In the News

ATLANTA (Oct. 4, 10:40 a.m. ET) undefined In its search for sustainability, the plastics industry has moved beyond lightweighting packaging into more aggressive use of post-consumer materials. But according to experts up and down the supply chain, there’s still too much confusion at all levels about how to separate valuable packaging materials from caps and closures after their initial use.

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Recycling Sector Creates Job Growth During Down Economy
Industry Leaders, Elected Officials Scheduled to Meet to Discuss Possible Market Expansion

Amidst regular reports of decreased economic activity comes news of a steadily growing industry: recycling. According
to the S.C. Department of Commerce Recycling Market Development Advisory Council, the South Carolina-based
recycling industry announced more than $438 million in capital investment in 2010. That investment created 1,130 new
jobs with 28 new or existing companies for the state. That amounts to a 22 percent increase over the prior year
recycling investment of $354 million.

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Recycling Sees Steady Economic Growth.pdf

Mapping regional demand for recycling
By Will Sagar
Policy Directory, SERDC

The recycling song of the new millennium is one of finding supply to meet strong demand, especially in the
Southeast United States. As the region rebounds from the exodus of textiles, furniture, cotton and tobacco, increased
emphasis is being placed on green jobs and local manufacturing. There has been an increase in manufacturing investment in the production of consumer goods created from recovered materials, resulting in a strong recycling infrastructure and creating the many support jobs required to move material through its intended manufacturing lifecycle.

County Lines.pdf (Full Article on Page 6)

SERDC's Policy Director Will Sagar offers his outlook in the following article featured in Resource Recycling.

Recycling = Jobs
By Jake Thomas
According to several reports from around the country, investing in and promoting recycling can help boost a state's bottom line.  We look into where recycling can create jobs and how to get it done.

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Features - Municipal Recycling
GREAT POTENTIAL
7/21/2011
Officials say growing recycling in the Southeast can boost employment and economic activity in the region.

For years recycling has been touted to communities and governments as a way to reduce waste
and help the environment. But as the economy worsened and unemployment rose, recycling
advocates started telling another story about the benefits that go along with recycling, and that
includes job growth and increased revenue.

The Southeast Recycling Development Council (SERDC) is made up of members from Alabama,
Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee and Virginia who work toward developing and promoting sustainable recycling
programs. In late May 2011, the SERDC hosted a webinar titled “The Economic Impact of
Recycling: Using Economic Numbers to Boost Support for Recycling in the Southeast,” providing
its members with statistics to back up the claim that growing recycling is a feasible way to bring
thousands of jobs and millions of dollars to the region.

Will Sagar, SERDC policy director, shared the results of a two-year study the organization
conducted that shows the impact recycling has on the manufacturing sector. It focused on
manufacturers that rely on recycling feedstock to produce consumer goods. The study did not
include collection entities, processors, material recovery facilities (MRFs) or supply side
businesses or organizations; it focused on manufacturing jobs, which Sagar referred to as “the
Holy Grail of the economic development community.”

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Features - Municipal Recycling
GREAT POTENTIAL
7/21/2011
Officials say growing recycling in the Southeast can boost employment
and economic activity in the region.

For years recycling has been touted to communities and governments as a way to reduce waste
and help the environment. But as the economy worsened and unemployment rose, recycling
advocates started telling another story about the benefits that go along with recycling, and that
includes job growth and increased revenue.

The Southeast Recycling Development Council (SERDC) is made up of members from Alabama,
Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee and Virginia who work toward developing and promoting sustainable recycling
programs. In late May 2011, the SERDC hosted a webinar titled “The Economic Impact of
Recycling: Using Economic Numbers to Boost Support for Recycling in the Southeast,” providing
its members with statistics to back up the claim that growing recycling is a feasible way to bring
thousands of jobs and millions of dollars to the region.

Will Sagar, SERDC policy director, shared the results of a two-year study the organization
conducted that shows the impact recycling has on the manufacturing sector. It focused on
manufacturers that rely on recycling feedstock to produce consumer goods. The study did not
include collection entities, processors, material recovery facilities (MRFs) or supply side
businesses or organizations; it focused on manufacturing jobs, which Sagar referred to as “the
Holy Grail of the economic development community.”

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Georgia has per capita commodity based goals for municipal solid waste (MSW) reduction that extend through 2017 (see attached). These goals for common recyclables were developed by the Office of Environmental Management of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, along with recycling industry stakeholders representing businesses operating in Georgia. With the potential diversion of 20-25% organics (yard trimmings/food residuals) from landfills coupled with the projected goals, Georgia has the opportunity to achieve close to 50% reduction in the near future bringing it on par with other progressive states in the US.

 

Georgia is known nationally for having the 2^nd largest end use market infrastructure in the nation and the largest in the southeast US; this means recycled glass, aluminum cans, plastic bottles, newspaper, magazines, organics, carpet, and more are used in manufacturing new products in our state. A 2010 study by the Southeast Recycling Development Council (serdc.org) found that Georgia has 31 manufacturers using recycled glass, plastic, aluminum and paper; they comprise $4.5 billion in annual sales and employ more than 7000 Georgians. This study accounts for only those markets available for commonly recycled residential curbside commodities and does not include additional Georgia markets for recovered rubber, organics, carpet and much more.

 

The state has successfully increased capacity for economical logistics via recycling transfer hubs, and private industry continues to invest in processing facilities to handle a growing volume of recoverable materials. Georgia’s waste reduction and recycling industry is a leader in the U.S., placing us in the national spotlight for our achievements. Private industry and national recycling associations have acknowledged the potential for increased growth in our state and have made significant investments. Foundations and other grants providers have recognized the value of Georgia’s leadership in this area and have been generous; awards have been bestowed, and the industry media frequently features our state programs in their publications. Gaining this edge has been possible via public, private, non-profit partnerships and working toward realistic goals. Check Georgia Trend article-Recycling Revolution-June 2008 issue.

 

Our industry faces challenges including low-priced landfill disposal fees, some lack of political will, public skepticism, and the lack of knowledge of disposal cost avoidance as the financial answer to implementing efficient programs. Acknowledging these issues, we maintain that recycling is the most effective way to avert climate change, save energy, conserve natural resources including water, and replenish our depleted soils all while creating more jobs. We work diligently with our 275 plus members and 75 Keep America Beautiful state affiliates to educate and incentivize the public; education campaigns require funding and local and state governments struggling to provide basic services have cut back on public education. The Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation is currently administrating a $1.4 million recycling grant thanks to Coca-Cola Recycling LLC, and the City of Atlanta is experiencing increased recovery rates in a 14,000 home RE-CART incentive-based pilot program.

We agree that methane collection provides viable alternative energy programs as long as the “feedstocks” don’t negate a higher beneficial use of organic resources to accomplish those goals; and you are 100% correct that this should not be used, as it has been in Florida, in calculating recycling metrics. We invite you to visit our website or contact us to learn more about recycling in Georgia. www.georgiarecycles.org

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Recycling industry appreciates support

Thanks to the Aluminum Association for pointing out the value of recycling as it relates to jobs, and the longevity of our record as the pioneers of green jobs in the U.S. (“Green jobs that don’t fleece taxpayers,” Opinion, June 15).

Georgia is known nationally for having the second-largest end use market infrastructure in the nation, and the largest in the Southeast. This means recycled glass, aluminum cans, plastic bottles, newspaper, magazines, organics, carpet and more are used in manufacturing new products here. A 2010 study by the Southeast Recycling Development Council found that Georgia has 31 manufacturers using recycled glass, plastic, aluminum and paper. They comprise billions in annual sales, and employ more than 7,000 Georgians.

Gloria Hardegree, executive director, Georgia Recycling Coalition

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/readers-write-6-22-983619.html