Recycling Scraps
September 30, 2010

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Environment Department Awards "Hub and Spoke" Recycling Infrastructure Grant to Three New Mexico Communities

The New Mexico Environment Department recently awarded three ‘Hub and Spoke’ infrastructure grants to help the cities of Raton, Gallup, and Truth or Consequences with recycling projects.

Those communities will receive recycling processing equipment, collection containers for nearby areas, technical assistance, safety training, and education and outreach development.

“These grants provide recycling infrastructure in communities throughout New Mexico that did not have access to recycling or were being underserved by existing recycling opportunities,” said New Mexico Environment Department Deputy Secretary Sarah Cottrell. “This program will increase access to recycling opportunities in rural communities of our state.”

The communities will report to the department the jobs that were created or saved through the program and the amount of recyclables collected. The department will then convert that information into energy and BTU savings.

The New Mexico Environment Department received a $497,000 grant from the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department in 2009 for the projects. This grant award, which required a competitive bid process and approvals from the federal government, was part of the federal Department of Energy’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. 

The New Mexico Environment Department partnered with the New Mexico Recycling Coalition on the program. The premise of the ‘Hub and Spoke’ recycling model is that there is a centralized processing center, or “hub” for recyclables where material is processed and sold to market. The “spokes” are surrounding communities that then feed their material into the hub. That model creates economies of scale so that rural areas do not need to invest in duplicative recycling infrastructure and can instead focus on collecting the recyclables and then transporting to the hub. The regionalized hubs also serve to reduce long-haul transport for remote areas of the state.

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November is New Mexico Recycling Awareness Month

Register Your Event Today!

New Mexico Recycling Awareness Month (NMRAM) is a  statewide annual event created to promote recycling, waste reduction, composting and buying recycled products.  Schools, businesses and local government coordinate individual events to bring recycling practices to the forefront.  We would like to help teachers and event coordinators educate students and the public about the importance of recycling in their community.  Participating teachers & coordinators will be provided with (1) recycling-oriented lesson plans, activities and presentations, (2) how-to-guide on starting a recycling program (3)  recycling give-aways and (4) buy recycled and waste reduction information.    All NMRAM teacher resources are available electronically at the www.recyclenewmexico.com/school_recycling.htm  website. 

The New Mexico Recycling Coalition (NMRC) and the New Mexico Environment Department: Solid Waste Bureau annually sponsor New Mexico Recycling Awareness Month (NMRAM) activities in conjunction with America Recycles Day, which is held on November 15.  Our goal is to encourage all communities and schools in the State to hold recycling public education events in November.  To assist teachers and coordinators with incorporating recycling into their lessons/activities, we are happy to provide ready-to-use information and plans at www.recyclenewmexico.com/school_recycling.htm.  If we can encourage kids to try recycling, they will be more likely to continue in the future, as will their parents.

Last year, we supported at least 55 events around the state, reached about 16,000 students and brought in more than 200 tons of recyclables through collection drives.  Since 2004, we have reached over 50,000 students at 203 schools.

ln an effort to reduce paper use, streamline the registration processes and provide recycling coordinators and schools with the promotional materials that best suits their needs, we're combining efforts with Keep America Beautiful's America Recycles Day online registration. Registration information is highlighted below.  

Go now to www.americarecyclesday.org to register and submit your request for promotional items to support your NMRAM events and outreach activities.    To help you promote NMRAM in your community, registered event organizers can choose from a variety of free promotional items including banners, posters, magnets, pencils, stickers and buttons.  Please note, all promotional items are available on a first come, first serve basis while supplies last and request should be based on number of volunteers/participants registered.   

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City of Las Cruces OKs Curbside Recycling

From Las Cruces Sun News

LAS CRUCES - You've had a brown one for years, but soon you'll have a blue one, too.
That brown 96-gallon container is for trash. Soon it will have a blue-colored "brother" for curbside recycling.

The City Council approved an across-the-board $2.59 monthly charge Monday for the approximately 29,000 city solid waste customers. The monthly charge for the new bi-weekly service will begin sometime early next year. By then, you'll get a blue container for recyclable materials only.

An extensive campaign to educate residents about how, and what, to recycle is expected to begin shortly. As many as 23,200, or 80 percent of city solid waste customers, are expected to participate in curbside recycling.

"This is an idea whose time has come," said Theresa McBrayer, a Las Cruces resident who is already recycling. "We're creating our future here today," added McBrayer's husband, Al McBrayer.

But to mirror the fact that not all city solid waste customers are going to participate in curbside recycling, the council's decision to assess the $2.59 monthly charge was not unanimous. Councilor Dolores Connor was the lone dissenting vote on the seven-member council, and said she was representing the perceived minority of residents who do not, and will not, support the program.

"I am the minority on this council, that's no surprise," Connor said. "But the shock is I'm listening to the minority in the community. ... A hundred times over, I believe in recycling and I do recycle. But it's just not the right time to be adding a charge to people. I cannot support another charge to our residents."

Councilor Miguel Silva, whose family once owned a sanitation company, defended the curbside recycling program and the cost that will be associated with it. "This is a very good proposal," said Silva, who is a former recycling coordinator for the city. "Option Two (which set the monthly rate at $2.59) is a very good option for this community."

Las Cruces resident Ron Camunez was not convinced. "I really resent the fact of it being crammed down my throat," Camunez said. "I should be able to opt into it. ...You shouldn't force me to use something I may or may not use."

Theresa McBrayer countered that the demographic of city residents has changed and she claimed that the majority of residents want curbside recycling. Resident Randy Harris said the council made the right decision. "Recycling is an example of an excellent, ethical choice," Harris said. "Sometimes, we have to be told what to do. I would strongly suggest we follow through on our recycling efforts."

Curbside recycling

• A $2.59 monthly charge will be assessed to city solid waste customers for a curbside recycling program.
• Curbside recycling is anticipated to begin sometime early next year.
• There are approximately 29,000 solid waste customers in the city.

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Free Standardized Labels for Recycling Bins Available

FREE Recycling Bin Signs for Schools, Businesses, Organizations, Households available at www.recycleacrossamerica.org

MINNEAPOLIS, MN September 15, 2010 – Have you ever approached a recycling bin and had to look inside to determine what can go in it? Have you ever started a recycling program at your workplace, school, faith-based organization, public office or had an event at your home and wondered how to effectively mark the bins? If so, then you will likely appreciate this story about a remarkably simple yet meaningful solution that will make a dramatic environmental difference.

Beginning in September, Recycle Across America (www.recycleacrossamerica.org) and industry leaders will introduce and provide standardized signs for recycling bins for everyone. It is a major step in fixing the problem of inconsistent and often confusing labels on recycling bins; an ongoing issue since the introduction of recycling in the U.S. twenty-plus years ago.

This national standardized label initiative was proposed by Michelle “Mitch” Hedlund, co-director of UPonGREEN Environmental Advancement Foundation and founder of eco-profiles.com, during her keynote presentation to the recycling industry executive committee at the 2009 RAM/SWANA Conference in Minneapolis.

As a result, Recycle Across America (RAA) was formed along with a national signage committee representing nearly every level of the recycling spectrum, including: leading national recycling collectors, recycling associations, Fortune 100 companies, national manufacturers, national retailers, recycling consultants and agencies, solid waste industry leaders, composting companies, public school associations, parents, students, national leaders of faith-based organizations, government environmental authorities, e-waste recycling companies and more (www.recycleacrossamerica.org/about-us.html)

Just by visiting www.recycleacrossamerica.org anyone can print the signs themselves at no cost. Or they can order long-wearing adhesive labels professionally printed on durable and cleanable material to attach to their bins. On the website there is a library of signs that people can choose from which work for most, if not all, collection and sorting routines in all communities. Additionally, logos can also be added, making the labels a positive branding tool for businesses and organizations; and households can add a photo to create a more personalized statement about their commitment toward recycling.

“For years we’ve been witnessing how many people and organizations across the country are challenged with trying to figure out how to effectively mark their bins,” says Hedlund, who also is executive director of RAA. “As a result, there are literally hundreds of thousands of variations of signs on recycling bins, which has led to frustration, valuable recyclable materials ending up in landfills, contaminated recyclables and often – inaction.”

“Since many businesses and organizations pay taxes on the amount of waste they send to landfills, there is also a financial incentive to use more effective labels to help divert recyclables from entering the trash bin,” she says.

For instance in just one school district, improved consistency in recycling practices throughout their 15 school buildings resulted in a 47 percent increase in capture rates – which also resulted in a 47% decrease in the taxes that the school district paid on waste going to the landfill. (Pollution Control Agency - MPCA)

“As a state recycling organization, we know first-hand how frustrated people are when trying to find labels for their bins and we recognize the many problems that result from inconsistency. This is such a simple, yet historically progressive step in recycling in the U.S. and we’re excited to be part of it,” said Ellen Telander, executive director of Recycling Association of Minnesota. “It’s a big win-win for everyone and certainly for the environment.“

Facts identifying the environmental and economic benefits of recycling in the U.S.:

- According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), currently less than 10 percent of recyclable materials from businesses in the United States is recycled each year. If that number reaches 75 percent, that will be the environmental equivalent of removing more than 33 million cars from the roads in the U.S.

- An economic study conducted by the U.S. EPA and the National Recycling Coalition in 2002, found that the recycling and reuse industry is a significant force in the U.S. economy. For instance even at 2002 recycling levels which were significantly less than today’s levels, there were 56,000 recycling related establishments that directly employed over 1.1 million people and indirectly employed an additional 1.4 million people. This resulted in an annual payroll of nearly $37 billion directly and another $52 billion indirectly. At that time, the industry generated annual gross revenues over $236 billion directly and another $173 billion indirectly.

“The response has been outstanding. We’ve received tremendous support from the state recycling associations that we’ve spoken with thus far, which are excited to introduce this signage resource within their states. Additionally, many school and faith-based organizations have expressed their anticipation for the signs, and various industry associations have said that they are ordering labels to give to their members to promote sustainability within their industry,” said Hedlund.

“Republic Services, a national leader in the recycling industry and one of the first companies to hear about this initiative, has been very supportive of this effort and is preparing to use the signs as well.”

“Republic Services is fully committed to leading the charge on recycling,” said Dan Jameson, vice president of marketing and municipal services for Republic. “Our support of these simple, yet effective recycling signs is another example of our efforts to help customers simplify their sustainability goals.”

The Recycle Across America website has also posted a public/consumer survey. Visitors are encouraged to share their opinions about recycling. Ongoing survey results will be posted later this year.

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Keep New Mexico Beautiful Launches Expanded Annual Meeting

For more than 45 years Keep New Mexico Beautiful has been working to support communities in New Mexico in an effort to improve their environments and promote civic pride. For the first time ever they are expanding our Annual Meeting into a Beautification Conference on Saturday, October 23 from 9am to noon at the UNM Continuing Education Building (634 University Blvd NE in Albuquerque).

This conference is designed to promote the development of Keep New Mexico Beautiful, awareness and the programs available and we would like to feature breakout sessions for 30 minute seminars for local organizations and businesses to share their best practices to improve the environment, beautification programs and litter control. The conference will be open to the public. The conference will also offer table top display for business or organizations to exhibit and share any resources and or opportunities that support our mission.

Learn more at www.knmb.org

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Lowe's Installs Recycling Centers in U.S. Stores

Home improvement retailer Lowe´s Companies Inc. announced on September 28 it has installed recycling centers in nearly 1,700 U.S. stores to provide a one-stop recycling destination for customers.

In addition to recycling shipping materials such as pallets, wraps and cardboard, Lowe´s stores are now offering to recycle hard-to-handle products like mobile phones, batteries and CFL bulbs.

"Lowe´s is always looking for new and better ways to serve our customers and continue to be responsible stewards of the environment," said Michael Chenard, Lowe´s director of environmental affairs. "Recycling is a simple way to help reduce unnecessary waste in our communities. The recycling centers make it easier for customers to make a difference, and we look forward to continuing to partner with them to promote and support community recycling."

Call2Recycle will handle phones and batteries collected through the recycling centers. The recycling centers will be provided at 1,700 U.S. retail locations.

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Company Creates New Rewards-for-Recycling Program

A new rewards-for-recycling program has been launched, offering music downloads, discounts on new technologies and donations to schools and non-profits in exchange for old electronics.

The new program is available through MaxBack.com, and was created by Environmental Reclamation Services of Erie, Pa., and its sister company Funding Factory, which created a fundraising-through-recycling program for schools and nonprofits in 1998.

"According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, Americans own nearly 3 billion consumer electronic devices so it´s important for us to reuse, recycle," said Sean Michaels, Co-President. "It´s our hope that MaxBack.com provides incentive for teens, tweens, and really anyone to trade in their old stuff for new items or to share with a non-profit organization."

The company said more than 50,000 organizations have taken advantage of Funding Factory´s many incentives, diverting more than 26 million printer cartridges from U.S. landfills.

The company does not recycle all of the materials in house. The company refurbishes and recycles ink cartridges in its Erie facility. Cell phones are sold to refurbishers for reuse and recycling, while batteries, metals, chargers and cords are also sent to accredited recyclers, the company said. The company is committed to recycling in a "responsible manner," according to an environmental policy statement on the ERS website.

For more information, visit www.MaxBack.com.

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NMRC Board Meeting Dates

The NMRC board meets 5 times a year and members are always welcome to attend the meetings. We welcome your input and are always looking for new board members for our September election. We have also started offering a call-in option to board meetings. If you wish to attend any of the meetings, please RSVP ahead of time to english@recyclenewmexico.com.

November 4-5, Retreat at Sevilleta Research Station, 10 Am to 3 PM

All these meetings are posted online at www.recyclenewmexico.com/calendar.htm

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More Tire Art Photos

Tire Elephant - Thanks to Board Member Ramon Acevedo-Cruz from Holloman Airforce Base for sending the amazing tire art images - we don't know where they're from or who the artists are (this informoration got lost in the email forwarding chain somewhere), but it's great to see innovative recycling like this. We'll post more again in next month's Scraps.

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From The New York Times Op Ed by Thomas Friedman

What a contrast. In a year that’s on track to be our planet’s hottest on record, America turned “climate change” into a four-letter word that many U.S. politicians won’t even dare utter in public. If this were just some parlor game, it wouldn’t matter. But the totally bogus “discrediting” of climate science has had serious implications. For starters, it helped scuttle Senate passage of the energy-climate bill needed to scale U.S.-made clean technologies, leaving America at a distinct disadvantage in the next great global industry. And that brings me to the contrast: While American Republicans were turning climate change into a wedge issue, the Chinese Communists were turning it into a work issue.

“There is really no debate about climate change in China,” said Peggy Liu, chairwoman of the Joint U.S.-China Collaboration on Clean Energy, a nonprofit group working to accelerate the greening of China. “China’s leaders are mostly engineers and scientists, so they don’t waste time questioning scientific data.” The push for green in China, she added, “is a practical discussion on health and wealth. There is no need to emphasize future consequences when people already see, eat and breathe pollution every day.”

And because runaway pollution in China means wasted lives, air, water, ecosystems and money — and wasted money means fewer jobs and more political instability — China’s leaders would never go a year (like we will) without energy legislation mandating new ways to do more with less. It’s a three-for-one shot for them. By becoming more energy efficient per unit of G.D.P., China saves money, takes the lead in the next great global industry and earns credit with the world for mitigating climate change.

So while America’s Republicans turned “climate change” into a four-letter word — J-O-K-E — China’s Communists also turned it into a four-letter word — J-O-B-S.

“China is changing from the factory of the world to the clean-tech laboratory of the world,” said Liu. “It has the unique ability to pit low-cost capital with large-scale experiments to find models that work.” China has designated and invested in pilot cities for electric vehicles, smart grids, LED lighting, rural biomass and low-carbon communities. “They’re able to quickly throw spaghetti on the wall to see what clean-tech models stick, and then have the political will to scale them quickly across the country,” Liu added. “This allows China to create jobs and learn quickly.”

But China’s capability limitations require that it reach out for partners. This is a great opportunity for U.S. clean-tech firms — if we nurture them. “While the U.S. is known for radical innovation, China is better at tweak-ovation.” said Liu. Chinese companies are good at making a billion widgets at a penny each but not good at complex system integration or customer service.

We (sort of) have those capabilities. At the World Economic Forum meeting here, I met Mike Biddle, founder of MBA Polymers, which has invented processes for separating plastic from piles of junked computers, appliances and cars and then recycling it into pellets to make new plastic using less than 10 percent of the energy required to make virgin plastic from crude oil. Biddle calls it “above-ground mining.” In the last three years, his company has mined 100 million pounds of new plastic from old plastic.

Biddle’s seed money was provided mostly by U.S. taxpayers through federal research grants, yet today only his tiny headquarters are in the U.S. His factories are in Austria, China and Britain. “I employ 25 people in California and 250 overseas,” he says. His dream is to have a factory in America that would repay all those research grants, but that would require a smart U.S. energy bill. Why?

Americans recycle about 25 percent of their plastic bottles. Most of the rest ends up in landfills or gets shipped to China to be recycled here. Getting people to recycle regularly is a hassle. To overcome that, the European Union, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea — and next year, China — have enacted producer-responsibility laws requiring that anything with a cord or battery — from an electric toothbrush to a laptop to a washing machine — has to be collected and recycled at the manufacturers’ cost. That gives Biddle the assured source of raw material he needs at a reasonable price. (Because recyclers now compete in these countries for junk, the cost to the manufacturers for collecting it is steadily falling.)

“I am in the E.U. and China because the above-ground plastic mines are there or are being created there,” said Biddle, who just won The Economist magazine’s 2010 Innovation Award for energy/environment. “I am not in the U.S. because there aren’t sufficient mines.”

Biddle had enough money to hire one lobbyist to try to persuade the U.S. Congress to copy the recycling regulations of Europe, Japan and China in our energy bill, but, in the end, there was no bill. So we educated him, we paid for his tech breakthroughs — and now Chinese and European workers will harvest his fruit. Aren’t we clever?

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From The Rio Grande Sun by Joe Crawford

Trash Authority in Crisis: Collection Center Closed

Shutdowns at North Central Solid Waste Authority are becoming more and more familiar to customers, but that didn’t make the latest fiasco during the past week any less frustrating.

    “I went today and they said they’re full to capacity and closed until further notice,” La Mesilla resident Helen Armijo said Tuesday, referring to the Authority’s transfer station in Española. “We’re still paying and we can’t dump.”

    The Authority closed the Española station Sept. 16 after its contracted garbage hauler, Salazar Trucking, finally quit taking trash away from the site following a months long dispute over finances. With no way to move trash from its 10 garbage stations, Interim Authority Manager Michele Martinez said the Authority was forced to close the Española location to prevent forming a massive garbage heap there in violation of state law.

    “Obviously we don’t want to accept any more trash,” she said.

That strategy might have worked — except that the Authority’s own trucks brought enough trash to the Española location by Monday that an inspector from the state Environment Department dropped by to respond to a complaint. Department Solid Waste Bureau Director Chuck Akeley confirmed the inspector, Ernie Gutierrez, did find problems at the station, although he said it was too early to tell what, if any, enforcement action might occur as a result.

    Martinez said the inspector found more garbage at the facility than is legally allowed as well as too much yard waste.

    Authority trucks wouldn’t normally dump residential trash in Española, as to avoid exceeding its weekly limit set by state law. But when Salazar Trucking left, the business took with it the only trailer used at the Authority’s dump in Ohkay Owingeh, where Authority trucks had been dumping residential garbage, Martinez said. So there was no place to go except Española, she said.

    The last time the Department checked up on the facility, in January, the subsequent citation carried a $32,000 fine. The Authority is already about $2 million in debt and it frequently runs into problems paying its bills on time.

    Akeley would not comment directly on whether his Department would consider the Authority’s financial strains before leveling additional fines.   

    “The totality of the circumstances is always considered,” he said.

    Authority Operations Supervisor Jose Castillo said the station might re-open by Wednesday (9/22) or Thursday (9/23) depending on how long it takes to move the trash that accumulated from Sept. 16 to Monday. A new contractor, Arizona-based Diamond S Trucking, started work Monday with the Authority, Martinez said. That same company had the contract before Salazar Trucking started in October 2008.

Payment Problems

    The Authority’s history of money problems apparently led up to the trouble with Salazar Trucking.

    The Española-based company’s owner, Jake Salazar, said he got fed up Sept. 16 after he couldn’t reach Interim Authority Manager Michele Martinez to find out whether the Authority had the money to pay a bill from the company. He said it was the last in a long line of issues the business had with getting paid for its work.

    “The only problem was pay,” he said. “Sometimes (Martinez) would say ‘I don’t know when I can pay you.’ I don’t think too many people would keep hauling or keep working with a situation like that.”

    At one point, before former Authority manager Joe Lewandowski left last year, Salazar said the Authority let the debt to his company rack up to $125,000. Martinez has acknowledged many times the deeply indebted Authority frequently runs into trouble paying its bills on time, although she said Salazar jumped the gun in this instance.

    “I don’t know why (he quit) — his check was sitting here,” Martinez said.

    Martinez and Salazar also disagreed on how consistently the company was being paid late. Martinez claims the issue came about partly because Salazar misunderstood his contract and expected to be paid 15 days after submitting each invoice when state law allows the Authority 30 days to the make the payment. But state law or not, Salazar said he had a verbal agreement with Lewandowski to be paid after 15 days, even if that agreement was rarely honored.

    The company was paid by the truck load based on the distance of the haul, Salazar said. Authority documents indicate the contractor was paid $34,032.88 in June and $30,534.73 in May.

    There is some dispute as to whether the Authority should have seen this coming. Martinez claims Salazar quit unexpectedly Sept. 16, but the contractor said he gave the Authority 30 days written notice, as required by his contract.

    The letter Salazar referenced is dated July 2, and it didn’t state specifically that he planned to terminate the contract. It did state the Authority was in breach of the agreement and it laid out why Salazar thought the late payments were serious.

    “The net result is that I have not been able to pay my staff and several of our fleet trucks are idle because we are unable to pay for maintenance that would return them to service,” he wrote to Martinez. “Additionally, we are in jeopardy of defaulting on business loans and contracts directly related to our ability to service the needs of NCSWA.”

    A week after the letter was sent, Salazar met with Martinez. Notes from that meeting, typed by Authority employee Sally Baxter, state the two came to an agreement and Salazar apologized for “his misunderstanding.”

    Salazar said there was an agreement, of sorts, and it involved more timely payments.

    “I told them if they couldn’t do what we agreed to, they should find another hauler,” he said.

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Municipal recycling coordinators, Resource Recycling wants to hear from you! Resource Recycling is conducting a first-of-its-kind survey of recycling coordinators and they need your input.

Covering program specifics, education and promotion strategies, personnel management, tricks and tips for adjusting to leaner budgets, views on the future of recycling, and a host of other issues, the coordinator survey will provide essential information gleaned from the combined experience of the nation's recycling coordinators. The results of the survey, including your input, will be used by major governmental and corporate decision makers — and presented at the upcoming Resource Recycling Conference (October 26-27, in San Antonio, Texas).

But in order for it to be truly complete, they need to hear from you! You can get started on this short, five minute survey by clicking on the link below:

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Rubbermaid Announces Partnership with Recycling Organizations of North America

Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP), the leader in durable facility maintenance solutions based in Winchester, Va., has signed a charter partnership agreement with the Recycling Organizations of North America. (RONA). Rubbermaid has made a multi-year commitment to boost waste diversion, promote corporate commitment and responsibility, and offer discounts on over 400+ products. Rubbermaid has also established a procurement relationship with major North American distributors that will provide RONA affiliates substantial discounts off of list price.  NMRC is a RONA affiliate and this discount is available for all NMRC members.

The Recycling Organizations of North America welcomed its first commercial-sector sponsor with the anticipation that it would be the first of many industry and organizational partners.  John Frederick, Founding Board member commented on the prospects for additional sponsors by stating: “As part of RONA's philosophical approach to be as inclusive as possible, our leadership hopes to engage as many sponsors and partners as possible. We believe that such partnerships will be wins for RONA, for RONA's organizational members and the sponsors for which business will be generated. “

Recycling containers and other types of collection equipment rate as a top priority for program managers seeking to improve their local government and institutional recycling programs. In addition, recycling rates continue to increase. According to the EPA, the recycling rate is currently at 33.2% based on 2008 figures so the need for improved collection containers and strategies will continue to increase diversion rates.

In addition to the discount program, Rubbermaid has begun working through RONA’s university group to pilot several new programs at colleges and other institutional groups.  RONA and Rubbermaid are working together on take-back programs for spent containers, better container design and production, and best management practices to share.  A survey is underway to advance these projects regionally and across institutional types.  The survey can be accessed at: http://recyclingorganizations.org/rona-u.  “We are excited to see this high level of collaboration among Rubbermaid Commercial Products and local government, higher education and other institutions” said Marjorie Griek, RONA Board member.  “This partnership also holds great potential for other RONA affiliates seeking superior collection equipment and proven operational experience.”

A procurement platform has been created on the RONA website that allows affiliates to “shop” for over 400 discounted products.  Orders are forwarded to Rubbermaid for actual processing and payment.  A portion of sales will benefit RONA. For more information about this purchasing system and other aspects of the partnership visit http://recyclingorganizations.org/.

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You can register for the 2010 EPA Resource Conservation Challenge Web Academy Solid Waste Management and Recycling Education Series on the web at:

http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/rcc/web-academy/index.htm

October 21:  Sustainable Materials Management                                    

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BagMonster Completes Nationwide Tour to Raise Awareness About Single Use Plastic Bag Use

Andy Keller, a California reusable bag seller, clearly knows that environmental activism is both good for the world and good for business. So he isn't just sitting back and waiting for Americans to stop using plastic bags to carry their groceries or Chinese takeout. Instead, he's unleashed a monster -- a Bag Monster, to be exact. As Bag Monster he's recently completed a 15-stop tour to highlight wasteful use of what he calls ocean-clogging conveniences. The tour included a visit to the Santa Fe Farmers Market on Tuesday, August 24th.

Why 500 bags? Well, the average American uses 300 to 700 single-use plastic bags a year, more than one every day. He also has a crazy display representing the 50,000 bags a single person tends to use in a lifetime -- a lot of plastic to send into landfills or worse, into waterways and eventually out to the ocean. In the Pacific Garbage Patch, plastic in some places outnumbers plankton by 6 to 1.

And while there is some debate about the best way to reduce plastic bag use (tax or ban?) and also controversy about whether disposable paper bags are any better, one thing is clear: materials that can be reused are best. Developing countries are leading the way to limit plastic bag use. Because poorer countries lack good trash disposal, nations such as Bangladesh have been horrified to see their rivers literally clogging up with bags. In Tanzania, selling bags carries up to a 6-month jail sentence.

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Waste Reduction Model (WARM) Update Available Online

The WARM update (Version 11) includes new materials, updated data, and added
functionality and is available at www.epa.gov/warm.  

EPA created the Waste Reduction Model (WARM) to help solid waste planners and organizations track and voluntarily report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions from several different waste management practices. WARM is available both as a Web-based calculator and as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.  The Excel-based version of WARM offers more functionality than the Web-based calculator.

WARM calculates and totals GHG emissions of baseline and alternative waste management practices—source reduction, recycling, combustion, composting, and landfilling. The model calculates emissions in metric tons of carbon equivalent (MTCE), metric tons of carbon dioxide
equivalent (MTCO2E), and energy units (million BTU) across a wide range of material types commonly found in municipal solid waste (MSW).

WARM is periodically updated as new information becomes available and new material types are added. Users may refer to the model history to better understand the differences among various versions of WARM.

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Half a Million New Jobs Could Be Created in Europe by Recycling More

At least 500,000 new jobs would be created in Europe if countries recycled 70% of their waste finds a new study, 'More Jobs, Less Waste', launched by Friends of the Earth on September 14th.

President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso has called for the creation of 3 million new green jobs by 2020 in his ‘State of the Union’ speech to the European Parliament; this study shows that a
significant portion of this target could be achieved through increased recycling across Europe.

The EU’s current recycling target of 50% by 2020 will mean no overall increase in jobs, according to the research, as a reduction in waste levels is predicted by 2020.  The report also shows that recycling creates around ten times more jobs per ton than sending rubbish to landfill or incineration.

Previous research for Friends of the Earth showed that the EU currently buries or burns at least $7.1 billion US dollars of recyclable materials every year. Recycling that waste would save the equivalent of 148 million tons of climate changing emissions, equivalent to taking 47 million cars off the road.

Friends of the Earth Europe’s resources campaigner, Dr Michael Warhurst said: “Our research shows that a 70% recycling target would create more than half a million new jobs by 2020, a significant contribution towards the 3 million green jobs that President Barroso has called for by 2020.  Despite the economic, environmental and employment benefits of recycling more, the European Commission has up until now failed to set high enough recycling targets for Europe.”

The report comes as the European Commission is reviewing its approach to waste and recycling. Friends of the Earth Europe is proposing that the EU adopts higher recycling targets, and stops landfilling and incinerating materials that can be recycled.

Read the full report at Read the report 'More Jobs, Less Waste' at:
http://www.foeeurope.org/publications/2010/More_Jobs_Less_Waste_Sep2010.pdf

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New Member Highlight - Green Removal Services

Green Removal Services joined NMRC in June of this year.  The company offers “green” junk hauling service to the greater Albuquerque area and strives to conscientiously provide a convenient service for the individual or business that may not have the time or means to properly dispose of unwanted items.

Green Removal Services is a junk and waste hauling service that specializes in recycling and developing ways to recycle EVERYTHING.  They haul away anything and everything, and promise that little to none of clients’ unwanted material will go to the landfill.  Some examples follow. Chemicals are taken to the proper processing facilities.  Usable items are sent to the thrift stores.  Old tires are being made into safe and durable playground materials.  Building materials can be taken to the Habitat for Humanity Restore.  Trees and yard waste are taken to Soilutions to produce organic compost and landscaping material.  They take old batteries and recycle them properly, as well as such things as empty printer ink cartridges.  The list goes on. 

How do they do business?  They service all commercial and residential needs: Commercial, corporate, and construction site service can be performed by individual project or contracted for routine pickup.  To learn more contact Drew Baker at greenremovalservices@gmail.com.

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Green Zia Environmental Leadership Program

The State of New Mexico is working toward improving its environmental impacts. Businesses across the state are improving their operations through pollution prevention practices.  The Green Zia Environmental Excellence Program is the New Mexico Environment Department's public recognition and assistance program.

In these times of reduced budgets and companies striving to be more efficient, the opportunity to reduce operating wastes, water and energy consumption will allow busiesses to save money.  This is an opportunity for your business to be part of the Green efforts that help make New Mexico the Land of Enchantment.  Receive recognition, promote your business and learn exciting ways to reduce your waste and save money in the process.

Learn more at http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/Green_Zia_website

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The USCC Board of Directors, the organizational group behind International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) in the United States, is proud to announce a call for entries for its 2011 ICAW Poster Contest.

The contest will run from September 15 until November 30, 2010 and is open to anyone who wants to help celebrate composting and promote the benefits of composting and compost use. The winning poster will serve as the 2011 International Compost Awareness Week promotional media piece. Posters must be submitted to the USCC by Tuesday, November 30, 2010. Application

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Price for OCC remained the same for our region in September and will not change in October either. Paper mills are running almost at full capacity and at least in the Southwest, generation has been meeting demand. Price for ONP 8 went down $10 per Ton in September, but it is going up the same amount for October. Other deinking grades continue to have strong demand. There were no mayor changes in price during September, but SOP is going down $15 in October and SWL is going up $10 per Ton. Price for plastics has been going up and down just a little, but overall remaining stable. Aluminum cans experienced a little bit of improvement in the last couple of weeks.

Please note that prices may differ due to different circumstances like presentation, transportation costs, and amounts of materials being picked-up or delivered. These prices are good for the month of October.

* Only accepting 100 pounds plus of PET #1

Please note that this is a sample of what is being offered in New Mexico for certain commodities. Purchase prices for OCC and Paper are subject to change based on market fluctuations as reflected in the Southwest Region of the Official Board Markets’ Yellow Sheet. Prices vary according to presentation and quantity. These prices are for partial loads. Full truckloads of any of the materials would be paid at a greater price depending on the pick-up location and destination of the material.

Other resources:

http://www.amm.com/recman/recdata/reccomp.htm for national average commodity prices

http://www.wastenews.com/secondaryfiber/  

http://www.packaging-online.com/

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Recycling Scraps Sponsored By Dex

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Welcome to New Members 2010

Tom Rico, City of Roswell; Richard Kerner, 7UP/RC Bottling; Karen Temple Beamish, Albuquerque Academy; Terry Tadano, Socorro Area Chamber of Commerce; Dennis Gallegos, Waste Management Farmington; Hiram Muse; Michael Alexander, Recycle Away; Dwight McDonough, Estancia Valley Solid Waste Authority; Evelena McGahey; Sylvia Hewett Schneider, City of Carlsbad; Bill Radosevich, NM Waste Servivces; Wilson Laughter, Navajo Nation; Susan Flores, Keep Tularosa Beautiful; Rob Vezina, Toter; Joseph Godfrey, Recycle Taos; Dave Holtman, Western Metals Recycling; Vicki Andrews, Road Runner Waste Service, Inc.; Jerome Salazar, CH2M Hill; Tim Sisneros, F5 Equipment; Theresa Riedinger, Cargotec USA, Inc; Carrie McChesney, Concept Green LLC; Dan Makens, Trails End Woodworks; Andrew Gough; Edward Cook, ServiceMaster Performance; Michelle Murphy, Gap, Inc; Drew Baker, Green Removal Systems; Linda Stevens, Artesia Clean and Beautiful; Bob Carman, Bloomfield Pride Commission; Harriett Taylor, Keep Bosque Farms Beautiful; John Beasley, Keep Carlsbad Beautiful; Bill Bizzell, Keep Clovis Beautiful; Joe Padilla, Keep Dona Ana County Beautiful, Robert Torres, Keep Hatch Beautiful; Craig Fenske, Keep Las Cruces Beautiful; Anita Bradford, Keep Las Vegas Beautiful; Ellen Bizzell, Keep Ruidoso Beautiful; Kathy Tetreault, Keep Ruidoso Downs Beautiful; Gilda Montano, Keep Santa Fe Beautiful; Yvette Fazekas & Cathy Keep Tucumcari Beatiful; Cyndi Sluder, Tierra Bonita of Valencia County; Charles Fiedler, Gordon Environmental; Cecila Jerkatis

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Regional Round Up

UNICOR LLC in Albuquerque now accepts textiles such as linen, towels and miscellaneous fabric for recycling. Learn more by calling 505-843-7600 or visit www.UNICORLLC.com.

Recycle Santa Fe Art Festival is currently accepting applications for Artists. The event is celebrating its twelfth year on November 12-14, 2010 at El Museo Cultural in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Working with Keep Santa Fe Beautiful and their recycling education efforts surrounding America Recycles Day (November 15th), this event attracts thousands of art lovers, trashy shoppers and the eco-conscious holiday gift-giver. More than fifty artists using a minimum of 75% recycled materials to create their work, will be displaying and offering these wonders for sale in the art market and juried art exhibit. So if your able to transform trash into treasure, check out www.recyclesantefe.org for more information and an Artist applications.

Rio Rancho residents are encouraged to take an online survey available on the city of Rio Rancho’s Web site, http://www.ci.rio-rancho.nm.us/recyclingsurvey, which seeks input regarding the establishment of a community recycling center. The survey is available now and will be accessible through Oct. 15, 2010.

Keep Rio Rancho Beautiful is now accepting grant applications for recycling, litter prevention, beautification and environmental education activities that serve the community. Mini-grants up to $1,000 are available to schools, churches, community-based groups and nonprofits.  A total of $4,000 will be awarded from funding provided by New Mexico Clean & Beautiful, a program of the New Mexico Tourism Department. The grant application, as well as additional guidelines for how grant funding can be used, is available on the city’s Web site, http://www.ci.rio-rancho.nm.us, by clicking on KRRB’s Kerby Coyote mascot icon and link located on the right side of the main home page.  For additional information or questions, please contact (505) 896-8389. Applications due Dec. 17, 2010.

Santa Fe:   The DEA, the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office and the City of Santa Fe Police announced a nationwide prescription drug "take-back" initiative that seeks to prevent increased pill abuse and theft and improper disposal.  The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office collected potentially-dangerous, expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs during a “no-questions-asked” take-back event on Sept. 24.  Dumping the medication down the drain or flushing it down the toilet can become a source of water contamination.

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Grants, Loans and Jobs

State Loans

NMED Constructions Programs Bureau offers low-interest loans for solid waste projects: http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/cpb/rip.html

Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Authority Job Listing The position of Buckman Road Recycling and Transfer Station site manager is open until filled. Click here to read job description.

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Recycling Tidbits

Group Begins Cradle-to-Cradle Assessment for Glass
The Glass Packaging Institute has begun a new cradle-to-cradle lifecycle assessment for glass container recycling.   More»

California Bag Ban Fails
Resource Recycling - Sept 1, 2010. The much-ballyhooed, Governator-approved, heavily-lobbied California plastic bag ban measure late last night failed to pass the California Senate by a 14-21 tally. Assembly Bill 1998 would have banned the distribution of plastic bags at grocery stores and other retail establishments in the Golden State, allowing only reusable bags or paper bags to be made available for sale.

Trade Group Says Aluminum Can Recycling at 57.4%

Waste Management Provides $150,000 in grants to 15 KAB Affiliates
A total of 15 Keep America Beautiful affiliates are sharing $150,000 in cash grants to help improve community environments.   More»

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Calendar

November 4-5, Retreat at Sevilleta Research Station, 10 AM to 3 PMPM to 1 PM

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2010 Recycling and Composting Facility Operator Certification Class Schedule

To register, please go to www.recyclenewmexico.com/cert_classes.htm

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If you have questions about any of the above information or have articles for future Recycling Scraps, please e-mail or call me.

English Bird, Executive Director

New Mexico Recycling Coalition

PO Box 24364, Santa Fe, NM 87502

english@recyclenewmexico.com

(505) 983-4470