After two years of virtual retreats, the SERDC Board were back in person in Flat Rock, NC to welcome new board members Natalie Betts (Balcones Resources), Patrick McDonald (Sonoco Recycling), Sam Trimble (Transportation Safety Apparel) and Laura Hennemann (SMI) and craft the organization work plan for the year.

The board spent a good portion of the retreat working on updating the mission of SERDC to "Promote recycling and its economic benefits in the Southeast by strengthening relationships across the recycling value chain." Within that mission, the vision of "To be the catalyst for superior recycling performance and economic impact in the Southeast" was crafted. The board identified missing membership potential that could offer valuable input to achieving this mission and vision and will be focusing much of this year on bringing in new resources to advance the mission.

Recycling means jobs and income. Do you know the economic impact recycling has in your state? That's a core specialty service that SERDC can offer, as well as other professional services. SERDC has worked with the states of Alabama and Tennessee as well as with trade organizations like the Glass Packaging Institute to look at economic impact, MRF processing infrastructure and material intake. If you have a recycling idea that needs researched or an issue that needs studied, reach out to us at info@serdc.org. Learn more.

Join the Glass Recycling Coalition (GRC) to learn more about its material recovery facility (MRF) glass certification program and discover how your MRF can set itself apart from others by becoming certified. The free MRF glass certification program recognizes MRFs with cleaning equipment and operational procedures in place to produce high-quality and marketable glass cullet in both single- and dual-stream systems.

The webinar will feature three members of the GRC MRF certification committee as speakers:

The webinar will cover the basics of the program, how to apply, why certification is important, and what is new with the application for 2023. Register here.

Recycling Day at the Statehouse is a unique opportunity to meet with South Carolina law makers. Businesses, industry players, non-profits, and individuals interested in getting to know their representatives and ensuring a healthy recycling industry in South Carolina are encouraged to attend and sponsor.

An afternoon program for attendees will begin at 3pm followed by a reception and networking with legislators from 4:30-7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 21st. SERDC and CRA members can attend for free. Instructions on registering as a SERDC member can be found here.

SERDC is working with Kentucky DEP and UPike to hold a symposium on the campus of the University of Pikeville this spring. The Symposium will cover the state of recycling in the Commonwealth. Thursday's sessions will focus on the impact of recycling, both within the state and regionally (with SERDC presenting). Friday will be focused on the benefit of a state recycling coalition, which currently, Kentucky does not have.

There is a room block available through the Hampton Inn in Pikeville, Kentucky for those needing overnight accommodations. Learn more.

Eligible communities can receive up to $5,000 for effective carton recycling education efforts. Interested entities must sign up by Earth Day, April 22, 2023. Learn more.

The WBENC standard of certification implemented by the WBDC Midwest is a meticulous process including an in-depth review of the business, interview and site inspection. The certification process is designed to confirm the business is at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by a woman or women. By including women-owned businesses among their suppliers, corporations and government agencies demonstrate their commitment to fostering diversity and the continued development of their supplier diversity programs.