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For the past couple of years, NRRA has been working through two back-to-back EPA Healthy Communities grants to raise the importance of and tackle the problem of construction and demolition debris (C&D) in the North Country of New Hampshire. According to the most recent EPA data, there was twice as much C&D generated than municipal solid waste (MSW)! However, rural communities like those found in the North Country, tend to not generate enough recycled material to make it worthwhile to transport those materials long distances to manufacturers who could reuse or recycle the material. Because it is so costly to bring heavy C&D so far, nearly all the estimated C&D generated by Coös County communities is landfilled .
But there is also a financial cost to landfilling this material. In 2021, the North Country landfilled 4,500 tons of C&D. Assuming an average cost of $85 per ton to...Read more
The Pivot celebrated TRP’s first ten years and brought together communities and states managing recycling programs, consumer brand companies that design products and packaging, and other organizations - like the Northeast Resource Recovery Association - that are committed to building a better recycling system.
One of Reagan's primary goals while attending The Pivot was to share with attendees the unique challenges and opportunities faced by small, rural communities like NRRA’s members.The Pivot was not a conference; rather it was an opportunity for innovators, leaders, and connectors across the recycling supply chain to engage in conversation and discuss opportunities for greater investment, harmonized state and national policy changes, and increased consumer engagement to ensure that everyone who wants to recycle, can...Read more
In September, NRRA's Executive Director, Reagan Bissonnette, and Communications Manager, Andrea Folsom, had the opportunity to join representatives from the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) and visit the Bow Recycling Center where MSW Consultants , the company that is gathering data for the New Hampshire Waste Characterization Study, were performing a second round of sampling.
The Waste Characterization Study is the first of its kind in the state. Once complete, NHDES, legislators, municipalities, and residents will have a better understanding of what, exactly, is ending up in NH landfills and the waste-to-energy plant. This increased understanding will help organizations like NRRA - as well as the State - better tailor outreach and education to help increase reduction, reuse, and diversion efforts. The Solid Waste Working Group will also be looking at the results to make even more...Read more
On September 25th, nearly 40 NRRA Member Solid Waste Facility Operators, along with some NRRA staff, headed out on the Annual Fall Bus Tour, this time focused solely on composting in the Granite State. The tour began with a visit to the composting operation at WorkSong Fam in Hopkinton, NH, where residents can bring their food scraps free of charge to be composted and used on site. We then continued to New London, where they ran a successful pilot program and now collect food waste at their municipal transfer station and send it through Renewal Compost - a commercial composter. Finally, the tour ended in Lebanon, where food scraps are accepted at their large facility, processed onsite, and then the compost created used on the limited service landfill and soon by the town.
In a follow up survey, it's clear the bus tour was a success! One operator...Read more
Welcome to the 43rd NRRA Annual Meeting!
All NRRA Members are cordially invited to join the trustees and staff of NRRA for the Annual Meeting on Wednesday, November 13th from 9am - 11am at the NRRA Offices.
Following the Annual Meeting there will be a closed meeting of the NRRA Board of Trustees and NRRA Staff from 11:30am-1:00pm.
This important event allows us time to reflect on the past year - hearing from our Board President and Treasurer on the status of the organization. We will then have the opportunity to enjoy a panel discussion focused on transfer station safety with local experts. Finally, we will celebrate this year's award winners, including Business, Rookie, and Recycler of the year, as well as the Continuing Education Award.
Because we are hosting the Annual Meeting at our office, there is NO COST for this event!...Read more
The Lancaster, NH Town Hall is a neat building full of surprises - from the wonderful auditorium and town offices, to the upstairs space used by the local Free Masons, it's a great community space!
On a recent visit, NRRA learned of another fantastic resource that combines reuse and community support.In the basement of the Lancaster Town Hall, there are neat rows of clothing, shoes, and household goods ready for community members in need. Run by Waypoint as their North Country Regional Office, gently used clothing and home goods are diverted from being thrown away, sorted, and then offered to 700-1000 individuals in need every year.
The latest EPA estimates show that less than 15% of textile waste is recycled in the US. That means that while 2.5 million tons of material was recycled, more than 11 million tons of textile waste was...Read more
This bus tour will start with a visit to the composting operation at WorkSong Fam in Hopkinton, NH, where residents can bring their food scraps free of charge to be composted and used on site. The tour will then continue to New London, where they ran a successful pilot program and now collect food waste at their municipal transfer station and then send it through Renewal Compost - a commercial composter. Finally, the tour will then end...Read more
We are excited to announce that Andrea Folsom, NRRA's Communications Manager, has been accepted as a member of the Leadership New Hampshire Class of 2025. Leadership New Hampshire is a statewide program whose mission is building a community of informed and engaged leaders. Andrea will participate in a 10-month program with a cohort of 38 other associates from across the Granite State who hold leadership positions in the private, nonprofit, and public sectors.
As the Communications Manager of NRRA, Andrea oversees all NRRA communications, including education and outreach. She writes and speaks extensively about recycling and waste reduction, including in state and regional forums. Andrea manages several federal grants from the USDA and EPA awarded to NRRA to help strengthen recycling across New Hampshire. As a Principal Operator through the NHDES SWOT and Certification Program, Andrea believes high quality and consistent recycling education is a necessary component of any...Read more
The Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA) is seeking new members to join its Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing the financial and strategic priorities for NRRA. Board members also serve as an important source of information and feedback for NRRA’s executive director on how NRRA can best serve its municipal members.
Board members must be a member of NRRA, either through a municipal voting membership or an associate membership. Joining the NRRA Board of Trustees is a great way to stay up-to-date about the latest recycling issues affecting NRRA member communities.
We are especially looking for new board members who have one or more of the following attributes: Are solid waste facility managers, public works directors, select board members, or town...Read more
Applying for and managing federal grants can seem particularly daunting for smaller municipalities that may lack the personnel to write or manage grants. More often than not, municipal staff are required to wear many hats to help their community function smoothly. The Thriving Communities Network aims to reduce barriers to...Read more