Full of Scrap Newsletter- November 3, 2021 |
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Your source for recycling & waste reduction news in the Northeast (and beyond). |
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NH Solid Waste Working Group Holds Organizational Meeting |
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The NH Solid Waste Working Group, which is designed to assist the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) with planning for New Hampshire's solid waste future, held its organizational meeting on Friday, October 29 from 9:30 to 11:30 AM. The meeting included a discussion of HB 413, the selection of Representative Karen Ebel as Chair of the Working Group, and a discussion of member interests in participating in the group. Reagan Bissonnette, NRRA Executive Director, and representatives from several NRRA member communities are members of the group and attended. A recording of the meeting is also available.
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Recycling Markets Forecast: Looking into NRRA's Crystal Ball |
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As NRRA member communities work on their budgets for 2022, we have been asked to provide our best guess on whether next year will bring a year where recyclables increase in value or start to return to the low values we saw earlier. After looking into our crystal ball (which includes speaking with our knowledgeable vendors), NRRA has prepared its best prediction for members. We anticipate pricing will stay better than a year ago, and we’re certainly past the initial shocking drop in pricing resulting from China’s National Sword policy in 2018. However, we expect the high commodity values (and lower single and dual stream costs) we’ve seen in recent months to begin moderating as soon as this month.
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NRRA Welcomes New Communications Coordinator, Andrea Folsom! |
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Andrea Folsom has joined NRRA as our new Communications Coordinator. With a BA in psychology from Macalester College and a Master of Social Work from the University of Iowa, Andrea combines her love of connecting people and communities, with her passion for art and design in her digital media work. She is excited to bring her skillset to NRRA to help launch the upcoming Recycle Right Campaign. As a native Granite Stater, you’ll find Andrea hiking, hanging with her family, and treasure hunting at the new-to-you table at her local transfer station!
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NRRA Presents on Glass Recycling at Maine Conference |
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On Monday, October 18, NRRA Executive Director, Reagan Bissonnette, spoke at the Maine Resource Recovery Association Conference about NRRA's source separated glass recycling programs. Despite the challenges that exist with glass recycling in New England, NRRA has two successful programs that allow over 100 communities to recycle and reuse their glass, serving over 500,000 residents in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts. The first, which accepts food grade glass bottles and jars only, sends glass to a vendor in Canada to be processed and later made into new glass bottles and jars and fiberglass insulation back in the United States. The second glass program involves crushes glass bottles and jars, plus materials like porcelain, Pyrex, and ceramics where allowed like in NH, into an aggregate to be used in infrastructure projects.
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Keene Backyard Composting Pilot Program Gets a "Thumbs Up" from Volunteers |
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This summer, just twelve residents personally composted over one and a half tons (1,653 pounds) of food scraps from their homes as part of the Keene Backyard Compost Pilot Program. These volunteers were recipients of either a Green Cone Solar Digester or a Subpod to compost their food scraps. The City of Keene funded the purchase of the equipment, and the Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA) facilitated the setup of the program.
NRRA’s Member Services Representative, Heather Herring, was encouraged by the volunteers’ enthusiasm. “Some residents were trying this for the first time and had great questions for me along the way. I hope that the volunteers continue to help the City of Keene to decrease the weight of their waste and help the city save money in waste disposal fees. Overall, the program was given a thumbs up by the volunteers and their families.”
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The October NRRA Pricing Guide is Now Available |
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Our website has a section that houses the NRRA Monthly Pricing Guide as well as many other pricing lists. These pricing lists are only accessible to NRRA Municipal Voting Members. If you are an NRRA Municipal Voting Member and want access to this part of the website, simply visit the site to create your new username and password.
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NRRA's 2021 Annual Meeting (Virtual)
Wednesday, November 10, 2021
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM EDT
NRRA's Annual Meeting will be held remotely this year as a free event for NRRA members. In addition to the NRRA Annual Recycling Awards, organization updates and voting matters, the meeting will feature a special presentation about Recycling Markets by Chaz Miller, CEO Chaz Miller Associates and former Director, National Waste & Recycling Association. The meeting agenda and proposed NRRA Board Slate is now available!
*Please note: The NRRA Office will be closed during this meeting so that our staff can attend.
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Recycling in NH: State of Recycling Markets |
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Save the Date!
Wednesday, November 17 through Friday, November 19
NRRA staff will be presenting virtually at the NH Municipal Association's 80th Annual Conference.
Program Description: You have likely heard about the supposed death of recycling in recent years. But have you heard that recycling has been thriving in recent months, in part due to the pandemic? Join representatives from the Northeast Resource Recovery Association, a recycling nonprofit that helps New Hampshire communities sell their recyclables, about the economics of the current recycling markets and the resulting impacts on New Hampshire community solid waste budgets.
Presented by: Reagan Bissonnette, Executive Director, Northeast Resource Recovery Association
Bonnie Bethune, Sr. Member Services Representative, Northeast Resource Recovery Association
Track(s): Finance & Taxation, Governance/Select Boards, Land Use & Environment, Public Works
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Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge for Schools |
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Trex® will be holding its 15th annual Plastic Film Recycling Challenge, which will begin on November 15, 2021 (America Recycles Day) and run through April 22, 2022 (Earth Day).
To enroll in the Plastic Film Recycling Challenge, schools can sign up by simply completing a short form on www.recycle.trex.com. Once enrolled, Trex makes participation easy by supplying each school with a turnkey toolkit, including detailed instructions, promotional materials, recycling bins and a list of qualifying recyclable materials, which range from plastic grocery bags and newspaper sleeves to cereal liners and case overwraps (list). Schools can also leverage the easy-to-navigate Trex recycling website that features engaging content and educational resources.
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Announcements:
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November 10, 2021 - NRRA's 2021 Annual Meeting (Virtual) - Our office will be closed from 9 AM to 10:30 while our staff attends the meeting.
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November 11, 2021 - Veteran's Day- NRRA Office Closed. Thank you to all Military Veterans!
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November 25 & 26, 2021 - Thanksgiving Holiday - NRRA Office Closed
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NRRA Classifieds
Do you have a job opening you need to fill or used equipment to sell? Submit it to us at info@nrrarecycles.org and we'll share it on our website and in future issues of Full of Scrap.
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What We're Reading & Other News
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Northeast Resource Recovery Association
Epsom, NH 03234
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