Inside this Issue:
The Next 30 Years!
NRRA Receives USDA Grant Award
NRRA meets NHDES Staff
MOM Meeting
New, Fun Hazardous Waste Brochure
Recycling what?
School News You Can Use
Market Trends for OCC
National News
Vermont News
Massachusetts News
Classifieds
From the Director’s Chair …
NRRA Board of Trustees Chart Course for next 30 years!
On Wednesday July 27, 2011, the Board of Trustees met at the Local Government Center for a day-long retreat to assess the current state of affairs and begin to plot the course for NRRA for its next 30 year voyage! The assessment was the easy part as NRRA has just completed its 30th year Anniversary by celebrating several significant accomplishments: Ever increasing conference attendance; strong participation in the Marketing and Operations Meetings; increasing grant/ contract revenue over 3 budget years, a talented, professional, and motivated staff; an engaged and proactive Board of Trustees; the ability to service a state wide contract of the magnitude of the VT E-Cycle Contract; and the ability to compete and successfully complete USDA and EPA grant awards. In addition, NRRA received a prestigious Environmental Merit Award from EPA Region 1 for its ongoing daily work for municipalities, a phenomenal list of first time Hall of Fame Inductees, two years of School Recycling Conferences, NHDES certification credits for members, and a new computer server and Filemaker software upgrades.
All of these accomplishments have set a solid foundation upon which the Board can build as it looks to the future. Continuing and improving NRRA services, programs, and member benefits is top on their list as they see clearly the value it provides to the membership. By the time the conference is here next year the Board hopes to have its goals clearly set for the decades and challenges ahead. The retreat started the discussion and much progress was made, and the Trustees look forward to completing this invaluable planning effort over the coming months.
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From Bonnie’s Desk …
NRRA meets DES Staff!
On July 28th, NRRA Member Services Staff, Adam Clark, Marilyn Weir and Bonnie Bethune met with the following DES Staff.
Sharon Yergeau, Supervisor, Solid Waste Compliance Section
Melanie Doiron, Waste Management Specialist (Inspector/Western NH)
Doug Kemp, Waste Management Specialist (Inspector/Eastern NH)
Laura Lieronski, Program Specialist (Financial Assurance/Closure Plans)
Tara Albert, Waste Management Specialist (Green Yards)
Solid Waste Operator Certification/Workshops; Inspection/Facility Requirements were discussed. Please attend the MOM Meeting on Wednesday, August 10th at 9:30 am at NRRA Office for the latest information.
Want to Recycle Your Chain Link Fencing?
Schnitzer will accept chain link fencing if it is kept separate, rolled up, not all bunched up, or mangled, etc.(Do not put in your bulk pile or light iron container, must be keep separate.)
Graded as #2 unprepared…current price being paid is $285 gt.
Call NRRA for additional information, where to deliver or to arrange a picked up.
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MOM is Back: August 10th at 9:30 am!
Okay I know we said we would not have a meeting in July or August but we just couldn’t go that long without having a chance to sit down and share all the activity that is going on here at NRRA and with you our members. Markets are volatile, consolidation is up, schools are getting the message, NHDES is redesigning its certification program, NRRA is taking on new contracts in E-Waste, MSW, and C&D, and we are already gearing up (slowly) for next year’s conference! Hope you can make next week’s meeting on August 10th at 9:30am here at the Epsom Office so we can catch up a little before the busy fall season starts. If you do have to go fishing, we understand and we’ll see you in September!
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NRRA Receives USDA Grant Award
NRRA is pleased to announce that is has been awarded a significant USDA grant to study the feasibility of establishing a regional collection system for Household Hazardous Waste in New Hampshire. The grant work will begin October 1, 2011 and run to September 30, 2012. NRRA staff will review existing HHW collection programs and regulations in NH. In addition, it will be canvassing other state programs to determine if there are regional systems in place that could reduce the cost of collections for towns and also increase the availability and convenience for residents. NRRA welcomes members input into this project and is happy to receive any and all suggestions for improving the current HHW system in NH.
NRRA will be submitting its final report next October so anytime up until then is fine should you have an idea on how to better manage the HHW generated here in NH. Many thanks in advance for your suggestions.
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New, Fun Hazardous Waste Brochure
Check out Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission’s new hazardous waste brochure that cautions residents about what they pour down the drain.
The star character on the brochure is a very angry fish with eyebrows. They found this brochure online done by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Upper Valley HHW Committee members revised it for their region. Whitman Printing liked it so much, they’re printing them for free as a community service. For more information on this publication or other information that you think would be valuable for your town, please contact Vickie Davis.
Download the brochure!
Victoria Davis, Planner, Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission at 603-448-1680 or by email at vdavis@uvlsrpc.org.
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From Marilyn’s Desk …
Market Trends – Historic Pricing Reports
Continuing with our series of market trend information, in this issue we are featuring OCC. As a reminder, NRRA currently has available Market Trend Reports for Fibers, Steel Cans, Scrap Metal (Bulk and Containerized) and Plastics….simply ask your Member Services representative for a copy.
OCC Pricing Through the Years -
A breakdown of pricing from month to month and year to year
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School News You Can Use -
NASA’s Climate Kids Program Launches New Interactive Game!
With frogs leaping and butterflies fluttering, kids will race to the Finish in the new “Leaps and Flutters” game at Climate Kids. Along the way, this game (modeled after Chutes and Ladders) will present opportunities to help the environment by such acts as recycling an aluminum can, or to not help the environment by, oh, say, leaving the refrigerator door open too long. Good deeds leap the player up a row or two, not-so-good deeds send the player a-fluttering back down. All the actions—helpful and not—are explained in the accompanying article. And why should we care about frogs and butterflies anyway? That, too, becomes clear. Check out Leaps and Flutters today!
Check out our great sites for kids:
http://climate.nasa.gov/kids
http://scijinks.gov
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov
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NATIONAL NEWS
SWANA’s Newest Certification: Household Hazardous Waste and CESQG Collection Facility Operations
This course is a cooperative project between SWANA and the North American Hazardous Materials Management Association (NAHMMA) . The course covers common OSHA topics applicable to HHW collection operations and may satisfy a significant part of classroom hazardous materials training requirements for operations and supervisory staff in states that have such requirements or recommendations.
SWANA now offers a Technical Specialist Certification in HHW/CESWG Facility Operations. Take the exam on Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at WASTECON and become one of the first to be certified by SWANA and NAHMMA!
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New Hampshire the Beautiful News
Signs
New Hampshire Municipalities are all eligible to apply for signs (60 points each fiscal year or until funds run out). For a complete list of signs available or to apply for signs, please visit www.nhthebeautiful.org . Just print the forms you need and fax them to Paula at 736-4402. Please NOTE!!! You can only order signs that are on the list. Words can be removed but nothing can be added.
RecycleMobile
To reserve a RecycleMobile for your event, Contact Paula Dow at 1-800-223-0150 or download form.
The RecycleMobile was developed to help make recycling at special events low-cost, highly visible and efficient. It is a simple to use, eye-catching recycling unit consisting of a fiberglass box with six collection holes (3 per side) that is attached to a 4′ by 6′ trailer and houses six – 32 gallon barrels. You will need a 2″ ball to tow the RecycleMobile.
Sponsored by the NRRA and New Hampshire the Beautiful, Inc., and with generous funding from the American Plastics Council, Shop ‘n Save and Hannaford Supermarkets, New Hampshire Soft Drink Association, and the National Soft Drink Association.
Grants
New Hampshire municipalities are all eligible to apply for grants toward the purchase price of recycling equipment. To apply for a grant, go to the NHtB website www.nhthebeautiful.org, print & fill out the form and fax it to Paula at 736-4402. If you do not have access to the internet, please give us a call 800-223-0150, and we can fax or mail a form to you.
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VERMONT NEWS
NRRA Collaboration with AVR on VT E-Cycle’s First Month Results
NRRA and AVR completed the first month of VT E-Cycle program thanks to yeoman efforts from Good Point Recycling, as more than 290,000 lbs of electronic waste was removed from the waste stream. The contract ink was not yet dry when Good Point began its first pickup under the new legislated program. Since then NRRA, AVR, and Good Point recycling have been working non-stop to get collection locations registered and get as much information to them as possible in the first month.
As the “front line”, the transfer station operators are the ones who always get the questions, and NRRA has been trying to get the regulations and clarifications out to them as quickly as possible. On our website, there is now a special section dedicated to all things VT E-Cycle, including guidance documents, forms, NRRA Member Services contact list by representative and location, and the start of FAQ’s. In addition new signage for collection locations from the State of VT has been printed and will be distributed starting this first week in August.
Norm Staunton is the NRRA Project Manager for this program. For general program questions, he can be reached directly at 1-800-223-0150 ext. 19. To schedule a pick-up of your material, please contact the Member Services Representative assigned to you, and NRRA will assign a tracking/release number. (Find your Representative here!) Then, Good Point will contact you to schedule the pick-up. This month should see the beginning of what will be a year-long public outreach and education campaign, including retailers and schools. Check back on the website for updates and additional information and more FAQ’s as come in.
NRRA thanks all of the Vermont Collection locations for their outstanding cooperation and participation in this new program and looks forward to continuing to improve the process as we get further along.
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VT DEC Hiring For Two Solid Waste Positions
These positions will be working in the Solid Waste Program of the Waste Management and Prevention Division. One position will focus on regulatory job duties (such as permitting, technical assistance, compliance). The other position will focus on non-regulatory work (such as development and implementation of state solid waste plan, outreach, waste reduction initiatives).
For more information about the positions and how to apply, please go to http://humanresources.vermont.gov/career_center. The position titles are Environmental Analyst IV (reference #28791) and Environmental Analyst III (reference #28792) and the closing date for submitting an application is August 22, 2011. The State of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications from women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and people from diverse cultural backgrounds are encouraged.
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MASSACHUSETTS NEWS
Mass. Product Stewardship Council Seeks Municipal Participation
MassDEP, the Mass. Product Stewardship Council (MAPSC) and Boston-based,nationally renowned Product Stewardship Institute have made presentations at several regional meetings recently, including one in Mansfield. While unable to attend, I have been keeping abreast of this effort, which aims to shift some or all responsibility for managing discarded products from municipalities to manufacturers. The SSRC has supported Product Stewardship legislation: the E-Waste Producer Responsibility resolution around 2000, and the Updated Bottle Bill.
MAPSC is seeking municipal members and NGOs to join the Council. The mission of the MAPSC is to reduce waste and increase recycling through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). MAPSC is made up of cities and towns. As the momentum for EPR is builds across the US and Canada and in the Commonwealth, MAPSC represents the interests of Massachusetts municipalities in reducing costs of recycling and disposal, generating new businesses and jobs in reuse and recycling, and protecting the environment.
A model EPR resolution that your Select Board or City Council can pass to publicly support the mission of the MAPSC is attached. This “public support” is the only requirement to join. There are no dues.
Typically a town committee (Recycling, Sustainability, etc.), the DPW, or a “green” citizen group sponsors the resolution and requests that it be on the agenda.
Submitted by Claire Sullivan, Executive Director
South Shore Recycling Cooperative
781.329.8318; f 781.329.2097; ssrecyclingcoop@verizon.net
Chairman, Mass Recycles Paper
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CLASSIFIEDS
VERTICAL BALER FOR SALE
International Baler Corp
Model #CEB-603
Serial #0793132 Est worth 5,000 to 6,000
Date of manufacture 7/93
Contact: George Turcotte, Franklin, NH – 603-934-4103
If you have a wanted item or something to sell or trade, email the information to pdow@nrra.net, and we’ll include it in our next issue!
