The Southeast Recycling Development Council (SERDC), the Alcoa Recycling Company (Alcoa), the Mississippi Recycling Coalition (MRC) and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) are partnering to offer a Recycling Bin Grant Program in Mississippi. This partnership program will provide an opportunity for a grant of free recycling bins for schools, colleges and universities and public and non-profit office buildings. Click here for more information.

The National Recycling Coalition (NRC) has announced that they are accepting nominations for board members. All 15 seats on the board are available for nomination. To be nominated, one must be a full NRC member in good standing for at least a year and must be 18 years of age or older. For more information, please visit their website or email Susan Kattchee at skattchee@gmail.com. Deadline for nominations is August 2, 2010 and elections will take place on October 25, 2010, at an NRC members meeting during the Resource Recycling Conference in San Antonio, TX.

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Everyone talks about dual- and single-stream materials recovery facilities (MRFs) as being an integral part of nearly all sizable recycling programs targeting residential fiber, metals and plastics. But, we really do not know much about how such plants are faring in today’s market. Resource Recycling will be issuing a survey to the managers of all dual- and single-stream MRFs throughout North America. They already have more than 600 managers targeted, but want to insure they’re surveying all of them. Are you a MRF manager or do you know the manager of the dual- or single-stream plant in your area? If so, send the appropriate contact information to info@resource-recycling.com.

Resource Recycling will undertake the largest survey of local government recycling managers this summer. They will ask these officials key questions regarding program successes and failures; barriers and opportunities to program growth; what they want from others, such as industry and the federal government; plus, they’ll seek their views on recycling’s future. Also they going to seek demographic information, including salary levels, to better portray who exactly are these key officials. While they have nearly 7,000 coordinators in their e-mail database, they want to make sure their information is up-to-date. To make sure you’re included, if you are a local government recycling official, or to make sure they have contact details for the recycling coordinator in your community, send an e-mail to info@resource-recycling.com with the appropriate details.

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) has announced that they will be holding a public hearing regarding the adoption of the proposed "Recycling Cooperative Grant Regulations" (SW-10) on Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at 6:00 PM in the Commission Hearing Room in the MDEQ offices at 515 East Amite Street, Jackson, MS. Additionally, written comments will be accepted and included in the public record if received before 5:00 PM, July 13, 2010. These proposed regulations will be to implement the recycling cooperative grants authorized by Mississippi Code Annotated Section 17-17-63(3)(c) which was approved by the Mississippi Legislature in 2009. These grants are expected to expire in 2014.

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has recently announced a funding opportunity through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) which was funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). A total of $600,000 has been allocated from the EECBG by the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) and administered by MDEQ. For more information on these funding opportunities, please see the MDEQ Solid Waste webpage.

The Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership has announced that they will be conducting a business e-waste collection event on Wednesday, April 7, 2010, at the Mississippi Farmer's Market. Used electronics from businesses and other organizations will be accepted from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Items being collected include computers, all computer components, desktop copiers, fax machines, radios, televisions, cell phones, desk phones, VCR players, DVD players, electronic games, monitors, keyboards, printers, laptops, scanners, stereos/radios, microwaves, vacuums, and smoke alarms. There will be a $1 fee for each monitor and a $10 fee for each television. Click here for more information.

On December 15, 2009, the Mississippi Recycling Coalition announced its Environmental Hero Award Winners for 2009. The pictures below are the presentations of those rewards to the Recyclers of the Year for the various categories.

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The EPA Region 4 RCRA Division, Materials Management Section, is pleased to announce its Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC) competitive grant opportunity. You may see the full announcement on EPA Region 4's website at http://www.epa.gov/region4/waste/rcra/2009rccsolicitation.html or at Grants.gov. All proposals are due by March 22, 2010, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). Please refer to the announcement for all requirements as it relates to the submission of proposals.

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The Coca-Cola Company and Keep America Beautiful have announced a new partnership for a recycling bin grant program aimed at supporting community recycling. Grant recipients receive donated recycling bins and information on beginning community recycling programs. The bin program is part of a $60 million investment by Coca-Cola in recycling initiatives in the U.S.

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