Monthly News & Updates in the Southeast
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Upcoming Events
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
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Upcoming Webinars
Tuesday March 12: 2:00-3:30 pm ET
Learn about how conducting student food waste audits connects students to real world, problem solving through project-based learning, and formal classroom learning through the World Wildlife Fund’s Food Waste Warrior Toolkit, Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future’s FoodSpan curriculum, Farm to School initiatives, and Green Schools Alliance incentives.
Thursday March 14: 1:30-3:00 pm ET
Because source reduction can be challenging to understand, quantify and implement, in this webinar (the third in a series) you’ll learn about the definition of source reduction, and examples of award-winning cases at a restaurant, state park, and county correctional facility that prevent wasted food at the source.
EPA's Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Web Academy
Thursday April 4: 1:30-3:00 pm ET
The need to develop a strong municipal/regional contract for solid waste and recycling services has become increasingly important due to market changes and reduced revenues for recyclables.
NERC (Northeast Recycling Council) will host this free webinar.
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SERDC News & Announcements
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Funding still available for household recycling infrastructure
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Grant funding is available to communities in the Southeast region covered by SERDC for recycling infrastructure. Increasing the quality and amount of materials collected in a sustainable way is crucial for processors of the collected material and will lead to growth to the growth of demand for use in manufacturing.
The first round of funds available is $250,000 and requires matching funds.
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Greif Completes Acquisition of Caraustar Industries
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Posted February 11, 2019 on Grief.com
Greif, Inc. (NYSE: GEF, GEF.B), a global leader in industrial packaging products and services, announced today that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Caraustar Industries, Inc.
"I am pleased that we have completed the acquisition of Caraustar Industries and I welcome our new colleagues to the Greif team," said Pete Watson, Greif's President and Chief Executive Officer. "The addition of Caraustar bolsters our leadership position and enhances our existing portfolio of packaging solutions. We look forward to delivering on the opportunities that the addition of Caraustar provides for our team, our customers and our shareholders."
Grief is a Gold Sponsor member of SERDC.
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APR buying publisher, conference organizer Resource Recycling
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Posted March 6, 2019 on PlasticsNews.com
A longtime recycling publisher and trade show organizer is being taken over by the Association of Plastic Recyclers.
The purchase of Resource Recycling Inc. includes three print publications, three websites and three conferences all centered around recycling.
The assets include the annual Plastics Recycling Conference as well as Plastics Recycling Update magazine and its website.
The trade group has been a years-long partner with the company for the Plastics Recycling Conference, which has seen steady growth over the years. That conference, slated for March 11-13 near Washington, D.C., is expected to attract more than 2,000 attendees this year.
Both Resource-Recycling and APR are Business members of SERDC.
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Your Input Needed Today!
NRC National Zero Waste Conference 2020
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The NRC is very interested in obtaining your feedback regarding a 2020 National Zero Waste Conference for Zero Waste communities and busine
sses.
by 3 p.m. on March 12, 2019.
NRC is a Non-Profit member of SERDC.
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Pratt Industries brings new manufacturing facility to Botetourt, VA
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Posted February 26, 2019 on wfirnews.com
Governor Ralph Northam today announced that Pratt Industries, Inc., the world’s largest privately held, 100 percent recycled paper and packaging company, will invest over $20 million to establish a new paper packaging and shipping materials manufacturing operation in the Botetourt County Shell Building. The facility will be Pratt’s second manufacturing operation in Virginia and will allow the company to increase market share and grow sales of its paper-based packaging and shipping materials within Virginia and the surrounding states. Virginia successfully competed with multiple states for the project, which will create 50 new jobs.
“We are thrilled that Pratt Industries will establish its second Virginia manufacturing operation in Botetourt County, expanding its footprint in the Commonwealth and creating 50 new jobs,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “Pratt Industries is at the forefront of sustainable and recyclable packaging, and has led the way in the creation of green-collar jobs with over 8,000 employees worldwide. Advanced manufacturers of this caliber are a welcome addition to Virginia’s corporate roster, and we are confident that Pratt will be a strong addition to the Roanoke region’s booming manufacturing industry cluster.”
Pratt is a Platinum Sponsor member of SERDC.
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State spurs private investments, job creation through grants to North Carolina recycling businesses
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Posted March 1, 2019 on Deq.NC.gov.com
The state Department of Environmental Quality’s Recycling Program recently provided $511,000 in recycling business development grants to 17 North Carolina recycling companies that are expected to create 38 jobs and generate more than $1.3 million in new, private business investments while reducing the state’s dependence on landfill disposal.
“Recycling businesses provide high quality jobs for North Carolinians, spur economic growth and keep valuable materials out of the waste stream,” said DEQ Secretary Michael Regan.”
For the second year in a row, DEQ gave priority to projects that improve North Carolina’s capacity to domestically process and use mixed paper and non-bottle plastics. Beginning in 2018, China stopped importing these materials which has led to adjustments in the global marketplace. By prioritizing projects that strengthen local markets, DEQ is working to keep valuable materials in-state and decrease reliance on foreign buyers.
NC DEQ is a Government member of SERDC.
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Fiber consumers to increase recycled appetite
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Posted March 6, 2019 on Resource-Recycling.com
The latest announcements, from Port Townsend Paper Co. and Pratt Industries, add to the trend of U.S. manufacturers increasing recovered fiber consumption capacity. These developments have been closely watched by recycling stakeholders across the country, as municipal programs and MRFs struggle to find markets for certain recycled fiber grades.
The two latest announcements join a handful of recycled paper consumers planning capacity increases.
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Walmart unveils plan to reduce plastic packaging waste, boost How2Recycle
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Posted February 27, 2019 on WasteDive.com
Walmart is partnering with its private labels on a number of initiatives including: achieving 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging for private brands by 2025; achieving 20% post-consumer recycled content in private brand packaging by 2025; labeling all food and consumable private brand packaging with the How2Recycle label by 2022; eliminating PVC in general merchandise packaging by 2020; and decreasing private brand plastic packaging.
"As a global retailer that has set an ambitious aspirational goal to create zero waste, we fully recognize that reducing plastic waste by increasing packaging circularity is an area where Walmart can lead," Laura Phillips, Walmart's senior vice president of global sustainability, said in a statement.
Walmart has also backed the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Beyond 34 project and signed both the G7 Oceans Plastics Charter and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy Global Commitment.
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