MassRecycle Podcast

Waneta and Gretchen are joined by Jan Ameen, Executive Director of the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District to discuss her research into what to do with vape devices.  Complicated regulatory issues surround the components of these devices, from controlled substance concerns to battery disposal issues. We usually talk about recycling, but some vape devices have no end point whatsoever. When there is nowhere to put something, it goes into the waste stream and the inherent dangers are put on the waste workers.  What do we do with these devices at the end of life? The answers are not straightforward, but there are some options. Listen and learn more about this complicated, and growing issue. The post Episode 48: Vaping Device Disposal [https://massrecycle.org/podcast/episode-48-vaping-device-disposal/] first appeared on MassRecycle [https://massrecycle.org].

Waneta and Gretchen are joined by Gail Sowerder Garron, Regional Planner for MassDEP, and Alison Beucler, Sanitation and Hazardous Material Program Manager for the City of Somerville, to discuss food waste diversion in K-12 schools. Food waste contributes significantly to the overall waste generated by schools. Discover the successes and challenges of existing programs, ranging from administrative initiatives to student-led efforts. There’s no single approach to starting a program, and you will learn from their experiences and access resources for your district. If you are a volunteer or school employee, reach out to gail.garron@mass.gov [gail.garron@mass.gov] for Green SWoRD School Waste Reduction and Diversion resources. The post Episode 47: Organics Diversion in K-12 Schools [https://massrecycle.org/podcast/episode-47-organics-diversion-in-k-12-schools/] first appeared on MassRecycle [https://massrecycle.org].

11/16/22 — Boston, Massachusetts Center for Computing & Data Sciences at sundown Nov 16.Photo by Cydney Scott for Boston University Photography   Waneta and Gretchen are joined by Sarah Healey, MassRecycle Board member and Zero Waste Manager at Boston University, to discuss building your Zero Waste goals into your contracts. Sarah has been on both sides of the waste contract, previously working for Casella Waste Systems.  To work toward  90% diversion, BU has implemented Resource Management Contracting, a system that  incentivizes waste reduction over time.  Learn how to build your sustainability goals into your contracts, how to get buy-in from all parties, and look toward the future all in this invaluable episode! See Sarah’s presentation on Contracting for Zero Waste from the 2024 MassRecycle Conference, and a treasure trove of reference documents here [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rZdD_zuf5C13_ly44JmI5D3Td4hSO6O6?usp=drive_link]. The post Episode 46: Contracting for Zero Waste [https://massrecycle.org/podcast/episode-46-contracting-for-zero-waste/] first appeared on MassRecycle [https://massrecycle.org].

Waneta and Gretchen answer the perennial question “Why can’t I recycle this?”.  Recycling is a commodity, and not only does it need to be collected and sorted, someone needs to want to buy it.  To understand what is recyclable and what is not, it is important to understand the system: Who has access to recycling? How are those items sorted? How much of it is collected? What materials have an end market where they are given a second life as a new product?  If you have been wondering what happens to your recycling, or you want to answer your friends’ questions about why you bother, this is the episode for you! The post Episode 45: Why Can’t I Recycle This? [https://massrecycle.org/podcast/episode-45-why-cant-i-recycle-this/] first appeared on MassRecycle [https://massrecycle.org].

Waneta and Gretchen are joined by Jessica Camarena, City of New Bedford Recycling Coordinator, and Rosanna Deldosario, City of Lawrence Recycling Coordinator, to discuss their work to make recycling more accessible to residents. Both of their positions extend past recycling into waste reduction, education, and outreach. Establishing school programming, informing landlords, and providing materials in multiple languages are just some of the strategies that have contributed to outstanding advances toward sustainability in these two communities. All of this and more in this episode of the MassRecycle Podcast. The post Episode 44: Recycling Programming in Multilingual Communities [https://massrecycle.org/podcast/episode-44-recycling-programming-in-multilingual-communities/] first appeared on MassRecycle [https://massrecycle.org].