|
NRC News and Events
|
|
|
|
|
NRC Pledges to Advance Organization's Diversity
The Board of Directors of the National Recycling Coalition (NRC), the country’s oldest nonprofit recycling advocate, has committed itself to developing and implementing an action plan to manifest a more inclusive, equitable, and environmentally sustainable organization. NRC leaders will reevaluate past initiatives to advance diversity, and will work with previous NRC Minority Recycling Council members to support renewed engagement on the issues.
|
The NRC recognizes the need to live up to its values and stated guidelines for diversity and inclusion. Given the number of intersections between sustainability and social justice, it is imperative that the NRC take strong action to ensure NRC leadership reflects the diversity of the communities its members serve.
|
|
|
|
Senate Committee Addresses Recycling Challenges
On June 17, NRC Board Member and CEO of More Recycling, Nina Bellucci Butler, presented powerful testimony to the US Senate Environment and Public Works Committee about the urgent need for North Star federal policies and legislation to incentivize producer responsibility, drive recycled content purchasing and place a value on carbon—an “eco-modulation fee,” adjusted by performance (better design = lower fees).
|
At the oversight hearing, Responding to the Challenges Facing Recycling in the US, Butler stated that after 20 years as a leading expert in plastics recycling, she has reached a firm conclusion: “We need significant policy to right our course for plastic waste, which is inextricably linked to climate change,” adding that leaders in both consumer brands and petrochemical companies now support policy adoption, anticipating a competitive advantage when the right economic drivers are in place. Comments on the hearing end tomorrow, so provide your feedback asap!
|
|
|
|
Recruit College Students Now for Fall Internships
Agencies, organizations, and companies can often recruit interns through the NRC's Campus Council. A simple online form is posted to targeted databases for students, faculty, and career service professionals. To create a successful internship, begin the process here: organization application.
|
Take advantage of this valuable service of the NRC’s Campus Council, which creates stronger linkages between higher ed and the sustainable materials management industry. For more information, visit www.nrcrecycles.org/campus or e-mail [email protected].
|
|
|
|
Member Spotlight: Recycle Colorado
Recycle Colorado is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that governs the only annual recycling summit in Colorado. They have consistently served members through policy, program rollouts, and business development. The organization has adopted goals of working on projects that are tangible, actionable and measurable; related to infrastructure and end markets for material recovery, reuse and manufacturing.
|
The annual Summit for Recycling is Colorado’s only conference and exhibition that brings together businesses and organizations dedicated to the principles of the circular economy and material waste reduction, recovery and diversion. This year’s agenda is complete with educational sessions, a variety of keynotes and presenters, a business partner showcase, and several site tours. Kristin Kim Haynes recently became the Executive Director, after a career in leadership and non-profits.
|
"We share the National Recycling Coalition's focus on waste reduction, reuse, recycling and composting. Being at the center of the Rocky Mountain's recycling industry, and supported by like-minded impactful organizations like NRC, provides businesses with the resources they need to thrive," said Kristin Kim Haynes, Executive Director for Recycle Colorado. "Through strong collaboration at the state and local levels, we are looking forward to helping clean tech industry companies expand Colorado. State incentives to invest and take root here are a key component in our advancement and leadership, and we are proud to have such a well-rounded support system."
|
|
|
|
NERC Launches Recycling Demand Champion Program
The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) and Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) have launched the Government Recycling Demand Champion Program to promote the purchase of plastic products with post-consumer recycled content.
|
A companion to APR’s well-established Recycling Demand Champions program, this initiative is tailored to state, regional and local governments around the United States. It is hosted by NERC, working in close collaboration with APR.
|
Among the products with post-consumer recycled content (PCR) that government entities are encouraged to purchase will be plastics like infrastructure drainage pipes, trash bags, roll-out carts, recycling and garbage containers, plastic lumber, and more.
|
|
|
|
NRC Call for Board Nominations Opening Soon!
|
Interested in making a difference at the national level? Consider running for the NRC Board of Directors. Details are coming soon! Contact NRC for more information and to learn more about serving on the Board.
|
|
|
|
Help Populate & Promote Circularity-In-Action Tools
Following up on the successful April 2020 webinar, Recycling Markets Outlook Forum, where participants identified lack of recycling markets and the need for producer responsibility as their greatest challenges, the National Recycling Coalition joins More Recycling and its partners in inviting continued engagement on The Recycling Market Development Platform at circularityinaction.com, where business, government and consumers can connect with tools and resources to buy recycled and celebrate leadership and successes in moving the circular economy forward.
|
Platform creators and collaborators are striving to create transparency around the environmental impacts of product and packaging material decisions, in order to drive more sustainable use of resources and build availability of optimized recovery systems.
|
Use of the platform and the tools within it are free and have been designed to support a wide range of audiences. Site visitors are first invited to “identify your role”—citizens, governments/institutions, commercial business/organizations, brands/manufacturers, converters, virgin material producers, recycled material processors, sorters and collectors. Options for appropriate tools can then be selected: to buy products made with recycled content; to design for recycling; to use recycled content; to produce quality feedstock; and to recycle right.
|
|
|
|
You CAN't Afford to Miss This Free Webinar About Cans
The Can Manufacturing Institute is organizing a free webinar on July 16 at 2PM ET building on a recently released report about how the relatively high value of aluminum cans is a vital driver of the U.S. recycling system and how capturing the missorted aluminum cans at the MRF can generate needed revenue to create a healthier U.S. recycling system. Aluminum used beverage cans (UBCs) have consistently driven the economic viability of many recycling programs. In fact, a recent report released by the Can Manufacturers Institute, Aluminum Beverage Can: Driver of the U.S. Recycling System, found that without the revenue stream from UBCs, most material recovery facilities (MRFs) in the United States would not be able to operate without making other changes to their business practices. In spite of its relatively high value, the report also finds that up to 25 percent of UBCs entering MRFs are missorted and do not end up in UBC bales. Additional aluminum can capture equipment, such as eddy current separators and robots, can capture many of these missorted aluminum cans and, because of the can’s relatively high value, can pay for themselves in as short as one year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
State News: COVID-19 Relief to Assist Recycling Programs in North Carolina
In an effort to help keep struggling recycling programs going, the N.C. Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service (DEACS) announced a new grant funding opportunity available to North Carolina local governments and private recycling businesses through the COVID-19 Recycling Relief Grant Program. Proposals are now being accepted for projects to purchase equipment and/or resources to support residential recycling programs that have been stopped or impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. DEACS is seeking grant projects that support or improve an existing recycling program operated by a local government or a private recycling business. Applicants can request up to $20,000 in state grant funding and are required to provide a cash match equivalent to at least 20 percent of the requested grant funding. Eligible applicants include local governments OR private recycling businesses.
|
|
|
|
Plastics Recycling Bill Introduced
Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives have put forth legislation focused on reducing plastic waste and bolstering plastics recycling. The Plastic Waste Reduction and Recycling Act, introduced today, directs various federal agencies and offices to take steps to support plastics recycling. A bill summary is available here.
|
The bipartisan bill was introduced by Reps. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., and Anthony Gonzaler, R-Ohio. Stevens, who is chairwoman of the House Science Subcommittee on Research and Technology, helped launch the Congressional Plastics Solutions Task Force in December.
|
|
|
|
|
|
  
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|