MassRecycle Podcast

Waneta and Gretchen are joined by Jan Ameen, Executive Director of the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District to discuss her research into what to do with vape devices.  Complicated regulatory issues surround the components of these devices, from controlled substance concerns to battery disposal issues. We usually talk about recycling, but some vape devices have no end point whatsoever. When there is nowhere to put something, it goes into the waste stream and the inherent dangers are put on the waste workers.  What do we do with these devices at the end of life? The answers are not straightforward, but there are some options. Listen and learn more about this complicated, and growing issue.

The post Episode 48: Vaping Device Disposal first appeared on MassRecycle.

Waneta and Gretchen are joined by Gail Sowerder Garron, Regional Planner for MassDEP, and Alison Beucler, Sanitation and Hazardous Material Program Manager for the City of Somerville, to discuss food waste diversion in K-12 schools. Food waste contributes significantly to the overall waste generated by schools. Discover the successes and challenges of existing programs, ranging from administrative initiatives to student-led efforts. There’s no single approach to starting a program, and you will learn from their experiences and access resources for your district.

If you are a volunteer or school employee, reach out to [email protected] for Green SWoRD School Waste Reduction and Diversion resources.

The post Episode 47: Organics Diversion in K-12 Schools first appeared on MassRecycle.

11/16/22 — Boston, Massachusetts Center for Computing & Data Sciences at sundown Nov 16.Photo by Cydney Scott for Boston University Photography

Waneta and Gretchen are joined by Sarah Healey, MassRecycle Board member and Zero Waste Manager at Boston University, to discuss building your Zero Waste goals into your contracts. Sarah has been on both sides of the waste contract, previously working for Casella Waste Systems.  To work toward  90% diversion, BU has implemented Resource Management Contracting, a system that  incentivizes waste reduction over time.  Learn how to build your sustainability goals into your contracts, how to get buy-in from all parties, and look toward the future all in this invaluable episode!

See Sarah’s presentation on Contracting for Zero Waste from the 2024 MassRecycle Conference, and a treasure trove of reference documents here.

The post Episode 46: Contracting for Zero Waste first appeared on MassRecycle.

Waneta and Gretchen answer the perennial question “Why can’t I recycle this?”.  Recycling is a commodity, and not only does it need to be collected and sorted, someone needs to want to buy it.  To understand what is recyclable and what is not, it is important to understand the system: Who has access to recycling? How are those items sorted? How much of it is collected? What materials have an end market where they are given a second life as a new product?  If you have been wondering what happens to your recycling, or you want to answer your friends’ questions about why you bother, this is the episode for you!

The post Episode 45: Why Can’t I Recycle This? first appeared on MassRecycle.

Waneta and Gretchen are joined by Jessica Camarena, City of New Bedford Recycling Coordinator, and Rosanna Deldosario, City of Lawrence Recycling Coordinator, to discuss their work to make recycling more accessible to residents. Both of their positions extend past recycling into waste reduction, education, and outreach. Establishing school programming, informing landlords, and providing materials in multiple languages are just some of the strategies that have contributed to outstanding advances toward sustainability in these two communities. All of this and more in this episode of the MassRecycle Podcast.

The post Episode 44: Recycling Programming in Multilingual Communities first appeared on MassRecycle.

Embark on a revealing journey as Gretchen, Waneta, and Andrew Brousseau of Black Earth Compost delve into PFAS.  Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances, or PFAS, is a group of human-made chemicals found in countless everyday items that has permeated our daily lives for decades. Learn about the sources of PFAS, the challenges this group of substances presents to waste disposal, and the broader environmental impacts. Stay tuned for insights into recent advances in regulating PFAS in compostables, including the success story of Black Earth Compost. Get informed, stay engaged, and discover how positive changes are reshaping our relationship with this pervasive substance. 

The post Episode 43: Unveiling the Invisible: PFAS and Compost first appeared on MassRecycle.

Woodbridge Project Team at Rockland Psychiatric Center demolition. Future Data Center. Photo Credit: STO Building Group

Join Waneta and Gretchen as they delve into deconstruction and mercury with Mike Orbank from STO Building Group and Danielle Myers of the Thermostat Recycling Corporation. Ever wondered about the environmental impact of construction waste? Embodied carbon vs emissions? Curious about how we can make a difference through strategic choices? Explore the paradigm shift from traditional demolition to the meticulous art of deconstruction. Tune in to discover the power of careful planning, material separation, the ingenious reclamation of off cuts, and how planning can keep mercury out of landfills. 

Thank you to Covanta for sponsoring this episode and for their work with Thermostat Recycling Corporation. 

The post Episode 42: Demolition vs. Deconstruction: Careful Practices for a Sustainable Future first appeared on MassRecycle.

Recycling legend Johnny Gold joins Waneta and Gretchen to talk paper recycling – where it all began and how we got here.  Have you ever wondered how paper drives earn money? How did paper recycling start?  What happens to the paper you throw in your bin?  There is an entire industry behind that paper in your bin and how it becomes that hardcover book or that brown paper towel.  Find out how it all works and what you can do to help make paper out of paper on this episode of the MassRecycle podcast.

Thank you to Good Point Recycling for sponsoring this episode! Good Point Recycling is a nationally-recognized electronics recycling company and a respected expert in Fair Trade Recycling.

The post Episode 41: Make Paper out of Paper: Johnny Gold first appeared on MassRecycle.

In this episode, Waneta and Gretchen are joined by four experts who have dedicated their careers to reducing waste and promoting sustainability on college campuses. Laurie Simmons of UMass Amherst, Sue Higgins of Northeastern University, Sarah Healey of Boston University, and Rob Gogan, retired from Harvard, share their insights on waste reduction, recycling, and creative reuse programs.  Join us as we explore the innovative programs and initiatives that are creating a culture of environmental responsibility that is making a difference on college campuses in Massachusetts.

The post Episode 40: Sustainability on Campus: 2023 Edition first appeared on MassRecycle.

In 2018, China National Sword cut off imports of foreign recyclables and brought recycling in the US to a screeching halt.  In Massachusetts, MassDEP created RecycleSmart: the one stop resource to turn the Wild Wild West of recycling collections into material streams that could be processed domestically.  

Janice Paré, Municipal Recycling Analyst at MassDEP, talks with Waneta and Gretchen about the endless resource that is RecycleSmart and its Recyclopedia.  Is your recycling actually being recycled? Yes, you can even see where it goes by zip code!  What gets in the way of recycling, and what poses a danger to the people that hand-sort your recycling?  All of this and more, in this episode of the MassRecycle podcast.

The post Episode 39: The Recycling Miracle: MassDEP’s RecycleSmart first appeared on MassRecycle.