Increasing Waste Diversion - Beyond Recycling

On April 7, 2021, NRRA staff Reagan Bissonnette and Bonnie Bethune taught a workshop for the NH Department of Environmental Services on decreasing the amount of solid waste being sent to landfills and incinerators. This three-hour workshop covered waste diversion and why it is important, how communities can calculate their waste diversion rates, and specific strategies and examples of how New Hampshire municipalities can reduce their waste. Strategies included compacting construction and demolition debris, composting, pay as you throw programs, resident education, full cost accounting, swap shops, and textile bins. The workshop included a group discussion sessions where attendees had an opportunity to share information with one another.