December 2016 Newsletter

Advancing Waste Reduction and Recycling in the Carolinas Since 1989

Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, Happy Recycling!

As 2016 comes to a close, we would like to extend our warmest wishes of happiness and peace to you, o ur CRA family, this holiday season.

We'd like you to know that CRA is incredibly for tunate to have all of yo ur support and tireless work to further waste reduction and recycling in the Carolinas.

We lo ok forward to another wonderf ul year together in 2017 and hope you have a Happy New Year full of recycling successes!

Sincerely,

Mary, Jenn, Diane, and the CRA Board of Directors

CRA Now Accepting Award Nominations

Honoring the Best of Recycling in the Carolinas!

Each year, the Carolina Recycling Association honors top performers that advance waste reduction and recycling in the Carolinas. Award recipients will be honored at the 27th Annual Conference. The award categories have been consolidated into a general pool and a panel of judges will select outstanding individuals, projects, and/or programs to recognize with our 27th Annual Awards. The CRA will accept nominations that address all aspects of the industry as before, but we are focusing on recognizing the new and innovative projects that are improving the way recycling happens in the Carolinas. The awards are open to companies, individuals, governments, schools, organizations, non-profits, and councils. Projects and programs large and small are eligible. You are encouraged to nominate yourself or your program, or to nominate anyone you think is deserving!

Click here for awards details and the nomination form

Early Bird Discount Ends February 1st!

CRA 27th Annual Conference & Trade Show

March 27 - 30, 2017

Embassy Suites - Kingston Plantation
Myrtle Beach, SC

www.cra-recycle.org/2017conf

CRA Board of Directors Call for Nominations

Seeking Candidates for 2017 Elections

The CRA Board Development Committee is seeking recommendations for CRA Board nominees for the 2017-2020 board positions. In order to represent the diverse views and regional character of the membership, the committee has identified the following areas of special interest for the upcoming board election cycle: SC government representatives, school/university representatives, and/or members with past experience as a treasurer or in financial management. These are not prerequisites and members without these qualifications are equally encouraged to apply.

CRA board members provide leadership to fulfill the CRA's mission and goals. If you are currently a CRA member in good standing, you have a good work ethic, industry experience, you have the time to conduct board business and the ability to travel North and South Carolina for meetings, you may be the perfect candidate.

The deadline for submission is January 13, 2017.

Please do not nominate a candidate without their consent to become a candidate.

2017 Scholarships Available for South Carolinians!

Want to attend, but don't have the funds? Apply for a Scholarship

The Carolina Recycling Association (CRA), in collaboration with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC), The Recycling Market Development Advisory Council (RMDAC), and South Carolina Department of Commerce (SC DOC) is offering scholarships to South Carolina residents to attend the 2017 Carolina Recycling Association Conference in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Scholarships are need based. Applications are due by January 27 and awardees will be notified on or before February 8th.

View detailed scholarship info and download the application

EPA And The Recycling Partnership Release Report

Report Outlines Findings on State Of Curbside Recycling

The US EPA and The Recycling Partnership have just completed a study on the state of curbside recycling in the US in 2016. The resultant report - now publicly available HERE - provides analysis of key curbside recycling attributes that influence performance.

Key findings from the report show that a host of different characteristics work together to support the strongest recovery of bottles, cans, containers and paper. It also suggests that there is enormous potential for growth in the volume of recyclables we can recover in our communities.

Of the 465 cities researched, the average annual pounds per household collected was 357 pounds per household per year out of a potential 800-1000 pounds that could be recycled yearly; or 35%-45%
Programs that recycle at the highest level, over 400 pounds per household per year, provide curbside recycling services automatically alongside curbside trash collection services as opposed to programs where a recycling container is optional
Cart-based recycling programs bring in over 100 pounds more recyclables per year than bin programs

Read the full release and access the report at The Recycling Partnership

Your Bottle Means Jobs Launches New Video

Video Shows How Plastic Bottle Travels from the Bin into New Products


	Check out the Your Bottle Means Jobs Video

The SC Department of Commerce recently partnered with the NC Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service to host a two-day conference in Rock Hill featuring the South Carolina Carpet Recovery Coalition and the Carolinas Plastics Recycling Council (CPRC) meetings. One of the newest highlights revealed at the event was a hot-off-the-press bottle recycling video launched from the "Your Bottle Means Jobs" campaign in partnership with NAPCOR. The video shows how a plastic bottle goes from the recycling bin and is made into new products, highlighting the 3,500+ jobs and the economic impact of the plastic recycling industry in the Carolinas.

Read the full story on the CPRC/CARE Conference

Member Spotlight

Clemson & USC Team Up with Michelin to Create Sustainability Course

SC's two largest universities and Michelin North America announced a joint effort to improve sustainability in the tire industry.

"One SC to Sustain" will launch in January when Clemson University and the University of South Carolina begin offering a new academic course that will create a path from the classroom to the tire industry, according to a news release. Students in the class will visit tire manufacturing facilities, meet professionals in the industry and listen to guest speakers throughout the semester.

"This is a great opportunity for students to get real-world experience in a highly relevant field," Clemson Professor Gregory Mocko said, in the release. "South Carolina is the No. 1 state for tire manufacturing. We see this as a fertile ground for innovation that could make the whole tire industry more sustainable. Michelin brought together the two universities to work on this issue, which speaks volumes about its potential and importance to the tire industry."

Read the full story at GSA Business

If You S"news" You Lose

Send Us Your Stories for the Newsletter!

We strive to highlight CRA member news and programs going on in NC and SC, business news and developments from our business and industry partners, and others that are involved in our organization in our monthly newsletter. If you've got something going on, toot your own horn! We want to share what you're doing with our network of recyclers. Don't be shy. Contact us with ideas, news, events, and editorials at [email protected].