Counties Matter: Just Ask the Guy Next Door

These are examples of the vast domain of local government. People depend on counties to provide services that build, maintain and protect their homes, businesses, schools, and neighborhoods. Unfortunately, due to a lack of understanding, we regularly see local laws and regulations enacted which impede the scrap recycling industry’s ability to conduct recycling operations. For instance, local governments often designate scrap materials as waste, and this can have the unintended consequence of making recycling more difficult for individuals and businesses.

Too often, ReMA members have reported facing the threat of local ordinances that could not only impact business but potentially cause their doors to close because the laws would effectively shutter operations. Local land use governance is a perfect example of how county government can do more harm than federal or state government. Zoning matters are all within the purview of local government. Metals theft is also a crude example of how local government can make or break a recycling operation with little or no input at all from the recyclers in that jurisdiction.

If you are not involved with your local county government, it won’t know who you are or what you do for the community and so you are at the mercy of others. The bottom line is that county government matters – more so sometimes than state or even federal government.

ISRI Partnership with County Governments

In light of the increasing role and significance county government has on daily business operations, ReMA is partnering this year with the National Association of Counties (NACo) in an effort to assist ReMA members at the local level of government with promoting the recycling industry and educating county executives on many of our industry’s issues such as scrap is not waste and recycling is not disposal. NACo is the only national organization that represents county governments in the United States. It promotes sound public policies, fosters county solutions and innovation, promotes intergovernmental and public-private collaboration and provides value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money.

Recently, ReMA shared the recycling story at the Western Interstate Regional conference of county administrators and supervisors. As county leaders focus on solution-based ideas, ReMA highlighted the fact that the private sector recycling industry has been what some might dub as a “silent partner” with county government for decades, creating solutions to problems that county officials may not even have known they had in the first place. ISRI illustrated to the attendees that, without the scrap recycling industry, the sheer volume of abandoned property alone would paralyze local government. Recycling is not only the responsible thing to do, but it is essential for county operations and budgets, and local government cannot do it without the private sector recycling industry.

This conference was ISRI’s first opportunity to introduce the scrap recycling industry to county leaders since embarking on its partnership with NACo. Scrap is not waste and recycling is not disposal. While this mantra is commonplace to those in the industry, it was clear from the reaction of those in attendance that this is a foreign concept to many in local government. County officials who manage solid waste issues commonly and incorrectly identify scrap materials as solid waste. ReMA explained how recyclable materials that have fulfilled their original use can then be sold in commerce as commodity material and thus by definition are not discarded waste. And, in a point of clarification for the county leaders, ReMA noted that although recyclable materials processed by ReMA members are not solid waste, the efforts of the private sector scrap recycling industry assists local government by helping reduce the amounts of solid waste that is managed through landfilling or incineration.

Though still in its infancy, the educational partnership with NACo is showing some promise. County leaders from several states approached ReMA following the presentation expressing appreciation for the enlightening perspective. Two separate state county association executives requested meetings with ReMA upon their return home. ReMA will be contacting the appropriate chapter leaders to facilitate these follow-up sessions. However, it is important for ReMA members to recognize that this is just the beginning as ISRI works to raise awareness of the industry at the county government level.

As a component of this partnership, ReMA has access to numerous avenues for spreading our message, including the NACo magazine, website, and web conference/blogs that are distributed to all 3,000+ counties nationwide. ReMA needs to take advantage of this opportunity, but to do so ISRI needs you to report on your local success stories.

Share Your Story

In 2015, NACO is dedicating a section of its County News publication to showcase public and private partnerships. This section will be called “Solutions Spotlight” - Effective Public & Private Sector Partnerships. It will highlight a county’s challenge/opportunity, solution implemented, and results/takeaways. The County News publication online and print versions reaches over 40,000 county officials and staff nationwide.

ISRI members take pride in their communities and often participate in local events designed to help their neighbors. While ISRI members often face the blame game as local communities attempt to address social problems such as theft or nuisance and are forced to alter operations, there are many who continue to pave the path to community solutions that bring about positive outcomes for everyone. It is these stories ReMA wants the world to hear. ReMA members are part of the solution!

It is time for the recycling industry to showcase its contributions to the environment and economy to local county governments and our communities. The ISRI-NACo partnership has created the perfect opportunity and communications vehicle to make to share the industry’s proud story and heritage.

Your submission needs to be no more than 400 words, and ISRI staff can assist with finalizing the write-up for submission if you request. NACo prefers more recent stories, but please still send us your story even if it is a few years old.

Information Needed

County name (county logo if you can get one)

Problem county was facing/ Opportunity

Solution implemented

Results/Takeaways

Here are some examples:

United HealthCare, highlighted FranklinCounty, OH

Virtual Clarity, highlighted DallasCounty, TX

Netsmart, highlighted LosAngeles County, CA

Cisco, highlighted MidlandCounty, TX

Please send your story to ReMA and help ReMA demonstrate specific solutions and how the recycling industry is an effective partner with local government that must be invited to the table on any and all policy discussions involving recycling matters in our communities.

If you have any questions, please contact Danielle Waterfield.