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As the current NH legislative session nears an end, NRRA has prepared a summary of legislation relevant to solid waste and recycling, including many recent updates. The bills address establishing a solid waste working group on solid waste management planning, updating compost regulations, establishing a statewide solid waste disposal reduction goal, and prohibiting the siting of a landfill near a state park. The summary also includes a summary and recent updates regarding the proposed Casella landfill in Dalton, NH. HB 413: An Act establishing a solid waste working group on solid waste management planning, relative to compost, and...

NRRA municipal members gathered virtually on June 9 th for a great MOM meeting during the heat wave. In addition to discussing current markets and member services updates, attendees got a special presentation on Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) events and catch basin cleanings from Brett Rogers, Disposal Manager at Environmental Projects, Inc. (EPI), an NRRA vendor. Bonnie Bethune, Members Services Manager, reviewed the good news for many recyclables in this bull market. In 2020, mills were overstocked with material. Now that the economy has opened again in 2021, no manufacturer wants to be caught without enough inventory...

What does it mean to tell your local Public Works story? Marilee LaFond, Director of Technology Transfer Center at UNH gathered a panel of speakers to explore storytelling at their latest virtual discussion on May 19, 2021. Why does storytelling in Public Works matter? In the past, Public Works have done their work quietly and hoped that the public was satisfied with the results. Resident’s expectations have changed today, and they want more communication about local projects. Public Works need to explain what they do and why it is important. They need to show residents that Public Works is making progress and not “just standing...

The Salisbury/Sharon CT Transfer Station, managed by Brian Bartram, Transfer Station Manager and NRRA Board of Trustees member, recently launched a food scrap composting pilot program on the 1 st of May. This program will now allow up to 120 households in Salisbury/Sharon to sign up for the food scrap composting pilot, with 115 households currently signed up. This pilot program will be for a length of 5 months. These food scraps will be brought to Curbside Compost in Ridgefield, CT and turned into compost. This includes hard to compost items such as meat and dairy; and don’t forget your napkins, paper towels, and newspaper (these...

Over 185 presenters and attendees from New England and beyond participated in the Northeast Resource Recovery Association's (NRRA) virtual "Recycling with Results" Conference on May 10-11, 2021. The conference featured six key topics currently faced by the municipal solid waste and recycling industry. On Day One, attendees learned about " Engaging Residents with Municipal Recycling" from three speakers who have successfully educated and engaged their residents about municipal recycling programs. Meghan Theriault, P.E., Director of Public Works, Town of Gilford, NH, shared her community's use of social media and their website to...

The following article is by Colin Staub, reporter at Resource Recycling. This article was first published by Resource Recycling and is available on the Resource Recycling website. To learn more about NRRA's new program for 3-7 plastics, contact Bonnie Bethune. Check out the recordings and presentations from NRRA's "Recycling with Results" conference. The mixed-plastics processing sector is seeing supply challenges from product labeling changes and could be significantly disrupted by chemical recycling initiatives, according to one plastics processor. During a recent virtual event held by the Northeast Resource Recovery Association...

By Colin Staub, reporter at Resource Recycling. This article was first published by Resource Recycling and is available on the Resource Recycling website. Check out the recordings and presentations from NRRA's "Recycling with Results" conference. During a recent virtual panel, the Northeast Resource Recovery Association reported that many recycling facilities are operating at 100% again, after pandemic disruptions. Additionally, a disease expert offered current guidance on preventing spread in facilities. NRRA, a nonprofit organization that helps municipalities market their recyclables in the Northeast U.S., held its annual...

The New Hampshire Legislature has begun its 2021 session, and NRRA has prepared a list of bills related to solid waste and recycling. NRRA will periodically provide updates regarding these bills and encourages members to testify on bills relevant to their work. NRRA may testify for some bills to educate lawmakers, but NRRA does not take a position on proposed legislation. Last updated May 12, 2021. Legislative Process State Senators and State Representatives first file what are known as Legislative Service Requests (“LSRs”). An LSR is a simple proposal for a bill submitted by a member of the incoming Legislature that is later...

On Wednesday, April 21, the Governor and Executive Council confirmed the nomination of Steven Bullek to serve on the New Hampshire Waste Management Council. Steve is the Public Works Director for the Town of Lee, NH and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA), a nonprofit that enables communities to manage their own recycling programs and reduce their waste. The NRRA Board submitted Steve’s name as one of three possible nominees after the Governor declined to bring NRRA’s first choice, NRRA Executive Director Reagan Bissonnette, to the Executive Council for a vote. The Waste...

NRRA recently had the opportunity to recognize our long-term volunteer, Mary Jane (MJ) Poch. Paula Dow, NRRA's Finance and Human Resource Manager, who has worked with MJ the longest of all NRRA staff, shares the following reflection on MJ's service. It was 1998 when Mary Jane (MJ) first approached NRRA about the possibility of volunteering. I remember taking that initial phone call. MJ had contacted the RSVP program, run by the Friends Program, to inquire about a volunteer opportunity. Kay Croak, then Executive Director of RSVP, referred MJ to NRRA. At the time, MJ was actually too young to officially sign up as an RSVP volunteer...