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On Saturday, July 9th, NRRA Member Services Representative, Heather Herring, held a workshop at the Keene Recycling Center to talk about composting targeted for Keene residents. Keene Recycling Facility Operator, Mike Hartness, was there to lend his experience and suggestions with setting up a composting pile, as well as Albert Diemand from Elm City Composting. Heather reviewed the basics of composting and why it is important to town residents and the City of Keene officials to keep weight out of their waste from an economic bottom line. She reflected on last year’s Backyard Food Scraps Pilot program carried out by twelve Keene...

NRRA wishes the best to Heather Herring, NRRA Member Services Representative, who will be leaving NRRA to move out of state. Heather has been a great asset to the NRRA team for the past three and a half years, supporting municipal members with a wide variety of cooperative marketing and purchasing and technical assistance. In addition, Heather educated municipal staff and schools about recycling and waste reduction and coordinated NRRA's monthly Member Operations Marketing meetings for solid waste operators and speakers for NRRA's annual Recycling Conference & Expo. Heather’s last day at NRRA will be Friday, July 22. Following...

This is a wrap-up of the 2022 Legislative Session. To view the current session legislation, please visit our Policy & Legislation page. The New Hampshire Legislature's 2022 session, which included numerous bills related to solid waste and recycling, has concluded. Of the original 19 bills NRRA was tracking, five were signed into law by the Governor, one was vetoed by the Governor, and the rest were referred to interim study or were killed. Bills Signed into Law HB 1420 (2022-2649) HB Title: Prohibiting the issuance of new landfill permits until the state's solid waste plan is updated. This law prohibits the issuance of new landfill...

Reagan Bissonnette, NRRA Executive Director, has been accepted as a member of the Leadership New Hampshire Class of 2023. Leadership New Hampshire is a statewide program whose mission is building a community of informed and engaged leaders. Reagan will participate in a 10-month program with a cohort of 32 other associates from across the Granite State who hold leadership positions in the private, nonprofit, and public sectors. As the Executive Director of NRRA, Reagan oversees NRRA's partnership with over 450 municipalities, businesses, and individuals throughout New England to make recycling strong through economic and...

A large part of the Northeast Resource Recovery Association's mission and work is focused on technical assistance - helping municipalities coordinate and run successful recycling programs that handle a variety of recyclables, including hazardous waste such as electronics. The rural nature of northern New Hampshire, however, has posed unique challenges to towns in Coos County that are limited by a lack of recycling facilities. With increased costs of fuel, hauling loads several hours to southern New Hampshire is often not feasible. A newly approved Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, however, could help the county tackle this lack of...

A panel of solid waste operators with 20 years or more of continued service, including NRRA Senior Member Services Representative Bonnie Bethune, shared their insights at "Guardians of the Garbage - A 20+ Year Legacy." At this workshop hosted by the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Solid Waste Operator Training (SWOT) Program, panelists provided insights on how the world of solid waste has changed in NH, where they see it going, and how the next generation can make the best decisions in moving forward. The panelists included Bonnie Bethune, Senior Member Services Representative for NRRA, as well as staff from four...

In mid-May, over 270 attendees from New England and beyond gathered in person to attend the Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA) annual Recycling Conference & Expo. Recycling and waste management industry attendees were treated to a dynamic keynote panel, connected with expo vendors, and participated in over a dozen workshops, presented by experienced recycling industry professionals. The event had the buzz of a reunion, as many attendees had not gathered together since NRRA's last in-person conference in May 2019. For those who attended, the planning for another engaging and impactful conference is already underway, and...

The federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides an unprecedented $375 million in funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop three new waste prevention, reuse, and recycling programs: (1) Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program; (2) Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program, Model Recycling Program Toolkit and School Curriculum; and (3) Battery Collection Best Practices and Voluntary Battery Labeling Guidelines. Learn about these new grant and initiatives being designed and share your feedback. Solid Waste Infrastructure and Recycling Grant Program Funding Available: $275 million total;...

NRRA members gathered at the Moultonborough, NH Transfer Station for a MOM meeting and to talk about the use of security cameras at recycling facilities. It turns out that Moultonborough has other natural guards at the station, too. Members got to see a black bear lumber by the building during the meeting and observed a snapping turtle during egg laying-season. Many recycling facilities are spread out, which make it difficult to see what residents are unloading and if they are being safe. Staff shortages are common, so it makes it impossible to be in all places at once. Security cameras are useful not just for documenting safety...

Lithium battery disposal is a hot issue. Recently, NRRA shared a post on how to properly dispose of batteries, including lithium batteries, which are serious fire hazards. When not properly disposed, lithium batteries can easily combust, causing costly damage, injury, or even death. This fact was brought to life, unfortunately, at the Lee, NH Transfer Station earlier this week when an improperly disposed-of lithium battery caught fire. "Thanks to the quick thinking of the Transfer Station crew today, this situation was handled quickly and safely. Their training was put to good use, and there was no damage to any equipment or the...