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This is a wrap-up of the 2022 Legislative Session. To view the current session legislation, please visit our Policy & Legislation page.
The New Hampshire Legislature's 2022 session, which included numerous bills related to solid waste and recycling, has concluded. Of the original 19 bills NRRA was tracking, five were signed into law by the Governor, one was vetoed by the Governor, and the rest were referred to interim study or were killed.
Bills Signed into LawHB 1420 (2022-2649) HB Title : Prohibiting the issuance of new landfill permits until the state's solid waste plan is updated.
This law prohibits the issuance of new landfill permits until the state's solid waste plan is updated consistent with the requirements of RSA 149-M:29.
Reagan Bissonnette, NRRA Executive Director, has been accepted as a member of the Leadership New Hampshire Class of 2023. Leadership New Hampshire is a statewide program whose mission is building a community of informed and engaged leaders. Reagan will participate in a 10-month program with a cohort of 32 other associates from across the Granite State who hold leadership positions in the private, nonprofit, and public sectors.
As the Executive Director of NRRA, Reagan oversees NRRA's partnership with over 450 municipalities, businesses, and individuals throughout New England to make recycling strong through economic and environmentally sound solutions. NRRA is one of only a handful of nonprofits in the country that connects municipalities with purchasers and processors of recyclable commodities, enabling communities to manage their own recycling programs. Reagan writes and speaks extensively about recycling and waste reduction, including in regional and national forums. She was appointed to the New...Read more
A large part of the Northeast Resource Recovery Association's mission and work is focused on technical assistance - helping municipalities coordinate and run successful recycling programs that handle a variety of recyclables, including hazardous waste such as electronics. The rural nature of northern New Hampshire, however, has posed unique challenges to towns in Coos County that are limited by a lack of recycling facilities. With increased costs of fuel, hauling loads several hours to southern New Hampshire is often not feasible.
A newly approved Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, however, could help the county tackle this lack of access. With an unprecedented $375 million in funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop three new waste prevention, reuse, and recycling programs , new and improved recycling programs and facilities could be coming to the North Country sooner rather than later.
Reagan Bissonnette, Executive Director of NRRA...Read more
A panel of solid waste operators with 20 years or more of continued service, including NRRA Senior Member Services Representative Bonnie Bethune, shared their insights at "Guardians of the Garbage - A 20+ Year Legacy." At this workshop hosted by the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Solid Waste Operator Training (SWOT) Program, panelists provided insights on how the world of solid waste has changed in NH, where they see it going, and how the next generation can make the best decisions in moving forward.
The panelists included Bonnie Bethune, Senior Member Services Representative for NRRA, as well as staff from four NRRA member communities:
Sonny Ouellette, Transfer Station Supervisor, Rumney NH Jimmy Gooden, Transfer Station Supervisor, Whitefield NH Duncan Watson, Assistant Director Public Works, City of Keene NH Steve Doumas, Former Recycling Center Manager (retired), Merrimack NHRick Belanger from Ponderosa Disposal and Bill Howard from Waste...Read more
In mid-May, over 270 attendees from New England and beyond gathered in person to attend the Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA) annual Recycling Conference & Expo. Recycling and waste management industry attendees were treated to a dynamic keynote panel, connected with expo vendors, and participated in over a dozen workshops, presented by experienced recycling industry professionals. The event had the buzz of a reunion, as many attendees had not gathered together since NRRA's last in-person conference in May 2019.
For those who attended, the planning for another engaging and impactful conference is already underway, and for those who couldn't join us this year, we hope to see you in 2023!
We hope you enjoy this video compilation of the 2022 Recycling Conference!
The federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides an unprecedented $375 million in funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop three new waste prevention, reuse, and recycling programs : (1) Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program; (2) Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program, Model Recycling Program Toolkit and School Curriculum; and (3) Battery Collection Best Practices and Voluntary Battery Labeling Guidelines. Learn about these new grant and initiatives being designed and share your feedback.
Solid Waste Infrastructure and Recycling Grant ProgramFunding Available: $275 million total; $55 million nationally per year from fiscal year 2022 to 2026; no match requirement Goals: improve post-consumer materials management and infrastructure; support improvements to local post-consumer materials management and recycling programs; and assist local waste management authorities in making improvements to local waste management systems
Eligible Entities: include municipalities, states, and tribes...Read more
NRRA members gathered at the Moultonborough, NH Transfer Station for a MOM meeting and to talk about the use of security cameras at recycling facilities. It turns out that Moultonborough has other natural guards at the station, too. Members got to see a black bear lumber by the building during the meeting and observed a snapping turtle during egg laying-season.
Many recycling facilities are spread out, which make it difficult to see what residents are unloading and if they are being safe. Staff shortages are common, so it makes it impossible to be in all places at once. Security cameras are useful not just for documenting safety issues with residents, but also safety for the staff as well. Some towns have one person on duty at the facility, and accidents can happen.
Ken Filpula, Moultonborough Transfer Station Supervisor and NRRA Board of Trustees member, let members know that...Read more
Lithium battery disposal is a hot issue. Recently, NRRA shared a post on how to properly dispose of batteries, including lithium batteries, which are serious fire hazards. When not properly disposed, lithium batteries can easily combust, causing costly damage, injury, or even death.
This fact was brought to life, unfortunately, at the Lee, NH Transfer Station earlier this week when an improperly disposed-of lithium battery caught fire.
"Thanks to the quick thinking of the Transfer Station crew today, this situation was handled quickly and safely. Their training was put to good use, and there was no damage to any equipment or the building," said the Lee NH Public Works Department in a Facebook post . "Again, we got really lucky this was spotted quickly, or the situation could have been much much worse!"
For Operators: What can...Read more
The New Hampshire Legislature's 2022 session included numerous bills related to solid waste and recycling. Of the original 19 bills NRRA was tracking, two have been signed into law by the Governor, and four more are pending either the Governor's signature or veto. All other bills have been referred to interim study or were killed. The two bills signed into law are SB 380, which adds duties to the solid waste working group relative to solid waste plans and disposal sites, and SB 396, which allows the Department of Environmental Services to require an applicant to contract with an engineer or hydrogeologist when evaluating a permit for a landfill. This article was last revised on May 25, 2022.
Need a refresher about how the legislative process works in New Hampshire? Here's an overview of how a bill becomes a law . A Glossary of Terms is...Read more
270 attendees from New England and beyond attended the recycling nonprofit Northeast Resource Recovery Association’s (NRRA) annual Recycling Conference & Expo on May 16 and 17. Recycling and waste management industry attendees gathered in person at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown Hotel in Manchester, NH, with a few joining online for select livestreamed workshops. The event had the buzz of a reunion, as many attendees had not gathered together since NRRA's last in-person conference in May 2019.
For over forty years, NRRA’s annual Recycling Conference & Expo has been a premier conference focused exclusively on municipal recycling and waste reduction in the Northeast. Day one’s keynote panelists Keefe Harrison, Founder and CEO of The Recycling Partnership, Kevin Roche, CEO of ecomaine, and Peter Blair, Staff Attorney at the Conservation Law Foundation discussed their vision of the conference theme “ What’s Next: Rethinking Resource Recovery .” An extensive and...Read more