March/April 2014
The ReMA convention and exposition’s return to the Mandalay Bay resort and casino in Las Vegas gives attendees another opportunity to celebrate all the things they enjoy about this dynamic city.
ISRI members love Las Vegas, and the ReMA convention and exposition’s frequent return to the oasis in the desert demonstrates just that. This year marks the 12th time ReMA has held the annual event—the world’s largest scrap recycling showcase—in Las Vegas, and it’s the fifth time at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino property.
What’s not to love about Las Vegas? Some come for the many and varied gambling opportunities. Others look forward to entertainment options that run the gamut from superstar musicians, comedians, and magicians to indescribable shows of acrobatics to celebrity impersonators. The city’s food options have moved well beyond the all-you-can-eat buffet (though nearly every hotel has one) to prestigious outposts of celebrity chefs, making the city a top foodie destination. If dancing and drinking are more your style, you’ll find bars and clubs with international reputations. Shopaholics can meet their needs at a diverse array of upscale retail boutiques—or outlet malls north and south of the Las Vegas strip. And if you want to unwind in a quieter way, the resorts offer pools and spas to suit any taste.
For many convention attendees, the best thing about Las Vegas is, of course, the size and stature of the ReMA convention. As always, the five-day event, held April 6 to 10, provides an unparalleled opportunity for members to interact and share knowledge with one another; to see the latest and greatest scrap recycling tools, technologies, and services; and to learn from experts in commodities, operations, trade, and other essential subjects, with a dose of fun thrown in for good measure.
Expo Extraordinaire
The expo hall is the heart of the ReMA convention, and this year is no different. The 2014 expo will feature equipment, products, and services from more than 350 companies across roughly 360,000 square feet of exhibit space. Nearly a quarter of that space will hold large-equipment displays, giving you the opportunity to literally kick the tires, sit in the driver’s seat, and give the once-over to a wide variety of tools essential for your operations. The hall also is the place to connect with suppliers of essential services such as security, insurance, brokering, management and payment systems, logistics, and more.
In the middle of the expo hall you’ll find the ReMA booth, where you can join the association or learn how to make the most of your membership, such as by signing up for ISRI’s many free safety services or ordering compliance reports on scrap consumers that can help protect you from Superfund liability. Adjacent to the ReMA booth is the popular silent auction benefiting the Recycling Research Foundation. Past auctions have offered such enticements as vacation packages, one-of-a-kind artwork and memorabilia, processing equipment and services, and advertising space in industry trade magazines (including Scrap). Drop by to find something special for yourself or your business—and come back frequently to make sure you’re not outbid.
Get your first look at the expo hall during the convention’s opening gala on Monday, April 7. Be sure to arrive with an appetite, as bars and buffets will be arrayed in hospitality areas throughout the space. Each hospitality area is labeled with a specific commodity, making it easier to connect with potential suppliers, customers, or business partners interested in that material. On Tuesday and Wednesday you’ll find buffet lunches and afternoon snacks in the hospitality areas as well.
Thought-Provoking General Sessions
Over the years the convention has hosted its share of former U.S. presidents, but will this year be its first to feature a future president? The closing general session speaker is Hillary Rodham Clinton, the former U.S. secretary of state, senator from New York, 2008 presidential candidate, and first lady—and a likely Democratic candidate for president in the 2016 election. During her term as secretary of state, from 2009 to 2013, Clinton led U.S. foreign policy through historic global events that included the Arab spring protests, the overthrow of Moammar Gadhafi in Libya, and the killing of Osama bin Laden. Clinton traveled to more than 80 countries during her tenure, consistently advocating for human rights, democracy, and increased opportunities for women and girls. Regardless of one’s personal political beliefs, this opportunity to expose a potential presidential candidate to the world of scrap recycling is a coup for the industry. Note that this general session will be at a different time than usual—1 p.m. on Thursday, April 10—and plan your travel accordingly.
The convention’s opening general session speaker on Tuesday, April 8, is technology pioneer Steve Wozniak, who co-founded Apple Computer (Cupertino, Calif.) with Steve Jobs. As the designer of the Apple I and Apple II personal computers, “Woz” helped bring about the computer revolution. Since then he has written a best-selling autobiography, iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon; advocated for education and computers in schools; founded the Electronic Frontier Foundation; appeared on Dancing With the Stars; and supported a variety of philanthropic organizations in the San Francisco Bay area. (One scrap-related fact: His business cards are made of stainless steel.)
In between those two is Wednesday’s general session Spotlight on the Economy. Just when U.S. economic growth seems to be picking up, weak economies in the developing world and still-moribund growth in Europe are leaving processors and traders to wonder if the scrap industry will face another year of lackluster demand and low prices. And the U.S. recovery itself is still on shaky ground, with partisan gridlock leaving Washington unable to resolve major fiscal issues needed to lay the groundwork for further growth. Hear economists, market analysts, and other experts give their perspectives on the direction of the domestic and world economies and the commodity markets. At the start of the session, ReMA will present its Lifetime Achievement Award.
Metal Matters
The scrap industry’s fate seems to tie closely to global and regional economic growth and the state of the scrap commodity markets. Whether times are good or not so good, industry participants want to know what to expect in the short and long term. That’s why the crowds at the convention’s commodity spotlights are often standing-room-only. This year’s metal Commodity Spotlights bring together processors, brokers, consumers, and analysts to give their perspectives on the future of ferrous, copper, nickel/stainless, and aluminum. (Get details on the spotlights on electronics, paper, plastics, and tires/rubber in their sections below.)
For those who process end-of-life vehicles, one additional metals-focused session to note is Handling Catalytic Converters. Experts from the automotive and catalytic converter manufacturing industries will show participants how to decode manufacturers’ codes and other identification markings on original or aftermarket catalytic converters to better understand the autocat’s value and composition. They’ll also offer insight into why the catalytic converter marketplace behaves the way it does. Kevin Moore of All Raw Materials Consulting (Clarkston, Mich.) will moderate the workshop, which features Sanath Kumar of BASF (Florham Park, N.J.) and Mark Lewon of Utah Metal Works (Salt Lake City).
Back by popular demand is the convention’s series of metals identification workshops. Jim Hurlburt of Amity Metals (Charlotte, N.C.) will lead the Metals ID: Copper workshop, which walks participants through the various grades of copper and how best to distinguish them. Metals ID: Aluminum, which teaches the basics of how to identify aluminum grades that commonly appear in a scrapyard, features Jeff Arrow of TST (Fontana, Calif.). Metals ID: Nickel/Stainless, led by Drew Bollenberg of ELG Metals (McKeesport, Pa.), will address identifying stainless steel, other nickel and cobalt alloys, and tool steels with techniques such as spark testing, magnets, relative coding, and application. The workshop also will explain the effect of expected—and unexpected—alloying elements at electric-arc furnace melting facilities, and it will give pointers on saving and making money when recycling nickel and stainless. One more workshop in this series, Metals ID: Handheld Analyzers, will go over the principles of X-ray fluorescence, the typical capabilities and limitations of handheld alloy analyzers, as well as various configurations and options available on these tools. Presenter Jim Pasmore of Analytical Sales Training (Bend, Ore.) asks participants to bring their most difficult samples and questions.
Export Expertise
Whether you’re a seasoned scrap exporter or just considering getting into the global marketplace, selling goods overseas can be a complex endeavor. This year’s convention offers several workshops to help you navigate the international scrap trade.
For the past 15 years, China’s shortage of raw materials and dominant role in global manufacturing have put it at the heart of demand for many scrap commodities. It’s the destination for a significant proportion of scrap from the United States—and from the rest of the world. The workshop What Does China’s Future Look Like? will address what’s ahead for China in terms of scrap demand, environmental controls, and regulatory requirements. Speakers include Tad Ferris of Holland & Knight and Ira Kasoff of APCO Worldwide, both based in Washington, D.C. The U.S./China Trade Consult Meeting, hosted by the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (Beijing), will provide a platform for Chinese and U.S. secondary metals companies to introduce themselves and discuss trade opportunities. Experts from CMRA also will update attendees on China’s scrap import policies and other topics pertinent to trade with China.
One growing challenge facing scrap exporters is ensuring the material reaches its destination. Two workshops address the theft of scrap material while in transit, coming at the topic from two different angles. Thieves continually change their modus operandi for breaking into cargo containers. In Cargo Container Securement and Preventive Measures, Ray Fernandez of Sealock Security Systems (Miami) will describe the latest trends and techniques in cargo security to help you stay one step ahead of the criminals. Sometimes the theft is part of a bigger scheme, however, that involves fake companies, documents, and more. The workshop Cargo Container Theft: Preventing the Rip-offs, Scams, and Cons focuses on these schemes, which often make recyclers unwitting collaborators in the disappearance of their scrap. Jeffrey Lieberman of Sentry Insurance Co. (Stevens Point, Wis.) and Donald Finch of Finch & Finch (Indianapolis) will expose criminals’ increasingly sophisticated methods and advise participants how to prevent becoming a victim of this crime.
Exporters also face a certain degree of risk when they ship material without full payment in advance. Financial Instruments and Their Use in Exporting, featuring Alex Johnson of Euler Hermes (Owings Mills, Md.), will help scrap recyclers understand the pros and cons of letters of credit, credit risk insurance, and other financial mechanisms that can help a global trade transaction go smoothly.
Safe and Efficient Operations
Operating a scrapyard is a complicated endeavor, with multiple functions that must run smoothly and safely. This year’s convention offers a variety of workshops to help you stay on top of your game.
No matter what you process, your yard is at risk for fire. Combustible dust, flammable liquids, metal-on-metal sparks, torching activity—even a stray cigarette or material sitting in the hot sun could be the ignition point. What determines whether your site suffers a minor incident or a devastating fire is how well you’ve planned for this emergency and how quickly and effectively you respond. In a workshop on Fire Safety, ReMA Director of Safety John Gilstrap will walk participants through recommended facility designs, employee training, and community coordination to help prevent a spark from turning into a disaster.
What happens when nearby residents say your yard is producing emissions that are bothersome—or even hazardous? In Houston Air Monitoring: Lessons Learned, David Wagger, ISRI’s director of environmental management; Tom Baker of Tom Baker Consulting (Wimberley, Texas) and the Recycling Council of Texas (San Antonio); Mark Dobson of DNA Geosciences (San Antonio); and Brad Bredesen of CMC Steel Texas (Seguin, Texas) will describe how recyclers in Houston have worked individually and as a group with city officials to address concerns about emissions from their operations. (This session is closed to the media.)
Whether it’s a little forklift or an enormous tractor-trailer, mobile equipment can be a significant source of accident and injury risk in a scrap operation. In Mobile Equipment Safety in and Around Your Facility, ReMA Transportation Safety Manager Commodor Hall and Safety Outreach Manager Tony Smith will talk about what it takes to have a safe team of equipment operators and drivers.
Dust is a nuisance, an eyesore, and a hazard in some scrap processing contexts. In a workshop on Dust Management in Scrap Processing and Handling, Edwin Peterson of Dust Control Technology (Peoria, Ill.), Patrick Duhaime of Company Wrench (Carroll, Ohio), and Greg Bierie of Martin Engineering (Neponset, Ill.) will address recent technological advancements for controlling this material, either across a wide area or right around the processing equipment.
Hydraulic fracturing to capture natural gas is still controversial, but scrapyards in regions where fracking is taking place are seeing an influx of metal equipment—some of which poses serious and little-known dangers. A workshop on Handling “Frac Pipe” in the Scrap Stream will explain that these tools, also called perforating guns, can turn up in scrapyards while still loaded with explosive charges that can maim or kill workers who handle them. ISRI’s John Gilstrap and Kenny Jordan of the Association of Energy Service Cos. (Houston) will teach you what to look for and what to do if you find one.
They Didn’t Really Do That, Did They? sounds like the title of a reality TV show. Actually, it’s a look at the ugly side of scrapyard safety, where—as ISRI’s safety team will show—workers sometimes have so little regard for safety that it’s almost comical. Led by ReMA Safety Outreach Manager Joe Bateman, this workshop will blend humor with a serious safety message to show some of the mind-boggling mistakes people make, as well as how to do things the right way.
Proactive Approaches to Materials Theft
Just as ReMA is taking a multipronged approach to materials theft (see “New Efforts to Fight Materials Theft,” beginning on page 243), the convention tackles the issue from a couple of directions: encouraging prosecution and building community relationships to make sure recyclers are seen as part of the solution.
Even when recyclers jump through all the legislative and regulatory hoops, scrap materials will continue to get stolen if thieves know there’s little chance they’ll be caught or prosecuted. In Prosecuting Materials Theft: What It Takes to Build a Case, Fred Burmester, Salt Lake County (Utah) deputy district attorney, will walk you through the steps you should take when you suspect you’re encountering stolen materials to help ensure the criminals are caught and prosecuted. Taking a different approach, Terrence Cunningham with the Wellesley (Mass.) Police Department and Richard Long of 3SI Security Systems (Exton, Pa.) will tell how electronic stakeout equipment focused on “bait” property can be deployed to address this problem in Enforcement Solutions to Materials Theft.
With media reports of materials theft often lumping legitimate recyclers in with the thieves, it’s more important than ever to build relationships with reporters and editors to ensure they understand your company’s role in the community. A variety of workshops at this year’s convention can help you manage your media relations.
At Inside the Recycling Trade Media, learn where reporters get their story ideas, how they select which “industry experts” to quote, and what determines the angle they take on a given story. This panel discussion led by Scrap publisher Kent Kiser—with Sean Davidson, global scrap editor, Metal Bulletin, American Metal Market, and Steel First (New York); Dylan de Thomas, editorial director, Resource Recycling (Portland, Ore.); and Brian Taylor, editor, Recycling Today (Richfield, Ohio)—will help you get inside the journalist’s mind and better communicate with the press.
The trade media should know how the recycling industry works; the local media and national mass media might not—which might work against you when you receive a reporter’s call. The Media Relations Training workshop will help you understand the do’s and don’ts of speaking with the press when reporters call you—as well as how to reach out to reporters when you have a story to pitch to them. Also learn how to promote and defend your business, how to draft a compelling news release, and even what to wear if asked to be on camera. Following the workshop is a Media Relations Lab, where you’ll take the lessons you’ve learned in the media relations training and put them into practice by participating in mock interviews conducted by former members of the mainstream media. Lenora Kaplan of Small Business Directions (Las Vegas) will lead both media sessions.
Don’t forget that your company’s reputation can be burnished or tarnished online just as easily as it can be in the mass media. Marketing Recycling Through Social Media will show how Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social-media sites have become vital tools for promoting a business. Learn how to use social media to develop leads, drive word-of-mouth marketing, build community relationships, track your competition, learn what others are saying about you and the industry, and more. Mark Carpenter, ISRI’s director of media relations and online communications, will lead the discussion, with speakers Jasen Woehrle of The Firm (Las Vegas) and John Shegerian of Electronic Recyclers International (Modesto, Calif.).
Mastering Management
In addition to materials theft, management issues keeping you up at night might be the costs of complying with the Affordable Care Act and increasing scrutiny of your operations by suppliers and consumers—and your need to scrutinize them as well. That’s not to mention the old standbys, such as finding and keeping good staff and ensuring against losses from commodity price fluctuations. ReMA convention workshops can address all those concerns.
On the money management side, the MF Global scandal exposed a commodity trading system that leaves market participants vulnerable. If that scandal has soured you on the commodity metals markets, Mark Weintraub of Premier Metal Services (Cleveland) will explain what the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (Washington, D.C.) is doing to address the problem and why it’s still so important to use some kind of hedge to protect your company from market fluctuations in a workshop on Hedging.
The strongest scrap markets in a century might not be enough to help you if you’re named a potentially responsible party for a Superfund cleanup. In the workshop on Superfund Liability Protection Essentials, learn about ISRI’s Superfund Recycling Equity Act Reasonable Care Compliance program, which can help protect members from liability if a consuming facility becomes a Superfund site, and the concept of reasonable due diligence, from Scott Horne, ISRI’s general counsel and vice president of government relations; Chris Bedell of The David J. Joseph Co. (Cincinnati); Scott Miller of Sims Metal Management (New York); and Kemper Will of Burns Figa & Will (Greenwood Village, Colo.).
If you pay cash for scrap, you might be withdrawing significant sums from your bank on a daily basis. This can attract the attention of law enforcement agencies looking for signs of illegal activity such as money laundering, drug dealing, or even terrorism. Mark Lewon of Utah Metal Works (Salt Lake City) and Ryan Rasske of Risk Gap Advisors (Green Bay, Wis.) will explain how to work closely with your local financial institution to avoid such problems in Working With Cash Transactions.
How can you ensure you’ve got everyone at your facility focused on quality, safety, and environmental protection all the time? For growing numbers of recyclers, the answer is certification. Whether you’re just starting to investigate the certification process or looking to make the most of your certification credentials, convention workshops can help. More Money in Your Pocket: The Positive Effects of Certification Programs will address how certification can help make your business stronger and more attractive to potential clients—and help save you money. Quality, environment, and health and safety management specialists will offer firsthand accounts of cost savings their companies have realized due to certification. RIOS™: Management System Implementation and Improvement is designed to encourage peer-to-peer discussion of certification to the Recycling Industry Operating Standard™. Hear how others have implemented the standard and how what they’ve learned can help you. Darrell Kendall, ISRI’s RIOS program director, and Bob McCarthy of Greeneye Partners (Apple Valley, Minn.) also will answer questions, share best practices, and help participants better understand the RIOS requirements. (See a description of the workshop on R2/RIOS™ for electronics recyclers in the electronics section below.)
Judy Ferraro, Scrap’s popular On Sales columnist and principal of Judy Ferraro & Associates (Lemont, Ill.), and Dian Anderson of Anderson Coaching & Training (Chicago) are leading two workshops that might change how you approach your human resources. First, The Hiring Process: From Applicant to Employee (and Everything in Between) will help ensure you’re looking for and finding the right qualities in those you hire. In The Three Significant Circles of Management, back by popular demand from last year’s convention, Ferraro and Anderson will examine different management styles and address how to constructively handle difficult human-resource situations.
Among those challenges are Fraud and Employee Theft. In this workshop, Christopher Bryan, a certified public accountant based in Jacksonville, Fla., will describe the latest scams and old standbys, how much they can cost your company, how to work with investigators, and what you can do to prevent fraud and embezzlement.
Insurance is another management priority, and two workshops cover this critical topic. In one, Stacy Brown of RecycleGuard® (Portsmouth, N.H.) will review environmental liability risks in Are You Naked? Why You Need to Examine Your Environmental Exposure. The other session—Employee Benefits in the Obamacare World and How to Maximize Its Impact—examines the Affordable Care Act, also called Obamacare, and what it means for your company. Joseph Appelbaum of Potomac Cos. (Rockville, Md.) will address the importance of insurance and other employee benefits in the total compensation picture.
Effective management also can require recyclers to be “early adopters” of new technology and leverage it to remain competitive. That’s the focus of Disruptive Technologies and Recycling in the 21st Century, which will feature Jacob Zuppke of Traffic Digital Agency (Royal Oak, Mich.) and Sandy Rosen of Great Lakes Recycling (Roseville, Mich.).
Electric Avenue
Innovation and opportunities abound in electronics recycling, and more recyclers of other scrap commodities are jumping on the bandwagon. This year’s electronics workshops will show you how to safely and responsibly handle this growing segment of the scrap stream and what might be on the horizon.
Two workshops on electronics recycling are scheduled for Monday, April 7, before the convention’s opening gala. How to Make Money in Electronics Recycling cuts to the chase—and the answer is more challenging than you might think. Designed specifically for recyclers of other commodities, this workshop will provide an overview of this industry segment, possible business models (refurbishment and reuse, commodity recycling, and/or services), and responsible recycling practices. Speakers include Craig Boswell of HOBI International (Dallas), Dag Adamson of LifeSpan (Newton, Mass.), Jim Drohan of CDI Computer Dealers (Markham, Ontario), George Hinkle of Arcoa (Chicago), and Brian Diesselhorst of Creative Recycling Systems (Morrisville, N.C.).
Electronics recyclers who want to handle material from large corporate accounts or participate in state electronics extended-producer-responsibility systems might find they can’t do either without some form of third-party certification. Learn about one certification program in the two-part workshop R2/RIOS™ Training—All You Need to Know. The first part gives the basics for those who are not familiar with the standard—which combines the Responsible Recycling (R2) standard for electronics processors with the Recycling Industry Operating Standard—or those who have not started the initial certification process. That’s followed by a panel discussion of the challenges involved in becoming certified, which can benefit both newcomers and those who have started the certification process. ISRI’s Darrell Kendall will moderate the discussion, which includes speakers Rike Sandlin of HiTech Assets (Oklahoma City), Kelley Keogh of Greeneye Partners (Apple Valley, Minn.), John Lingelbach of R2 Solutions (Boulder, Colo.), Paula Esty of Schnitzer Northeast (Everett, Mass.), Peter Van Houten of Export Global Metals (Hillsboro, Ore.), Julius Hess of Regency Technologies (Twinsburg, Ohio), and Paul Burck of Orion Registrar (Arvada, Colo.).
The electronics workshops continue with the Spotlight on Electronics, where Jim Levine of Regency Technologies (Twinsburg, Ohio), the ReMA Electronics Division chair, will introduce a guest speaker yet to be announced.
In Going Global–Challenges, Issues, and Trends, moderator Katharina Kummer Peiry of Kummer EcoConsult (Villars-sur-Glâne, Switzerland), former executive secretary of the Basel Convention, will lead a panel of speakers that includes Venkatesha Murthy of Vans Chemistry (Singapore), Jean Cox-Kearns of Dell (Round Rock, Texas), and Hervé Guilcher of Hewlett Packard France (Grenoble, France), who will address issues and trends in global electronics processing.
Much of the value in end-of-life electronics comes from the precious metals they contain. The workshop on Recovering Precious Metals From Electronic Scrap will address the continuing barriers and recent innovations in capturing this material. Moderator J.P. Rosso of the International Precious Metals Institute (Pensacola, Fla.) will be joined by speakers George Gero of RBC Wealth Management (New York), Bernd Kopacek of the Austrian Society for Systems Engineering and Automation (Vienna), and Thierry Van Kerckhoven of Umicore Precious Metals Refining (Hoboken, Belgium).
Focus materials—which not only must be disposed of properly but also handled properly within the facility—are the other side of the electronics coin. ReMA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Atlanta) are jointly presenting a workshop on one such material, Lead Exposure From Cathode-Ray Tube Recycling. John Gilstrap of ISRI, Elena Page of NIOSH, and Mark Matza of Fortune Group (Jersey City, N.J.) will address how to measure and minimize lead exposure, summarize recent health hazard evaluation reports from electronics processing facilities, and more.
Freelance journalist Adam Minter has seen nearly every approach to electronics recycling, from the most primitive practices in the developing world to the most high-tech facilities—often in the same country. He leads the workshop on Future Trends in Electronics Recycling, with panelists that include Jim Levine of Regency Technologies and Darren Beck of Sprint (Kansas City. Mo.).
The Potential of Plastics and Rubber
Like electronics recyclers, plastics processors are enjoying a period of innovation in recycling operations and the potential for growing demand. This year’s workshops help both those starting out and those looking to take their operations to the next level.
Plastics recycling is a global industry. At the Spotlight on Plastics, speakers will describe the international markets for recycled resins and how companies can get access to them. Panelists include Phillip Karig of Mathelin Bay Associates (St. Louis) and Surendra Borad of Gemini Corp. (Antwerp, Belgium).
Processors of other commodities might wonder, Is Plastics Recycling Right For Your Facility? Adrian Merrington of the Michigan Molecular Institute (Midland, Mich.) and Jonathan Levy, ISRI’s director of member services, lead a workshop that serves as a plastics recycling primer, explaining the supply and demand for various resins, the many variations possible within each resin, and more. For more on resin type, manufacturing techniques, and why both matter for recyclability, check out the Plastics Identification workshop. Dennis Hayford of the Polymers Center of Excellence (Charlotte, N.C.) will review how to identify plastics that are likely to come into a recycling yard. New this year is instruction on how to quickly identify resins used in electronic products.
For recyclers, bioplastics can be confusing and worrisome. Some bioplastics are compostable but not recyclable; others are recyclable but not compostable; and still others are both. Cut through the myths and misinformation at the Bioplastic 101 workshop. Also learn the basics of what makes a plastic a bioplastic and how best to handle this material. Speakers include Tim Goodman of NatureWorks (Minnetonka, Minn.), Patrick Smith of the Michigan Molecular Institute (Midland, Mich.), and John Culbertson of MSW Consultants (Orlando, Fla.).
Plastic film recycling has grown in popularity over the last decade, and as more of this material finds its way into scrapyards, recyclers are wondering how best to collect, sort, and process it. In Understanding Plastic Film Recycling, learn how to handle this material and get the most value for it. Speakers include Phil Rozenski of Hilex Poly Co. (Hartsville, S.C.) and Dave Heglas of Trex Co. (Winchester, Va.).
Combining plastic and rubber scrap has led to improved performance in a
variety of consumer and industrial applications. Speakers J’Lynn Hare of Rumber Materials (Muenster, Texas) and Scott Melton of ACI Plastics (Flint, Mich.) will discuss the technologies used to combine these materials and their future in Mixing Scrap Plastic and Rubber to Improve Performance.
Other workshops of interest to tire and rubber recyclers include the Spotlight on Tires/Rubber and Advancements in Crumb Rubber Technology workshop, with the latter featuring J.D. Wang of ReRubber (Ontario, Calif.) and Bill Schreiber of Lehigh Technologies (Tucker, Ga.). And sure to be controversial is Pyrolysis and Energy Generation in the Scrap Tire Industry. Despite a history of failed technologies, the potential profit of converting tire rubber into fuel keeps entrepreneurs and inventors coming back. Mary Sikora of Scrap Tire News (Leesburg, Va.) will lead a panel of speakers that includes Thomas Redd of Reklaim (Seattle) in a discussion of whether new, viable technologies might be on the horizon.
See the schedule on pages 78-79 or visit www.isriconvention.org for the dates and times of these workshops and other convention activities.
Where to Stay
This year, the convention is offering four options for accommodations: The Mandalay Bay Resort, THEhotel at Mandalay Bay, and the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas, all of which are part of the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino property, as well as the Luxor Las Vegas hotel, which connects to Mandalay Bay via a tram or a combination walkway and shopping pavilion, the 310-foot-long Shoppes at Mandalay Place. Prices for reservations in the ReMA room block (single or double occupancy, plus taxes and fees) range from $79 a night at the Luxor to $279 a night at the Four Seasons. Once the room block is sold out, the hotels might have additional rooms available at market rates. Book your room through the convention website at www.isriconvention.org by clicking on the Hotel tab from the main page and selecting your hotel preference.
Once you register and book your hotel and flight, you’re ready to take advantage of all the 2014 convention has to offer. If you have any questions or need assistance, contact ISRI’s convention staff at convention@isri.org or 202/662-8500.
Good Times
ISRI is offering two Just for Fun programs open only to fully registered convention attendees and their fully registered spouses or guests. On Tuesday, April 8, relax in a private retreat Poolside at the Mandalay Beach. Enjoy cold beverages and refreshing light snacks in a reserved space with a view of the beach, a private wading pool, and both sunny and shaded lounging areas. On Wednesday, April 9, you can be Cooking Up Creative Cocktails with an expert mixologist from Rx Boiler Room, the steampunk-inspired restaurant and lounge from celebrity chef Rick Moonen. The event will present recipes and preparation techniques for stirring (or shaking) up innovative cocktails and the foods that best pair with them. For more details, consult the on-site convention program when you register.
Capping off the convention is the much-anticipated Closing Gala. As you might expect, ReMA is pulling out all the stops to make this year’s event unforgettable. Bring your sandals—this will be ISRI’s first beach party, held at the Mandalay Beach, which occupies 11 lush acres at the center of the property and features a 1.6 million-gallon wave pool, 2,700 tons of sand, and 100 cabanas, as well as plenty of chaise longues and day beds to help you relax and enjoy the party. The event will feature tropical-island-inspired food and drinks and a live band that will play songs from the 1950s to the present day.
Registration Station
To take advantage of all that this year’s convention has to offer, go to www.isriconvention.org, which will provide you with the most up-to-date information on registration and details about the opening and closing galas, Just for Fun activities, general sessions, spotlights, workshops, and more.
Registering online has never been easier. From the main website, click on the Registration tab to find fees and other information for full registration, trade-show-only registration, and guests and children. After March 8, ReMA members and their guests can sign up for full registration for $975 per person; nonmembers and their guests can register for $1,500 per person. Complete the registration online by using ISRI’s secure website. Alternatively, you can print a registration form from the website and fax it with your payment information to ReMA at 202/624-9257 or mail it to ISRI, Attn: Customer Service, 1615 L St. NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036-5664. ReMA must receive mailed or faxed registrations by March 31. Online registration will remain open throughout the convention, and you can also register in person when you arrive at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. For more information, go to www.isriconvention.org/registration, call 202/662-8500, or e-mail convention@isri.org.
The Paper Chase
Challenges facing the recovered fiber sector include the long-term impacts of China’s Green Fence initiative and other countries’ similar quality and environmental controls, reduced paper consumption and production, and more contamination in recovered paper streams. To address those and other pertinent industry issues, paper recyclers can gather at the ReMA convention for ISRI’s Paper Stock Industries Chapter Meeting on Tuesday, April 8. The PSI Specifications Committee will meet prior to the chapter meeting. On Wednesday, April 9, the Spotlight on Paper will bring together industry executives from large consumer goods companies to address a conundrum facing corporate America: When recycling costs more than landfilling, how can you make the business case for sustainability? For the latest on these and other conference workshops for paper processors, brokers, and consumers, visit www.isriconvention.org.
Thanks to Our Sponsors
Many aspects of the ReMA convention and exposition are made possible by
the generosity of our sponsors. ReMA thanks the following companies for their contributions as of press time.
ABN-AMRO: Spotlight on copper
Al-jon Manufacturing: Exhibitor locator boards
Alpert & Alpert Iron & Metal: Cyber Café and pocket schedule
Caterpillar: Closing general session
Coca-Cola Recycling: Lanyards
Duesmann & Hensel: Luggage tags
Harris: Convention program
ISRI Safety: Blue vest information guides
LBX Co.: Tote bags
RecycleGuard: Opening general session
RIOS™: ReMA Café breakfasts
Royce Corp.: Large video screens in expo hall
Scrap: Exhibit hall lunches
Sennebogen: Highlighter pen
Sierra International Machinery: Hotel room keys
Ye Chiu Group: Tote bag insert
Schedule of Events
SUNDAY, APRIL 6
7 a.m.-6 p.m.
Registration
7-8 a.m.
Recycling Research Foundation
8-9 a.m.
ISRI Board of Directors
9-10 a.m.
Nonferrous Division
Tire and Rubber Division
10-11 a.m.
Shredder Committee
Consumers Council
11 a.m.-Noon
Convention Committee
ISRI Services Corp. (RIOS board)
Noon-1 p.m.
Materials Theft Task Force
Design for Recycling™ Task Force
1-2 p.m.
State Task Force
Leadership Committee*
2-3 p.m.
Council of Chapter Presidents
3-4 p.m.
Membership Committee
4-5 p.m.
Education and Training Committee
Trade Committee
4-6 p.m.
ISRI Resources Board*
7-9 p.m.
Chapter Presidents’ Dinner
MONDAY, APRIL 7
7 a.m.-9 p.m.
Registration
7-8 a.m.
ISRI PAC Leadership Council*
8-9 a.m.
Paper Division
Ferrous Division
Audit Committee*
8 a.m.-Noon
R2/RIOS™ Training–All You Need to Know
9-10 a.m.
Communications Committee
Plastics Division
10-11:30 a.m.
Safety and Operations Committee
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Electronics Division
Equipment and Service Providers Council
12:30-2 p.m.
Government Relations Committee
1-5 p.m.
How to Make Money in Electronics Recycling
2-3 p.m.
Finance Committee
3-5 p.m.
ISRI Board of Directors
5:30-6:30 p.m.
First-Time Attendees Welcome and Orientation
6:30-9:30 p.m.
Gala Opening of the Exhibit Hall
TUESDAY, APRIL 8
7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Registration
7:15-8:15 a.m.
Buffet Breakfast in the ReMA Café
8:30-10 a.m.
Chair’s General Session: Steve Wozniak
9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
Exhibit Hall Open
10:15-11:15 a.m.
Fire Safety
Is Plastics Recycling Right for Your Facility?
Electronics Spotlight
Media Relations Training
11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Just for Fun Program—Poolside (Fully Registered Spouses/Guests Only)
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Plastics Identification
Mobile Equipment Safety in and Around Your Facility
Employee Benefits in the Obamacare World and How to Maximize Its Impact
More Money in Your Pocket: The Positive Effects of Certification Programs
Are You Naked? Why You Need to Examine Your Environmental Exposure
12:30-2 p.m.
Exhibit Hall Luncheon
2-3 p.m.
Paper Stock Industries Chapter Specifications Committee
Houston Air Monitoring: Lessons Learned
Lead Exposure From CRT Recycling
RIOS™: Management System Implementation and Improvement
2-3:15 p.m.
Spotlight on Aluminum
Spotlight on Tires/Rubber
3:15-4:15 p.m.
Going Global–Challenges, Issues, and Trends
Paper Stock Industries Chapter Meeting
3:30-4:30 p.m.
Mixing Scrap Plastic and Rubber to Improve Performance
3:30-4:45 p.m.
Spotlight on Ferrous
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9
7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Registration
7-8 a.m.
Light Breakfast in the ReMA Café
8-10 a.m.
General Session: Spotlight on the Economy
Presentation of the ReMA Lifetime Achievement Award
9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Exhibit Hall Open
10:15-11:15 a.m.
Marketing Recycling Through Social Media
Recovering Precious Metals From Electronic Scrap
Handling Catalytic Converters
Enforcement Solutions to Materials Theft
Understanding Plastic Film Recycling
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
The Hiring Process: From Applicant to Employee (and Everything in Between)
Superfund Liability Protection Essentials
Prosecuting Materials Theft: What It Takes to Build a Case
Spotlight on Plastics
Benchmarking an Industry and What to Expect in 2014 and 2015
12:30-2 p.m.
Exhibit Hall Luncheon
2-3 p.m.
Bioplastic 101
Future Trends in Electronics Recycling
Pyrolysis and Energy Generation in the Scrap Tire Industry
2-3:15 p.m.
Spotlight on Copper
Spotlight on Paper
2-4 p.m.
Just for Fun: Cooking Up Creative Cocktails
3:15-4:15 p.m.
The Three Significant Circles of Management
Dust Management in Scrap Processing and Handling
Advancements in Crumb Rubber Technology
3:30-4:30 p.m.
Disruptive Technologies and Recycling in the 21st Century
3:30-4:45 p.m.
Spotlight on Nickel/Stainless
3:30-5 p.m.
U.S./China Trade Consult Meetings, sponsored by the CMRA
6-7 p.m.
Consumers’ Night Reception
THURSDAY, APRIL 10
8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Registration
8:30-9:30 a.m.
Working With Cash Transactions
They Didn’t Really Do That, Did They?
Fraud and Employee Theft
What Does China’s Future Look Like?
Metals ID: Aluminum
9:45-10:45 a.m.
Media Relations Lab
Cargo Container Securement and Preventive Measures
Hedging
Handling “Frac Pipe” in the Scrap Stream
Metals ID: Copper
11 a.m.-Noon
Inside the Recycling Trade Media
Cargo Container Theft: Preventing Rip-offs, Scams, and Cons
Financial Instruments and Their Use in Exporting
Metals ID: Nickel/Stainless
Noon-1 p.m.
Light Lunch Items Available in the Convention Foyer
1-2:30 p.m.
General Session: Hillary Rodham Clinton
Presentation of the Design for Recycling™ Award
2:45-3:45 p.m.
Metals ID: Handheld Analyzers
3:30-5 p.m.
ISRI Board of Directors Elections
7-11 p.m.
Grand Closing Event–Mandalay Beach
The ReMA convention and exposition’s return to the Mandalay Bay resort and casino in Las Vegas gives attendees another opportunity to celebrate all the things they enjoy about this dynamic city.