| |  | | | Please Note: The previous version of this newsletter unintentially contained some information that was not correct. We apologize for the oversight. Please see this corrected version, and use it for any needed reference. |
| | Comments Requested: Chemical Processing is Not Recycling NRC Draft Policy |
| The NRC Policy Committee presented a DRAFT “Chemical Recycling is Not Recycling” Policy to the NRC Board on June 28, 2024 which was approved to distribute to State Recycling Organizations (SROs) and NRC members for their review and comments. That policy says in part: Non-mechanical processes that convert plastics at the end of life into petrochemical products that are fuels or used to make fuels do not meet NRC’s definition of recycling and thus cannot be properly considered recycling. NRC does not support the label of “advanced recycling” or “chemical recycling” for non-mechanical recycling, as doing so creates a totally inappropriate and untruthful distinction between mechanical and non-mechanical recycling processes.
Please read the full draft policy and submit comments via our online form. Thank you for your feedback!
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| | | NRC Congress Early Bird Discount Ends September 30th |
| Don't miss out on our Early Bird Discount, register before August 26th to receive 15% off your admission. Additionally, in collaboration with NYSAR3 A 15% discount is available for any attendee that will be registering for BOTH the NYSAR3 and NERC-CSMM Conferences. Visit our website to obtain the code and view discount terms.
The Congress and Conference will be hybrid events. The in-person location will be at picturesque The Otesaga Hotel, Cooperstown, NY, on November 19-21st, 2024. NRC will be hosting the Recycling Congress on Tuesday, November 19th, and NYSAR3 will host the conference on November 20-21. Presentations and session topics range from state, national, and global policies to collecting and analyzing debris, to composting, textile sustainability, and creating community partnerships, as well as Climate, Circularity, and Zero Waste. We have varying levels of sponsorships for you to choose from to fit your budget. Join the 3R industry at this annual event! Registration is now open, and early bird rates are in effect through September 30th. Contact info@nysar3.org with questions. |
|  | | | Are You Ready for the Biggest Fundraising Day of the Year? |
| Quick Tactics for #GivingTuesday
#GivingTuesday, the biggest giving day of the year, is just months away. We’re kicking off the countdown with a session to teach you how to maximize the time you have left and lay the foundation for a successful day of giving. We’ll explore the important role your website plays, powerful tactics you still have time to implement and the essentials for an integrated communications plan. Let us help you create a successful #GivingTuesday strategy that lasts well beyond a one-day event.
Key takeaways: Why your website needs a #GivingTuesday page and how to build one. How to get your community excited. 4 critical strategies for Giving Day success. Top 10 tricks to becoming a #GivingTuesday pro. Checklists to keep you organized and prepared.
*Previous webinar recordings from this series are now available and linked at the end of the newsletter. |
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| October 16, 2024 @ 12:00-1:00 pm est |
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| | Recycling More Batteries with EPR Legislation |
| By Marta Keane, Vice President, NRC Board of Directors
Illinois recently became the 16th state to enact Battery Recycling Legislation. The Illinois bill was developed with technical support from the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) staff and incorporated best practices from PSI’s battery EPR policy model, which also shaped similar recent laws enacted in Washington D.C., and Washington State. The Illinois law earned significant support from a broad array of stakeholders, including local governments across the state, the Illinois Product Stewardship Council, Illinois Recycling Association and Foundation, the National Waste and Recycling Association, and the Rechargeable Battery Association.
Batteries contain toxic substances such as lead, cadmium, and mercury, which can contaminate soil and water sources if not handled properly. EPR for Batteries compliance involves the collection, recycling, and safe disposal of batteries by producers or importers. These stakeholders are required to set up collection centers, establish recycling facilities or partner with authorized recyclers, and report on their collection and recycling efforts periodically.
Rechargeable batteries and all lithium batteries have been part of most Household Hazardous Waste collection programs for years but the cost of providing such collection programs and the number of conveniently located sites has kept access out of reach of many residents. An EPR approach requires more convenience, which results in more compliance and recovery of more of the resources used in all batteries. Additionally, consumers are confused by Rechargeable Battery Only collections and EPR legislation covers all batteries, reducing confusion.
More work is expected to address damaged batteries in a safe manner, as well as address confusion over curbside recycling and special drop-off recycling. The best collection programs for E-Bike batteries and other is also evolving. NRC will continue to provide information to our members on this topic. |
| | NERC & NYSAR Conference Co-Discount |
| Registration is now open for NERC's Annual Fall Conference-overview which will be held October 28th to October 30th in Syracuse NY. NERC will be hosting this conference in partnership with the Center for Sustainable Material Management (CSMM) at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) and in collaboration with Syracuse University’s Center for Sustainable Community Solutions (CSCS).
Don't miss out on our Early Bird Discount, register before August 26th to receive 15% off your admission. Additionally, in collaboration with NYSAR3, a 15% discount is available for any attendee that will be registering for BOTH the NYSAR3 and NERC-CSMM Conferences. Visit NERC’s website to obtain the code and view discount terms.
Visit NERC.org for more information |
| | Elevate Your Brand at the National Recycling Congress |
| Join us at the November 19, 2024 National Recycling Congress, a premier event to showcase your brand, products, services, or message to a targeted audience of industry professionals. This year’s in-person Congress will be held at the Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown, NY, and includes an evening Reception at the end of Day 1 at the iconic National Baseball Hall of Fame. Sponsorship opportunities are vital to the success of this event and offer unparalleled visibility to over 7,000 reuse, recycling, and composting professionals nationwide. View our Sponsorship Flyer for detailed information.
To learn more about sponsoring the National Recycling Congress, contact Peter Adrian at 847-377-4952 or email us at sponsorships@nrcrecycles.org to secure your spot today! (Please note, booth space at the Otesaga Hotel is limited.) Together, We Are Recycling!. |
| | | 2024 NRC Annual Award Nominations are Open!! |
| Nominate yourself or a deserving colleague or program by September 23rd! Award Categories include: Lifetime Achievement in Recycling Recycler of the Year Bill Heenan Emerging Leader Award Outstanding Recycling Innovation Outstanding Recycling Organization Outstanding Corporate Leadership Outstanding Not-for-profit Business Leadership Outstanding Community or Government Program Outstanding Elected Leader Outstanding Public Education / Outreach Program Outstanding Market Development Outstanding Minority Leadership (business or individual) Outstanding Higher Education
Awards will be presented at the NRC Recycling Congress, held in partnership with NYSAR3, in person on November 19, 2024.
If you have questions, call Ann Gibbs (NRC Awards Committee Chair) at 970-443-2413 or email her at anngibbs457@gmail.com.
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| | |  | | | Stay In the Closed Loop on Grant Opportunities!There are loads of federal grants programs soliciting proposals on a wide variety of topics, including:
- Composting and Food Waste Reduction
- Agricultural and Food Research
- Solid Waste Infrastructure
- Environment and Climate Justice Community Change
- Healthy Communities
- Rural Energy Systems and Efficiency
- Small Business Innovation Research
Read More About Possible Grant Opportunities in Your Area→
Read About Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Opportunties→
2024 Olympic Metals Were Gold, Silver, Bronze…and GREEN? At this year's summer Olympic Games in Paris, scrap metal from renovations of the Eiffel Tower were used to make the center pieces of the gold, silver and bronze medals, with the hexagon-shaped piece forged out of the scrap iron. Hexagons are said to represent France, with the country sometime referred to as as "L'Hexagone" because of its shape. Six small clasps that hold the iron pieces in the medals are a nod at the 2.5 million rivets that bind the Eiffel Tower together. The back of the Olympic medals features the Greek goddess of victory, Nike, charging forward with the famous Acropolis can be seen on one side of her and the Eiffel Tower to the other. A French luxury jewelry firm based in Paris designed the medals and 5,084 of them were produced by France's mint, the Monnaie de Paris. A note from the past, the 2020 Games featured recycled metals from electronic devices. Read More from AP →
Reuse for Good in the Lonestar StateThe City of Austin has secured a $4 million grant from the EPA to establish a furniture reuse warehouse. The facility will accept furniture donations from the public, thrift store surplus, and bulk pick-up, and redistribute the items through local nonprofits at no cost. The primary beneficiaries will be individuals transitioning out of homelessness. Read More from Austin.gov→ |
| | Congratulations to Charles Kamenides on A Lifetime of Achievement! |
| Charles Kamenides, NRC’s Vice President, was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award this summer by RecycleColorado. Charlie is recognized for his work as Director of Solid Waste for the City of Longmont, a city that provides its own collection service. He has long been a leader in thoughtful, forward-looking innovations focusing on developing recycling, organics, and sustainability program initiatives that work and can be sustained at the community level. His success stories include early introduction of a PAYT system in Colorado, an extensive recycling program, quality metrics, transition to alternative fuel trucks, and a very successful curbside organics program. The City’s Sustainability Plan was aggressive but had the City’s backing. It used a true Triple Bottom Line approach, considering not just costs, benefits, and environmental effects, but considered social impacts as well. Beyond his City milieu, Charlie has contributed very directly to the recycling industry, through his active and positive leadership in Recycle Colorado president in 2022, Colorado SWANA, and the NRC where he chairs the conference committee. Charle is a very strong believer in mentoring the next generation, both within his department at the City and in his activities with professional associations. Charlie, we appreciate your service and significant contributions to advancing recycling and sustainability in Colorado, with the NRC, and beyond! |
| | Discounts for Recycling Training for NRC Members |
| GreenEducation.US offers online training specifically designed for Recycling Professionals. Register now for the Fall Semester of the Certificate in Sustainable Resource Management. NRC Members get 10% off using code “iNRC”
Contact Jill@greeneducation.us for more information or visit GreenEducation.US. |
| | Missed our Nonprofit Fundraising Webinar Series? We Got You! |
| Check out these recordings of our previous three Firespring webinars in this fantastic series! |
| Social Media 101 Are you working for a recycling organization or non-profit and want to make sure you’re using all of the tools available to you? Join NRC and our partner Firespring, a non-profit oriented marketing firm, for a deep dive into using social media for good. This webinar includes practical tips and tools for extending your cause and mission via social media, covering the basics of using social media for your nonprofit organization and giving you handy tips for the “big 4:” Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. |
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| Story Telling for Impact From the beginning of civilization, storytelling has maintained a uniquely impactful position in defining culture, motivating action and bringing people together. Today’s nonprofits need to be better storytellers than ever before as more and more stories are told all around us. Join Firespring’s Kiersten Hill as she goes through tips, techniques and tools to help your organization tell better and more impactful stories that will activate your audiences around ideas and actions. |
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| Cut Costs and Get Creative with Appeal Mailings Are you working for a recycling organization or non-profit and want to make sure you’re using all of the tools available to you? Join NRC and our partner Firespring, a non-profit oriented marketing firm, for a deep dive into using social media for good. This webinar includes practical tips and tools for extending your cause and mission via social media, covering the basics of using social media for your nonprofit organization and giving you handy tips for the “big 4:” Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. |
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| | | National Zero Waste Conferenceby Zero Waste USA Virtual: October 2-3, 2024 |
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| Oklahoma Recycling Association Conferenceby OKRA In-Person: October 8-9, Hulbert, OK |
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| Zero Waste USA: Intro to Zero Wasteby Zero Waste USA Virtual, October 15 2024 12pm-4pm est |
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| Advanced Zero Waste Planningby Zero Waste USA Virtual, October 22& 29 2024 |
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| NERC Annual Fall Conference by Northeast Recycling Coalition In-Person: October 28-30, Syracuse, NY |
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