(Washington, DC) – The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), the Voice of the Recycling Industry™, participated as one of eight private sector partners at the first in-person meeting of the National Conference on State Legislature (NCSL) Public-Private Partnership on Recycling. The Partnership also includes state legislative members from 15 states. The Partnership met following NCSL’s annual Legislative Summit in Denver, Colo., which brought in nearly 5,000 state legislators and staff members.
“It’s easy for me to understand the value of the ReMA speakers with expertise and knowledge in the recycling industry who were brought in by the NCSL Public-Private Partnership in Recycling at our meeting in Denver,” said Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Kan. “I appreciated learning about the legislation that other states have considered, and I look forward to working with this Partnership to develop recycling best practices so we aren't reinventing the wheel as we move forward in Kansas.”
Speakers were invited by NCSL based on their expertise on recycling subject matters. Several ReMA members participated on three of the panels, including ReMA Chair Brian Henesey, vice president and general manager of Rocky Mountain Recycling, Inc. (RMR) in Denver.
“Recycling is a high tech, highly innovative, and scientific industry. Given all the continued advances, ReMA understands the importance of connecting recycling with education at all levels,” said Henesey. “ISRI is grateful to NCSL for giving us a forum to share our knowledge on the recycling industry, and how we can partner with state legislatures to meet the public education needs of tomorrow’s recyclers.”
ISRI member company speakers spoke on residential recycling concerns, though it was noted that residential materials are a small fraction of materials recycled daily; the majority are industrial materials. Speakers discussed definitions used in laws addressing recycling, global perspectives on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) involving fiber and plastics recycling, chemical and mechanical recycling, financing recycling infrastructure, public education, metals recycling operations, as well as electric vehicle (EV) battery, lithium-ion, and other battery recycling concerns.
“ISRI is supportive of partnerships like NCSL’s Public-Private Partnership on Recycling, which provide critical opportunities for the exchange of ideas and experiences,” said Henesey. “The Recycling Partnership creates a forum to discuss best practices, which encourages sound state laws.”
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The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI) is the "Voice of the Recycling Industry™." ReMA represents 1,300 companies in the U.S. and more than 40 countries that process, broker, and consume scrap commodities, including metals, paper, plastics, glass, rubber, electronics, and textiles. With headquarters in Washington, DC, the Institute provides education, advocacy, safety and compliance training, and promotes public awareness of the vital role recycling plays in the U.S. economy, global trade, the environment and sustainable development. Generating nearly $117 billion annually in U.S. economic activity, the scrap recycling industry provides more than 506,000 Americans with good jobs.
For More Information:
Vicki Morgan
Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc.
(202) 975.9042; vmorgan@isri.org