***GCR President's Report***
GCR 'Represents' at
ISRI Summer Meeting
Becky Proler
GCR President
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Coming to our U.S. capital July 11-13 for ISRI’s quarterly board meeting was quite a remarkable experience. Many topics were discussed and new relationships were formed by our board members.
I want to thank our GCR executive committee—Alton Schaubhut, Chip DeJean, Brandi Harleaux, and Nidhi Turakhia—for making the trip to Washington, D.C. Many GCR members also attended the meetings, and I am grateful for their support.
Here are just some of the meeting’s highlights:
Tuesday, July 11
Our meetings opened with ISRI Chair Brian Henesey and ISRI President Robin Wiener welcoming us to Washington and ISRI’s congressional fly-in event. Our fly-in appointments on Capitol Hill were our first face-to-face meetings with congressional elected officials since the start of the pandemic.
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GCR was well-represented at ISRI's summer board meeting in Washington, D.C., with officers (l to r) Alton Schaubhut, Becky Proler, Brandi Harleaux, and Chip DeJean attending meetings and participating in the congressional fly-in. |
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Wednesday, July 12
Starting early in the morning, our GCR members and leaders met with many of the U.S. representatives and senators from their states. The issues discussed included asking the federal government to recognize recycling as a vital part of the supply chain. That recognition is needed so that ISRI members in the future do not have to advocate at the last minute to keep their businesses open. Discussion topics also included how Congress will respond to the U.S. EPA designation of PFASs as hazardous waste and how recycling companies, as “passive receivers,” cannot be responsible for future liabilities.
After our fly-in meetings, the ISRI Shredder Committee met to discuss important topics such as reducing the risk of fires in our recycling yards, federal air-emission regulations, and electric-vehicle batteries. ISRI plans to hold another Shredder Operations & Safety Forum, Oct. 25-27 in Atlanta, which will focus on shredder-related maintenance, safe practices, and supply-chain concerns.
The day concluded with the Chapter Presidents dinner. This is a unique opportunity for executive committee members of ISRI’s chapters and regions to network with each other. We understood common issues and the strength we have when we work together.
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Some GCR members at the ISRI summer meeting took part in the congressional fly-in on Capitol Hill, discussing important industry issues with their elected officials. |
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Thursday, July 13
The day began with a meeting of ISRI’s Safe Operations Committee, which reminded attendees about the importance of
■ understanding blind spots in our operations,
■ requesting permission to enter areas where equipment is operating, and
■ making eye contact with operators.
The committee also noted that ISRI now offers a new online safety training course on electric-vehicle batteries. Learn more about this members-only benefit HERE.
A bit later that day, the Government Relations Committee talked about how our states and the federal government can communicate and collaborate better on focus areas, especially given we are in a time when it’s common for issues from one state to spread to another. There is a need to redefine a strategy that allows ISRI national to react quicker and be more responsive to the needs of our regions while fostering collaborative conversations across geographic borders, ideally helping our industry be more responsive and nimbler. These talks are just beginning, and we will continue to keep you informed on the progress.
Environmental justice (EJ) is one of the topics the Government Relations Committee will continue to focus on. ISRI’s Environmental Justice Working Group recently launched an online members-only portal that offers information on EJ, shares success stories of the work members are doing in their communities, and provides a checklist for members to determine if they are taking day-to-day actions in their companies that best position them in a positive light. We encourage you to check out this member portal and share any feedback you might have. (Log in HERE using your ISRI member credentials to access the EJ resources.)
Meanwhile, ISRI’s Workforce Development Subcommittee—part of the Education & Training Committee—is creating an online member-only portal that will provide resources to help members identify nontraditional sources of talent, templates for 30/60/90-day employee onboarding plans, and links for intern programs. Access this member benefit HERE.
I invite all GCR members to join me and the other GCR officers at ISRI’s fall board meeting Oct. 16-18 in Denver. Click HERE to learn more—and I hope to see you in Denver.
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For more information on the Gulf Coast Region,
visit gulfisri.com or contact one of the following officers:
Second VP: Chip DeJean, Louisiana Scrap Metal Recycling
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