The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) has 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, Colorado, which brought in nearly 5,000 state legislators and staff members.
"It's easy for me to understand the value of the ISRI 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," says 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 in recycling subject matters. Several ISRI members participated on three of the panels, including ISRI 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, ISRI understands the importance of connecting recycling with education at all levels," says 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 fibre 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 provides critical opportunities for the exchange of ideas and experiences," says Henesey. "The Recycling Partnership creates a forum to discuss best practices, which encourages sound state laws."
