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Events & Grant Opportunities

February 18 & 19

Agricultural Outlook Virtual Forum

Register Here
February 25, 1 p.m. 

Sustainable Materials Management Webinar: Material Characterization and Economic Impacts of Recycling


Register Here
July 1 (Grant Closing Date) 

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Sustainable Agricultural Systems Grant


Apply Here
Save the Date: October 4-6

Iowa Recycling and Solid Waste Management Fall Conference

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Convention Complex
More Events

Successful Glass Recycling with Ripple Glass


Article by Josh Boyer, Ripple Glass & IRA Board Member
 


At Ripple Glass, we have found many recycling centers and municipalities have trouble finding an effective way to recycle glass. Some communities include glass in their commingled recycling or even request residents throw their glass in the trash. The key to successful glass recycling is source-separated collection.

Source-separating is crucial for the value of glass because manufacturers are looking for a high-quality material to substitute for virgin inputs. When glass is commingled with the other materials, it is difficult and  expensive to clean up, thereby losing value. Collecting glass separately ensures the glass stays clean and free of contamination. Additionally, when glass is co-mingled with other materials, it breaks and blends with the recyclables. This can cause contamination of other commodities which lowers the quality and value across materials.

For the past ten years, Ripple Glass has implemented and advocated for drop-off collections for source-separated glass recycling. Communities we work with have found that convenient drop-off locations near or at where they purchase glass products allow residents to combine trips to make glass recycling easy. Ripple has created a brand that associates glass recycling with good times and positive community impact. Our success has led to purple being adopted as the color for glass recycling across the country. Using slogans such as, “Giving glass a second chance,” or “Join the party. Recycle your glass,” has made recycling fun and increased community involvement.

Glass recycling plays an important role in our regional economy. Because it is heavy, it’s expensive to haul. Therefore, glass must be recycled regionally. Before Ripple Glass was founded, options were limited and it was far too expensive to take recycled glass from Iowa to the east or west coast. Recycled glass, also called cullet, is used in regional manufacturing which makes recycling glass with Ripple a critical part of our regional circular economy. The glass that is recycled in Iowa will be processed and remanufactured all within our region.

The key takeaway here is that glass is worth recycling and end-users want more! This is possible by source-separating and creating a community around recycling glass. Just remember to give glass a second chance!

IACC Elects Executive Committee


Article by Jennifer Trent, IACC Director
 

The newly elected Iowa Composting Council (IACC) Executive Committee includes Jeff Phillips, Abe Sandquist, Jennifer Trent, and Lea Hensel.  The initial Executive Committee met for the first time in January and will continue meeting monthly.  The goal of the committee is to develop structure and policies, member benefits, and funding opportunities during the first year.  IACC Executive Committee will be appointing 5 more members to the board.  If interested, please contact Jennifer Trent at jennifer.trent@uni.edu.  Also, the IACC is in the process of drafting by-laws, including term-limits as well as position descriptions. 

Board of Directors Highlight

 

Over the next few months, we will highlight the individuals that make up the IRA Board of Directors. 
 

Jane Wilch

Jane has served on the IRA Board of Directors for over two years as Secretary and Co-Chair of the Communications and Programming Committee. She works as the Recycling Coordinator at the City of Iowa City developing recycling and waste reduction programs and education. Previously, Jane was working on climate action efforts in Aspen, Colorado. She is proud to be back again in her home state working on environmental protection.
 

Ayodeji (Ayo) Oluwalana

Ayo has served on the IRA Board of Directors for over two years as Chair of the Student Membership Committee. He works as the Recycling Program Coordinator for Iowa State University, championing the university’s recycling and waste reduction programs. Ayo is a passionate advocate for social justice, sustainable materials management and climate change issues. He is originally from Nigeria and moved to Colorado before coming to Iowa.
 

Kyle Wehner

Kyle has participated on the IRA Board of Directors for the past two years.  He is a recycling sales representative for Republic Services of Iowa and specializes in driving long-term diversion goals and creating sustainable recycling programs for all types of businesses and organizations.  A lifetime Hawkeye and resident of Iowa, Kyle enjoys golfing in an extraordinarily below average fashion and traveling (once upon a time) with his wife and two girls.

Are you looking for a unique leadership opportunity? Have you been yearning to put your talent in strategic thinking, finance management, policy advocacy, or project management in the service of a great cause? Well, look no further!
 
If you are committed to advancing recycling in the state of Iowa, we are looking for you! The IRA is looking for leaders like you to join our board of directors. For 30+ years, our volunteer board has been the strategic heart of our organization.
View Application


 



Palo Alto County

DNR Update


Content Sourced from IDNR

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is considering rescinding  IAC 567 chapter 215; Mercury-Added Switch Recovery From End-of-Life Vehicles in its entirety, and is seeking input from stakeholders. 


The Mercury-Free Recycling Act, passed in 2006, required auto manufacturers to implement and fund a system to recover mercury switches from scrap vehicles before they were crushed or shredded for recycling. Mercury switches were used in convenience lighting (hood and trunk lights) in vehicles as recently as 2002.  The Mercury-Free Recycling Act included a sunset date of July 1, 2020 based on the expectation that the vast majority of vehicles containing the switches would be scrapped by July 2020.  The requirement for mercury switches to be removed from vehicles prior to delivery to a scrap recycling facility and the requirements related to state procurement of vehicles did not sunset. However, both of these rules are taken verbatim from Iowa code 455B.804 and 455B.809 so there is no need to also have them in the administrative code. 

Because the Iowa Code 455B.803 directs the Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) to cease enforcement of this program, rescission of IAC 567 chapter 215 will have no impact and will make the administrative code consistent with the Iowa Code.


If you have any comments, concerns or questions about this potential rulemaking action please contact Theresa Stiner at theresa.stiner@dnr.iowa.gov or at 515-725-8315 by February 15, 2021.

Meet your IWE Area Resource Specialist: Shelene Codner


Content Sourced from Iowa Waste Exchange
 


Shelene (Shelly) Codner has been with the Iowa Waste Exchange for 17 years. She serves as the program manager and also as an Area Resource Specialist for Area 2. Shelly holds an AA from North Iowa Area Community College, a BS in Psychology and Sociology from Upper Iowa University and is currently completing her MA in Public Affairs and Advocacy from Drake University.

Shelly is an award-winning writer and serves as volunteer regional editor of Green Teacher magazine based in Toronto. Aside from reading and writing Shelly has many hobbies and interests, sewing, quilting, crocheting, knitting, crafting, gardening, cooking, baking, photography, spending time outdoors and with family, Shelly’s favorite pastime by far is being with her grandchildren, Eli (5) and Ember (4). Shelly lives on a farm in rural Butler County with her husband of 33 years, John. Shelly and John have two adult children Kayla (Joel) and Jeffery (Tawnie) and two grandchildren (so far).

Shelly’s service area includes the following counties: Boone, Cerro Gordo, Clarke, Decatur, Dallas, Franklin, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Madison, Polk, Story, Warren, Winnebago, Worth and Wright Counties.

Contact Shelly at scodner@region12cog.org, (319) 404-1942. Find your IWE Specialist at their website.

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MISSION AND VISION

Our mission is to advance effective recycling by sharing
resources, education and advocacy opportunities.

We envision an Iowa where every material that can be reused
or recycled is put to its highest and best use.
 
Copyright © 2021, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
P.O. Box 10954, Cedar Rapids, IA 52410
 
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