E-newsletter highlighting grant deadlines, upcoming workshops and available resources for municipal recycling and solid waste leaders.
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Markets: Is the Sky Really Falling?
National stories have highlighted the challenges in the industry. According to the April 2019 Resource Recycling, municipalities continue to support collecting materials with a focus on reducing contamination. MRF operators also continue to commit to recycling and moving recovered materials to end markets.
Consistently we're hearing that pricing is down, but materials are still moving. According to Myles Cohen of Pratt Recycling, "there are still decent domestic markets for mixed paper, OCC and the higher quality grades of recovered fiber."
And of course, we're also hearing about new end-markets coming on line at the end of this year and in 2020.
According to Resource Recycling with information from NERC:
-North American plastic reclaimers, including
EFS-Plastics and
Merlin Plastics are working to increase their purchases of mixed plastics and low-grade MRF film
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Port Townsend Paper mill will increase it's OCC consumption, close to double current capacity
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Pratt
Industries is currently constructing a mill in Ohio, which will consume mixed paper, OCC and double-lined kraft paper
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Pratt Industries announced it will build a new facility in Virginia and will use 100% recycled fiber in its manufacturing process
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McKinley Paper in Washington is reopening a shuttered newsprint facility to produce containerboard from recycled feedstock
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Nine Dragons will add recycled pulp production lines at two virgin fiber mills it purchased last year in Maine and Wisconsin
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Nine Dragons separately purchased a mill in West Virginia, plans to ramp up recycled materials production
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Green Bay Packaging building new 100% recycled paper mill in Wisconsin, consuming OCC and mixed paper
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Cascades acquired an idled Virginia newsprint mill, plans to convert to containerboard manufacturing, consume mostly OCC but possibly some mixed paper
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New Foundation Focusing on Glass Recycling Formed
The
Glass Recycling Foundation
(GRF) is a 501c3
non-profit organization formed to provide and raise funds for localized and targeted assistance, demonstration and pilot projects that address gaps in the glass recycling supply chain across the United States.
The Glass Recycling Foundation (GRF) seeks to:
- Addressing gaps in the glass recycling supply chain through localized and targeted audiences
- Increasing glass recycling access and cullet used for recycled glass applications
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Robert Isner Interviewed by Jennifer Weymouth
As recycling markets continue to fluctuate, municipalities face contract renewals, rumors are heard about loads of recyclables being dumped and questions of why municipalities are being asked to reduce their waste by 10% now, we thought it would be helpful to hear from Robert Isner, Director of WEED.
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April 2019 Letter to Recycling Coordinators
A follow-up to the January 2019 letter to municipal Chief Elected Officials was sent out by email on April 26, 2019 from Robert Isner, Director of WEED.
As a reminder, the CMMS
Municipal Waste Reduction Initiative Plans
were targeted for submission by December 31, 2018, and DEEP extended this date to April 1, 2019. If you have not already done so, please complete your municipality’s Plan and submit it to
Jennifer Weymouth
. If you haven any questions or need assistance please reach out to Jennifer.
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The Recycling Partnership's 2019 Cart Grant RFP is Here
The Recycling Partnership’s 2019 grant RFP has been announced and revised to accommodate a variety of cart implementation strategies and provide increased funding.
Here’s the 411 on the new RFP:
- Funding for carts available: up to $15 per cart (up to $825,000), plus $1 per household for outreach (up to $75,000).
- Who can apply: any local government, solid waste authority, or federally recognized tribe seeking assistance to acquire recycling carts for new households. There is no minimum community size requirement.
- What’s included: funding comes with technical assistance from Partnership staff and tailored educational materials for your community to keep after grant process.
Contact
Rob Taylor
at The Recycling Partnership with questions or for more information.
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Giuliana Torta Visit, Reducing Single-Use Plastics in The European Union
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During Earth Week in April, DEEP co-hosted Giuliana Torta in partnership with the CT River Conservancy. Ms Torta, a member of the EU Delegation to the U.S. in Washington, DC provided a presentation on the European Union's strategy for managing plastics in a circular economy.
The event began with a welcome from Commissioner Katie Dykes and an introduction of Ms. Torta by Andy Fisk, Executive Director of the CT River Conservancy.
Ms. Dykes shared news on
Governor Lamont's Executive Order #1 signed on April 24th. It directs State Agencies to reduce energy consumption and environmental impacts which includes reducing their waste by 25% by 2030. This is part of the Lead by Example initiative.
In Europe 85% of beach litter is plastics and this drove for an action reducing marine debris focusing on single use plastics and fishing gear. This effort is part of a larger strategy to manage plastics which is tied into their policies to implement a circular economy action plan.
The approach is multi-dimensional, in that it looks at demand for plastics as feedstocks while also creating what they're calling a "Proportional Approach" for managing the top 10 plastic litter items. These management strategies include how best to reduce the consumption, create market restrictions, require new product designs, extended producer responsibility, how to collect separately and increasing awareness in all efforts. Ms. Torta shared how the policy was created and their strategy to implement it.
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What's IN? What's OUT?
Recent Questions from CT residents & Added to RecycleCT Wizard
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Numbers aka Resin Identification Code
Search terms include: Resin code, numbers, #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, plastic 3 to 7, #5 plastic
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The numbers and symbols on the bottom of cups and other items are not recycling instructions. The identify resin codes and are intended for industry. The numbers may tell us it is RECYCLABLE, but it does not tell us if it is ACCEPTABLE in Connecticut's residential mixed recycling program. A great example is plastic bags. They are 100% recyclable, but they are not acceptable in the mixed recycling program; they should be brought to participating retailers. Stick with basics - most acceptable plastic items are containers, such as bottles, cans, jugs and tubs.
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Children
Yes. There were some searches for "Children" in the RecycleCT Wizard. In case you were not aware, children should not be put in recycling carts or trash bins.
They are our future.
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Upcoming Events:
May 7 - 8, 2019 - Fighting Contamination through Operations and Education - A Proven Systematic Approach
workshop, for local and regional recycling coordinators in NERC region, Amherst, MA.
More information
. Hosted by NERC and The Recycling Partnership.
Tuesday, May 7, 2019 - 11am - 12:30pm EDT
Designing Sharps Stewardship for the Circular Economy webinar. Free.
More information. Hosted by Product Stewardship Institute.
Thursday, May 9, 2019 - 1:00 - 2:00pm ET
EPA's Waste Reduction Model (WARM) Version 15 webinar.
More information. Hosted by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
- 1:30-3:00pm -
Expanding Community Composting in Connecticut
webinar with Brenda Platt, Institute for Local Self-Reliance and Domingo Medina, Peels and Wheels Composting.
More information
. Hosted by CT DEEP
.
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
- 12:00pm EST
Education and Outreach Tools for Your Recycling Program
webinar.
More information
. Hosted by The Recycling Partnership.
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Have an idea or topic for future municipal recycling webinar? Let us know what you and your colleagues would like to learn more about. Contact
Sherill Baldwin.
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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