E-newsletter highlighting grant deadlines, upcoming workshops and available resources for municipal recycling and solid waste leaders. |
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Upcoming CCSMM Working Group Meetings
Extended Producer Responsibility Working Group
August 31, 2022 - 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Agenda: Chemical recycling, including what it is and how it links with EPR.
Guest speakers:
Dr. Benjamin Elling, Chemistry Professor, Wesleyan University
Anja Brandon, PhD, U.S. Plastics Policy Analyst, Oceans Conservancy
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Increase Reuse and Recycling (IRR) Working Group
IRR Working Group page
October 4, 2022
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Topic: Recycling Enforcement
Guest speakers:
Cesar Zapata, Solid Waste Official, City of East Hartford
Additional speakers TBA
CCSMM is reconvening three working groups: Increased Recycling, Organics Recycling/Unit-Based pricing (combined) and Extended Producer Responsibility. Now is the time to join CCSMM and participate in one, two or all three working groups, to be part of creating solutions to CT's waste crisis.
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Want to get CET to speak to your local Chamber of Commerce about Business Recycling?
CET is under contract with CT DEEP to provide Business Recycling Assistance are would benefit with an introduction to your local Chamber or Business Association.
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Announcing the Natural Resources Defense Council
Seed Series Webinars
The NRDC Seed Series, launched on July 6, introduces participants to key topics and issues in the world of discard studies; a growing, transdisciplinary field that centers how waste impacts our world. This 10-part webinar series serves as a point of departure for participants to learn more about how they can take steps in their own lives towards climate justice, anti-racism and rethinking waste.
Each webinar will be recorded and live streamed on NRDC YouTube channel.
The blog post will be updated with the links to the recordings throughout the series.
Upcoming webinars - all at 2pm ET
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September 14: Deathcare and Toxic Capitalism: Learn about how the deathcare industry (after-death services) perpetuates waste colonialism and harms the environment. Registration Link
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October 12: Trashy Art: Learn about how humans have engaged with naturally occurring materials and waste to make art throughout history. Registration Link
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November 2: Waste in Pop Culture: Examine how themes related to waste in popular media impact how we relate to waste conceptually and in our daily lives. Registration Link
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November 30: Community Care for Sanitation Workers: Learn about the essential role and labor of sanitation workers and why they need our support. Registration Link
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January 11: Food Apartheid and Food Waste Learn about the relationship between structural racism, colonialism, and food apartheid in the context of waste inequity. Registration Link
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February 1: Soil, Water, and Pollutants: Examine how waste mismanagement impacts hydrological, agricultural, and soil-based systems on this planet. Registration Link
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February 22: Decolonizing Urban Forest Ecology: Learn about how colonialism impacts urban tree ecology, related planning initiatives, and conversations about urban green spaces. Registration Link
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Reports, Toolkits and Other Resources |
Model Reporting Ordinance for Food Waste Generators
The Environmental Law Institute (ELI) and NRDC released a new model ordinance on mandatory reporting for large food waste generators. This model ordinance can be used and adapted by municipalities to require businesses, universities and other large organizations to report the amounts of food waste and surplus food they generate. A version of the model ordinance including commentaries explains the benefits of key provisions and provides information about alternative approaches that can help guide municipalities in tailoring the policy to their unique circumstances while still achieving the goals of the model ordinance. There is also a background memo with more details about how to use the ordinance, along with a sample presentation on the ordinance
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Infographic:
How Composting Combats the Climate Crisis, 5/3/2022
Composting cuts greenhouse gas emissions, enhances the ability of soil to act as a carbon sink, and builds community resilience to climate disruptions. Use this new graphic to share these benefits! It is available for your use (with attribution to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance).
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RecyclingWorks Construction and Demolition Materials Case Study: Structure Tone
RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts presents a case study and instructional video featuring a Structure Tone interior renovation project in Boston that demonstrates source separation of construction and demolition materials. Structure Tone aims to model waste diversion processes that can be replicated at other construction projects to keep C&D materials from going for disposal, reduce carbon emissions, and save money.
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Grants and Other Funding Opportunities |
Plastic Free Restaurants
Plastic Free Restaurants (PFR), based in California, helps commercial food establishments, including school cafeterias, replace petroleum-based plastic cups, glasses, trays, utensils, etc. with reusable/washables.
PFR subsidizes the purchase of new reusables/ washables to replace single use plastics. If a town or state has a mandate that bans that single use item, you are not eligible.
They subsidize 95% of the cost to replace for private businesses/restaurants and 100% for schools. They pay up to $5 per item; school trays which often cost about $8 each will receive a subsidy of $5 per tray.
In addition, they also make suggestions for supply companies, as many new stainless steel trays and other materials should be tested to ensure they do not contain lead.
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Plastic Free Restaurants Has 5000
steel school meal trays available
for $3 each, but they're in Indiana
To help reduce costs, PFR purchased 5000 steel trays from a company they trust (ie no lead). They cost PFR $8 each - but they are offering them to any school or food service group seeking to replace them with single-use plastic for $3 each plus shipping (or you can drive to Indiana and pick them up). You don't need to purchase the full lot.
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Reusable, Compostable, and Disposable CAFETERIA TRAY OPTIONS
This resource is intended to provide information to schools interested in single-use disposable tray alternatives. Included are benefits and considerations for three different lunch tray options, as well as best practices for commercial dishwashers. Please visit the website for expanded
information, additional success stories, and cost savings analyses.
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Recording & Presentations |
All webinar recordings and presentations are available on the NERC website.
NextCycle - A Model for Recycling Market Development
Presentations
Avoiding Contamination in Food Waste Feedstock for Composting
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2022 ReFED Summit Video Recordings
View all the mainstage and breakout session recordings from the event.
Presentation decks for some of the sessions are also available for viewing.
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Recordings of Past
Natural Resources Defense Council
Seed Series Webinars
Recordings from past webinars:
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Applications being Accepted for NERC Executive Director Position
NERC is seeking an experienced leader with well-developed management and facilitation skills who can broaden NERC’s impact on minimizing waste, conserving natural resources, and advancing a sustainable economy through facilitated collaboration and action. View the full position posting here.
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JOB AT DEEP
Office of the Commissioner
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JOB AT DEEP - MMCA
Administrative Assistant -
Recruitment #220801-3591CL-002
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NEWMOA Position Will Be Open Soon
The Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA) has announced the planned retirement of its longstanding Executive Director, Terri Goldberg.
NEWMOA is working with Eos Transitions Partners, a national executive search firm that recruits senior leaders of nonprofits, schools, and small businesses.
NEWMOA will begin accepting expressions of interest in the position starting in mid-September and anticipates posting a job description by September 18.
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Rainbow Recycling
30+ years established 501c3 nonprofit seeks enterprising initiatives to manage/activate/revitalize its' community outreach programs and access non-profit funding available to promote environmental awareness in the greater New Haven area through the arts, education and hands-on recycling of materials from residences and businesses not serviced by the municipality or major (non-local) haulers.
Contact: Steve Bellwood 203-848-5182 or [email protected]. Rainbow Recycling Office 203-865-6507.
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Black Plastic Containers Are OUT |
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Yes, black plastic containers are not accepted in CT's mixed recycling program - even towns contracted with City Carting/Win-Waste.
In June 2021 when DEEP met with Murphy Road Recycling, Willimantic Waste/Casella, City Carting/Win-Waste and Oak Ridge Recycling it was decided unanimously that black plastic containers should be taken of the IN list and moved to the OUT list.
It was not an easy decision to move black plastic containers to the "NO" list, for we understand the need to re-educate our residents.
Our MRF facilities have been trying to keep ahead of all the black plastic containers and removing them manually at the front of the line, some were removed further down on the line and a few in the bale maybe okay - but since the pandemic more and more black take-out containers have increased on the line - to the point they can't keep up. This also includes black plastic nursery pots, mushroom trays and personal care products in black plastic bottles.
Black plastic containers are "OUT" and
not accepted in CT's mixed recycling (single stream) program.
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Missed the last Newsletter or recent Webinar?
Check out the
on the CT DEEP webpage.
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Upcoming Events:
AUGUST 2022
August, 31, 2022 - CCSMM: EPR Working Group meeting. Registration Here. Virtual. Hosted by CT DEEP
SEPTEMBER 2022
September 7, 2022 - 1:30pm - Deep Dive Forum - Reuse Centers: Creating Local Community Connections & Benefits webinar. Register here. Hosted by NERC.
September 14, 2022 - 11:00am - 12:00pm - Improving Markets for Recycling Commodities Webinar. Register here. Hosted by SERDC.
September 14, 2022 - Deathcare and Toxic Capitalism webinar. Registration here. Hosted by Natural Resources Defense Council.
September 20, 2022 - 1:00pm - Solar Panel Recycling & EPR webinar. Register here. Hosted by NERC.
September 21, 2022 - 6:30pm - Recycling in Connecticut presentation. Register here. In-person. Hosted by the Berlin-Peck Memorial Library, 234 Kensington Road, Berlin.
OCTOBER 2022
October 3-4, 2022 - Reuse22: Reflecting on our past, renewing our future conference. Register here. Minneapolis, MN. Hosted by Reuse Minnesota. $
October 4, 2022 - CCSMM: Increase Reuse and Recycling Working Group meeting. Registration Here. Virtual. Hosted by CT DEEP
October 12, 2022 - Trashy Art webinar. Register here. Hosted by Natural Resources Defense Council.
NOVEMBER 2022
November 2, 2022 - Waste in Pop Culture webinar. Register here. Hosted by Natural Resources Defense Council.
November 2-3, 2022 - 2022 NERC Fall Conference: Next Frontier for the 3 Rs conference. More information here. In-person. Rocky Hill, CT. $
November 9-10, 2022 - 2022 NRC Congress conference. More information here. Virtual. Hosted by the National Recycling Coalition. $
November 30, 2022 - Community Care for Sanitation Workers webinar. Register here. Hosted by Natural Resources Defense Council.
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The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request an accommodation contact us at (860) 418-5910 or [email protected]. |
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CT DEEP | Source Reduction & Recycling Group | 860-424-4193 | www.ct.gov/deep/recycle |
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