Making Recycling Connections CRA's 2nd Recycling Business Connections a "Homerun!"

Over 125 recycling business representatives met in Charlotte on October 14 for Recycling Business Connections.  The event was a success providing attendees with the opportunity to connect with many other recycling businesses, learn more about other recycling businesses, and build new relationships all within a few hours.

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America Recycles Day - November 15 Bathroom, Bags & Gadgets Theme for 2015 ARD Events

 
Since 1997, communities across the country have come together on - and in the weeks leading into - Nov. 15 to celebrate America Recycles Day (ARD), a national initiative of Keep America Beautiful.   This year's theme shines a light on some of the everyday, but not "top of mind" consumer products, which can and should be given another life through recycling including personal care items commonly found in the bathroom, plastic bags, and consumer electronics.

Between Oct. 15 and Nov. 20, individuals are encouraged to demonstrate their recycling spirit and automatically be entered for a chance to win an Apple Certified Refurbished iPad mini 3 in the "I Will Recycle" sweepstakes by posting a photo on Twitter at @KABTweet or @RecyclesDay or @KeepAmericaBeautiful on Instagram holding a recyclable product that they pledge to recycle with the hashtags #IWillRecycle and #Sweepstakes.

What are you doing for ARD?  
Register your event and check out the event toolkit here.  Send your pics and info from your ARD event to CRA for the newsletter.

NC Bill Leaves E-Scrap Program Intact Bill with Potential To Do Away with NC's E-Scrap Program Revised

 
House Bill 765 gained the approval of NC legislators in the House on Sept. 29 and was signed by Governor Pat McCrory on Oct. 22. While an earlier version of the wide-reaching legislation would have defunded the state's e-scrap program, the ratified version instead recommends a comprehensive study to be conducted by the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources in consultation with manufacturers, retailers and other stakeholders.

"In conducting this study, the Department shall consider (i) the changing waste stream, including the transition from televisions containing cathode ray tubes to flat screen televisions; (ii) the current status of NC's recycling system, including cost and financing issues, and options that may be available to reduce costs and establish sufficient funding to cover necessary costs; (iii) opportunities for more efficient and effective recycling systems; and (iv) any other issue the Department deems relevant," the bill reads.

Findings of the study will have to be reported by April 1, 2016.

Not long ago, the bill included very different language. When it was passed by the Senate in mid-July, the measure repealed the state's manufacturer-funded program. At the time, it faced strong opposition from local collection programs as well as the state chapter of the Sierra Club.

2014 PET Container Recycling Rate Holds US Recovery Rate for PET Containers Holds at 31% for Third Year

The National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) and the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) have released the "Report on Postconsumer PET Container Recycling Activity in 2014," revealing a 2014 U.S. recycling rate of 31 percent for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. The 2014 rate is consistent with that of 2013, reflecting year-over-year increases in both U.S. PET bottle collection volumes and in total volume of PET resin used in U.S. PET bottle production, the associations say. Gross exports of PET fell again in 2014, continuing a five-year trend, while total pounds of recycled PET used in domestic end  markets increased to the highest level seen to date, according to the report.

"We continue to see strong domestic demand for recycled PET in fiber, sheet, bottles and other end market sectors, with more than 773 million pounds of clean, processed recycled material closing the loop by going back into the production of PET bottles and packaging," says Tom Busard, NAPCOR chairman, chief procurement officer for Plastipak Packaging Inc. and president of Clean Tech, Plastipak's recycling affiliate. "Despite some very real challenges in 2014, including low oil prices and volatile markets, the North American PET reclamation industry continues to process and market more material than ever before. Brand companies, retailers and product and package designers continue to seek out recycled PET's preferred environmental footprint."

Catawba County Wins NRC Award Catawba County Received the 2015 Outstanding Community Or Government Program Award

The National Recycling Coalition has named Catawba County's recycling program and EcoComplex as the winner of its 2015 Outstanding Community or Government Program Award.  Catawba County has ranked first in North Carolina in the amount of material recycled, per person, over three of the last four years. For Fiscal Year 2013-2014, Catawba County averaged 507.55 pounds recycled, per person.

"Recycling and being kind to the environment is the way of life for many Catawbans, but it's also about the local government's commitment to environmental sustainability that contributes to the program's overall success," said David Freeman, a member of the National Recycling Coalition's Board of Directors as he presented the award. "From the many recycling programs offered throughout the county to its innovative EcoComplex and Blackburn Resource Recovery Facility, Catawba County continues to be a leader in recycling, waste reduction and solid waste management! Being a sustainable program...an innovative twist on recycling and solid waste management...Catawba County's EcoComplex components continue to evolve to meet the goal of developing a system that will recover useable products and by-products from private and public partners that will work together to use each other's waste products either as a source of energy or as a raw material for the manufacture of their own product."

NC RBAC 2016 Grant Deadline Approaching Proposals are Due by November 10

RBAC is now accepting applications for grant projects for the 2016 Recycling Business Development Grant Round.  They are seeking  viable,  well-planned  proposals  from  recycling businesses in NC that build lasting, private-sector capacity to divert materials from the waste stream and create  NC  jobs.  RBAC encourages you to consider applying for this grant if you are a recycling business in North Carolina seeking to increase or expa nd your recovery efforts.  

Previous grant winners are eligible to apply for 2016 grant funding under the following conditions:  (1) the project has been completed and the contract is closed; or, (2) the grantee has requested reimbursement for at least 90% of their grant award by November 10, 2015.

CRA Board of Directors

President Amanda Kain Catawba County Vice President Harris DeLoach III Sonoco Recycling Secretary Amanda Fairley Waste Management Treasurer Wes Westbrooks BMW Manufacturing Board Development Chair Michael Talbert Mecklenburg County

Chad Beane Moore County Public Works Lynn Bestul New Hanover County Anne Blindt Recycling Consultant Patrick Darrow Recycling Consultant John Demary Pitt County Solid Waste & Recycling

Paul Hanna MetalTech Systems Brett Henderson PowerHouse Recycling Tonya Randell Moore Recycling Associates Rusty Smith Santee Cooper Karen Terry-Johnson Becker Complete Compactor