2007 Municipal Recycling Supplement - United Front

The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC), Brattleboro, Vt., will reach a milestone in 2008, which marks the nonprofit organization’s 20^th anniversary. The Council of State Governments/Eastern Regional Conference founded NERC in 1988 to promote recycling market development in the Northeast. In 2000, NERC separated from the council.

Throughout the years, the organization’s mission has changed several times, according to Executive Director Lynn Rubinstein. "Originally, it was specifically targeted to recycling market development, but, over time, it has expanded as the field of recycling market development has evolved," she says. "We still consider recycling market development at the core of our efforts, but in order to accomplish that, we find it is better served by the broader mission of advancing an environmentally sustainable economy by promoting source and toxicity reduction, recycling and the purchasing of environmentally preferable products and services."

"As a regional organization working directly with state agencies, NERC is unique in the Northeast," Rubinstein says. "It is the only forum for cooperative research, collaborative action and networking on regulatory, market and business development issues that link recycling and economic development."

NERC provides technical assistance, information, research and networking opportunities; makes its members aware of developing trends and funding opportunities; and provides a forum for discussions on regional policy and program implementation concerns.

"Recycling and economic development are not just local concerns," Rubinstein says. "The realities of recycling and economic development play out in the marketplace on regional and national levels. Trash and recyclables are more likely than ever to cross state lines, and local economies are rarely self sufficient.

"NERC provides critical and substantive support for state recycling and economic development agencies, helping them communicate and collaborate on issues driven by these marketplace realities," she adds.

The organization has a staff of four full-time employees, including Rubinstein and Assistant Director Mary Ann Remolador, and one part-time employee. An 11-member board (each state has one representative,

NERC also has a non-voting class of advisory members, which is open to anyone who shares an interest in the organization’s mission, Rubinstein says. Advisory members can assist in developing conferences and offering advice on policy positions and projects.

In the organization’s most recent fiscal year, nearly half of its funding came from state dues, one-third from grants and contracts, and the remainder was a combination of advisory membership dues and conference revenues.

The SEC Northeast pilot is a voluntary program that encourages regional, state and local governments, schools and other public entities to purchase greener electronic products, reduce the effects of using electronic products and manage obsolete electronics in an environmentally responsible way. It is funded by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (More information is available at www.StateElectronicsChallenge.net.)

"Government agencies and organizations participate as ‘partners’ in the program," Rubinstein says. "The SEC provides partners with resources and technical assistance for improving electronics management practices and offers annual recognition to partners that have achieved specific goals."

New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch registered the state as the first SEC partner in all three life cycle areas, Rubinstein says. "In addition, the Council of State Governments/Eastern Region Conference adopted a resolution at its annual meeting endorsing the SEC and encouraging participation by state, regional and local government."

SEC partners have access to implementation tools, environmental impact calculators, technical assistance and networking opportunities.

In addition to SEC, NERC is working on a variety of projects, including developing debris management guidelines for individuals and small businesses, decreasing the use of toxics in packaging, collecting unwanted medication in retail pharmacies, recycling in rural areas and diverting food waste at special events.

The organization is also working on a project that more directly involves market development for the state of New York. Empire State Development has a five-year contract with NERC to develop a recycling markets database that will be available at www.empire.state.ny.us/. NERC is collecting information about recycling markets in a several state region, with an emphasis on New York.

According to NERC’s Web site, "the goal of the project is to research and compile data for Empire State’s secondary materials markets database to enhance the delivery of legislatively mandated services and assist Environmental Services Unit personnel in promoting economic development associated with recycling and reuse in New York State."

NERC’s current project that addresses the issue of volume involves rural towns and businesses. "We are working with almost 100 rural towns in the region to expand recycling programs (focusing on paper, containers and electronics) in municipal buildings and businesses."

Rubinstein adds, "Because of the population density in the Northeast, we have the potential for providing a lot of material. Taking advantage of the population density seems to be critical."

She says the Northeast is unusual because of the "willingness and desire to collaborate across state lines. The recognition of multi-state efficiencies, opportunities to leverage change and to learn from each other, I believe, makes recycling market opportunities more readily available in the Northeast than in many other regions of the nation."

NERC, however, presents a model other regions can replicate.

The author is managing editor of Recycling Today and can be reached at dtoto@gie.net.