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August 2011
2011 Board of Directors Elections
NRC Helps Develop and Gains Support for Senate Resolution Reinforcing the Importance of Recycling to the US Economy
Congressional Briefing: NRC Offers Input on Recycling and its Role in Developing a US 'Clean Economy'
Resource Recycling Conference: Join Us In Indy!
NRC Events at the Resource Recycling Conference
Opening Night Reception at Victory Field Presented by IRC and NRC
Leading the Charge: A Webinar on Local Government's Role in the Product Stewardship Movement
NRC's 13th 'Recycling Works' Fundraiser: A Noteworthy Event
WASTECON 2011
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Upcoming Events

 

ROC Meeting

Indianapolis, IN

August 16 

Details 

 

 

 Resource Recycling Conference & NRC Meetings

Indianapolis, IN
August 16-18

Details
 

 

 

WASTECON 2011

Nashville, TN

August 23-25

Details

 

Welcome to the  

NRC eNews

 

Am I a Member of NRC?

 

If you are a member of an affiliated Recycling Organization, you are a member. If you'd like to join or make a donation as an individual, click here. If your state is not an affiliated Recycling Organization, tell them you'd like them to be!

 

 

Please Note:

  

All communication, payables and/or receivables should be mailed to the following address ONLY:

 

National Recycling Coalition, Inc.

1220 L Street NW, Suite 100-155

Washington DC 20005

 

 

NRC eNews Staff

eNews Editor

Carissa Matthews


Contributing Writer
and NRC Staff Intern

Lisa Ruggero

 

 

A Message From the President  

Dear Fellow Colleagues in Recycling,

 Mark L

Building on the momentum of the past few months, and as exemplified by the items in our last eNews sent in early July, the NRC is continuing to redefine itself as a vitally relevant organization - one focused on strategic engagements necessary to move recycling forward and to increase discard diversion. The items in this eNews highlight a continuation of the trend of clarifying how the NRC is defining its relevance.  

 

Please reach out to us, because we need more people sitting at the table to help articulate what we need to do to accelerate sustainable economic growth through wise materials management. There are many opportunities, as noted below. As always, I also invite you to let me know what I can do to meet your needs by contacting me at mark@nrcrecycles.org. I look forward to seeing you at our Annual Meeting at the Resource Recycling Conference in Indianapolis on August 16th!

 

Greenest Regards,

NRC President

Mark Lichtenstein 

 

2011 Board of Directors Elections 

The NRC Annual Meeting and Board Elections will take place Aug. 16 at the Resource Recycling Conference in Indianapolis, beginning at 1 p.m. ET and ending at 4 p.m. Learn more at the Resource Recycling website.

 

To vote in the 2011 Elections you must be a member of the NRC as of July 31, 2011. Voting will take place electronically on the NRC website here.

 

Board Nominations are currently open - please find the nomination application form here. Nominations close at 12:00 p.m. ET on Aug. 9, and will be reopened from the floor of the NRC Annual Meeting in Indianapolis on Aug. 16. 

NRC Helps Develop and Gains Support for Senate Resolution Reinforcing the Importance of Recycling to the US Economy

 

Senate Resolution 251 was introduced in the US Senate yesterday by Senators Tom Carper (D-DE) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME). The resolution, which has been referred to the Environment & Public Works Committee, expresses support for improvement in the collection, processing and use of recyclable materials throughout the US and reinforces the importance of recycling to the US economy. It also highlights the environmental benefits of recycling. Along with others, the NRC helped provide language in the resolution shortly before it was finalized.   

 

Senators Carper and Snowe were joined in the introduction of this bill by 12 bipartisan cosponsors, including Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Max Baucus (D-MT), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Robert Casey (D-PA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Jon Tester (D-MT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR). Joining the NRC in endorsing the resolution were the Aluminum Association, American Forest and Paper Association, Environmental Paper Network, Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Paper Recycling Coalition, Recycling Organizations of North America, Solid Waste Association of North America, and Steel Recycling Institute. The NRC facilitated the engagement of state recycling organizations as well and thanks the following SRO's for their support of the resolution:

 

Associated Recyclers of Wisconsin

Association of Ohio Recyclers

Association of Oregon Recyclers

Association of New Jersey Recyclers

Carolina Recycling Association

Colorado Association for Recycling 

Illinois Recycling Association

Indiana Recycling Coalition

Iowa Recycling Association

Kansas Organization of Recyclers

Michigan Recycling Coalition

Oklahoma Recycling Association 

Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania

State of Texas Alliance for Recycling 

Tennessee Recycling Coalition

Virginia Recycling Association 

 

See the Senate press release for more information. [Hyperlink to press release on the NRC website.]

Congressional Briefing: NRC Offers Input on Recycling and its Role in Developing a US 'Clean Economy'

 

NRC briefing pic

Speaking at the briefing is Stephen Bantillo, Executive Director of the NRC affiliate, California Resource Recovery Association

On July 28, on behalf of the co-chairs of the Senate and House Recycling Caucuses, Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), Co-Chair of the Senate Recycling Caucus, convened a joint Senate and House Recycling Caucus Briefing at the Capital that explored the critical connection among recycling, the economy, and the environment - "Sustaining the U.S. Recycling Economy: How Recycling Benefits Our Economy and Our Environment." Joining Sen. Carper as speakers were representatives from Axion International (NJ), HiTech Assets (OK), the Institute for Scrap Recycling Industries (DC), Pratt Industries (GA), and NRC-affiliated state recycling organization, the California Resource Recovery Association.

 

NRC President Mark Lichtenstein and a number of other NRC board members attended the event, with Lichtenstein adding comments for the record about the role the NRC and others in the recycling industry can play with influencing regional and sustainable economic development planning. In his comments, Lichtenstein referenced a recent Brookings Institute report on strategies needed to grow the "Clean Economy," and how the NRC will be working with Brookings to better position recycling as an economic driver (see related story in the next edition of the NRC eNews). Since many in attendance were Senate and House staff members, Lichtenstein used the opportunity to offer input to a question posed by Stephanie Kotin of Sen. Carper's staff about the appropriate role of the federal government with promoting recycling as a job creation tool. Lichtenstein, NRC Policy Committee Chair and fellow board member Fran McPoland, others from the NRC, and Kotin will continue further discussions about this.  

 

For more information about the briefing, please follow this link.

Resource Recycling Conference: Join Us In Indy!

Aug. 16-18

JW Marriott, Indianapolis


Resource Recycling, Inc., publisher of Resource Recycling magazine, invites you to attend the second annual Resource Recycling Conference. The 2010 conference held last October in San Antonio, Texas, saw over 450 attendees and the trade show bustled with exhibitors representing all aspects of the recycling industry. The Resource Recycling Conference is aligned with the Indiana Recycling Coalition (IRC), the NRC and the Recycling Organizations of North America (RONA). Conference highlights include:

  • Thorough assessments of municipal recycling systems in North America
  • Reports on the latest research
  • Comprehensive overviews of compelling legislative and policy options
  • Attendance by all the key players
  • Numerous networking opportunities
  • A tradeshow featuring the latest innovations and services
To register for the conference, click here
NRC Events at the Resource Recycling Conference

Aug. 16-17

Indianapolis

 

This year's Resource Recycling Conference in Indianapolis will host a number of NRC events throughout the day on Tuesday, Aug. 16 and Wednesday, Aug. 17. We look forward to seeing you there! All times listed are Eastern.

  • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
    NRC and RONA Joint Leaders' Public Address (open to the public)
  • 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
    NRC Board Meeting - to call in, register here
  • 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
    NRC Candidate Forum, Membership Meeting and Board of Directors Elections - to call in, register here
  • 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
    Opening Night Reception with the Indiana Recycling Coalition (IRC) at Victory Field 
Wednesday, Aug. 17
  • 12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.                                                  Meeting of the New NRC Board - to call in, register here
Opening Night Reception at Victory Field Presented by IRC and NRC 

Aug. 16 | 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. ET
Indianapolis 

 

On Aug. 16, the Indiana Recycling Coalition and the NRC invite you to attend a picnic reception at Victory Field in downtown Indianapolis (adjacent to the RRC conference venue) for a Minor League game between the Indianapolis Indians and the Louisville Bats - a gathering to enjoy great company, great food and great brew at a terrific local spot. The $25 fee includes a game ticket, a full picnic dinner and drinks (including award-winning local beer from Sun King), all served in the relaxing picnic area adjacent to the IRC/NRC block of game seats. Register for the reception using the Resource Recycling Conference registration form.

Leading the Charge: A Webinar on Local Government's Role in the Product Stewardship Movement

Aug. 23 | 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. ET

Register Here  

 

Image courtesy of US EPA

Hosted by NRC and the Environmental Finance Center at Syracuse University, this webinar will cover how municipal governments are propelling policy changes to ensure sustainable management of end-of-life products such as batteries, carpeting, and products containing mercury and other harmful substances. Presenters will provide sample resolutions that can be adapted at the community level, discuss case studies of communities that have already enacted policies, and talk about how local movements lead to policy change at the state and national level. Speakers will include leaders from state and national product stewardship organizations, including Katherine Bourbeau of the New York State Product Stewardship Council.

 

For more information, visit the NRC website, or contact the NRC's Webinar Coordinator, Evan Newell.  

NRC's 13th 'Recycling Works' Fundraiser: A Noteworthy Event 

 

Thanks to a critically important partnership with the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), the 13th annual Gala was held on July 27 in Washington, DC and was once again a prominent occasion for the NRC, with more than 200 people in attendance! One of the distinct differences noted at this years' event was the obvious diversity of attendees, which included members of industry, but also state recycling organizations, environmental groups, municipal officials, past NRC leaders, non-profits, and many others. It was truly representative of the NRC's multi-sector based membership.

 

This year, ISRI and the NRC recognized Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL), Co-chair of the House Recycling Caucus. In the spirit of bipartisanship, Congressman Shimkus follows last year's recipient, Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), the Senate Recycling Caucus Co-chair. During the Congressman's remarks, he made a commitment to help leverage recycling as a job creation tool to help the fledgling economy. According to NRC President Mark Lichtenstein, the NRC is positioning itself to work with both the Senate and House Recycling Caucuses to develop strategies to increase recycling and the role recycling can play with economic development. Lichtenstein has also called for an open debriefing this summer with the NRC board to discuss a number of follow-up issues that arose from the Gala.  

WASTECON 2011 

 

SWANA WASTECON Nashville, TN 

Taking place this year at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Aug. 23-25, WASTECON features three days of technical sessions and training opportunities, led by industry-leading solid waste speakers and faculty. Participate in SWANA's Recycling & Special Waste track, with sessions created especially for recycling professionals, and its Managing Recycling Systems 3-Day Course, as preparation for SWANA Recycling Certification (training courses run Aug. 21-23 with exams on Aug. 24). In addition, visit with hundreds of the industry's best exhibitors and service providers, and thousands of solid waste professionals under one roof. Don't miss one of SWANA's premier annual networking and training opportunities. Join others in Music City at the Gaylord Opryland, and be sure to visit the National Recycling Coalition, booth #205 on the exhibit floor. For more information and to register to attend or exhibit, visit www.wastecon.org