October 2020 www.newmoa.org
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All of us at NEWMOA hope that this newsletter finds you healthy and safe during this COVID-19 pandemic. We think of you constantly as we operate under this new reality.
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Welcome Melissa Nadeau to NEWMOA's Staff as the New IC2 Project Manager
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Melissa Nadeau (formerly Melissa Walsh Innes) started as the new Interstate Chemicals Clearinghouse (IC2) Project Manager in September, taking over from Topher Buck who resigned in May.
In addition to her work for NEWMOA and IC2, Melissa supports legislative members of the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL) as their Senior Advisor on Circular Economy and is also the part-time Program Manager for the Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse (TPCH).
Melissa is a former Maine state representative, having served two terms on Maine's Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. Melissa sponsored multiple environmental bills in Maine, including those covering product stewardship, paint, medical sharps, pharmaceuticals, compact fluorescent lamps, electronics expansion, and beverage containers. Melissa was the sponsor of Maine's first-in-the-nation 2010 Product Stewardship Framework Law, as well as the sponsor of an electronics recycling bill (e-waste) that expanded the program in Maine in 2011 (both bills were enacted with unanimous bipartisan support).
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After serving in the Maine legislature, Melissa became the deputy director for Recycling Reinvented, a national nonprofit that worked to advance recycling policies to increase national recycling rates for packaging and printed paper. In her position at Recycling Reinvented, Melissa worked to craft and advance effective extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation for packaging and printed paper through a national stakeholder engagement process. Melissa worked with legislators and advocates in Rhode Island to advance an EPR for packaging bill through the hearing process in 2013.
Melissa was the last Director of the Maine Association of Public Housing Directors (which disbanded in early 2020). In this role, she worked with the Maine Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on an initiative to prevent lead poisoning by improving coordination on notification of Maine buildings that have been identified with high levels of lead.
Melissa holds a B.A. in Social Work from the University of Southern Maine. She lives in Auburn, Maine and enjoys the ocean, kayaking and walking along the local Androscoggin River, and pretty much anything outside in the beautiful state of Maine.
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Science of PFAS Conference Postponed to March 29-30, 2022
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In the face of the COVID-19 crisis, NEWMOA postponed its Science of PFAS Conference from the end of March to December 1-2, 2020 and has decided to post it again to March 29-30, 2022. It will take place at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel and Conference Center. All registrations, exhibits, and sponsorships have been transferred to the new dates. The Conference was sold out when NEWMOA had to postpone it in March 2020. If you are interested in attending the Conference and did not register already, check the Conference registration webpage in the fall of 2021 for more information on whether space is available. If you registered for the Conference and are unable to attend in March 2022, complete an online form (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1LEAEiKNdpBadnk1VH4SCiLsbPz5sMrN1zWCTpxBllGU/viewform?edit_requested=true) to cancel your registration and initiate a refund.
The goals of the Conference are to:
- Ensure that local, state, and federal action to address PFAS contamination is informed by the most current and reliable science
- Facilitate networking and information-sharing among key stakeholders on PFAS topics
- Identify important gaps in the science and policy to help inform future research
The Conference will include plenary and concurrent sessions and an exhibit and poster area. The concurrent sessions will cover:
- Environmental Behavior
- Toxicology and Health Effects
- Environmental Sampling and Analysis
- Treatment and Remediation
- PFAS Uses and Alternatives
For more information, contact Jennifer Griffith.
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Brownfields Summit Postponed to May 18 - 19, 2022
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The Revitalizing New England: Brownfields Summit was originally scheduled to take place on October 7-8, 2020 but because of the pandemic restrictions and the rescheduling of the national Brownfields 2021 conference, the new dates for the Summit are May 18-19, 2022.
The Summit will bring together key stakeholders to help advance and accelerate redevelopment of contaminated properties in the region. The goals of the Summit are to:
- Share information about the financial incentives, liability protections, and technical and other assistance available for brownfields development from federal and state governments
- Promote best practice and lessons learned across New England
- Provide an opportunity to increase networking in the region and information-sharing among key stakeholders
The Summit will include plenary and break-out sessions and an exhibit area. There will be ample time during the breaks for networking and viewing the exhibits. There will also be a reception during the evening of the first day. The organizers expect approximately 300 people to attend from a wide range of agencies, companies, and organizations.
For more information, contact Jennifer Griffith.
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Solid Waste & Sustainable Materials Management
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Joint Workshop on Use of Recycled Content in Roadway Projects
This workshop was originally scheduled for April and has transitioned to a virtual event scheduled for November 16-17, 2020.
The Workshop is co-sponsored by NERC and NEWMOA in partnership with the Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA), Maine Resource Recovery Association (MRRA), the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Transportation, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and Department of Transportation, and the New Hampshire Technology Transfer Center.
The workshop will provide new insights and examples of practical applications. Presentations will cover:
- Plastic corrugated drainage pipes with recycled content
- Ground asphalt for roads
- Use of crumb rubber in roads
- Processed glass aggregate
Joint Virtual ReCook Café Webinar
NEWMOA and NERC are holding a Virtual ReCook Café on Tuesday, November 10, 2:00 Eastern. The virtual ReCook Cafe will feature a mix of live and recorded cooking demonstrations by four professional chefs who will be sharing their favorite tips, tricks, techniques, and more to help participants get the most out of home cooked meals, reducing waste while creating delicious dishes. Join this appetizing presentation to learn best practices for maximizing the shelf-life of perishable produce, using parts of foods you didn't know were so tasty, compiling odds-and-ends to create new tasty eats, and so much more.
Gary Feinland, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; Anne Bijur, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation; and Jesse Kerns, Syracuse University Center for Sustainable Community Solutions planned the webinar. The presenters include Chef Peter Ricardo, Product Donation Manager, Food Bank of Central New York; Chef Morgan Waite, Culinary Educator, Honest Weight Food Coop; Chef Abigail Henson, Founder, Farm Girl Juicery; and Chef Jim McCarthy, Chef/Owner, The Market Mill.
Joint Container Deposit Laws - Taking their Effectiveness to the Next Level through Global Best Practices Webinar Container deposit laws are often considered critical for supporting minimum recycled content commitments by brands. Currently, there are several initiatives underway examining how to expand the impact of bottle bill laws through best practices. This free joint NERC and NEWMOA webinar will take place on October 28, 2:00 Eastern, and it will examine this research and proposals. Presenters include Mike Noel, TOMRA; Susan Collins, Container Recycling Institute; and Sarah Edwards, Eunomia.
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Joint Report on State Tire Regulations
NEWMOA and NERC published a "Review of Northeast States' Tire Regulations" at the end of September. The purpose of this review is to inform state officials, policy makers, and others about the current status of state tire regulations in the northeast as a basis for future discussions about updates and improvements. The paper summarizes the available information on each of the states' programs. A table in an Appendix provides an overview of northeast states' tire waste requirements and programs.
Joint Teaching Practical Strategies for Reducing Wasted Food Through Community Events Webinar
ReCook Cafes, cooking workshops, and similar events are emerging as fun and effective ways to help residents learn about practical strategies for reducing wasted food. They also help to build and strengthen communities. This joint NEWMOA and NERC August webinar involving more than 500 participants shared the experiences in New York State and Vermont with planning and holding these kinds of events and the key results and lessons learned. Presenters included Gary Feinland, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; Anne Bijur, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation; and Jesse Evin Kerns, Syracuse University Center for Sustainable Community Solutions.
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Joint State & Local Laws Mandating Recycled Content Webinar
NERC and NEWMOA held a webinar on existing state and local laws for minimum recycled content in September. California and King County, Washington were profiled. Speakers included: Heidi Sanborn, Executive Director, National Stewardship Action Council; and Karen Hamilton, Emily Coleman, and Andy Smith, King County, Washington.
Voluntary Initiatives Driving the Use of Minimum Recycled Content in Products & Packaging Webinar NERC and NEWMOA held an October webinar on voluntary initiatives to advance use of recycled content. Increasingly, brands are making commitments to increase use of recycled content in products and packaging. This webinar explored those commitments, available recycled plastic to meet those goals, and strategies for success. Speakers included: Steve Alexander, Association of Plastics Recyclers; Sarah Dearman, the Recycling Partnership; and Pete DePasquale, Nestle Waters North America.
Recording and slides: www.newmoa.org/events/event.cfm?m=442
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Joint AgSTAR's Anaerobic Digestion Resource for Farms Webinar
On-farm anaerobic digestion (AD) is a great way to process manure and other organics. Understanding the details about how to make it all work is vital to its success. The free NERC and NEWMOA July webinar featured EPA's AgSTAR Anaerobic Digestion Project Development Handbook, a new resource that outlines the details of setting up and operating an on-farm AD system. Presenters included Vanessa McKinney, Program Manager for EPA's AgSTAR Program; John Hanselman, Chairman and CEO, Vanguard Renewables; and Peter Melnik, Bar-Way Farms.
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Comments to EPA on Proposed National Recycling Goals
NEWMOA submitted a comment letter to EPA HQs regarding proposed EPA "National Recycling Goals" (available at https://www.epa.gov/americarecycles/us-national-recycling-goals#potential). NEWMOA's letter emphasized that our current recycling system has faced several challenges in recent years, which highlights the need for substantive change in order for the system to remain sustainable. With that in mind, there is a need for a comprehensive national recycling strategy to be developed. Without an understanding of what the goals of such a national strategy might be, it is problematic to be commenting on performance metrics. Our ability to comment on the metrics is limited by the lack of context that would be provided by such a national strategy, including what the national definition of recycling is; what viable, timely, and trackable sources of data are available; and what the capacity and process might be for the collection of new data. The letter goes on to emphasize that if national recycling goals and measures are to be meaningful, there must be a consistent and clear definition of recycling and established expectations on what data states will be reporting on. In NEWMOA's experience, states do not consistently count the same activities as recycling. Visit:
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Understanding TSCA for Sites with PCBs Webinar
NEWMOA is holding a webinar on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 at 1:30 Eastern to help participants understand the relationship between Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and state regulations at sites with polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination. TSCA requirements and options and their implications for investigation and remediation at sites will be covered. Kim Tisa, USEPA Region 1 will provide the regulatory perspective and Dave Sullivan, TRC Companies will provide the implementation perspective using real-world examples. The webinar is free for federal, state, and local government officials. Otherwise, the fee is $75 with a reduced rate of $25 for non-profit organizations, students, and academics.
Register: www.newmoa.org/events/event.cfm?m=440
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Webinar on EPA's Pharmaceutical Waste Rule Sections on Reverse Logistics
In June, NEWMOA held a webinar to provide a review of the sections of EPA's Pharmaceutical Waste Rule on reverse logistics to help state programs understand how they can adopt and enforce those requirements. The presenters Kristin Fitzgerald and Brian Knieser, EPA HQs discussed the implications of the Rule's reverse logistics policies for health care providers, retailers, and various products.
Recording and slides: www.newmoa.org/events/event.cfm?m=425
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NEWMOA's Board of Directors met virtually in mid-September to discuss state and EPA waste, toxics, PFAS, clean up, Brownfields, toxics, and pollution prevention challenges and NEWMOA's FY 2021 proposed workplans and budget, funding, and strategic priorities.
NEWMOA's FY 2021 Officers are:
- Mike Hastry, NJ DEP, Chair
- Dave Burns, ME DEP, Vice Chair (tentative)
- Greg Cooper, Mass DEP, Treasurer
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news@NEWMOA is designed to help our members and colleagues keep informed about the Association's projects and activities. You are receiving this e-newsletter because you are a member of a NEWMOA working group, committee, or program; invitee to NEWMOA events; a colleague at a related organization or EPA; connected to the Association in some other way; or have expressed interest in our work. news@NEWMOA contributors include Andy Bray, Terri Goldberg, Jennifer Griffith, Lois Makina, and Melissa Nadeau.
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