Textile Recovery: Taking Action to Create Circularity
Original Air Date: Aug 4, 2020
Watch Webinar Recording on the RRS YouTube Channel: Textile Recovery
Textile waste in the US has increased 78% in less than 20 years, while the entire waste stream only grew 10%. But this isn’t breaking news – we’ve known the challenges of textile recovery for some time and minimal has changed. So what now? On August 4th, RRS was joined by Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART), Worn Again Technologies, and re:newcell, to review the current state of textile recovery and its limitations, highlight the fiber composition struggle and potential sorting technologies, as well as identify components to an effective textile recovery system and the action items we need to take right now.
The Future of Glass Recycling in South Central Texas
Original Air Date: July 15, 2020
Watch Webinar Recording: Glass Texas
The Glass Recycling Coalition (GRC),the Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG), and the State of Texas Alliance for Recycling (STAR) hosted a 2.5-hour virtual workshop focused on glass recycling in South Central Texas. The workshop covered topics including existing glass collection and recycling infrastructure, successful glass recycling programs, and how the South Central Texas region can accelerate glass recycling in a cost effective manner with efforts that fit the region’s unique needs.
Panel:
- Christopher Moken, AACOG
- Scott DeFife, GRC/GPI
- Bruce Magnuson, Waste Management
- Josephine Valencia, City of San Antonio, TX
- Rachel Hering, Keep Texas Beautiful
- Bill Clark, Strategic Materials
- Rose King, Glass King
- Helen Lee, City of Alexandria, VA
- Jordan Fengel, STAR (moderator)
The GRC is a client of RRS.
Textile Circularity: The Missing Links Webinar
Original Air Date: July 8, 2020
Watch recorded webinar: Textile Circularity
This webinar shared key findings from RRS’ new white paper Textile Recovery in the US: A Roadmap to Circularity, discussed two industry initiatives attempting to solve for the missing links in textile circularity, and outlined how retail collaborators can get involved.
Panel:
- Marisa Adler, RRS
- Karla Magruder, Fabrikology
- Alice Hartley, Gap Inc.
- Rachel Kibbe, Retrievr & National Recycling Consortium for Fashion
Regional Approaches to Fuel Local Circular Economies: Great Lakes Region
Original air date: June 18, 2020
Watch recorded webinar on RRS YouTube channel: Regional Circular Economies
Leaders in cities, regions and private companies are interested in implementing circular economy concepts, but how do you begin to change linear systems of production to close the loop? This webinar discussed how to use data and best practices to engage key stakeholders and implement a collective action plan to make the push toward a circular reality.
Panel:
- Mark Fisher, CEO of The Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR)
- Walter Willis, Executive Director, Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, IL (SWALCO)
- Susan Graff, Vice President of Global Corporate Sustainability, RRS
- Melissa Radiwon, Marketing Director, RRS (moderator)
Recycling Operations During COVID-19
Original air date: June 10, 2020
Watch recorded webinar from NWRA (registration required): NWRA Webinar
The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) hosted a webinar to discuss recycling operations during COVID-19. The panel discussed operational best practices, volume impacts across lines of business, changes in material characteristics, contract and program implications, commodity considerations, managing operations through rapid and variable change, and what the “new normal” may look like post COVID-19.
Panel:
- Peter Keller, VP of Recycling and Sustainability, Republic Services
- Michael Timpane, VP of Process Optimization and Material Recovery, RRS
Packaging Sustainability’s New Paradigm: Perspectives on Plastic Neutrality
Original air date: June 8, 2020
Watch recorded webinar on RRS YouTube channel: Plastic Neutrality
Learn how plastic credits work, why brands find them valuable, and how they can be effective in alleviating our ocean plastic epidemic. You will hear from organizations that are utilizing this system right now: rePurpose Global, a plastic credit platform coordinating and connecting participants; Vita Coco, a growing consumer brand taking action and funding the effort; and Waste Ventures India, the boots on the ground who are utilizing plastic offset financing to create a tangible, quantifiable impact on eliminating plastic waste from nature.
Panelists:
- Anne Johnson, VP Global Corporate Sustainability, RRS
- Svanika Balasubramanian, Cofounder and CEO, rePurpose Global
- Daniella Labat, Manager – PR, Experiential and Partnerships, Vita Coco
- Sahithi Bhupathiraiu, manager – Urban Waste Management, Waste Ventures India
- Marisa Adler, Senior Consultant, RRS (Moderator)
Maximizing Value of Unsold Inventory
- Tom Enright, VP of Supply Chain Research, Gartner
- Brian Plott, Director of Reverse Supply Chain, Best Buy
- Shari Rudolph, Chief Development Officer, Good 360
- Jacklyn Allen, Director Corporate Sustainability, Guess?, Inc.
- Lisa Davis, Sustainability Manager, IKEA
- Alexandra Minkovich, Partner, Baker McKenzie
- Marisa Adler, Senor Consultant, RRS
- Vince Scheerer, VP of Business Development, National Programs, U.S. Ecology
- Dave Corn, EVP, Comstock and Holt
Envision 2020
On May 6-7, 2020, The Michigan Recycling Coalition (MRC) hosted a two-day virtual event featuring five educational sessions and a couple of cool virtual networking opportunities. RRS participated in two sessions – the recordings are available below.
Resources for Recycling Resiliency During COVID-19
RRS teamed up with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the MRC to bring you a session about the implications of the pandemic on recycling and organics recovery. Learn about the impact on local and regional markets, how facilities and ensuring the safety of employees and clients, and available resources for municipalities and small businesses.
Speakers Included:
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- Matt Flechter, EGLE
- Tony Smykla, MIOSHA
- Wendy Fought, Emmet County
- JD Lindeberg, RRS
- Lars Dannberg, UP Paper
- John Parris II, Great Lakes Tissue
- Eadaoin Quinn, EFS-Plastics
- Scott DeFife, GPI
- Marissa Segundo, RRS (moderator)
Watch the recording: Resources for Recycling Resiliency
Benchmarking Materials Management for Progress
In this session, RRS and EGLE discussed how the state of Michigan is shifting to materials management by sharing information on a major data benchmarking initiative that will integrate reporting, measurement, and planning systems and benefit county and local governments and the EGLE program. Additionally, learn about a developing grant opportunity intended to support county materials management, as well as the latest update on tools to build the materials management program of the future.
Speakers Included:
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- Christina Miller, EGLE
- Anna Lynott, RRS
Watch the recording: Benchmarking Materials Management
Recycling Markets Outlook Forum
Original air date: April 30, 2020
Watch the recorded webinar now: NRC Webinar
- Dave Keeling, NRC
- Marty Seaman, RRS
- Nathan Wittstruck, EPA
- Bill Moore, Moore & Associates
- Nina Butler, More Recycling
- Joel Morales, Jr., IHS Markit
- Scott DeFife, Glass Packaging Institute
- Joe Pickard, ISRI
- Marissa Segundo, RRS (moderator)
Recycling Resilience: MRF and Collection Safety During COVID-19
Original air date: April 23, 2020
View the recording: Recycling Resilience
On April 23rd, the Carolina Recycling Association, North Carolina DEACS, South Carolina DHEC, and Renew by RRS partnered on this webinar to discuss what is on everyone’s mind right now: health and safety. You may have asked in recent weeks; Is what I am doing safe? Are my employees as protected as possible while providing recycling collection and other essential services?
Speakers Included:
- Mary McClellan, CRA
- Marissa Segundo, RRS
- Sandy Skolochenko, NC DEACS
- Alexandra Miller, SC DHEC
- Tracy Nestor, Republic Services
- Laura Merrell, James Madison University
- Marissa Segundo, RRS (moderator)
SPC Impact 2020 VIRTUAL
Original air date: April 14, 2020
Watch the recorded webinar here: Impacts of MRF Technology
On April 14th RRS Senior Consultant Matt Todd presented The Impacts of MRF Technology on Packaging Recovery.
South Carolina: Business Resources and Recycling Markets Webinar
Original air date: April 2, 2020
Watch the recorded webinar here (note: registration information is required to watch the playback): Recycling in SC
On April 2, the South Carolina Department of Commerce and their partners discussed resources available for South Carolina businesses and recycling markets during the COVID-19 pandemic including low-interest federal disaster loans. Additionally, information was presented on the recycling industry, national and local recycling overviews, plus insights from the paper, plastics, metal, and glass sectors.