Southeast Recycling Development Council Blog

SERDC featured in RE-RE-RE-Cycle music video Millionaire Boy$ from Godby High School in Tallahassee, Florida.

Jenn Cooper — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:52:44 GMT

We all know how important it is to recycle right? So let's say it again. As in...RE-RE-RE-Cycle. That's exactly what a talented rap group from Godby High School in Tallahassee, Florida did. They call themselves the "Millionaire Boy$". With pen in hand, they scripted and produced this original song about the importance of recycling. Check it out....and soon you will be saying....RE-RE-REcycle.

Watch their video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrcxKkKmvwU&noredirect=1

SERDC's Executive Director Will Sagar is featured during the Recycling Day at the Mississippi Legislature

Jenn Cooper — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:00:24 GMT

Advocates and business leaders in Mississippi's recycling industry are taking their message to the state capitol that recycling is making a huge impact and with effort, it can become even larger.

http://www.wlbt.com/story/17384607/recycling-means-big-business-in-ms?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6932627#.T4b-wOWKTwk.facebook

SERDC & TRC’s 2nd Annual “Recycling Day” at TN State Legislature

Jenn Cooper — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:12:30 GMT

For the second year in a row the Southeast Recycling Development Council (SERDC) and the Tennessee Recycling Coalition (TRC) hosted “Recycling Day” at the Tennessee State Legislature in downtown Nashville on Wednesday, February 15th. This event served once again as an opportunity to speak directly with legislators about the profound influence that recycling has on the state’s economy on top of the environmental advantages that recycling provides, including conservation of natural resources and energy reduction.

Similar to last year’s event, there was a networking breakfast to offer time for legislators to learn more about the positive impact of recycling on creating jobs and driving state revenues to higher levels. Many representatives from the recycling industry were present to touch on how recycled feedstock plays such an important role in their respective business models. In addition to the networking breakfast,
legislators were able to browse through informational tables in the main corridor of the Legislature where recycling businesses and groups provided further details on how they experience the benefits of recycling. Overall, about 225 attendees were present at this year’s Recycling Day which is a significant increase from last year and an indicator that this event is attracting a larger audience.

SERDC and TRC would like to thank our sponsors for their support: Coca-Cola Recycling, Beverage
Association of Tennessee, Carton Council, ReCommunity, KW Plastics, Alcoa, Sonoco Recycling, Leslee T.
Alexander Consulting and the Tennessee Malt Beverage Association. In addition, we want to extend our
appreciation once again to Rep. Judd Matheny and Jennifer Young for their assistance with the planning
of this event for the second year.

Where's Will

Jenn Cooper — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:40:13 GMT

SERDC's Will Sagar at the Tennessee Recycling Coalition's Conference with Keefe Harrison (Resource Recycling Systems), and Kelley Dennings (Keep America Beautiful)

SERDC Membership & Business Meeting to be held during Carolina Recycling Association Conference

Jenn Cooper — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:55:46 GMT

All SERDC Members are invited to attend our Membership & Business Meeting during CRA’s Annual Conference. The Board meeting will be held Thursday, March 22 from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. in the Wilson O room at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. Information about the CRA’s Annual Conference “Recycling on the Rise” can be found at www.cra-recycle.org/2012.

SERDC Issues Position Statement on Degradable Additives to Plastic Packaging

Jenn Cooper — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 21:28:54 GMT

The Southeast Recycling Development Council (SERDC) opposes the use of degradable additives in plastic packaging.

SERDC maintains the following understandings:

The use of degradable additives renders the material un-recyclable. SERDC supports the recycling of recyclable materials. Plastic bottles, film, and containers have strong recycling markets that depend on sources of clean, recyclable material. The use of degradable additives removes the reliability of the resin to be recycled and remanufactured into a new product.

Recycling is a steady and viable industry with positive economic impacts. In the Southeast United States, more than 6,000 people are employed in manufacturing that is dependent upon recycled plastic for feedstock in the production of consumer-ready goods. Working in sixty separate facilities across the region, these businesses annually contribute $3 Billion in added value to the domestic economy.

Plastic packaging’s environmental sustainability lies in its ability to be recycled. No plastic polymer is so sustainable that it should be used only once and thrown away. Over 1,440 million pounds of postconsumer PET and 981 million pounds of postconsumer HDPE were recycled in 2009. Domestic PET processing capacity will increase by 50% in 2011 alone.

The use of degradable additives in plastic packaging is not helpful in the reduction of marine debris. Plastic packaging is a serious and key component of the marine debris problem. While the addition of degradable additives should increase the speed in which that material breaks into pieces, those pieces do not biodegrade into a natural component of marine life. By reducing particle size, risk of ingestion by marine life may not be reduced and are possibly exacerbated.

The application of degradable additives in plastic packaging is not a viable solution to litter control. Littering is neither an acceptable nor a legal material management method. To intentionally design consumer packaging for litter compatibility is illogical and counterproductive. The SERDC supports efforts to reduce litter through education and enforcement.

Download statement

SERDC Annual Membership & Business Meeting to be held during Memphis Symposium

Jenn Cooper — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 19:43:09 GMT

All SERDC Members are invited to attend our annual Membership & Business Meeting at A Symposium for the Southeast in Memphis, TN. The meeting will be at 1:00 pm on October 25, 2011. A Board Development Session with Esther Hall will follow the Annual Business Meeting. To register for the Symposium, please click here.

SERDC's Will, Keefe, & Stephanie Boost Recyling in VA

Jenn Cooper — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 22:28:08 GMT

SERDC is committed to expanding recycling opportunities in Virginia for markets including glass, plastic, and paper. Keefe, Stephanie, and Will traveled to Wytheville, Stafford, and Hampton to hold one day workshops to explore the best ways for Virginia to grow and expand.

	Left: SERDC Chair Stephanie Baker during a breakout session at the Wytheville workshop Right:SERDC's Policy Director Will Sagar during a breakout session in Wythville.

Where's Will? Vol. 3

Jenn Cooper — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 21:53:17 GMT

Good jobs and clear ways to support local manufacturing - it's a message that decision makers are eager to understand. SERDC is busy connecting with associations and meetings representing our decision makers. Recycling has long been understood as a smart use of resources and as part of responsible solid waste management. SERDC wants to be sure that community officials also understand that recycling is also about material development. By recycling, we're creating the feedstock needed to make new consumer goods.

Recycling & The Economy: A Symposium for the Southeast

Keefe Harrison — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:53:07 GMT

We all know recycling is very effective at conserving natural resources. But just what role does recycling play in our local and regional economies? How can increased recycling rates fuel regional job development? How can local recycling officials use this information to grow their collection programs? What can business owners do to tap into this established but still growing industry? Join the Southeast Recycling Development Council and the State of Tennessee for a regional discussion to find out. Attend the event to network with high level recycling and manufacturing representatives from across the region and be part of the growing movement for increased green jobs in our region. Learn more at www.serdc.org/symposium

Where's Will? Vol. 2

Jenn Cooper — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 20:17:02 GMT

Will has recently had meetings in:
Sarasota, FL
Tallahassee, FL
Virginia Beach, VA
Richmond, VA
Atlanta, GA
Murfreesboro, TN
Jackson, TN
Gatlinburg, TN
Huntsville, AL
Charlotte, NC
White Sulphur Springs, WV
Columbia, SC
Nashville, TN

To make the most impact from these meetings, SERDC is boosting outreach to recycling officials surrounding the meetings. By sharing economics of recycling talking points and information, SERDC hopes to build off the momentum of the meetings, establish itself as the go-to authority for recycling industry information, and provide information sharing opportunities and continue to boost material recovery efforts in the Southeast region.

SERDC Hosts 3rd Summer Web Seminar Focusing on Rural Recycling in the Southeast

Jenn Cooper — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:42:41 GMT

As part of our Summer 2011 Web Seminar Series, SERDC is hosting web seminars on topics key to the Southeast.

The Rural Recycling in the Southeast webinar held on June 28, 2011 featured the following Speakers & Presentations:

Angie Howard, City of Conway, Faulkner County, AR Solid Waste District. Click here to download presentation.
Anne Blindt, Albemarle, NC Regional Solid Waste Authority. Click here to download presentation.
Chantal Fryer, South Carolina Department of Commerce. Click here to download presentation.

Have feedback or suggestions for future sessions? Click here to email us ideas!

SERDC Hosts 2nd Summer Web Seminar Focusing on Electronics Recycling

Jenn Cooper — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:34:22 GMT

As part of our Summer 2011 Web Seminar Series, SERDC is hosting web seminars on topics key to the Southeast.

The Electronics Recycling webinar held on June 1, 2011 featured the following Speakers & Presentations:

Kim Clifton, EPA Region 4. An Overview of the Southeast. Click here to download presentation.
Rob Taylor, NC DENR. Electronics Recycling from the Community Perspective. Click here to download presentation.
Jim Kristof, Creative Recycling. Electronics Recycling from the Contractor Perspective. Click here to download presentation.
Joe Clayton, Synergy Recycling. R2 & RIOS - Choosing a Reliable Contractor. Click here to download presentation.

SERDC Hosts 1st Summer Web Seminar Focusing on the Economics of Recycling

Jenn Cooper — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:31:15 GMT

As part of our Summer 2011 Web Seminar Series, SERDC is hosting web seminars on topics key to the Southeast.

The Economics of Recycling Webinar held on May 26, 2011 featured the following Speakers & Presentations:

Will Sagar, SERDC. Recycling Economic Impact in the Region. Mapping Demand for Recycled Feedstock. Click here to download presentation.
Nancy Cave, SC Coastal Conservation League. Using Economic Figures to Connect with Elected Officials. SC's ABC Bill. Click here to download presentation. Click here to download cost comparison of recycling under the ABC Bill.
Kenny King, Sonoco. The Economics of Recycling from the Private Perspective. Click here to download presentation.
Larry Christley, TN Department of Environment and Conservation. Click here to download presentation.

SERDC Launches Summer Webinar Series

Jenn Cooper — Thu, 12 May 2011 18:03:24 GMT

You're invited to join us for our Summer Web Seminars! These three sessions will address concerns as they relate to our region. Register Soon - Only 100 seats available for each session

The Economics of Recycling: Putting recycling's positive economic numbers to work
May 26, 1:30 - 3:00
Join us as we overview some important economic impact numbers of the recycling industry in the Southeast.

Electronics Recycling: Tips and Tools for Increased E-scrap Collection
June 1, 2:00 - 3:30
Join us as we present electronics recycling information important to communities in the Southeast.

Rural Recycling: Addressing Concerns Specific to Rural Communities
June 28, 2:00 - 3:30
Join us as we present recycling information important to rural cities and counties in the Southeast.

Full details and registration links can be found on our Events page. Have questions? Click here to email Keefe for more info.

Where's Will...and Keefe?

Jenn Cooper — Mon, 23 May 2011 20:55:43 GMT

Keefe Harrison and Will Sagar visited TWF Materials Recovery Facility.

Pictured: SERDC's Keefe Harrison with Tim Lee of TWF and Stiles Peabody of City of Alexandria

Where's Will? Vol.1

Jenn Cooper — Mon, 09 May 2011 15:54:56 GMT

Recent and pending meetings and presentations include:

Alabama: Voting Rights Trail Sustainability Workshop, Alabama Recycling Coalition Conference
Georgia: Atlanta Green Initiatives Conference, Georgia Recycling Coalition Conference
North Carolina: North Carolina League of Municipalities, North Carolina Association of County Commissioners staff, Carolina Recycling Association Conference
South Carolina: South Carolina Environmental Excellence, South Carolina Legislative Day, South Carolina Recycling Industry Group together with the South Carolina Recycling Market Development Advisory Council, South Carolina State Senate Members, Carolina Recycling Association Conference
Tennessee: Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Tennessee Solid Waste Disposal Control Board, Tennessee Recycling Coalition Conference, Tennessee Annual Solid Waste Conference
Virginia: Montgomery Regional Solid Waste Authority
Southeast: EPA Region 4 States Meeting, The Conference of Southern County Associations
National: Resource Recycling Conference 2010.

Ongoing discussions are underway with:

The League of Municipalities in Tennessee, South Carolina, and Alabama
County Commissioner Associations and in North Carolina and Alabama
National Conference of State Legislatures.

To make the most impact from these meetings, SERDC is boosting outreach to recycling officials surrounding the meetings. By sharing economics of recycling talking points and information, SERDC hopes to build off the momentum of the meetings, establish itself as the go-to authority for recycling industry information, and provide information sharing opportunities and continue to boost material recovery efforts in the Southeast region.

TRC Partnering with SERDC to Host Workshop Series

Jenn Cooper — Mon, 09 May 2011 18:00:26 GMT

The Tennessee Recycling Coalition (TRC) will be hosting a series of regional workshops across the state in May, presented in partnership with the Southeast Recycling Development Council and sponsored by International Paper. The workshops will focus on paper recovery and highlight the economic impact of recycling in Tennessee and the Southeast. Attendees will gain a greater knowledge about processing, markets, and grading, as well as obstacles and solutions that recyclers face.

Jackson - Union University, 1050 University Dr., Jackson, TN 38305 (Grant Center, Salon III)
Wednesday, May 04, 2011 9:00am - 02:00pm
For directions and parking info: Click here

Johnson City - East Tennessee State University
Wednesday, May 18, 2011 from 9:00am-2:00 pm

Murfreesboro- Middle Tennessee State University
Monday, May 23, 2011 from 9:00am-2:00 pm

Clarksville - Austin Peay University
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 from 9:00am-2:00 pm

Each workshop will include lunch and a tour of a local facility. The workshops are free to members of TRC and only $15 for non-members. Please go to TRC's website to register for the workshops: www.trc-online.org.

iWARM estimates savings from small amounts of recycling

Jenn Cooper — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:38:41 GMT

EPA Launches iWARM
iWARM estimates the energy benefits of recycling rather than landfilling

iWARM is a tool designed to calculate the energy saved by recycling small quantities of common household products, rather than landfilling them. iWARM uses the same energy factors as the long standing, larger level WARM Model to provide the relative energy savings from recycling rather than landfilling. The energy savings are translated into the equivalent amount of electricity, estimating how long that amount of electricity will operate a variety of household appliances.

Sample calculations include: recycling one aluminum beverage can rather than landfilling it saves enough energy to operate a 60W incandescent lightbulb for 4.3 hours, or to operate the equivalent compact fluorescent bulb for 20 hours.

Free C&D Recycling Web Seminars

Jenn Cooper — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:37:14 GMT

NC Recycling Business Assistance Center will host a series of free construction and demolition waste recycling webinars this fall and winter. Each session runs from 2:00 - 3:30 EST.

Attendance is limited. Click here to register.

Growing the C&D Recycling Infrastructure - November 19, 2009 Public/private partnerships, Targeted grant funding, Cutting to the chase - operational case studies (cost/benefit)

The Role of C&D Recycling in the New "Green Economy" - December 17, 2009 The Role of Material Recovery in the LEED Rating System, Recycling Jobs are Green Jobs, End Markets/Products from Materials in the C&D Waste Stream