In The Loop - Spring 2017

Find a printable version of the newsletter here.

Dear AOR Members:

As the recently elected President of AOR, I would like to welcome you to the first electronic edition of In the Loop. In each edition of our quarterly e-newsletter we will guide you to helpful resources, share industry news and events and highlight our members. You will be pleased to know that the Board of AOR has been working diligently to revitalize the organization. There are plenty of new initiatives already in place and more on the horizon. Right now you can connect with us through our new website, check out our new brochure to find out more about AOR, review our strategic plan to see where we're headed, and engage with us through our newly streamlined board structure. In the near future we are planning to provide you with even more member benefits and opportunities to connect including a members discussion forum, an online resource library and quarterly social events. All of which will make it easier for you to get engaged and stay engaged with AOR.

AOR is also in the final stages of planning for the 2017 Ohio Partners Conference, which is being held on June 4-6, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency in Columbus, Ohio. The event, which features noteworthy keynote speakers, a vibrant expo hall, and educational breakout sessions on topics including environmental sustainability, zero waste planning, solid waste operations and safety, organics and food scrap management and much more, is being produced with our partners at OALPRP, ORAO and SWANA Buckeye. The event includes a dinner and networking at beautiful Huntington Park, the home of the Clippers, Columbus' Triple-A baseball team, as well as a dynamic tour of reuse and recycling facilities in the Columbus area. I hope you will join us. Register before May 1st to receive the early-bird members rate! I am honored that you have chosen to be a member of this organization, and my fellow board members and I will work hard to make sure you feel engaged and supported in your work. Please feel free to reach out to me directly with any questions or comments you may have. I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

MaryEllen Etienne, ZWBA President, AOR president@ohiorecyclers.org

Share your Earth Day Stories

We all know the every day is Earth Day, but our members often celebrate this day throughout the month of April by spreading the "3R" message around Ohio. Having a good time while actively learning about items that can be reused, recycled or composted is a great way to let the message sink in and help everyone we meet reduce waste and positively impact the planet! So, what did you do for Earth Day/Week/Month? Share your stories and pictures with us on AOR's Facebook or Twitter pages, and be sure to use the hashtag #EarthDay365

Launch of new AOR website

AOR is pleased to announce the launch of our new website! The website has a new look and feel, which we hope will contribute to a better user experience for our members. We would like to thank our board member Lauren Karch for volunteering her time to improving our site! Please let us know if you have any questions, suggestions, or feedback on the changes.

Introducing the Ohio Materials Marketplace

Ohio EPA recently launched the Ohio Materials Marketplace (OMM), a free online platform for Ohio businesses, nonprofits and government organizations to advertise and acquire scrap and by-product materials that might otherwise be destined for disposal in landfills. Examples of materials posted on the marketplace (and their potential reuses) include: wooden pallets (mulch base), used bricks (building materials), spent foundry sand (mix with potting soil), and specialized items such as spent hydro-treating catalyst (metals recovery). Along with browsing for materials, users of the marketplace can post "wanted" items, thereby, seeking items that may serve as substitutes for raw materials or other items they currently purchase. Examples of such requests that have been posted so far include bulk alumina oxide (for metals harvesting/recovery) and bulk food waste in packaging (to be used for anaerobic digestion/energy recovery). Users of the OMM can make or save money by finding a market for their unwanted materials and avoiding landfill tipping fees; buyers save money by having access to sellers' discounted (or free) materials; Ohio's environment benefits by having more material removed from the waste stream. Create an account and start browsing materials here.

Partners Conference Speakers & Deadlines Upcoming!

The agenda for the 2017 Partners Conference will be announced shortly and the partner organizations look forward to sharing an exciting lineup. In the meantime we are pleased to announce that a few of our speakers which will include: Proctor & Gamble (corporate sustainable materials management), Reverb (event recycling), and The Recycling Partnership (Ohio SWMD "roadshow" update). Be sure to join your colleagues from around Ohio for three days of education and networking on June 4-6, 2017 in downtown Columbus at the Hyatt Regency Columbus. The event will include a wide array of engaging speakers, a vibrant expo hall, and educational breakout sessions on topics including environmental sustainability, zero waste planning, solid waste operations and safety, organics and food scrap management and much more. We will spend an event networking at beautiful Huntington Park, the home of the Clippers, Columbus' Triple-A baseball team, and go on a dynamic tour in the Columbus area. Be sure to register by 5/1 to receive early-bird members rates, and reserve your hotel by 5/8 to get the discounted group rate. Learn more and register here.

Re-TRAC Connect Webinar on Mandatory Recycling Ordinances

Is your community looking for a new way to increase recycling and reduce disposal? How about regulating costs and extending the life of landfills? Then join Re-TRAC Connect on May 3 at 1pm EST for a webinar titled, "Ultimate Guide to Writing a Mandatory Recycling Ordinance". Register to attend this free webinar to learn how to plan, write, and implement a mandatory recycling ordinance in your community. The webinar will feature stories that will help you to avoid common pitfalls, best practices to ensure your ordinance is practical and fair, and a free "Roadmap to Mandatory Recycling Planner" to stay organized. Learn more and register here.

Grant Opportunity

The Recycling Partnership recently announced its latest grant opportunity. In a change from previous grant rounds, this funding opportunity will not have a cutoff date, but instead be an open, rolling process for as long as funds are available. However, the Partnership encourages interested communities to apply as early as possible to allow ample time for preparation prior to cart launches. Learn more about eligibility and access the proposal application form here.

Member Spotlight: GT Environmental

For more than 20 years, GT Environmental has provided environmental consulting services to the private sector and government. These services include air permitting, water permitting, solid and hazardous waste planning, Phase I and Phase II site investigations, RCRA Closure, remediation planning and oversight services, and brownfield redevelopment. GT specializes in the following solid waste services: