HW Green Company

Sophie Leone • June 19, 2023

We are proud to welcome HW Green Company as a new supporting advisory member to NERC

HW Green Company is a Connecticut-based scrap metal recycling facility with over 40 years of experience in metal recycling. In addition to purchasing recycled metals from individuals the company also services businesses and industrial accounts.


HW Green’s facility “offers ample space for large scrap handling needs with 20 acres for processing ferrous material and 32,000 square feet of warehouses to process non-ferrous material,” the company states. The company purchases a wide range of recycled scrap metal from individuals and businesses.


In what the company describes on its website as “new beginnings”, HW Green purchased the facility in late 2021 and embarked on a complete site renovation. As a result of the acquisition, the company is now a certified SBE/WBE with the State of CT. According to CEO Krista Ostuno, HW Green has “worked diligently to be a community partner through action and education. Initiatives that expose today’s youth to recycling is essential in fostering a positive future for our industry.”


The company also sponsors local schools with books from the Scrap University Kids program, as well as providing its own Metal ID Kits. This allows students and teachers to learn more about recycling in conjunction with offering “recycle drives” to get the younger generation involved and enthusiastic about metal recycling.


Other sustainable initiatives undertaken by the company include investing in a state-of-the-art solar system to power its buildings, reinforcing its commitment to utilizing renewable resources. Of course, scrap recycling—the company’s main line of business--itself “offers real solutions for balancing economic growth and environmental stewardship through sustainable initiatives,” the company states.


HW Green is also a member of longtime NERC Advisory Member and trade association Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI).

“HW Green Company is thrilled to be a new member of NERC,” Ostuno said. “We are passionate about metal recycling and sharing the essential benefits of our industry with others. We are looking forward to collaborating with fellow NERC members who share the vision of seeking sustainable solutions through action and implementation. The future is truly bright for the recycling industry.”


NERC concurs with Ostuno’s optimistic outlook for the recycling industry and welcomes HW Green as a valued Advisory Member.


For more information about HW Green Company click here

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WRAP

By Sophie Leone • March 25, 2026
WRAP is a global environmental action NGO with a mission to "embed Circular Living in every boardroom and every home". Established in the UK in 2000, it has since expanded to offices in Europe and the USA, with live projects in over 30 countries. There are four main priorities driving their work: future-proofing food, preventing problematic plastics and packaging, accelerating the circular economy, and transforming textiles. Textiles, food, and manufactured products account for nearly half of the climate problem, and WRAP has acknowledged that a new approach is needed to mitigate the climate crisis. Their new approach, "Circular Living" — detailed as "design-make-reuse" — targets the root causes of this crisis across the entire product lifecycle. Their website offers diverse resources, including successful case studies on housing, farming, food waste, waste collection, and much more. Along with these case studies, WRAP offers webinars, resources guides, campaign tools, reports, and more. Their dedicated work has allowed them to expand their reach globally, impact the industry on all levels, and produce critical information materials. "Everyone I meet in this field is someone who looks at an object and says, "I can make something with that" - and they built a career on solution-seeking. In a time of supply chain disruptions and market volatility, the recycling industry's can-do (pun intended) mindset is critical for recovering value and reducing demand for resource extraction. WRAP is excited to join NERC and connect with members supporting this vital component of the circular economy." Sarah Morley – Strategic Engagement Manager at WRAP Americas NERC is excited to welcome WRAP to our impactful team of NGO’s. We look forward to supporting their mission and the incredible work they do around the world. For more information on WRAP visit.

University of Vermont Casella Center for Circular Economy and Sustainability

By Sophie Leone • March 24, 2026
The University of Vermont (UVM) launched the Casella Center for Circular Economy and Sustainability in 2025, with support from a large gift by Casella Waste Systems, Inc. The Center is a “research hub developing sustainable solutions for waste and materials management that reduce pollution and create economic opportunities.” The work done in the UVM Casella Center builds on three decades of collaboration between Casella Waste Systems and UVM. The Casella Center is a part of the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. The Rubenstein School has “prepared environmentally and socially responsible leaders, scientists, practitioners, and advocates” for 50 years. While based in the Rubenstein School, the Casella Center includes UVM faculty affiliates and students spanning multiple disciplines and Colleges, including engineering, agriculture, life sciences, and policy. “At the UVM Casella Center, we are focused on the intersection of rigorous scholarship and practical solutions. This requires us to work collaboratively with many stakeholders, including those in the public and private sectors working hard daily to improve our materials management systems. Joining NERC will help us stay connected to the Northeast sustainable materials management community.” – Dr. Eric Roy, Director, UVM Casella Center for Circular Economy and Sustainability NERC is excited to welcome The University of Vermont Casella Center for Circular Economy and Sustainability to our growing group of academic institutions. We look forward to supporting their students and ongoing efforts to make lasting environmental impacts. For more information on UVM Casella Center for Circular Economy and Sustainability visit .

Northeast recycled commodity values hit 5-year lows

By Antoinette Smith | Resource Recycling • March 6, 2026
Fourth-quarter MRF commodity values in the Northeast reached five-year lows, as they continued to drop but at a decelerating pace, according to Northeast Recycling Council survey data released this week. The average value for all commodities fell to $68.41/ton without residuals, lower by 8.96% on the quarter. This level marks the lowest point since Q4 2020, when the grade hit $60.46. The report includes responses from 18 MRFs representing 12 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia. With residuals, average values were at $52.49/ton with residuals, lower by 12.75% – the lowest point since Q3 2020, when the grade reached $40.19. The report also detailed the change in Q4 average values, with For PET, PP and mixed plastics (#3-7), as well as steel cans, the rate of decrease slowed in the quarter, while OCC, aluminum cans and mixed paper continued falling at the same pace as the previous quarter. Average pricing for both natural and color HDPE bales, brown glass containers and all other paper rose in Q4. However, clear glass, green glass and 3-mix glass containers, along with bulky rigids, fell during the period, after rising in Q3. The report points out that recovered glass often is marketed but at a negative value, meaning recipients are paid to take it away. Single stream decreased by 7.87% without residuals and by 9.82% with residuals, while dual stream/source separated materials fell by 10.57% without residuals, and by 18.98% with residuals. Although dual-stream MRFs did not decelerate as much as their single-stream counterparts, they did see a higher average commodity price compared to single stream for both with and without residuals. Residual material cannot be sold and is landfilled. The report also showed the 2024 share of each material at 18 MRFs, with OCC and mixed paper representing nearly one half of incoming volumes. Of the included states, five have deposit return systems for beverage containers, which results in fewer glass bottles, PET bottles and aluminum cans winding up in MRFs there. In addition, MRFs in those states typically generate less revenue from those recyclables, the report said. The report also showed the 2024 share of each material at 18 MRFs, with OCC and mixed paper representing nearly one half of incoming volumes. Of the included states, five have deposit return systems for beverage containers, which results in fewer glass bottles, PET bottles and aluminum cans winding up in MRFs there. In addition, MRFs in those states typically generate less revenue from those recyclables, the report said. Of the three approaches reflected in the report – single stream, dual stream and source separation – single stream is the most common. Read the article on Resource Recycling's website.