerging markets as hubs for taking back junk electronics. UNEP found that most of the junk filmed at dumps (e.g. Agbogbloshie, Ghana) had not been taken out of export containers, but used for decades in African cities. The World Bank reports that Nigeria alone had 6.9 million households with television in 2007.

"Most of the junk is end of life product generated in nations which have gotten electricity and internet, but cannot afford new flat screens," says Ingenthron. "Arresting people who supply those markets, based on false percentages of imported "waste", seems a clumsy approach to dealing with the end-of-life problem". Ingenthron says Fair Trade Recycling's approach is unique, in that it uses the existing reuse and repair infrastructure for reverse-take-back, asking universities to donate used equipment to African exporters in exchange for documented take-back of "clunkers" for hand disassembly.

The project with Resolve, VoICE and Memorial University is an outcome of the Vermont Fair Trade Recycling Summit, held at Middlebury College during Earth Week 2013.

"Fair trade coffee began with private coffee vendors, buying from private coffee plantations, and selling to colleges and universities," says Ingenthron. Research interns from University of Amsterdam, MIT de Guadalajara, Middlebury College, and Univ. Paul Cezanne all advised WR3A that the initial startup of fairtraderecycling.org was appropriately funded by business. "In the longer term we cannot 'self-certify'. Memorial U, USC, and PUC Peru, and other researchers from MIT, Thunderbird University, Middlebury College, etc. are helping us with the roadmap to a third party vetting."

Electronic Recyclers International Partners with New York City for “e-cycleNYC” Program

New York City Sanitation Commissioner John J. Doherty has announced the launch of e-cycleNYC, a new residential electronics recycling program in partnership with Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the nation’s leading recycler of electronic waste.   The e-cycleNYC program is one of several green initiatives ERI is working with New York City to provide to residents, and will enable NYC apartment buildings the opportunity to participate in an ongoing free electronic waste pick up and recycling services.

The goal of e-cycleNYC is to make electronics recycling as easy as possible for NYC residents, many of whom live in apartment buildings and can’t readily transport TVs and other large electronics to drop-off events or retail take-back programs. The in-building service that will be provided by e-cycleNYC and ERI to buildings with 10 or more units represents the most comprehensive electronics recycling program offered by any municipality in the country. 

Depending on the size and type of building, a variety of service options will be available including storage bins, room clean-outs, and building events.  Buildings, management companies, or residents that want to express their interest in the program and learn more about electronics recycling in NYC, can visit www.nyc.gov/ecycle.

In addition, ERI will be NYC’s vendor that will accept electronics from any NYC resident at Sanitation’s annual SAFE Disposal Events.  At these events, which are held in each borough, NYC residents can discard unwanted harmful products, including electronics.

“It’s a tremendous honor and privilege for ERI to be partnering with the great City of New York and providing responsible, effective recycling of its electronic waste for the next fifteen years,” said John Shegerian, Chairman and CEO of ERI.  “As someone who was born and raised in New York City, it’s a humbling and rewarding experience to be able to help the city do the right thing and collect and recycle its e-waste -- the fastest growing waste stream in the world today – and keep toxic electronics out of New York landfills!” 

“Recycling electronic equipment keeps harmful materials out of NYC’s waste stream and the environment,” said Commissioner Doherty.  “While safe to use, electronics often contain lead, mercury, and other hazardous materials and in fact make up the largest and fastest growing component of the hazardous materials entering our waste stream.”

When choosing a partner, New York City required that all materials be handled in an environmentally responsible manner, which ensured that none of the electronics accepted would be landfilled or exported illegally. It is for this reason that Sanitation selected ERI to manage the new e-cycleNYC program and other initiatives. Through its agreements with many electronics manufacturers, ERI domestically recycles approximately 200 million pounds of electronics annually. All seven of its processing facilities comply with the strictest industry and environmental standards available.

For more information on recycling needs, visit www.electronicrecyclers.com, or http://1800recycling.com.

UNTHA America Offers New Assay Shredder

UNTHA shredding technology America, Inc. of Hampton, NH is now offering a new assay shredder which is specially designed for the smelting industry. The company, which is a division of the Austrian-based UNTHA shredding technology GmbH, one of the world’s leading providers of size reduction equipment for the recycling industry, has just started selling the new machines. Demand has been so great that within weeks of offering them, two units have been sold.  The new RS Series Assay Shredder is optimized for use within the electronic scrap industry. Companies which extract and refine precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum and nickel from used circuit boards are already interested in the new shredder.          

“The Assay Shredder is useful to companies on both sides of the equation,” says Charles Hildebrand, UNTHA regional sales manager.  “It aids companies selling electronic scrap, allowing them to determine in advance the worth of the material they are selling. And, it is a resource for companies buying electronic scrap, letting them accurately measure the amount of precious metals in a batch of materials.”

Hildebrand notes that the electronic scrap recovery industry is a multi-billion dollar enterprise and one that is growing fast in the United States. How to reclaim and recycle valuable materials from the ever-growing number of outdated electronics has been an issue for decades. Up until recently, much of the material was sent to China, but now China, as part of its “Green Fence” initiative, which is aimed at reducing landfills and pollution, is implementing stricter measures on what it will accept. Europe has been the number one source for smelting, a key part of the reclamation process, but the United States is now getting into the game. Adding incentive, U.S. legislation currently under consideration will require American-produced electronics to be recycled here in the States. All of these developments make the stateside debut of UNTHA’s assay shredder very timely.

Smelting, a centuries-old process, is an essential part of the electronics recycling protocol. Updated with new technology, the process involves removing circuit boards from the electronic equipment, retrieving memory chips and other data components, then shredding the circuit boards into small pieces so they will melt more easily when sent through the blast furnace or smelter. As the material is smelted, the precious metals are removed, as are toxic metals such as lead and mercury. The valuable metals are then sold for further use.

“Typically, companies will shred a small amount of electronic scrap to get an idea of the value available in a particular shipment,” says Hildebrand. “Our RS Assay Shredder can shred down to 10 millimeters, which is critical in this industry. It is also hardened to this application, with extra durability built into essential areas so that down time is minimized.”

For more information about UNTHA America, visit www.untha-america.com. 

Dr. Katharina Kummer Peiry Joins R2 Solutions Board

R2 Solutions is honored to announce the addition of Dr. Katharina Kummer Peiry to its Board of Directors.  Dr. Kummer Peiry has 25 years of experience in international environmental policy, in particular environmentally sound waste and materials management.  She is principal and owner of Kummer EcoConsult in Villars-sur-Glâne, Switzerland, which provides analytical and advisory services relating to international environmental law and policy.  She is also a Visiting Fellow at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.  Previously, she served for five years as the Executive Secretary of the Basel Convention.

"We are extremely excited that Dr. Kummer Peiry is joining the R2 Solutions Board of Directors," reports John Lingelbach, Executive Director of R2 Solutions, "she brings a wealth of knowledge regarding international law and policy as it relates to EOL electronic equipment - her participation will be invaluable.  Furthermore, her addition is a strong statement of R2's commitment to promoting responsible recycling globally.  Dr. Kummer Peiry will be the first Board member based outside the United States, though certainly not the last as the Board is eager for more diverse geographic representation." 

"I very much look forward to this opportunity," says Dr. Kummer Peiry, "R2 Solutions' work makes an important contribution to environmentally sound electronics recycling, a key challenge facing the world today.  I look forward to assisting with its efforts around the globe."

Dr. Kummer Peiry joins Brenda Pulley of Keep America Beautiful, John Howard of Dell, Clare Lindsay formerly of USEPA, Lynn Rubinstein of the Northeast Recycling Council, Robin Wiener of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Rick Goss of the Information Technology Industry Council, and John Lingelbach of R2 Solutions as current members of R2 Solutions Board of Directors.

About R2 Solutions

R2 Solutions (R2S) is a non-profit organization established to house the R2 Practices. We conduct educational and outreach services and provide administrative support for the multi-stakeholder R2 Technical Advisory Committee. Its goals:

• Assure open, transparent, and balanced governance of the R2 Standard
• Educate about responsible recycling practices
• Promote the use of the R2 Standard
• Explore opportunities for collaboration in furtherance of responsible electronics recycling globally

OF GENERAL INTEREST

NERC Gives You Free Access To New Organic Waste Management Online University

Compostory.org is packaging an unprecedented online learning platform for local governments, waste management professionals and the agricultural sector in efforts to bring the six continents up to speed on organic waste management practices. The introductory lesson is open to everyone and details the course strategy and objectives. Lessons are currently being released and NERC offers free access to the course.

The course syllabus was created by a world class advisory board to provide a comprehensive introduction on organics recycling based on success stories from around the world. To that end, the course delivers the big picture, enabling participants to build their own organics waste “vision” while emphasizing the variance of many parameters, namely, regulations, economic models and climate.

The course is in English but will be available shortly with subtitles in Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, Japanese, Italian, French and Portuguese to facilitate access in six continents.  Compostory.org targets a global audience and aims to become a premium digital platform for knowledge sharing in the field.

Erie County (NY) Workshops on Organics & Waste Paint Management - Free

On Thursday, September 12, a NERC-sponsored Western New York Organics Management Workshop & Roundtable will be offered from 9 am - noon and a Reducing, Reusing & Recycling Waste Latex Paint in Erie County from 1:00 to 3:30 at the Cornell Cooperative Extension - Erie County Headquarters in East Aurora, New York.

The Organics Management Workshop will serve as a gathering for decision makers, municipal officials, commercial and institutional organics materials generators, haulers, and others interested in advancing organics management and composting.  The event will provide an overview about best management practices of organics, including: Residential Yard Debris Best Management Practices, Composting Emerald Ash Borer Damaged Trees, Commercial Food Scrap Reduction, Recovery, & Composting, and Composting and Anaerobic Digestion in Action in Western New York. Workshop sponsors include the Northeast Recycling Council, Inc., New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Erie County Department of Environment and Planning, Niagara County Solid Waste Division, Cornell Cooperative Extension/Erie County, and Northeast Southtowns Solid Waste Management Board.

Managing Unused Latex Paint will focus on options for rural communities for reducing, reusing, and recycling latex waste paint, which represents more than 80 percent of the paint purchased. This workshop will address best practices to improve the management of leftover latex paint, including local options and case studies. Participants will learn about possible options for managing waste latex paint, including: Prevention & Education Messages, Paint Exchanges/Drop & Swaps, and Recycling Programs. The workshop is for anyone that is involved in managing waste paint, including: painting contractors, retailers, local government officials, community organizations, environmental advocates, solid waste facility operators, HHW facility operators, recycling coordinators, and waste haulers. The workshop is sponsored by: the Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA), Erie County Department of Environmental & Planning, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. A free lunch (from 12:00 – 1:00 pm) is provided for participants attending the paint workshop.

Both workshops are free but registration is requested by September 6 so that we may plan accordingly. Interested individuals can register or receive more information on both workshops by visiting the NEWMOA website.  Or, by contacting: Jennifer Griffith, NEWMOA, or Athena Lee Bradley, NERC.  Both workshops are funded in part by the Rural Utilities Programs, United States Department of Agriculture.