Newsletters

September Board meeting highlights
2M resources seeks source separated glass
Take the glass out of single stream recycling?
HHW contract extended
DEP SWAC HHW subcommittee proposed
SSRC awarded $250K grant for HHW depot
More on SMRP grants, MassRecycle event
Free tire collections with PCMC
SSRC to bid transfer station hauling, recyclables

Make your job easier with website improvements
State Contract for PAYT bags saves money
Plastic water bottle bans: Hingham, Cohasset
Weymouth PS textile PSAs

MassPSC is meeting with Enviro Committee members
NY reaches million gallon paint collection milestone
CT city enacts bagged organics co-collection with trash

September 2023

August Board meeting highlights
Disaster debris management review
Discussion: Mattresses, C&D, deconstruction
HHW depot, legislation updates
Fall Haz Waste registration is open
Holden glass facility expands local market
Rats in the trash? Try the Cambridge Rodent Diet
Kingston pilots organics waste collection
If your muni curbside contract expires in 2024…

Help expand EV charging: report big muni vehicles
Terracycle acquires CRS
Director tours Cradles to Crayons
Paint stewardship law enacted in IL
NRRA creates battery disposal toolkit

August 2023

June Board meeting highlights
Bay State Books
New Product Stewardship Resolution passed
Regional HHW Depot matching funds approved
Regional hauling, C&D bids proposed
EBoard re-elected
Fall HHW dates confirmed
Nash retires, Mirza appointed new Branch Chief
Bishop gets out of Waste, dives into Water
Casella’s Boston MRF reopens after $20M upgrade

Product stewardship bills featured at ENR hearing
Mass. Solid Waste Forum explains PaintCare bill
SSRC renews PSI membership
How EPR for HHW became a reality in Vermont

SWANA Listserv: Solar compactors; Public space sharps
Amazon working to reduce packaging

June 2023

April Board meeting highlights
  Eco+ Recycling Services
  DEP Grant preparation
  Regional HHW depot update
  IMA, Scituate training, Oil pickup issues

SSRC celebrates 25^th Recycla-versary
PCMC, SSRC collect 500 tires
Curbside mattress service gets no rest
Recycle your Styrofoam® (EPS) at PSU

Be heard at waste reduction bill hearing June 14
EPR legislation could reduce waste in Mass. (KMB)
Vermont passes first-in-nation HHW EPR law
Recycling groups urge FTC to modernize Green Guides

April 2023

March Board meeting highlights
  Recolor Paints
  Regional HHW Depot proposal
  25^th Anniversary planning
  Prepare for RDP grant applications
SSRC, PCMC team up for free tire collections
HandUp Mattress pickups in high demand

Regional HHW Depot proposal update
Braintree cancels Spring HHW due to CH fire
Clean Harbors wants to reopen after fire
Clean Harbors won’t commit to air monitoring

NSRWA/SSRC host Composting workshop
DEP Chief Heiple to speak at SSRC Recycla-versary
MassRecycle pushes back on myth of recycling “hoax”
WM, Republic move forward on big plastic plans
WM MRF upgrade plans expected to yield big returns

January 2023

December Board meeting highlights
Green Mattress Recycling
HHW Depot
25^th Anniversary planning
DEP RDP grant awards
Equipment and Intermunicipal Agreements

DEP Data Surveys, RDP items due 2/15
Get a leg up on RDP grants
HHW Publicity survey: Muni websites are crucial
Director tours Brockton Recycling/HHW Depot

CommonWealth, WGBH feature Galkowski on plastics
MassDEP launches new facility reporting portal
Solid waste relief bills to be (re)filed on Beacon Hill
NY Gov Hochul: Packaging EPR a 2023 priority
1.9 MW PV array deployed on local recycling facility

December 2022
link to newsletter

October Board Meeting highlights

Bay State Textiles presents
New HHW contract with Trident
SSRC still seeking HHW help
Sticker sales, car fire, troublemakers…

First Trident/SSRC HHW days a success

EL Harvey (fka Zero Waste Solutions) tour
Only you can prevent battery fires
Food waste recovery offered at Needham TS
WC adds Trojan Recycling to Mass. acquisitions

Greenpeace shoots plastic recycling in the foot
Plastic containers ARE recycled, and in demand
MassRecycle rebuts NPR about plastic recycling
The truth about plastics recycling
MassDEP contaminated mattress cert. form
SWANA listserv: Keeping up with batteries
CT enacts first US propane tank EPR law
PSI releases chemical recycling report

Oct. 2022

September Board Meeting highlights
New owner Waste Connex: W. Wareham Zero Waste MRF
New HHW contract
HHW landscape a hot topic in MA, Northeast
NAHMMA conclave
Mass. HHW huddle
The HHW future for SSRC
SSRC/HandUp collection partnership a success
MMA helps smooth bumpy Mattress ban rollout
MassPSC, MMA working on legislative relief
Abington BOH surveys residents on recycling program
Reading issues ultimatum to Republic
MassPSC: Help pass mattress, paint stewardship laws
MassDEP Contracting workshop highlights

Sept. 2022

June Board Meeting highlights
Big Brother Big Sister Foundation/CMRK
EBoard re-elected
Mattress ban preparation
Executive Director back from leave
Sludge, equipment delays, alt fuels, food collection

DEP’s Ellie D. addresses long lines at SEMASS
HHW on Wed. nights? What happened
HELP WANTED: HHW Supervisor
Curbside mattress pickups scheduled
Mattress recycling plans post disposal ban

Another legislative session with no solid waste relief
California is 4^th US state to enact packaging EPR Law!
CT WTE closure further challenges regional capacity
US DOE creates $335 M battery recycling programs
McKinsey: By key measure, plastics beat alternatives

June 2022

March Board Meeting highlights
HandUp mattress recycling
Impending Mattress, Textile waste bans, grants
Market values strong
MassDEP grant advice
Misc. Interesting Stuff

South Shore schools get Green Team awards
Abington’s Schultz leads vape pen discussion
Lithium battery sparks fire at NH transfer station
2 Mass. WTE facilities to close

MassRecycle Conf: dwindling disposal options, remedies
New Mass. disposal bans effective Nov. 1
Boston to start curbside food waste pilot
Plastic eating enzyme found in compost

Mass. Paint, Bottle Bills advance to W&M
Gov. Polis signs CO packaging EPR bill into law
Oregon Mattress EPR bill becomes law
CT passes first-ever gas cylinder EPR law

March 2022

February Board Meeting highlights
Spiegel South Shore Scrap checks in
Grinding, screening contracts awarded
Exec. Dir. to go on partial family medical leave
MassDEP RDP grants, data surveys
Spring HHW collections

Lithium, Li-Ion batteries a hot topic
Please share: Zoom Home Compost Workshop on 4/1
RDP 2022 Grant updates are posted
Embed Recyclopedia widget, get a point

SSRC on the air again through May 1
How are you celebrating Earth Day?
Cape disposal crunch: Exploring trash export by rail
Mass. C&D filling landfill meant for Maine waste

EPR bills’ reporting date pushed to 3/31
Mass. bill would raise bottle deposits to 10c, cover more items
WIN Waste Innovations acquires NER
US recycled paper capacity growing

February 2022

link to full newsletter

November Board meeting highlights

ReCollect reaches residents

Prepare for mattress, textile Waste Bans

Talk among the Towns

23 years- the Flower anniversary

Executive Director report

PACTV airs another PSA for SSRC

Mass. awards munis $3.1M in RDP grants

Disaster debris planning, management

Verify electronics recyclers to avoid liability

Debate to continue on Bourne Landfill expansion

ABC Disposal poised to sell to Waste Connections

Plastics Pact lists problem materials to be avoided

Mass. Better Bottle Bill advances to Senate W&M

National bottle bill to land in Congress soon

EPR still tops state recycling policy debates

November 2021

link to full newsletter

September Board meeting highlights
RecycleWorks: cost-neutral food waste service
Municipal issues of the day

Vice Chairman Basler stars in PAC TV PSA
Scituate Fishing for Energy addendum
Rockland featured in ReCollect video
Blaze consumes ten trash trucks in Norton

2020-2030 Solid Waste Master Plan released
Mattresses, textiles to be banned from disposal
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle-Palooza!
Craft beer brewers reducing packaging waste

Boston25 highlights Mass. Packaging PR bill
EPR leaders report to Muni Recycling Council
CA to ban recycling symbols on non-recyclables
Stakeholders talk recycling fixes before Congress

September 2021

July Board meeting highlights
  Obaggo system turns plastic bags into “pucks”
  News from our MAC
  Town issues: PAYT bags, house cleanouts
  Director report- EPR bills/laws; Spring HHW

SMI brings back cheaper glass to glass recycling
Braintree, Weymouth see drops in contamination
  Commodity value surge >> SSR cost relief
Scituate hosts fishing gear collection
Marshfield Fair internalizes recycling program

Air Quality Sensor grants available
PaintCare reaches 5 million gallon milestone
Oregon passes 2^nd US packaging PR law; Mass. news
NH becoming “dumping ground” for Mass trash

July 2021

May Board meeting highlights
ACV Enviro: Mobile HHW collections
EBoard re-elected
East Bridgewater accepted as new Member
Backlogs and flags, fires and bags

East Bridgewater becomes 18^th SSRC Member
SSRC Towns apply for record RDP cash
Fall HHW events in the works
Ashley Kenney joins Cohasset DPW
Welcome, baby Allen!

Dwindling RDP, MAC funding source gets boost
EPR supporters pack Beacon Hill hearing (remotely)
Maine 1^st in US to enact packaging EPR (Globe)
Major corporations endorse Packaging EPR
ACC: Mandate 30% recycled content in packaging
LA, NYC to electrify refuse fleets

May 2021

April Board meeting highlights
2021 RDP Grant application is live, due 7/14
2020 Round 2 Municipal Grant awards announced
Hundreds turn out for Plymouth Electronics event
SSRC back on the air, with 3 new ads

HHW event notification to DEP
BBBS Foundation seeks muni textile partnerships
Statewide MRC meeting: Organics Part 2, 6/3
Calls for muni input: Battery Disposal, MSP8

Pandemic brings more trash to South Shore curbs
Plexiglas presents problems at MRFs
Recycle boat wrap
Disposal capacity report re-sounds the alarm
Ben & Jerry’s waste makes watts, water

April 2021

March Board Meeting notes, updates
Bootstrap Compost
Multitown recycling RFP
Municipal recycling cost relief

BST, MassDEP sponsor WATD radio ads
Some MassDEP grants in limbo
MRC presents various local HHW models
Clear up confusion- sync to RecycleSmart
PAYT bag pricing raises State Contract questions

EBC NE “Talking Trash” – shrinking disposal capacity
Packaging EPR a top priority of ME, NY lawmakers
Colgate-Palmolive launches 100% PCR bottle
Chemical recycling a focus of nat’l plastics debate
Go big or go home on nat’l recycling policy (op-ed)

March 2021

November Board Meeting notes, updates
Casella Waste Systems
Grinding and screening contracts extended
2021 DEP Grants
Paper and packaging EPR legislation

January Board Meeting notes, updates
  New England Recycling – C&D
      2020 Annual Report
      DEP Recycling data survey help
      Glass recycling transfer station being explored
      Spring 2021 HHW season
Multitown Recycling RFP work continues
Norwell airs PSA “Can I Recycle This?”
Producer Pay Legislation relieves munis, haulers
MRF Transparency bill helps muni programs
Plastic makers supportinclusive packaging EPR
Hamilton is 1^st Mass. town to mandate food waste separation
Lettuce get personal

January 2021

Link to Full Newsletter

December Board Meeting notes, updates
Save That Stuff
Braintree voted SSRC’s 17^th Member
Textile Recycling show
2020 HHW roundup
EPR for Printed Paper & Packaging
SSRC welcomes new Member Braintree!
SSRC releases landmark
Multitown recycling RFP
Municipal Recycling Council: TS BMPs
2020 Recycling surveys, RDP reports due 2/15
NERC reports growing recycling paper capacity
Mass. EPR bill covers muni, hauler recycling costs
Oregon EPR recommendations
Recycling operators address packaging EPR

December 2020

Link to Full Newsletter

Hull DPW & SSRC host electronics collection
Important DEP grant information
Support for MA Packaging/paper EPR bill grows

Big Oil & plastics recycling: the rest of the story SWANA listserv: Cameras deter dumping
Major CT WTE plant closing in 2022
Companies prepare for battery tsunami
MassDEP America Recycles Month resources

November 2020

Link to Full Newsletter

September Board Meeting notes, updates

September 2020

web page

Fall HHW collections feature new vendor, system
School recycling required for 2021 grants
Greasy pizza boxes ARE recyclable, per paper industry
Marshfield Fair cancelled. Story of Fair recycling
BJs reverses policy on toxic hand sanitizer
Other Producer Responsibility news
Recycling infrastructure expanding
Electronic waste still piling up
Vermont bans food waste in trash
Republic Services orders 2500 electric trucks

June 2020

April Board meeting notes, updates
- Good Point Recycling
- SMRP grant prep, update
Recycling cost concerns
June Board meeting notes, updates
- Bay State Textile
- EBoard: Cafferty elected Chairman
- Longtime leader Brown recognized
Pandemic program progress
HHW Mega Event keeps south shore waters safe
reusable gag “ban”, plastic ban suspentions continue
Bottle and can redemption, bag recycling resumes
Munis seek regulatory relief from recycling costs
STB sides with Recyclers over unfair rail practices
3 south shore classes win Green Team awards
DEP Reduce and Reuse workgroup tackles culture shift
Landfill battery storage supplements solar income
top consumer brands falling short of recycling goals
Words of wisdom from SWANA and MassRecycle chiefs

April 2020

January Board meeting notes, updates
- GreenCastle Video
- Chairman Brown stepping down
- MassDEP Update
- Propane tanks, Li-Ion batteries, & school composting
Don’t let the coronavirus steal your grants
COVID chaos corner
Muni recycling costs surging, despite market stabilization
Cambridge achieves 30% trash reduction milestone
Domestic recycled paper and plastic capacity increasing
Producer responsibility legislation news

January 2020

November Board meeting notes, updates
- Darby Marketing November Board meeting notes, updates
- Grinding, Screening contracts extended
- Options for managing HHW cost increase
- Propane tanks
DEP awards SSRC Towns $251K in Grants
DEP grant changes: spend, report, recycle in schools
MassDEP’s Draft 10 year Solid Waste Master Plan
Northeast Blended commodity values, composition surveyed
NY Gov Cuomo signs 11^th Paint Stewardship bill
Recycling outreach legislation hits US Senate
Aerosol cans added to Universal Waste Program
Recycling becoming so expensive that some towns…
Good news amid the bad

November 2019

October Board meeting notes, updates
- MXI Environmental
- Landis-Naumann elected secretary
- FY20 Plan, survey
- Extended Producer responsibility (EPR) bills
- What’s your problem? (propane tanks)
- Plastic bag bans
Director joins KMB video discussion on bag bans
MassDEP offers Reduce, Reuse, Repair microgrants
Schedule end of year Universal Waste Shed pickups
Resources for mercury education
Conference about plastics recycling issues hits the mark
Landmark National bill proposes EPR, container deposits, bans
Report: How much recycled plastic are big brands using?
A ray of hope for fiber markets
From the SWANA listserv: Single to dual stream switch

October 2019

August Board meeting notes, updates
- Waste Zero
- HHW contract awarded to MXI
- FY20 Plan, Survey
- RECO program final report
Meet our new HHW Specialist
Newsletter subscribers surpass 600
Weymouth Schools net $50K from textile recycling
Republic drivers’ strike: A taste of things to come?
As Landfills close, Mass. running out of waste space

Mass. proposes bigger waste reduction target, more bans
Producer responsibility bills hearing set on Beacon Hill
Maine Gov signs packaging stewardship resolution
CA Lawmakers punt on landmark plastics bill
So, should we still recycle?

August 2019

SSRC tours new Zero Waste Solutions facility
Pembroke joins SSRC
EBoard welcomes Jonathan Beder
Winners of the membership Dues race are…
SSRCOOP.info overhauled and launched
SSRC goes out to bid for HHW
RECO Grant final report gives important insights
DEP Grant applications break records
NERC Conference in Providence: Much Ado About Plastics
Boston announces Zero Waste Plan, seeks food waste bids
Experts bullish on paper and plastic markets
Covanta price increases continue, revenues dip
Pace Glass facing legal charges; facility still planned
National EPR for packaging proposed
Events

June 2019

May Board meeting notes, updates
- Black Earth Compost
- HHW Contracting
- Executive Board nominations
- Plastic bag ban legislation
- Website upgrade coming SOON!
- Battery recycling
Final RECO Report
Hanson’s Dias named “Unsung Heroine of Commonwealth”
Taste of Hingham incorporates Zero Waste practices
Kingston runs its first Fixit Clinic
MPHA honors Plymouth Health Director
Paint Stewardship Bill passes NY State Legislature
Maine to introduce Producer responsibility bill for packaging waste
Municipalities want industry to pay for packaging waste – CBS
From the SWANA listserv: glass, single and dual stream recycling
Experts duel over dual-stream’s merits
Events

May 2019

March Board meeting notes and updates
- Green Mattress Company
- HHW contract planning for 2020
- Grant planning final stretch
- RECO report
- Position on disposable bag bans
- Website upgrades coming
SSRC takes position on disposable bag bans, testifies
SSRC welcomes new managers in 6 Member Towns
Do you know where your SMRP grant funds come from?
Events

March 2019

February Board Meeting Notes, Updates
- Bay State Textiles
- 2018 Annual Report
- Plymouth’s Sterilis sharps system
- Recycling IQ Kit grant
- Position on disposable bag bans
RECO Report: Scituate, Norwell, Middleboro, Plymouth
SSRC shows how to get synergy with RecycleSmartPartner Spotlight
SE Municipal Recycling Council: bulky waste, mattresses
SWANAPalooza: remaking recyclingSWANA SNE, PSI Producer Responsibility summit
MasssRecycle Summit: solutions to recycling challengesEvents

February 2019

January Board meeting notes, updates
- RDP grant planning
- Plastic bag bans without fees
- Municipal program updates
RECO Report-Scituate
Cutler files packaging product stewardship bill
SSRC marks 20 years of service
Propane tank recycling changes
Second chance to do Textile webinar
Zero Waste Solutions construction update
SWANA SNE to host EPR Summit at SWANAPalooza
MassRecycle Summit and Trade Show
Using recycled materials in roads, infrastructure
URT converts CRTs into tile feedstock
OEM group crafts national CRT funding proposal
Events

January 2019

December Board meeting notes, updates
- JM Equipment glass processing
- Outreach grant plan
- RDP Grant planning
- Contamination surchargesMeet our new RECO, Dorie Stolley
Welcome to 3 new Board membersDirector to give 20th Anniversary Water Watch talkMassDEP Textile webinar – learn and earn easy RDP point
ZWS recycling facility on track to open in April
EcoMaine: Markets will rebound
WM Charts market shift, trends
Events

December 2018

October Board meeting notes, updates Republic Services
- Grind-screen contract extended
- RDP Outreach point pointers
- SSRC Outreach grant plan

SSRC 20th Anniversary logo, story
RECO reboot
Fall HHW season recap
New faces, open seats
SSRC Facebook post “explodes”
Cohasset RDF installs surveillance cameras
Plymouth offers new sharps program
50K mattresses recycled with DEP grant
Recycled paper capacity increasing in NA
EPA’s Wheeler pledge: make recycling great again events

October 2018

September Board meeting notes, updates
- Good Point Recycling (electronics)
- Recycling markets, costs
- Disaster debris planning
- RecycleSmart media launch
- 20th Anniversary planning
- NAHMMA Conference notes

RECO Report
Mayors discuss recycling issues
Election day: easy outreach RDP opportunity
Pace Glass has national ambitions
Rising costs rev up stewardship efforts
What Chinese import policies mean for Mass.
Nine Dragons to recycle paper at US mills
End-market effort grows plastic demand
PBS videos about plastic worth watching
Events

September 2018

June Board meeting notes, updates
- Miller Recycling
- EBoard election
- Recycling markets, outlets, costs

SSRC, Member towns, awarded $150K in grants
RECO report: 7 towns in one summer
Miller Recycling hosts SSRC tour
Mayors to discuss recycling crisis
Website traffic, newsletter circulation soaring

Janine Bishop promoted to Grant program lead
MassDEP launches “Recycle Smart” campaign
Shorter recyclable list announced
MassDEP awards regional glass recycling grants

Tariffs, trade war spurs Chinese investment in US
Low OCC prices help US mills
Keep Calm and Recycle On
Events

June 2018

May Board meeting notes, updates
- Waste Zero – curbside textile collection
- Recycling markets, outlets, costs
- Packaging stewardship legislation
- Big Hearted Books alternatives
- Surplus property opportunities
- New Town officials

Tour of Recolor Paint
PGA Tour of C Carney Environmental
RECO report- Kingston, Plymouth, Norwell, Rockland
Rockland passes private hauler recycling reg

Problems, solutions explored in news, at State House
- Rockland’s McCarthy featured on WGBH
- South shore programs make Globe front page
- Resource Recycling runs SSRC Director Op Ed
- Lawmakers, stakeholders discuss packaging bill

South Shore schools receive Green Team awards
MassDEP helps navigate recycling storms
Events

May 2018

April Board meeting notes, updates
- RMG Enterprise
- Single stream, glass discussion HHW billing proposed procedure changes
- Recycling Dividend Program planning
- IMA extension status

SSRC on the air for ten weeks
RECO report- Kingston, Norwell, Rockland, Hull
ABC called to Plymouth BOS meeting
Hull mandate aims to bundle trash, recycling
Good intentions, bad habits fuel recycling crisis
Importance of cleaning up recycling stream
The elephant in the room: a case for producer responsibility
States look at EPR, funding cuts, mandates
Nestle promises 100% recyclable packaging by 2025
Events

April 2018

March meeting notes and updates
- Recolor Paint
- Grind-Screen contractor introductions
- Glass management options
- RDP grant planning
- IMA Extensions – All towns have signed
- HHW administration changes
- Facebook update

RECO Report- Kingston, Plymouth, Norwell, Rockland
SSRC PSAs on the WATD 95.9 fm
Kingston’s new swap shop all about give and take
Hingham High wins MassRecycle K-12 award
What lies in store for area recycling?
Glass recycling update from MassDEP
Mass. tackles contamination with Recycling IQ grants
Giddy-up: adapting post-China
Events

February 2018

January meeting notes, updates
- RecycleThat presentation
- Annual Report
- Grind Screen contract awards
- Small scale Outreach Grant proposals
- Recycling Dividend Program planning

Recycling IQ Kit grants available through April
January RECO Report: Kingston and Plymouth
Kingston is putting haulers on notice
Duxbury BOH considers hauler recycling rule
RDP funds may be used for high recycling costs
SSRC organizes contingency planning meeting
Glass Recycling halts with Milford plant closure
MassDEP addresses recycling challenges
Rep. Cantwell responds to Digital R2R request
Events

January 2018