January 15, 2016-Full of Scrap
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
From the Director’s Chair: Happy New Year, Plastics in the Ocean and More NRRA News: A new trial program, Announcements and more! School News You Can Use NH the Beautiful NH DES: 2015 AFR Forms for Solid Waste Facilities Available Online Massachusetts News: Gordon Martin to Retire from Wellesley RDF National News International News Classifieds NRRA Calendar
••••••••••••••••••••••• ~Recycling Fact of the Day~ Americans throw out enough iron and steel to continuously supply all the auto makers in the entire nation.
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FROM THE DIRECTOR’S CHAIR Happy New Year! Looking back on 2015 one can only hope for improving markets and a settling down of the various commodity segments. Everything from fibers, plastics, electronics, scrap metal and single-stream materials have been buffeted by historic El Nino like massive and global challenges. Never before in it’s 35 year history has NRRA worked more diligently to keep you informed and assist your municipality weathering this storm and the ones that will surely follow. NRRA tracks pricing, new programs and initiatives all with an eye on the weather vane of new changes and new challenges. Four years ago NRRA was able to assist members in selling single stream. Today the material is being charged almost as much as MSW and in some cases even more. NRRA will continue to work tirelessly to provide guidance and better options that will guarantee an increased commitment to recycling instead of sliding backwards on a program that will protect our environment for generations to come. NRRA is encouraged by several recent initiatives that are “doubling down” on source separated recyclables. Thanks to its current USDA Grant Funding NRRA is preparing new training workshops for Facility Operators in NH and VT and for Teachers in both states as well. 2016 will see a reaffirmation of the values that inspired the formation of this oldest in the nation non-profit dedicated to assisting its dedicated members each and every day. On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the entire NRRA staff thank you all for your diligence and sustained commitment to trying to do the best you can to ensure your town is a good steward for our planet’s future.
STEWARDS Speaking of stewards, NRRA works closely with its vendors to help ensure they share the commitment of the membership to protecting the environment both in their policies and in their practices. Last October, one of our vendors Schnitzer Steel notified NRRA of a procedural fine that required additional Bills of Lading for all scrap metal loads and additional training for mercury switches. This month Universal Recycling Technologies (see below) has agreed to pay a fine for procedural issues that were worked on in 2012. NRRA has reviewed each of these recent developments and concluded that in both cases the vendors cooperated completely with the agencies involved and in each case it is apparent, based on the review to date, that there was absolutely no intent on the part of either company to damage the environment, most importantly , or to improperly handle or account for the handling of material except according to the rules as they understood them. Barring any further developments NRRA will continue to use both of these vendors and support their continued efforts to maintain their good standing with regulatory agencies. Those agencies have an important job to do and their goal is the same-to protect the environment. NRRA encourages all parties to continue to recognize the importance of proper procedures, and the equal importance to have companies who are willing try and comply with those regulations stay in business. Without the hard work they do there would not be reliable markets or processors to handle the material at all, leading to disastrous results for the environment. Regulations are difficult to manage at best but they are most effective when they are grounded in sound management practice and created with input from stakeholders who actually handle the processes on a day to day basis. It is hoped that the future will hold environmental progress featuring ever increasing cooperation and successful resolution to any differences that arise between those regulated and those challenged with their interpretations. NRRA will work tirelessly to assist in any way possible that ensures continued progress toward regulations that are easily understandable and companies that are willing to act responsibly and be the stewards necessary to support a sustainable infrastructure.
Company to Pay $200K to Resolve Hazardous Waste Issue Associated Press, January 5, 2016 New Hampshire’s attorney general says the state has reached an agreement with a recycling company that will pay $200,000 to resolve hazardous waste allegations. Universal Recycling Technologies based in Wisconsin recycles waste lamps and cathode ray tubes at its facility in Dover. The state issued hazardous waste violations alleging improper storage and disposal at a landfill that isn’t authorized to accept hazardous waste. Analysis of the debris indicated that the lead concentration exceeded that permitted by the state’s hazardous waste laws and rules. Department of Environmental Services officials also discovered that the company’s recycling process for the lamps didn’t effectively lower the concentration of mercury levels for state and federal standards. Attorney General Joseph Foster said the company cooperated and corrected the violations.
URT response to NH DES citation On January 4, 2016, the State of New Hampshire announced a settlement stating that URT agreed to pay a fine to resolve allegations related to a NH DES inspection of our Dover, NH facility. The allegations listed in the settlement stem from a DES inspection of the facility in 2012. At the time of the inspection URT believed it was meeting or exceeding federal standards that are ubiquitous throughout the US and within the recycling industry. URT responded to these allegations in 2012 and while in disagreement with New Hampshire’s interpretation, modified its processing systems to match the States regulatory interpretation. URT continued to process fluorescent lamps and electronics without further notice from DES. In 2015, New Hampshire DES cited URT for the alleged violations based on the 2012 inspection. Although unfortunate, URT is happy to have this situation settled and will continue to focus on providing top tier service and environmental compliance. URT will be moving its fluorescent lamp processing system out of the State of NH to better suit our internal and external customer’s needs. Contact Jeff Gloyd (832.520.6914) with additional questions. Rick Norton Regional Account Manager URT’s Dover Location
MORE STEWARDSHIP NEEDED!!!! This is a great example of why recycling is so important and why we need to redouble our efforts. When left to solve itself, the issue of the waste stream being created and not properly handled is far more expensive than any budget increase necessary to avoid the threat to our very existence if not addressed. What price tag do we place on extermination?
Boyan Slat is a Dutch inventor, entrepreneur and aerospace engineering student who works on methods of cleaning plastic waste from the oceans. He designed a passive system for concentrating and catching plastic debris driven by ocean currents.
At a recent NRRA conference we highlighted the work being done by Mr. Boyan Slat from Amsterdam to help clean up the plastics in the oceans. Back then it seemed like a good idea that would help solve an issue that most of us do not see on a day to day basis. It is now projected that the amount of plastic in the ocean will outweigh the amount of fish by 2050!
Plastic trash pollution on beach of Labuan Bajo (Flores Island).
In addition, a lot of those fish will be ingesting the plastic making that link of the food chain even more fragile while the human population increase by another 2 billion.
The recent discussion at the DAVOS Conference in Switzerland places the problem front and center. When DAVOS thinks it is important it will hopefully bring to bear resources to reverse this cataclysmic trend,…not only for plastic but for the entire waste management system. We live on a planet with dwindling resources for an ever increasing human population. Failure on our part to see the critical importance of reusing resources and eliminating waste will result in future generations facing disastrous consequences and we must act collectively now to give them a chance at survival.
More plastic than fish in the sea by 2050, says Ellen MacArthur One refuse truck’s-worth of plastic is dumped into the sea every minute, and the situation is getting worse.
Just 5% of waste plastic is effectively recycled, at plants like this one in Indonesia. Photograph: Hotli Simanjuntak/EPA “In a business-as-usual scenario, the ocean is expected to contain one tonne of plastic for every three tonnes of fish by 2025, and by 2050, more plastics than fish [by weight].” To read the entire captivating article click HERE The Human race cannot afford business as usual.
Please do your part and help NRRA everyday to combat this out of sight out of mind critically important issue. We cannot wait for others to solve this for us. We must insist at every local, state and federal level on policies that prevent this problem from continuing to threaten the future of the human race.
CONFERENCE—CONFERENCE—CONFERENCE One of the best ways you can stay current with the latest recycling markets and technological developments is to attend the 35th Annual Emerald Anniversary Conference and Expo. This year in Nashua, NH and a month early! Make your reservation as soon as you can so you don’t forget. Workshops are being finalized this week and will be announced in next month’s full of scrap and they will be chock full of the latest recycling industry developments led off by Keynote Speaker Jerry Powell!
Gordon Martin Gordon Martin had been an NRRA Trustee and Marketing Guru and Mentor par excellence for over 15 years. Below you will find a recent write up on his retirement from the Town of Wellesley but NRRA is not letting him off the hook. Gordon is already hard at work as an NRRA Ambassador to continue to promote improved recycling whenever possible. NRRA salutes his contributions and looks forward to his continued involvement. Thank You Gordon!
USDA W.A.T.E.R Grant Program Update NRRA staff has made great strides in the first quarter with the USDA W.A.T.E.R solid waste technical assistance grant. “W.A.T.E.R” stands for: Waste Administration Training and Education Resources. The work on this grant began in early October 2015 with the task of updating NRRA’s contact lists to include regional planning commissions, waste management districts, school supervisory unions and superintendents in the targeted VT counties of Bennington, Caledonia, Essex, Franklin, and Orleans; and, Carroll, Coos & Grafton in NH. This daunting task had to be completed in order to coordinate the free, on-site technical support to help the eligible communities assess their solid waste streams and provide professional development workshops for teachers and solid waste faciltiy operators.
While some staff updated the database, others began developing the twelve workshops and three webinars that will help rural low-income communities reduce the contamination and increase the value of their waste stream. The workshops will provide safety & maintenance planning strategies to meet permit requirements, help teachers train their peers in recycling education, train schools how to accomplish annual waste audits, and assist all sectors in the VT communities with understanding compliance with VT’s Act 148. An added bonus to the W.A.T.E.R program is the publication of the second edition of Teaching Toxics and the fourth edition of Teacher’s Resource Guide. The two curriculums were developed in the 1990’s under the guidance of the Association of Vermont Recyclers (AVR), a non-profit recognized for its school education programs. AVR dissolved during the 21st century and gifted all of its educational resources to NRRA. The USDA funds are helping NRRA align the 96 lesson plans with the national common core standards. Once the lesson plans have been updated to the 21st century requirements, the curricula will be available to all members of NRRA’s School CLUB, and shared nation-wide at education and solid waste conferences. A project this large and ambitious required extra help. NRRA contracted with consultants: Cindy Sterling to manage the grant, develop training materials, and present workshops; Ellen Cabral to market the program and assist with updating the school curricula; Kathleen Cobb and Sue Megas-Russell, two retired educators, to align the curricula with the Math and ELA common core standards, and to recommend additional resources. The grant is now in its second quarter. During this quarter, NRRA will field test the updated lesson plans in schools. At the moment, Sterling is reaching out to in-service teachers, preferrably located in the targeted counties, to help assess the revised editions. A stipend will be provided to the K-12 teachers for their service. NRRA is also seeking hosts and helpers with coordinating the professional development trainings in at least six (6) of the eight-targeted counties. Please contact Cindy Sterling, Grants Manager and USDA Project Coordinator, at
[email protected] or 603736-4401 ex. 17. Help NRRA improve recycling education, collection and solid waste facility operations in your community or region.
•••••••••••••••••••••• NRRA NEWS ANNOUNCING A NEW NRRA Trial Program: “Solid Waste Staffing / Job Pool” Database” ATTENTION: Experienced Solid Waste Operators / Transfer Station Attendants / Recycling Center Staff As a potential service to our Members, as well as a resource for people looking for employment (full or parttime), NRRA is looking to create a database of available experienced Solid Waste / Transfer Station staff. Initially, this database would include a list of available staff, their experience and what days/hours available to work. If you would like to be included on this list please send the following information to:
[email protected]
Name:
Town where you reside Experience: briefly describe your current and/or past position(s) and responsibilities Operator’s Licenses: include any operator licenses and/or levels achieved with expiration date (current or expired – if available) Other Information: briefly include any other pertinent information you feel important to convey Availability days / hours Telephone (best # to reach you) Email address
NRRA’s hope is this program will benefit:
Member Town’s with their staffing challenges; The “staffing pool” would provide a resource to find short term and long term experienced personnel to meet their needs Job seekers looking for part time or full time employment Current working part time people may find an additional part time position at another facility. Retirees welcome
If you know of someone who might be interested and may not have received this announcement, please feel free to it pass along. *****************
MEMBERS!!! Your Call2Recycle Reports for 2015 are available!!
Please contact your NRRA Member Services Rep. for your 2015 Report! NRRA Members shipped a total or 18,423 lbs. of batteries to Call2Recycle in 2015 – 9.21 tons!! 204 cell phones were recycled in 2015 as well! Also, on January 1, 2016 – Vermont’s Primary Battery Stewardship Program started which allows Vermont communities to send BOTH rechargeable and primary (alkaline, etc.) batteries in for recycling!! Call2Recycle, Inc., North America’s first and largest consumer battery stewardship organization, recycled nearly 12 million pounds of batteries and cell phones in 2014 in the U.S. and Canada. If you are not recycling your Rechargeable Batteries for FREE – it is time to begin! Sign up now at www.call2recycle.org . **Coming Soon: Call 2 Recycles new box-in-box collection kit! 2 boxes shipped as 1!
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Please Stand by… At NRRA we strive to be as helpful and efficient as we possibly can. In an effort to continue to improve our efficiency, you may notice some changes in the coming months when you call in and dial your Member Services Representative. We are trying out a variety new ways to handling incoming calls/load requests. On certain days of the week, one member service rep. will be taking all incoming calls and requests. Please rest assured that your call and request for assistance will be handled by one of our top-notch, knowledgeable staff in the most efficient way possible. If at any time you have trouble reaching someone in member services and wish to speak to someone immediately, you can always dial 0 (ZERO) to speak to Stacey or our receptionist, Lindsay. Thank you for your patience and understanding. *****************
From Stacey’s Desk 2015 Annual Year-to-Date Activity Reports and 2015 Environmental Impact Reports have left the building!!! It took us a little bit longer than the January 15th date that is customary but all of the reports have been prepared and sent out to the contact people that we have on file for each member location. If you haven’t yet received your reports, please give me a call and I can send you a copy. Thank you all for your patience! 2016 Voting Dues Reminders: Up next on my “to-do” list is sending out the 2-16 Voting Dues Reminder notices. I’m afraid that I’m a bit tardy on this front as well. This is my first year as Administrative Manager so please accept my sincerest apologies for this delay. Voting Dues are due 3/31/16 and I anticipate getting the invoice/notices out with in the next week. Dues are not going up this year so if you need to put in a “place holder” for budget purposes, please use last year’s amount. If you need help remembering what that amount was, please give me a call and I’ll be happy to help. Thank you all for your continued support! Stacey Leonard Morrison, Administrative Manager
[email protected] 603.736.4401 ext 20
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NRRA Welcomes a New Staff Member!
Join us in welcoming, Lindsay Dow to the Administrative Team here at NRRA. Lindsay will be assuming the role of Administrative Clerk which has been vacant since Stacey moved into the Administrative Manager Position. We are very excited to have Lindsay join us. Lindsay is a 2003 graduate of Concord High School and 2005 graduate of Continental Academy of Hair Design. She has several years experience in the administrative field and very strong family ties to NRRA. In her spare time, Lindsay likes to spend time with her dog, Jake, her niece, Penni and her boyfriend, Codey. *****************
Stay Connected with NRRA: Learn about conference updates and latest news by following NRRA on
Facebook Don’t Forget to “Like” us…we want to get the word out!!! Help us get noticed by liking us on Facebook!
Twitter
and LinkedIn
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••••••••••••••••••••••• SCHOOL NEWS YOU CAN USE Welcome Bennington County VT Schools! BCSWA Awards Outreach Program to NRRA/School CLUB NRRA is pleased to announce that we have been selected to provide outreach and assistance to the businesses, institutions and schools in Bennington County Vermont on behalf of their Solid Waste Alliance. The goal is to assist all of Bennington County to be compliant with Vermont’s Universal Recycling Law – Act 148. The Alliance represents the towns of Arlington, Bennington, Dorset, Glastenbury, Manchester, Pownal, Rupert, Sandgate, Searsburg, Shaftsbury, Stamford, Sunderland and Woodford. We will be reaching out to conduct surveys and offer workshops and technical assistance this year based on our survey results. Our progress will be posted in FOS, SNYCU and on the Alliance webpage, which should be up and running in February. Welcome aboard Bennington County *****************
Welcome Raiders!
North Garland High School’s Key Club of Garland, Texas is the CLUB’s newest member and our first from the great state of Texas! The Key Club is an international student-led organization which provides its members with opportunities to provide service, build character and develop leadership. NGHS is also a proud partner in the AVID program (Advancement Via Individual Determination) offering an elective course for students preparing for college. We look forward to helping NGHS advance their recycling program and posting their successes in future newsletters *****************
“R” Is For Recycling
Sesame Workshop Oscar the Grouch and his new digs, complete with recycling center. Some of you (especially those with toddlers) may have heard about the children’s television staple “Sesame Street” moving to cable TV’s HBO from PBS, but that’s not the only shift going on. With the 46th season, which started Jan. 16, the muppet mainstay Oscar the Grouch adds a recycling bin to his standard garbage can home. Actually, the show’s producers, Sesame Workshop, said in a news release
describing the new set, both the garbage can and the recycling bin are part of an “updated, reimagined and visually vibrant new set. “Oscar’s can has been updated and moved to a more central location so he can add grouchy commentary to any situation. He’ll also be popping up in trash cans, recycling bins and composting receptacles across the street!” While some commentators have complained that the move to HBO’s Family channel and an updated set betray its gritty roots — typical complaint: “G is for gentrification” — the producers say the changes reflect the New York of today vs. that of the city in 1969 when it began. And recycling is part of that new atmosphere. And for those saying the move to HBO means most kids won’t get a chance to see their favorite characters, the deal between Sesame Workshop and the cable network includes a deal that allows PBS stations to air the new seasons for free nine months after they premiere. *****************
Would you like to host a TOLD, Garbage Guerillas or another Workshop at your school? Let the CLUB Help!
Improves academic performance, especially in science and math Can lead to financial savings for schools Decreases the school’s carbon footprint through practical solutions that reduce energy and water consumption Reduces school waste and conserves natural resources Encourages student environmental awareness and stewardship Increases parental involvement Helps students and teachers develop stronger relationships with their communities
Previous EPA EE-funded research at over 200 New England schools completed by the NRRA School Recycling CLUB (the CLUB) found that the single most challenging area for school recycling programs was in providing curriculum integrations that brought recycling and sustainability into classrooms to be used as the subject matter for meeting state and local curriculum standards. The intention of the CLUB programs is to address just that issue in schools across all six New England states. Our goal is to use the CLUB’s workshops and technical assistance programs, all experiential and hands on, as a tool for educating K-12 students about consumption, proper diversion of waste, the resulting impacts on climate change and what they can do to change it. Through these offerings, we are also afforded the opportunity to link these priorities to curriculum standards. In addition, these workshops will model, for educators or community leaders, exemplary ways of teaching in creative, effective, and efficient methods about human health threats from environmental pollution as well as how to minimize human exposure to preserve good health. Click here to learn more or contact us at
[email protected] or call 1.603.736.4401 ext. 19
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NH THE BEAUTIFUL
Grants Program for NH Municipalities Do you need equipment for your facility? A Floor Scale? Storage Containers? All New Hampshire municipalities are eligible to apply for grants toward the purchase price of recycling equipment. For more information or to apply for a grant, go to http://www.nhthebeautiful.org/wpcontent/uploads/2014/03/equipment_grant_app_710.pdf, print & fill out the form and fax it to 603-7364402. If you do not have access to the internet, please give us a call, and we can fax or mail a form to you. The next NH the Beautiful Board Meeting will be on February 18th, 2o16. Please submit your grant applications by February 1st to have them considered at this next meeting! *****************
NH the Beautiful Provides FREE Facility Signs All NH municipalities are eligible to apply for FREE facility signs. NHtB has been providing professional looking signs for NH municipalities since 1983. Under the NHtB Sign Program, New Hampshire Municipalities are all eligible to apply for signs (60 points each fiscal year or until funds run out). The NHtB fiscal year runs November 1-October 31. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Stacey at 603-736-4401 x.20. To maximize your points, you can also order “recycled” signs or overlays for existing signs! For a complete list of sign options and to order signs, click here Complete Sign Packet. Simply print the forms you need, mail or fax them to 603-736-4402. Please NOTE!!! You can only use points to order signs that are on the list. Words can be removed, but nothing can be added. Custom signs are available for purchase. Contact the NRRA for details.
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NHtB Also has Clear Stream Containers and 14-Gallon Recycling Bins for Sale at Discounted Prices Click the links below to find out how you can get yours! Please note that effective July 1, 2015 the cost of the 14 gallon Curbside Recycling Bins have increased by .50 cents a bin. We regret this unavoidable increase but assure you that these bins are still being offered at a great discounted rate to all Towns, Schools, Businesses and non-profit organization who apply.
Click here for ClearStream info.
Click here for Curbside Recycling Bin info. *****************
Visit NH the Beautiful on Facebook and Twitter To see all the latest that NH the Beautiful is doing for NH check out their Facebook Page! Click the following link – https://www.facebook.com/pages/NH-TheBeautiful/253682871403932 We are also on Twitter and Instagram NH the Beautiful, Inc. (NHtB) is a private non-profit charitable trust founded in 1983 and supported by the soft drink, malt beverage, and grocery industries of New Hampshire. By offering municipal recycling grants (over $2.5 million) and signs, anti-litter programs, and technical assistance to recycling programs, NHtB is a unique organization that represents a voluntarily-funded alternative to expensive legislation intended to achieve the same end results. NHtB supports the NRRA School Education Program (the Club). The Northeast Resource Recovery Association (www.nrra.net) administers the New Hampshire the Beautiful programs.
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NH DES NEWS
2015 AFR Forms for Solid Waste Facilities Available Online Each year, permitted solid waste facilities are required to report their regulated activities to DES. The 2015 Annual Facility Report (AFR) forms for all facilities, including Transfer Stations and Scrap Metal Facilities, are online at http://des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/waste/swmb/css/categories/forms.htm. Reports are due March 31, 2016 and can be submitted in the mail, by fax (271-2456) or electronically, either as a pdf or email attachment to:
[email protected]. Send questions to
[email protected] or call 2712925. Staff will also be available to answer questions in person on March 22, from 9:00 to 3:00. *****************
2016 SWOT Continuing Education Classes For renewing Solid Waste Operators, DES will hold two workshops in early 2016. January 21, 2016, 9am – Noon: Morning at the Movies (Repeat) DES will show documentaries about waste management and DES staff will discuss how the topics from the documentaries relate to us here in New Hampshire. February 25, 2016, 9am – Noon: Used Oil, Part II DES staff will discuss used oil management at solid waste facilities. Topics will include: why used oil is regulated; who from your community may bring it to your facility; used oil grants and a review of the BMPs for used oil. These are currently the only two workshops available, so we encourage operators whose certification will expire before March 31 to attend. Continue to check this website for additional information. Please contact
us at (603) 271-2938 or at
[email protected] to reserve a seat at one of these workshops. Please visit the DES Solid Waste Facility Operator Training & Certification Program’s website at: des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/waste/swrtas/index.htm for more information about the Program. *****************
Household Hazardous Waste Grants Applications NHDES is now accepting requests for applications for Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Grants for State Fiscal Year 2017 (July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017). This will be your only opportunity to obtain a grant this coming fiscal year. Costs eligible for reimbursement include contractor HHW disposal costs and an educational campaign addressing source reduction, reuse and recycling of household hazardous waste. Grant requirements give highest priority to applicant communities or groups of communities serving the greatest population, operating a permanent HHW facility, providing access to multiple collection events, or to new applicants. The deadline for submitting a completed grant application is February 1, 2016. Grant application packages will be available on the NHDES website at: http://des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/p2au/pps/hhwp/categories/forms.htm If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dean Robinson at 271-2047, or by email at
[email protected]
•••••••••••••••••••••• MASSACHUSETTS NEWS Wellesley RDF head moving on after almost four decades By Jordan Mayblum, Wicked Local News , Jan 7, 2016
Editorial Note: Gordon Martin has sat on the NRRA Board of Directors for 15 years. We sincerely congratulate Gordon on his retirement and wish him all the very best in his future endeavors. ~Stacey Morrison on Behalf of NRRA. When he took a seasonal equipment operator job in December of 1978, 24-year-old Gordon Martin intended to work in Wellesley through the end of the coming winter. Next month, on his 62nd birthday, Martin will retire from his job as the superintendent of the Recycling and Disposal Facility, which has undergone vast change in his years at the helm. “I took the job only for the winter and I ended up staying 38 winters,” Martin said this week. “I saw recycling in its infancy and I remember seeing it and thinking that we could do a better job of the way we did things.” When he took over the facility, the town had no business relationships selling recyclables to China, Canada and throughout the United States. The facility didn’t have the baling building in which it invested in 1996 so Wellesley could maximize revenue and cut costs associated with solid waste disposal. Back then, they burned brush or threw it away with the rest of the household trash they collected. “If we’re going to handle trash and we’re going to handle recyclable material,” Martin said, starting in on the RDF’s more modern approach to rubbish disposal, “let’s do it in a way where we can get maximum dollars for it and save as much as we can in order for taxpayers to feel proud of this facility.” Martin said there were numerous opportunities for him to leave Wellesley along the way and go to work in other communities, but he stayed because he didn’t feel that any of them showed the same commitment to excellence. A key component of that commitment, Martin said, has been the spirit of teamwork town-wide. “What makes Wellesley a very special place to work is that everybody—whether they’re a resident or a politician or staff members or [Department of Public Works] management or the [Board of Public Works]— everybody’s pushing in the same direction,” he said. “When you can get everyone pushing in the same direction you can accomplish a lot.” The baler that condenses material and makes it easier to sell, according DPW Director Mike Pakstis, is likely the most tangible legacy that Martin will leave behind when he leaves his office for the final time on Feb. 12. “He kind of sets the bar for everybody else. He’s very passionate at what he does but with a keen business sense,” Pakstis said, “so everything he touches he tries to maximize the revenue for the town.” His legacy extends well beyond the baler and what it’s meant for the town, Pakstis said. “Certainly [there’s] his ability to generate maximum revenue for the community, but also provide a complete service to the community,” the DPW Director said. “Whether it’s an initiative to collect batteries, or to collect cell phones to turn over to the military, he’s been instrumental in bringing small and large programs to the community.” According to both Martin and Pakstis, the former’s success is due to a team effort.
“The recycling program in Wellesley began before Gordon was here; but Gordon embraced it,” Pakstis added. “Gordon’s been very good at not hitting people over the head with the recycling program, but bringing people along and working with all of the exceptional volunteers along the way to sustain the program.” Martin isn’t leaving because he’s grown bored, but rather to pursue other goals of his. “I come to work today with as much enthusiasm and energy as I had when I first started working here,” Martin said. “I have other goals I want to achieve, and one of the things I want to do is be a landlord.” Though he plans to pursue property management in his next phase, Martin said he won’t be able to fully abandon the waste disposal business. “I can’t just leave,” he said. “You can’t work for any place without a plan to see continued success, so it’s my hope that I’ll be invited to work and train the new person and help them enjoy the success that we’ve had.” That success, according to Martin, can be measured in a lot of ways. It could be the hundreds of thousands of dollars turned back to the town on what’s become a yearly basis. It could be the overarching pro-sustainability spirit that’s become commonplace in Wellesley. It could even be the extra time he’d spend waiting to make a sale and bringing in significantly more money for the town on recyclables he’d sold. “There were days,” Martin said, “when I felt like high-fiving myself.”
•••••••••••••••••••••• NATIONAL NEWS Nominations Open for EPA’s Annual Environmental Merit Awards in New England Deadline is Friday, Feb. 12, 2016 BOSTON – EPA is now accepting nominations for the 2016 Environmental Merit Awards, which will recognize environmental achievements during the past year. Award categories are available for individuals, businesses, governmental entities, and other organizations. Awards are also given under a lifetime achievement category. These regional awards have been given out annually since EPA was created in 1970. Past recipients have included scientists, community activists, business representatives, public officials and other individuals committed to preserving the environment. An independent EPA panel will select the winners based on the following criteria: long-term effects on the environment; ability to address an environmental problem or need; collaboration with others; ability of the program or accomplishments to be widely shared; clarity and effectiveness of the presentation; and promotion of innovative ideas or techniques. Awards are traditionally given in four categories: individual; business, industry, trade, and professional organization; local, state or federal government; and environmental, community or non-profit organization.
This year EPA will also be awarding the Children’s Environmental Health Award for an Individual or group that has made significant progress, contribution, leadership toward protecting children from environmental health risks in schools, homes, and childcare environments in New England. Criteria for the Children’s Environmental Health Awards are: – Innovative efforts to increase awareness of children’s unique vulnerabilities to pollutants and other environmental hazards through research, education, outreach, or capacity-building activities; and/or – Development of activities or programs that have produced tangible reductions in risk to children from environmental health hazards where they live, learn, and play. A final award category is available. For a third year EPA will be awarding the Ira Leighton “In Service to States” Environmental Merit Award. This award recognizes an individual or organization that has made significant strides in facilitating state and federal partnerships through innovative sustainable solutions addressing critical environmental challenges in New England. The successful candidate will have actively demonstrated conviction and leadership in protecting the environment and in promoting sustainable practices, and will be determined by a collaborations among the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), the Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA), in coordination with the New England state Environmental Commissioners. The deadline for nominations is February 12, 2016. Awards winners will be invited to a ceremony in May in Boston. Nominations are only accepted online. More information on Award categories, evaluation criteria and how to submit nominations: http://www.epa.gov/environmental-merit-awards-new-england
•••••••••••••••••••••• INTERNATIONAL NEWS This Japanese Town Is On Target To Produce Zero Trash Eleanor Goldberg, Huffington Post We need to do some serious trash talking about Kamikatsu, Japan. Since taking on a rigorous recycling program, this southeastern town of 1,700 people is on target to produce zero waste, according to a documentary produced by the Seeker Network. After noticing the deleterious effects of incinerating its garbage, the town adopted a mandatory sanitation program that’s nothing to stick your nose up at. Since 2003, all residents now wash, clean and sort their trash into 34 categories.
The intensive process has ensured that 80 percent of all waste gets recycled, reused or composted, and 20 percent is sent to landfills. But by 2020, Kamikatsu plans on having no use for landfills. Since the town has no garbage trucks or collectors, residents are responsible for composting at home and bringing the rest of their discards to the city’s recycling center, where the monitors make sure everything is being handled properly. While residents admit that the program is “hard work” they’re already seeing the benefits of their efforts. The main recycling center shares signs explaining how each item is going to be repurposed and how much money it will save the town. This little town’s approach to recycling has already surpassed the expectations of world leaders. Back in September, the U.N. adopted its Sustainable Development Goals, one of which included vowing to “expand international cooperation” for reuse and recycling by 2030. Kamikatsu has also already expanded its operations well beyond what takes place at the main recycling center. The town has a “kuru-kuru” shop, where customers can drop off old items and take other items in the store home for free. It also has a factory where sewers turn old clothes, flags and kimonos into teddy bears, bags and other useful items. Residents say it was challenging to adjust to the new rules at first, but now it’s just become part of their everyday routine. “It can be a pain, and at first we were opposed to the idea,” Hatsue Katayama, a resident, told Seekers Network. “If you get used to it, it becomes normal.”
••••••••••••••••••••• CLASSIFIEDS Help Wanted
Greenfield, NH Transfer Station Permanent Part-Time Position Tues, Thurs. and Saturday. 20 hours. p/w Wage $12 – $14 p/h based on experience. Some Benefits. Saturdays required. Will train. Equip./Baling experience a plus. email:
[email protected] or call 547-8617
**** General Manager-CVSMD Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District, a union municipality consisting of 18 member towns seeks General Manager to work staff, board, and constituents to implement legislative mandate, our solid waste implementation plan and grow our zero waste programming. The General Manager must be a strong organizational manager capable of delivering innovative programming in a fiscally responsible manner. The General Manager will be responsible for personal management, ensuring compliance with state and federal laws, budgeting, planning, and providing technical assistance to the CVSWMD Board of Supervisors, local officials and the public. Travel in the eighteen member towns of the CVSWMD and evening meetings will be required on a regular basis. Qualifications: A Bachelor’s degree and at least five years supervisory experience in a solid waste management, an environmental organization or municipal government environment. Master’s degree preferred. Must have a valid driver’s license and be able to pass a criminal background check. Starting Compensation: $59,000 per year, plus paid benefits including sick and vacation leave and employer sponsored health, dental and vision insurance. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until February 9, 2016. To apply send resume, cover letter, writing sample and three references to
[email protected], or General Manager Search, CVSWMD, 137 Barre Street, Montpelier, VT 05602. Additional information may be found at www.cvswmd.org.
**** Canterbury, NH Solid Waste Transfer Station & Recycling Center The Town of Canterbury is seeking a part-time employee to cover vacation & sick days at the Transfer Station & Recycling Center. The facility is open to the public Wednesday evenings and Saturdays, as well as preparing material for shipment other weekdays. The successful candidate will be a certified Principal Solid Waste Operator with the State of NH, or have the necessary experience and education to obtain this status, have basic interpersonal and accounting skills, be timely and trustworthy, and be able to lift up to 75 lbs. Wastemanagement and/or heavy equipment experience is desirable, as is ability to work on short notice, should the shift be to cover illness. Hours for this position will not exceed 450 annually; wages will be commensurate with experience and abilities. This position may lead to a permanent part-time position with vacation and sick-leave benefits, but is currently to fill in as needed. Interested parties should send a letter of interest, resume, and references to Ken Folsom at
[email protected] or Attention: Ken Folsom Town Administrator Town of Canterbury PO Box 50010 Hackleboro Road Canterbury, NH 03224
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Wanted to Buy Town of Gilmanton needs 10 Wheeler 10 Wheeler w/hoist for roll-offs, does not need to be road worthy. Need to move containers on site. Contact: Board of Selectmen or Town Administrator,Gilmanton, New Hampshire 03237 (603)267-6700 *********
For Sale Diesel Hyster Forklift & Two Balers for Sale The Town of Canaan, NH has the following items for sale, Please contact Mike Samson (603-523-4501 x 5) if interested or if you have any questions. 1) 1986 Diesel Hyster H40 XL forklift, Load capacity 4,000 lbs. 2) TWO , Advance Lifts Downstroke Balers BR9000 SN 18004 997A and BR9000 SN 18004 997B. Looks like it’s rated for 15 HP but I haven’t climbed up to look. Both in excellent condition. Acquired from NETC. *********
SPECTOR MANUFACTURING INC.-Trailer/Parts Sales
At Spector Manufacturing Inc. providing the highest level of customer satisfaction is our top priority. Founded in 1994, we have quickly grown to become an industry leader for all your demolition, construction, and waste management needs. We offer a wide variety of steel and aluminum moving floor, rear ejector, and dump trailers that can be custom tailored to meet your specifications. In addition, we also carry an extensive parts inventory to meet all your repair needs. Our onsite repair facility is open to all makes and models and our repair crew has a combined experience of over 40 years in the industry! In short, whatever your needs are, Spectec is here to help you take care of them.
Contact: Faller Enterprises LLC (603) 455-6336 Website: http://www.spectec.biz *********
Selco Vertical Baler Weathersfield, VT DPW has a used Selco Vertical Baler for sale. Model# V5-HD. Good working condition. $5000.00 or Best Offer. Contact Wesley Hazeltine at 802-291-3219 for more information.
•••••••••••••••••••••••• NRRA CALENDAR February
February 10th: NRRA M.O.M Meeting- 9:00 a.m. NRRA Offices February 15th: NRRA OFFICE CLOSED-Presidents Day February 18th: NHtB Board Meeting- 8:30 a.m. at NRRA Offices
