P.O. Box 20444 Indianapolis, IN 46220-0444 Not-For-Profit Corporation Phone & Fax: 317-283-6226 e-mail address: [email protected] July/August 1997 Newsletter Co-Editors: David J. Wintz and Julie L. Rhodes

NRC News

by Laura M. Dellinger

Greetings! I am the representative for the Indiana Recycling Coalition to the State Recycling Organization Council (SROC) of the National Recycling Coalition (NRC).

The IRC is an associate member organization with the NRC. Among other things, this means that IRC members who join the NRC through the IRC get a 50% discount off of their NRC membership. But, more importantly, this means that IRC members have direct access to information on source reduction, recycling and buy-recycled issues on a national basis. Information flows both ways. On an ongoing basis, I will be passing along information to you through this newsletter, and I will be eager to hear or read any commentary or opinion that you would like expressed to the NRC leadership.

We are all interrelated and interconnected in this industry. What happens in collection can affect the manufacture of products, and what happens to the purchase and manufacture of products definitely impacts recycled collection. But we are also inter-affected on the local level by what happens on the national level, and things that happen in one locality often become the basis for national debate.

Here is some information about NRC upcoming events:

1996 DEBT RESOLVED
Thanks to many organizations and the over 200 NRC individual members who responded to the request by the NRC leadership for assistance, the $200,000+ long-term debt has been retired. Large contributions were made by three sponsors of the Buy Recycled Business Alliance, and an aggressive effort was made to recover funds owed to the NRC from as long ago as 1995. A full list of contributors, along with a complete accounting of the fund recovery/fund raising efforts will be provided to NRC members in the next issue of the NRC Connection.

CHECK YOUR MEMBERSHIP STATUS TO VOTE IN BOARD ELECTIONS
Notice has been sent that all members wishing to remain voting members must be on the paid membership list in the NRC office by close of business on Friday, August 1. Members not attending or voting at the NRC conference can vote by mail (postmarked no later than August 30). There is likely to be a very crowded ballot, as the Board is being downsized from 35 to 25 members. There will be nine slots open and approximately 11 incumbents up for re-election, in addition to any newcomers.

16TH NRC CONGRESS & EXPOSITION AT DISNEY WORLD
Recycling: It's a Small World After All is this year's theme. The conference will take place from September 22 - 24. Congress Program Previews are out and available. If you are interested in attending, contact Ms. Jodi Lehner of the NRC at 703/683-9025 (phone), or 703/683-9026 (fax).

MARKET DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORY UPDATED
As part of its Recycling Financing Initiative project with the US Environmental Protection Agency, NRC plans to publish a 1997-98 State Market Development Directory later this fall. The NRC is currently surveying state and regional market development agencies to collect information on their market development programs, legislation and financing resources. For more information, contact Shelly Carson at the NRC at 703/683-9025.

AF&PA RECYCLING SURVEY
The American Forest and Paper Association and the American Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council have conducted their third annual Community Recycling Survey. County recycling coordinators nationwide were surveyed by mail and phone on the status of paper and paperboard recycling opportunities in communities. A summary of the final results will be available from the AF&PA in July. For more information contact Elizabeth Seiler at AF&PA, 202/ 463-2700.

NRC PARTICIPATES IN PRESIDENT'S SUMMIT FOR AMERICA'S FUTURE
The NRC was one of only two environmental organizations participating in the summit, and NRC President Susan Hubbard and Secretary Catherine Wilt were our representatives. Our involvement came about due to our Recycling to Build Community program in which the NRC has placed more than 50 Americorps VISTA members in more than 20 communities around the country, over the last two years.

NRC MEMBERSHIP NUMBERS INCREASE
As of March, 1997, membership stands at 4,629, compared to 3,788 in March of 1996. The biggest increases, percentage-wise, were seen in the Individual category (32%) and in the National Trade category (63%).

AL GORE TO BE HONORARY CHAIR OF AMERICA RECYCLES DAY
The national Executive Committee for America Recycles Day has been hard at work, recruiting national sponsors and putting together a nationwide organization of participating states. The Indiana Recycling Coalition will be the point organization in our state, and the co-chairs are Bob Gedert and Laura M. Dellinger. The goal is to have up to 30 states participating in the November 15, 1997 event, which will feature local events, activities and media coverage, a pledge card drive, and a national drawing for spectacular prizes. The theme for this year is Keep Recycling Working: Buy Recycled. To donate prizes for our state drawing, volunteer for an organizing committee or event committee, or to offer suggestions and ideas, contact Bob Gedert at 317/233-3154 (phone) or [email protected] (e-mail); and Laura M. Dellinger at 317/232-7658 (phone) or [email protected] (e-mail).