NCRA News NCRA is a non-profit trade organization of recycling businesses, community groups, municipalities and individuals.
March 2018
ANNOUNCEMENTS GROUPS LEGISLATION MARKETS PRESS
THANK YOU RECYCLING UPDATE 2018 SPONSORS!!
We promote waste reduction, reuse, salvaging, recycling and composting as vital tools for resource and energy conservation and cost-effective, environmentally sound methods of disposing of discards. Founded in 1978, the majority of our 330 members are located in Northern California; we also have members sprinkled across the US. Our office is in Oakland CA. Not a member - yet? Please join and encourage your associates to join membership is $60 per year. Benefits include this publication, access to the NCRA Jobs Board, discounts on tours, classes, workshops and conferences, inclusion in the Member Directory and listing in the Members Services Directory. For more information, visit www.ncrarecycles.org, look for us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube or send a note to the NCRA office via our on-line contact form.
CONTRIBUTORS
Laura McKaughan, Juliana Gerber, Hilary Near, Liz Bortolotto, Tom Wright, Joanne Brasch, Editor Portia Sinnott and the members of NCRA's Committees.
FEATURED SPEAKER
Nicole Bassett, Co-founder of the Renewal Workshop, is a changemaker well positioned to rock the apparel industry. She has worked for/consulted with a dazzling number of apparel and equipment manufacturers including prAna, Specialized Bicycles and REI, plus progressive industry associations like Textile Exchange and OEKOTEX. She also serves on the Outdoor Industry Association's Sustainability Working Group, a collaborative effort among more than 300 outdoor brands, retailers, suppliers and other stakeholder organizations working to identify and implement better business practices throughout shared supply chains.
WHO’S REALLY TO BLAME FOR THE PLASTICS RECYCLING CRISIS (HINT: IT’S NOT CHINA)
Kate Bailey, Eco-Cycle Solutions, 2/27/18 The real problem isn’t China. The real problem is that the prolific, ever-increasing production of plastics is choking our planet, our oceans and our bodies. Recyclers did not create the plastic waste crisis—the plastics
Previous to starting The Renewal Workshop, Nicole was Director of Sustainability and (Continued on page 7)
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THE FAR REACH OF REUSE
MaryEllen Etienne, Reuse International & ReuseConex, Resource Recycling, 10/16 It’s common knowledge that reuse involves extending the life of a product or resource by using it more than once with little to no processing. What may be less known is that the reuse concept also covers an enormous array of strategies and activities that can help (Continued on page 7)
details to come. Free to members. Directions
ZERO WASTE WEEK SCHEDULE Zero Waste Youth Convergence, Saturday and Sunday, 3/17 & 18, San Francisco Zero Waste USA Certification Classes start Monday, 3/19 in Santa Rosa and San Jose. Details below. CityTeam Food Recovery in Action, 3/19, Volunteer Recycling Update, Tuesday, 3/20, 8:30am - 4:30pm, Berkeley, register today! East Bay Facilities Tour, 3/21, register today! EPA Deconstruction Policy Quarterly Meeting, 3/22, San Francisco, Register Downtown Oakland Clothing Swap, 3/25, 4-7pm, details (scroll to 3/25) or from host Stefanie Pruegel. NCRA’s 40th Anniversary Party, Friday, March 23rd, 6 -10pm, Details
ZERO WASTE YOUTH CONVERGENCE 2018 Resilient Communities Fight Back: Equity In Zero Waste Saturday, March 17, Jackrabbit Beach at Candlestick Point Park
Board Meetings: All interested parties are welcome to attend! Held on the third Thursday of most months; often but not always held at John Moore’s office in Oakland. The board does not meet in September or March. Zero Waste Advocacy: Second Wednesday of most months. The next meeting is March 14 at John Moore’s office in Oakland. RSVP Membership, Outreach and Activities: First Wednesday of most months at noon via phone. RSVP.
MILESTONES
Anastasia Nicole has accepted the newly-created position of Zero Waste Coordinator at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo. Cal Poly, with robust sustainability programs in energy management, green building and student participation, recognizes the value of investing in Zero Waste! Emanuel Benjamin Keim has been promoted to Waste Zero Diversion Auditor at Recology SF. Previously he worked as a Quality Assurance Auditor for Organics and Recycling and for many years a Materials Salvager/Recycler at Urban Ore. Ben is a graduate of the 2017 Zero Waste USA Zero Waste Community Associate Certification Program.
Community Building & Beach Cleanup
Sunday, March 18, City College SF, Ocean Campus Speakers, Workshops & Raffles
Providing students and young professionals the resources to protect the health of their communities and environment from unnecessary waste. Registration will be open soon!
NCRA JOBS
Click here to access NCRA’s Jobs Page for development & job opportunities. A volunteer is needed to highlight a few jobs in the newsletter per month. Interested?
ZERO WASTE CLASSES
Zero Waste USA announces the Spring 2018 certificate program for resource management professionals, municipal staff, service providers, advocates, job seekers and students. The series is sponsored by the Northern California Recycling Association, Santa Clara County and Recology Sonoma Marin, Zero Waste Sonoma and Zero Waste San Diego. Two Locations and Instructor Teams San Jose: Ruth Abbe & Gary Liss Santa Rosa: Portia Sinnott & Rick Anthony Plus lectures by Bay Area Zero Waste leaders Class 1: Introduction to Zero Waste, Monday, March 19 Class 2: Zero Waste Principles and Tools, Friday, April 20 Class 3: Zero Waste Community Planning, Thursday, May 24 Check-in: 8:30am Instruction: 9am – 3pm Students may register for one or more classes. $125 each or $300 for series. Scholarships available. Successful completion of all three classes and exams earns Zero Waste USA Zero Waste Community Associate Certification. Register Today!
ANNOUNCEMENTS ANNUAL MEETING, APRIL 19
RSVP
Join us Thursday, April 19 from 6-9pm for the 2018 Member Meeting at StopWaste,1537 Webster St. Oakland. More
ASSOCIATED GROUPS AND PROJECTS ALAMEDA COUNTY GRANTS AVAILABLE!
The StopWaste Grants Program provides funding to organizations for innovative projects that will increase individual and community involvement in reuse, recover, source reduction and recycling efforts, decrease the amount of waste generated and sent to the County's three landfills and encourage the development, marketing and use of recycled products. Applications are due Monday, March 19. Read more… StopWaste
SONOMA COUNTY ZERO WASTE WEEK
The 2nd annual Sonoma County Zero Waste Symposium will be held Tuesday, May 10 at Sonoma Mountain Village in Rohnert Park. The keynote speaker will be Captain Charles Moore founder of the Algalita Marine Research and Education and co-chair of the Albatross Coalition. The Symposium is the headline event for the local Zero Waste Week, May 6-12, 2018. A multitude of events are being planned - for youth, for schools, for the public… including Zero Waste Curious classes and the Zero Waste 5K run. This ambitious event is being organized by members of the Sonoma County Zero Waste Force (ZWTF), led by Leslie Lukacs of SCS Engineers. The ZWTF was established in 2017 by the Sonoma County AB 939 Local Task Force on Integrated Waste Management as a collaborative of
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stakeholders to develop the 2018 Zero Waste Initiative which will soon be used to ask the County of Sonoma and each of its nine jurisdictions to adopt a 2018 Zero Waste Ordinance with substantive goals and policies and to initiate the development of a comprehensive Zero Waste Plan by 2019. Read more… ZWS
ZERO FOOD WASTE FORUM – OCTOBER 2018
Did you miss the “Woodstock of Wasted Food”? NCRA was a co-sponsor of the Zero Waste Food Forum in October 2014, which brought over 300 practitioners from around the world together to elevate the discussion of wasted food and grow the movement. The NCRA Food Waste Reduction Committee is planning the next Zero Food Waste Forum in fall 2018 in the Bay Area. We will profile model food recovery programs and prepare local communities for compliance with Senate Bill 1383. If you are interested in serving on the steering committee or becoming a sponsor, contact the NCRA Food Waste Reduction Committee.
LEGISLATION
8, 2018. In the letter, the committee provided 21 recommended changes to the draft plan, listed in priority order. The committee followed protocols to comply with the BagleyKeene Open Meeting Act as they discussed and voted on each recommendation, ensuring transparency and giving the public opportunity to comment. These recommendations aim to expand the carpet recycling program in California to provide adequate program funding, improve recycling infrastructure and subsidies, and drive markets for carpet materials. The committee requested the author of AB 1158, Assemblymember Kansen Chu, to provide clarification regarding his intent for the definition of recyclability. The author’s definition was incorporated into a new, more comprehensive metric of recyclability, which includes measurements of carpet deconstruction and material separation, ease of collection, cost-effectiveness, postrecycling material performance, and toxic components. Assemblymember Chu’s letter of intent for the definition of “recyclability” will in turn affect the grant and subsidy program, which by law prioritizes products that have the highest recyclability to ensure the carpet stewardship program incentivizes greener design.
STONE REINTRODUCES PLASTIC BOTTLE CAP BILL, 2/16/18
CARE has until March 16 to resubmit an amended stewardship plan to CalRecycle, which will then review and develop staff recommendations on whether the plan should be approved at the May 15th public hearing. If anyone would like to get involved, there will be more opportunities for the public to provide comments and questions. The public can email carpet@calrecycle.ca.gov to get on the committee’s listserv and CPSC funders can email info@calpsc.org to be added to the carpet listserv. Help us hold the carpet industry to a much higher recycling standard for California!
AB 2779 (Stone/Calderon) – Connect the Cap SB 1335 (Allen) – Sustainable Take out Food Packaging at Parks, Beaches, and State Facilities AB 2308 (Stone) - Cigarettes: single-use filters SB 835/836 (Glazer) - Smoking Ban - State Beaches & Parks
EGGMAN INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO CREATE A “RIGHT TO REPAIR” FOR ELECTRONICS
STONE REINTRODUCES PLASTIC BOTTLE CAP BILL, 2/16/18 Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay) has reintroduced legislation to require plastic bottle caps to be tethered to their beverage containers. Assembly Bill 2779, previously AB 319 is now part of a suite. Read more... Albatross Coalition and CalRecycle Priority Bills.
CALIFORNIA CARPET UPDATE
By Joanne Brasch, PhD, Special Project Manager, California Product Stewardship Council On October 14, 2017, Governor Brown signed AB 1158, legislation sponsored by the National Stewardship Action Council, an affiliate of the California Product Stewardship Council, which made significant changes to the Carpet Stewardship program goals and structure. The new legislation required CalRecycle to appoint a Carpet Stewardship Program Advisory Committee to provide recommendations on carpet stewardship plans, plan amendments, and annual reports. All documents, including meeting agendas and minutes, are available on the official Advisory Committee web page. After several long and productive meetings, the Committee sent a letter on February 12, to CalRecycle and the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) outlining their comments and recommendations on the draft carpet stewardship plan proposed submitted on January
Assemblymember Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) announced March 7, 2018 that she will be introducing the California Right to Repair Act. The legislation would require manufacturers of electronics to make diagnostic and repair information, as well as equipment or service parts, available to product owners and to independent repair shops. “The Right to Repair Act will provide consumers with the freedom to have their electronic products and appliances fixed by a repair shop or service provider of their choice, a practice that was taken for granted a generation ago but is now becoming increasingly rare in a world of planned obsolescence,” Eggman said. People who can’t afford the high price of manufacturer-based repair services are increasingly forced to prematurely replace durable goods, such as phones, TVs and appliances. Repairing and reusing electronics is not only a more efficient use of the scarce materials that go into manufacturing the products, but it can also stimulate local economies instead of unsustainable overseas factories. … California joins 17 other states who have introduced similar legislation, which includes: Washington, Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa,
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Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia. Read more… Eggman
$9.4 MILLION AWARDED TO 31 PROJECTS THAT FEED CALIFORNIANS, REDUCE FOOD WASTE
Editors note: Of the 31 projects, ten are in Northern California including StopWaste and Cityteam-Oakland. CalRecycle,1/29/18 The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery has announced the first award recipients for its new Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program. As part of California’s comprehensive strategy to combat climate change, CalRecycle awarded $9.4 million to 31 projects throughout the state that decrease the estimated 6 million tons of food waste landfilled in California each year, and Increase the state’s capacity to collect, transport, store, and distribute more food for the roughly 1 in 8 Californians who are food insecure. Read more… CalRecycle
MARKETS AND MATERIALS HOW NEW PERFORMANCE METRICS COULD IMPROVE SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
Mallory Szczepanski, Waste 360, 11/3/17 For years, cities, states and companies have focused on weight- and volume-based goals when it comes to sustainable materials management and waste reduction. But now, some in the industry are questioning whether more systemic, lifecycle-centric goals might be more appropriate and effective. Focusing on weight ends up emphasizing management of certain materials in the waste stream, such as glass or paper. Doing that may mean focusing resources on recycling products that may have less net benefit than trying to manage other, lighter materials. Weight-based goals may not take into effect factors such as the energy that goes into producing certain materials or the complexities and costs inherent in recycling them. It also leaves out of the equation the potential roles producers could play in making products that are less problematic to recycle.
curbside bins and avoid millions of pounds of plastic from ending up in landfills, SC Johnson announced today it has reached a milestone in that effort – successfully converting flexible film that includes grocery store and Ziploc® brand bags collected from curbside bins into full-size garbage bags. Developing a way to reuse Ziploc® brand bags is a key step in the process to make recycling available at the curb, along with other types of plastic film. While 18,000-plus commercial stores currently accept Ziploc® brand bags for recycling, those efforts only amount to about 0.2 percent of Ziploc® brand bags sold being recycled. Finding a way to allow Ziploc® brand bags to be collected curbside and then recycled will make the practice more convenient and boost recycling numbers, as only about one-third of U.S. residents currently recycle. Read more... SC Johnson, also PlasticFilm Recycling.org includes a directory of film drop-offs by zip code.
HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN BE A SOLUTION TO CHINA’S IMPORT BAN
In July 2017, China registered with the World Trade Organization (WTO) its intent to forbid 24 kinds of solid wastes by the end of 2017 and to lower contamination thresholds. With 2018 in full swing, the ban is creating challenges within the waste and recycling industry in the U.S. that may be solved through technology. According to Christy Hurlburt, vice president of marketing for Boston, Mass-based Enevo, the global waste and recycling industry has been shaken up by the China ban. When the ban was instituted on January 1, recycling centers slowly began to overflow. … Executive Director and CEO for the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) David Biderman says China’s waste import restrictions are having a significant impact on recycling programs in the U.S. and Canada, though the impact differs based on location. “On the West Coast, where the overwhelming majority of recyclables were exported to China, local governments and their private sector recycling partners have been forced to make significant adjustments,” he says. “Some material is now being shipped to other Asian countries. Malaysia, India and Vietnam have all experienced increases in their imports of recyclables over the past year.”
Advocates for new metrics argue that by taking a more systemic approach and developing different kinds of goals could lead to changes in policy that may ultimately have greater environmental impacts, conserve resources and reduce costs. And focusing on lifecycle management could take some hard-to-recycle products out of the stream entirely. Read more…Waste360
Despite the current U.S. recycling programs and systems no longer having the capacity to maintain the amount of recyclables the country produces, Hurlburt says this ban may not be such a bad thing. “It is an opportunity for waste generators to reduce our total amount of waste—recyclables included,” she says. “Ideally, this ban will cause consumers and producers to adapt their current behaviors.” Read more… Waste360
SC JOHNSON FINDS WAY TO RECYCLE ZIPLOC® BRAND BAGS FROM CURBSIDE BINS, STEP TOWARD INCREASING RECYCLING OF ALL PLASTIC FILM
HOT OFF THE PRESS
SC Johnson, 5/22/17 In its quest to make Ziploc® brand bags recyclable from
ANNOUNCING FOOD WASTE PREVENTION WEEK IN CALIFORNIA, MARCH 5-9, 2018 Public Health Institute, 2/14/18 Governor Jerry Brown has issued a letter of support and
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several state agencies have announced the week of March 59, 2018 as California’s first Food Waste Prevention Week. Happening in March to coincide with National Nutrition Month, partners nationwide are urging everyone to Go Further with Food. ... Founding partners include the Public Health Alliance of Southern California at the Public Health Institute and the Nutrition Policy Institute, University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Planning partners include the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, State of California; CalRecycle; California Department of Education; California Department of Food & Agriculture; California Department of Public Health; ... Read more… PHI
ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM CASE: EPA REJECTS ALABAMA TOWN'S CLAIM OVER TOXIC LANDFILL
Oliver Milman, The Guardian, 3/6/18 The US Environmental Protection Agency has dismissed a civil rights case brought by residents of a small, overwhelmingly African American town in Alabama who have spent much of the past decade battling a toxic landfill they blame for causing a myriad of physical and mental illnesses. In a 28-page letter, the EPA said there was “insufficient evidence” that authorities in Alabama had breached the Civil Rights Act by allowing an enormous landfill site containing 4m tons of coal ash to operate near residents in Uniontown. A separate claim that the landfill operator retaliated against disgruntled residents was also turned down. Uniontown has been framed by advocates as one the most egregious examples of environmental racism in the US, where a largely poor and black population has had a polluting facility foisted upon it with little redress. Read more… Guardian
IMPOSSIBLE FOODS STEPS UP
Edible East Bay, 2/16/18 Could plant-based protein help solve hunger? Thanks to Redwood City startup Impossible Foods, meal centers run by local food banks are now serving the Impossible Burger, a plant-based food that looks, tastes, and sizzles deliciously like meat. According to Jessica Appelgren, vice president of communications at Impossible Foods, the company wants to address food insecurity. “We want to give back to the communities where we live and work.” To do this, the foodtech business recently started donating its plant-based meat to the Alameda County Community Food Bank and Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Donations of the product (made in Impossible Foods’ East Oakland manufacturing plant) will be ongoing, with exact quantities determined as the need becomes clear. In Alameda County, one in five residents benefits from the food bank, which relies on a network of 200 food pantries, soup kitchens, and other community organizations to distribute food. Food bank staff are thrilled to have a steady supply of protein -rich food donations, since these are typically the most expensive and least donated items. The Impossible Burger boasts more protein than a conventional burger at a tiny
fraction of the environmental footprint. Largely made of wheat protein, potato protein, coconut oil, and heme (the ironcontaining compound that gives meat its meaty smell, sizzle, and taste), it has no hormones, antibiotics, or cholesterol. Local chefs Chris Kronner of KronnerBurger in Oakland and Rocco Scordella of Vina Enoteca in Palo Alto held a training session with chefs at area food banks, creating recipes ranging from meatballs to tacos. Appelgren says the meal center chefs are cooking the meat in huge sheet pans and adding it to sauces, pastas, and chili. “Chris Kronner is doing delicious Impossible breakfast sandwiches these days,” she adds, “so perhaps we’ll see the Impossible Burger pop up on breakfast menus at the meal centers.” Impossible Foods got its start in 2011 with funding from Khosla Ventures, Bill Gates, Google Ventures, and others. Among its ambitious goals is to end the institutionalized use of animals in our food system by 2035. Read more… Edible East Bay
HOW TO GET MORE OUT OF YOUR KITCHEN STASH AND MINIMIZE YOUR TRASH
Molly M. Ginty, NRDC EcoWatch, 2/27/18 … A 2013 industry-conducted survey from Eastern Research Group, cited in a report from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Harvard Law School, revealed that more than 90 percent of consumers have prematurely thrown away food because they misinterpret these labels as indicators of food safety. In fact, manufacturers typically use these labels to indicate when a food is at its peak quality, even though it may be safe to eat long beyond the date on its package. Federal regulations do not require product dating for anything except infant formula. And while some states do require certain date labels on certain types of food, their requirements differ, leading to separate and sometimes conflicting state-based labeling systems. This year, consumers will start to see a simplified date labeling system aimed at cutting the confusion. It's a small but important step in combating our massive food waste habit, which causes an estimated 40 percent of food to go uneaten in America. The new approach to labeling (described below), which many food-processing companies are adopting on a voluntary basis, will help prevent retailers from pruning their shelves at the current rate: According to one industry expert, the average grocery store discards $2,300 worth of "out of date" goods each day. It'll save consumers cash, too: The typical American family of four spends $1,800 each year on food they don't eat. Read more… EcoWatch and Grocery Manufacturers Association
FIRST SUSTAINABLE LEGO® BRICKS WILL BE LAUNCHED IN 2018
Lego Group, 3/1/18 Production has started on a range of sustainable LEGO ® elements made from plant-based plastic sourced from sugarcane. The new sustainable LEGO ‘botanical’ elements will come in varieties including leaves, bushes and trees. “At the LEGO Group we want to make a positive impact on the world around us, and are working hard to make great play products for children using sustainable materials. We are
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proud that the first LEGO elements made from sustainably sourced plastic are in production and will be in LEGO boxes this year. This is a great first step in our ambitious commitment of making all LEGO bricks using sustainable materials,” said Tim Brooks, Vice President, Environmental Responsibility at the LEGO Group.
Replaceable Heads - Another wise eco-choice is the Terradent line of toothbrushes from Eco-Dent. These innovative toothbrushes have replaceable heads, so that once the bristles have worn out, consumers can retain the toothbrush handle and just snap on a new head, thus minimizing waste.
The move is part of the LEGO Group’s commitment to use sustainable materials in core products and packaging by 2030. The new sustainable LEGO elements are made from polyethylene, which is a soft, durable and flexible plastic, and while they are based on sugar-cane material, they are technically identical to those produced using conventional plastic. The elements have been tested to ensure the plantbased plastic meets the high standards for quality and safety that the LEGO Group has, and consumers expect from LEGO products. Read more... Lego Group
Sustainable Toothbrushes - Meanwhile, Radius offers stylish recyclable toothbrushes that are made not from plastic at all but from naturally occurring cellulose derived from sustainable yield forests. Beyond its standard toothbrush line, the company also sells a battery-powered electric “Intelligent Toothbrush” that uses replaceable heads to reduce environmental impact. And the company will take back the handle for recycling once the battery has worn out.
SF’S HOMELESS ARE GETTING SIX-FIGURE JOBS IN A GRITTY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S BEEN OVERRUN BY TECH COMPANIES
Melia Robinson, Business Insider, 2/22/18 In 2015, a formerly homeless man launched Code Tenderloin, a non-profit that provides job readiness training and basic coding skills to the city's homeless, formerly incarcerated and disenfranchised populations — with the goal of putting them to work in the tech industry. About half of the 300 people that Code Tenderloin has accepted into the program reported finding employment after graduation. An elite few have landed six-figure salaries as software engineers and customer service technicians at companies including Microsoft and LinkedIn. Read more… Business Insider And Code Tenderloin
CONTINIUING EDUCATION
Subscriptions - For those stuck on their favorite mass-market toothbrush brands, the online retail website Toothbrush Express offers a toothbrush recycling program similar to Recycline's. Consumers can sign up to receive new toothbrushes from Toothbrush Express at predefined intervals ranging from monthly to semi-annually. And for only a few dollars extra, the company will include a postage-paid mailer inside each shipment for consumers to use to send their old toothbrushes back for recycling. Read more…ThoughtCo
BRUSH WITH BAMBOO IS MY NEW FAVORITE TOOTHBRUSH
Beth Terry, My Plastic Free Life, 8/24/13 After reading my blog, and especially the review of several different eco-friendly toothbrushes, Rohit Kumar and his friend Rohit Sahdev were inspired to create the perfect
HOW TOOTHBRUSHES AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT?: AN INFOGRAPHIC MASA, 12/9/15 Look right:
CAN YOU RECYCLE YOUR TOOTHBRUSH?
Larry West, EcoTalk via ThoughtCo, 3/6/17 Small as they are, tossed toothbrushes certainly do create a lot of waste. Indeed, some 50 million pounds of them are tossed into America’s landfills each year. If we followed our dentist’s recommendations and replaced our toothbrushes every three months, we'd be throwing even more of them away. Fortunately there are some greener-friendly alternatives, most available at natural food retailers or, if not, online at the companies’ websites. Toothbrush Recycling - The handle of a Recycline Preserve toothbrush, designed by dentists, is made out of polypropylene plastic that has been recycled from used Stonyfield Yogurt cups. And when a Preserve toothbrush reaches the end of its effective life, consumers can either put it out on the curb in the blue bin with other recyclables (if your community offers #5 plastics recycling), or send it back to Recycline in a postage-paid envelope supplied to you with your purchase. It will then likely be reborn again as raw material for a picnic table, deck, boardwalk or other durable long-lasting product. NCRA News, March 2018, Page 6
plastic-free toothbrush. While they haven’t yet found a way to create a brush that is completely plastic-free, they’re getting close. Their company is called Brush With Bamboo, and I’ve really been enjoying using the various toothbrush incarnations they’ve developed over the past year and observing the Rohits’ efforts to create a brush whose materials and packaging are more and more sustainable. I gave Ro K. lots of feedback and suggestions, and he listened and took action. THAT is the kind of person/company I want to support! Read more… My Plastic Free Life and Watch more… YouTube (Etienne, continued from page 1)
society significantly move forward on how we treat materials at end-of-life. The breadth of related activities includes such areas as adaptive reuse (transforming an old mill building to modern offices, for example), byproduct synergy (such as turning old fire hoses into boat-dock fenders), collaborative consumption (also known as the sharing economy), creative reuse, deconstruction, food rescue, freeganism, gifting, online materials exchange, product rental, refurbishing, remanufacturing, repair, salvage, second-hand stores and water reuse. Reuse infrastructure must also connect the dots between a wide range of variables and participants – who is releasing materials, who is accepting the materials, what is the reuse strategy and so on. In addition, no discussion on reuse is complete without mention of its triple bottom line impacts. By diverting resources away from the waste stream, reuse saves the embodied energy of manufactured goods, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, conserves resources, and can reduce solid waste by displacing single-use materials. Reuse is also a socially responsible economic engine. It provides low-cost, green procurement options, and it offers donors tax benefits, generates sales tax for the local economy, allows entrepreneurs to generate revenue, and creates meaningful, living-wage employment. These benefits are not just anecdotal; they have been researched and confirmed. An economic impact study conducted by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency in 2011 found that the reuse industry in the state directly was employing over 46,000 people and generating at least $4 billion in gross sales annually. An important side note is that these companies were mostly locally owned and operated and further increased the retention of capital in the region. Read more… LinkedIn or Resource Recycling. #
(Basset, continued from page 1)
Sourcing for PrAna. In 2006, she earned a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies and Business Strategy from York University in Toronto while also serving as the Social Responsibility Manager at Patagonia! The Renewal Workshop was founded by Nicole and Jeff Denby, the founder of PACT Apparel, to combat waste in the apparel industry. Based on many years of experience in the industry, they saw a need to create a sustainable system to manage apparel waste and get the full value from garments. Their business repairs, upcycles and recycles damaged clothing and sells them via their online marketplace. # (Bailey, continued from page 1)
industry did, and it’s time we said enough is enough. We as the recycling industry need to be honest: Plastics recycling has always been mediocre at best and cannot keep pace with the explosion of plastics on the market—and it never will. The use of plastics has increased twenty-fold in the past 50 years, yet only nine percent of plastics made since 1950 have been recycled. Most of those plastics that were recycled were down-cycled into lower-grade, single-use products, rather than kept in a continuous loop. Yet recyclers now find themselves on the frontlines of this international crisis. As an initial response, we need to rapidly develop stronger domestic markets for plastics recycling and more expansive education programs to reduce contamination. But what we really need is to stop the onslaught of plastic waste by first acknowledging that recycling alone cannot solve the problem. Then we need a meaningful dialogue with all stakeholders, including the plastics industry, about how and when plastics do or don’t fit into the circular economy of the 21th century. Read more... Eco-Cycle Solutions
ONLY BANNING UNNECESSARY PLASTICS WILL PROTECT OUR OCEANS
Tatiana Luján, ClientEarth, BusinessGreen, 2/19/18 The EU's current proposals don't go far enough to rid the continent of harmful plastic pollution. While filming Blue Planet II, camera crews found plastic in every ocean they visited, even in the most remote locations. Sir David Attenborough warned us that "we have a responsibility to care for our blue planet…and the future of all life on earth now depends on us". The shocking images from the show have rocked public opinion and galvanized government action. From the UK and France to Chile and Sri Lanka, countries around the world are making big anti-plastic promises. In January, the EU threw its hat into the ring promising to make all plastic packaging recyclable by 2030. Read more… BusinessGreen # # #
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