Recycling Works Newsletter Summer 2016

RBAC's quarterly newsletter discusses current topics of interest to recycling businesses, including information on financing opportunities, commodity markets and new technologies.

In the Summer 2016 Recycling Works issue:

Recycling Business Connections Event Returns to Charlotte on Oct. 5, 2016

Recycling’s highly successful, business-to-business networking event returns to the Carolinas this fall. All North and South Carolina recycling business owners and operators are invited to attend the 3rd annual Recycling Business Connections event Oct. 5 in Charlotte.

This is your chance to forge new partnerships with other recyclers across the Carolinas and grow your recycling business. The event is hosted by the Carolina Recycling Association, N.C. Recycling Business Assistance Center, and the S.C. Department of Commerce. Sponsorship levels are available with added promotional opportunities to maximize your company’s exposure. 

Space is limited and early registration is strongly recommended. Get those business cards ready and come to Charlotte to grow your business! Mark your calendars and register online today!

Foothills Sanitation and Recycling Adds Single Stream Processing Capacity to Rural NC

Foothills Sanitation and Recycling just completed a major renovation of its North Wilkesboro Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) that will increase processing capacity to up to eight tons per hour. Built in partnership with Green Machine, the new elevated U-shape layout effectively uses space in MRFs with a smaller building footprint. For a virtual tour of the MRF, see the video below.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vklWNhPsvJw width:700 height:350]

Composting in NC Going Strong, Food Waste Recovery Increasing

In June 2016, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) released its NC Organics Recycling Study, analyzing organic materials recycled at permitted composting facilities since 2011 and food waste recovered in the year 2015. The report shows healthy signs of organics recovery, such as a stable amount of organic material managed, a consistent number of facilities spread throughout the state, available permitted capacity to compost more material, steady product demand and competitive tipping fees. Close to 100,000 tons of food were recovered through food rescue, animal feeding and composting. Still, for the state to meet the EPA/USDA 50% food waste reduction goal by 2030, North Carolina would have to quintuple food recovery, assuming current management practices continue.

This is the first study of its kind in the state and provides a benchmark to further analyze organics management in North Carolina. DEQ will continue to support food waste diversion through targeted grants and technical assistance, working to expand necessary services and infrastructure. 

For more information, contact Jorge Montezuma at Jorge.Montezuma@ncdenr.gov.

NC Agricultural Plastics Recycling Program Growing Greener

On average, more than 6,000 tons of nursery pots and flats are consumed each year in the state. Much of what is consumed has ended up in North Carolina landfills. Now that “ag plastics” recycling is coming of age with the development of the NC Agricultural Plastics Recycling Program, farms, nurseries, landscapers and home gardeners have recycling options for those discarded pots and flats. Ag plastics recycling consolidation centers are available across the state including the Robert G. Shaw Piedmont Triad Farmers Market and the Raleigh State Farmers Market. Commercial generators of used agricultural plastics should visit the NC Ag Plastics website to find options for recycling their plastic discards and tips for preparing materials for market. NC plastics recyclers interested in receiving ag plastics should contact Bev Fermor at BFermor@wrpnc.org or Tom Rhodes at tom.rhodes@ncdenr.gov.

Johnson Brothers Utility & Paving Company Increases Shingle Recycling Capacity in Robeson County

 

This summer, Johnson Brothers Utility & Paving Company opened a second asphalt shingle recycling location in Robeson County at its asphalt paving plant at 2053 N.C. Highway 20 East in Saint Pauls. Roofing contractors, waste hauling companies and local landfills can bring loads of asphalt roofing shingles free of metal, wood, insulation, flashing and other trash. Similar to the company’s plant in Dunn, the shingles will be ground and used as a replacement to liquid virgin asphalt binder for paving area roads. For more information, contact Carson Harrington, Johnson Brothers Utility and Paving asphalt manager, at (910) 893-8378 or jchjbros@embarqmail.com.

Announcements and Opportunities

  • Coming Soon – Release Date for 2017 Recycling Business Development Grant Applications

    The 2017 Recycling Business Development Grant program’s Request for Proposals, including the application materials, will be posted on RBAC’s Financing webpage by early September 2017. For more information, contact Wendy Worley at 919-707-8136, or wendy.worley@ncdenr.gov.

  • Large Anaerobic Digestion Plant Opens in Charlotte

    Entropy’s Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Plant will begin to accept food waste starting in August. When fully operational, the plant will process 480 tons a day of organic waste and create 5.2 megawatts of electrical energy. The plant is designed to convert food waste, dissolved air flotation (DAF), and FOG (fats, oils, and greases) into renewable energy. In addition to electricity, the plant will also create a nutrient rich soil amendment (40 tons/day) that can be a blend stock for compost and a high nitrogen liquid soil nutrient (4 tons/day). To learn more about the AD plant and types of feedstock accepted, please click here. 

  • Upcoming C&D Webinars

    This fall and winter, Construction & Demolition Recycling magazine is offering a series of webinars designed to provide the tools and insights industry professionals need to get as much value out of the construction and demolition material stream as possible.

    The Increasing Diversion webinar is a three-part series of hour-long virtual events, providing insights from industry professionals employing various approaches to recycling. The following webinars are from 1-2 p.m. ET.:

    Oct. 5: Going the Extra Mile—Recycling Additional Material Types – Mixed C&D recyclers and demolition contractors have the opportunity to recycle additional materials from a job site or at their facility beyond wood, metals and concrete. This webinar examines how to go about recycling more difficult materials from carpet to ceiling tiles and drywall, that could increase diversion and earn further points toward LEED certification.

    Nov. 3: Maximum Impact—Maximizing Separation Capabilities – Having the right equipment to achieve maximum separation is important to maximizing the recovery rate of mixed C&D. This webinar examines some of the processing equipment trends and variations to help operators and managers get the desired results from their processing lines.

    Dec. 1: Better Grades—Producing High-Value Commodities from Mixed C&D – High-grade wood, aggregates and metals can be recovered at a mixed C&D plant, which fetch a premium price over lower grades. Speakers share how they’ve been able to produce high-value end products from the materials they process.

    Webinar registration is now open. A discount is available for registering for multiple events. Click here to register or for more information on the Increasing Diversion webinar series. 

  • Marketing Commodities for Free via NC WasteTrader

    North Carolina recyclers are reminded to check and use NC WasteTrader, a no-cost, online waste exchange for recyclable and reusable materials that might otherwise be discarded in landfills or disposed of inappropriately. Businesses, industries, recycling companies, waste haulers, local governments, institutions and other commercial generators of waste commodities can visit NC WasteTrader to list available and wanted materials, and to search for potential new feedstocks. For further information and assistance, contact Tom Rhodes at 919-707-8140.