E-newsletter highlighting grant deadlines, upcoming workshops and available resources for municipal recycling and solid waste leaders.
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Did You Miss the October SWAC meeting?
Great information and resources provided on increased CT recycling tipping fees and fines and the importance of contract language in developing long-term partnerships.
Sara Bixby, Deputy Executive Director of SWANA presented
Municipal Recyclables Contracting: Where Are We Now? Where Are We Going? The presentation shared how SWANA in partnership with NWRA created a number of resources on the best practices for municipal contracting. These resources were completed before the National Sword - so they returned to their guidelines and created amendments.
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CT DEEP Webinar
Plastic Bag Programs and Initiatives: State and County Efforts
Monday, November 19, 2018
2:00 - 3:30pm EST
Please join us and learn about plastic bag programs and initiatives at the state and county level, including how Alameda County operates and enforces their program, what the benefits would be for an EPR structured plastic bag law and an update from the newly formed CT Reusable Bag Alliance.
Presenters:
Daphne Dixon, Executive Director, Live Green CT
Walter Willis, Executive Director, Solid Waste Agency of Salt Lake (Illinois)
Meri Soll, Senior Program Manager, StopWaste (California)
Facilitated by:
Sherill Baldwin, CT DEEP
Who Should Attend?
•Recycling/Sustainability coordinators; DPW/Sustainability Directors
•CT environmental leaders & activists
•Members of recycling/solid waste/sustainability commissions/committees
•CT Environmental Educators, teachers and school representatives
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RecycleCT Foundation Announces School Grant RFP
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Due November 21
The RecycleCT Foundation was created to target and promote the coordination and support of research and education activities and public information programs aimed at increasing the rate of recycling and reuse in Connecticut.
The goal of the School Grant program is to fund efforts in Connecticut K-12 schools that foster greater understanding of and promote action and engagement in:
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waste reduction
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reuse
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recycling
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composting and/or anaerobic digestion
Recycling, and more broadly sustainable materials management, preserves and conserves natural resources in Connecticut and beyond.
The RecycleCT School Grant program has one grant cycle per year. Amounts $500-$1500. The Application deadline is November 21, 2018 at 5:00pm. Applications will be reviewed at the December RecycleCT Board/Council meeting and decisions should be made by January 2019.
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U.S. Composting Council introduces new certification programs
The Certified Compost Operations Manager™, or CCOM™, and Certified Composting Professional™ (CCP™) are the first two in a series of compost-manufacturing industry certifications designed to recognize the accomplishments and competencies of composting professionals.
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It's time for the School plastic film recycling challenge!
It begins on America Recycles Day, November 15, and lasts until April 15
Every year hundreds of schools across the nation compete against each other to recycle the most plastic film. In addition to providing a better understanding and appreciation for the importance of recycling, Trex will happily donate a high-performance composite bench to the winning school, and bestow honorary awards to every school that participates.
- The challenge begins each year on America Recycles Day, November 15, and lasts until April 15
- Trex will provide your school with promotional materials and three recycling bins
- A volunteer must weigh and report the collected materials every month before delivering them to one of our participating drop-off retailer locations
- Winners are announced on Earth Day
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RecycleCT's Campaign
What's IN, What's OUT Receives Award
At the Northeast Recycling Council's annual fall conference, the What's IN, What's OUT campaign received a 2018 Environmental Sustainability Leadership Award.
From NERC's press release: Connecticut’s multi-media
What’s IN, What’s OUT Campaign
, a project of the RecycleCT Foundation, seeks to increase awareness of Connecticut’s recycling rules. Contributing to the development and success of this campaign were the Connecticut MRFs, RecycleCT Board members, the firms of Decker and ReCollect, as well as the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection recycling staff that kept all those parts working together. The What’s IN, What’s Out Campaign, has been engaging residents through digital and social media, generating more than 7.4 million impressions, 70,000 website visits, 104,000 RecycleCT Wizard searches and 1.9 million video views.
Commissioner Robert Klee of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection accepted the award on behalf of the Campaign.
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What's IN? What's OUT?
Recent Questions from CT residents
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Nursery Pots and Trays
These items are acceptable in Connecticut's mixed recycling program. In addition to being IN for our curbside programs, some nurseries will also accept them back from their customers.
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Wood Pellet Bags
Turn inside-out and return to retailer.
Wood pellet bags are not acceptable in the Connecticut's mixed recycling program. They're OUT of our curbside bins.
However, they are part of the plastic bag/film material (stretchy plastic film, not crinkly) that is acceptable at retail stores. Because of the material that was inside - you don't need to rinse, but what is preferred is that the bags are turned inside-out and shaken - to remove all small wooden pieces, dust.
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Plastic Clam Shells are IN, but Styrofoam Clam Shells are OUT? I don't get it.
All polystyrene (aka Styrofoam) containers and packaging materials are OUT - they are not acceptable in Connecticut's mixed recycling program. This includes take out food containers with a hinge, aka "clam shells".
Take out food containers with a hinge are also made out of PET, a clear plastic. Those materials, similar to berry baskets, are IN - acceptable in Connecticut's mixed recycling program.
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IN
Clear plastic or PET take out food containers, clam shells or berry containers are accepted in Connecticut's mixed recycling program.
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OUT
Polystyrene (aka Styrofoam) take out food containers, clam shells or trays are note accepted in Connecticut's mixed recycling program.
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Upcoming Events:
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
- 8:30am - 12pm
Synthetic Microfiber Pollution Working Group
(2nd and last meeting) . Gina McCarthy Auditorium, CT DEEP Headquarters, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT. You may also join remotely via webinar.
Register to join remotely via webinar
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For additional information contact
Tom Metzner. Hosted by CT DEEP
Monday, November 19, 2018
- 2:00pm - 3:30pm State and County Plastic Bag Programs & Initiatives nd and last meeting) . Speakers include Walter Willis, Meri Soll and Daphne Dixon.
Registration
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Hosted by CT DEEP.
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Have an idea or topic for future municipal recycling conference call/webinar? Let us know what you and your colleagues would like to learn more about. Contact
Sherill Baldwin .
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CT DEEP | Source Reduction & Recycling Group | 860-424-4193 | www.ct.gov/deep/recycle
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