Sunny ESF

Sophie Leone • August 19, 2023

We are pleased to welcome The Center for Sustainable Materials Management at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry as an advisory member of NERC

Located near the campus of Syracuse University in central New York state, NERC’s new Advisory Member is engaged in training the next generation of sustainability experts. SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is home to approximately 2,000 graduate and undergraduate students who are focused on the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable future.


The New York State Center for Sustainable Materials Management (Center) was established at ESF in the spring of 2020 through a NYS Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) grant administered by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The Center places ESF, DEC, and their partners in a leadership role regarding materials (waste) reduction, reuse, and recycling in New York and the US. The mission of the Center is to inspire, lead, and connect a diverse group of people and organizations that will collectively challenge the concept of “waste,” through redefining and reimagining how we procure, produce, consume, manage, and market materials.

The Center’s success is rooted in ESF’s mission to educate future environmental leaders of all backgrounds, advance knowledge, and skills necessary to promote scholarship and stewardship of the natural to designed environments, and act both locally and globally to improve our world. According to ESF’s Office of Sustainability, “Transforming and maintaining a culture of operational sustainability on campus requires commitment from all members of the community.” Therefore, students and staff are offered numerous opportunities to contribute to sustainability. Student employees, for example, “serve as peer educators, tend to the campus garden, develop and implement engagement programs, compile and analyze data, perform research and assist with a variety of sustainability-related certification programs.” In addition, faculty and staff are encouraged to integrate sustainability into their teaching, research and actions.

Examples of sustainability focused policies at ESF include a Green Purchasing and Break Free From Plastic Policy, which led to the publication of a Green Purchasing Guide. A Sustainable Facilities Maintenance & Renovation Policy is supported by the provision of diversion logs and information on local construction and demolition recycling. As a state agency, ESF must maintain compliance with a number of sustainability focused SUNY and New York State policies.


NERC welcomes ESF to its small but growing roster of education institutions that are Advisory Members. It is an honor to have a hand in the development of our next generation of sustainability experts, and look forward to a mutually beneficial learning experience.



For more information about the Center for Sustainable Materials Management click here

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NERC launches hub to promote PCR demand

By Antoinette Smith | Resource Recycling, Inc. • April 15, 2026
The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) has created a PCR Material Demand Hub to help organizations prioritize purchases of PCR content and help strengthen domestic recycling markets. The site features resources for federal, state and local government procurement, material- and product-specific resources, and certification and standards for recycled content, including: Government procurement directory for recycled content and environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) Downloadable guides to buying products with PCR content, identifying and buying plastic products containing PCR, environmentally preferable purchasing specifications “Green” product directories from the US EPA, APR, SCS Global Services, the Environmental Paper Network and Intertek Electronics procurement tool for devices containing PCR plastic User manual for the EPA Recycled Content (ReCon) Tool and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Equivalencies calculator The Northeastern US has been hit especially hard by recent closures of PET reclaiming capacity, with fourth-quarter 2025 recycled commodity prices in the region reaching five-year lows . Evergreen Recycling in New York and Ohio, Alpek in Pennsylvania and Phoenix Technologies in Ohio all reduced capacity, citing lackluster demand among the factors. In line with recent short-term and long-term recommendations from industry stakeholders, the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) Demand Champions Program outlines three distinct actions to ensure the consistent demand required to scale up the recycling industry: commit to using PCR secure long-term PCR supply agreements expand PCR adoption into non-standard formats or specify PCR in purchased goods APR owns Resource Recycling, Inc., publisher of Plastics Recycling Update. Read article on Resource Recycling.

Envipco

By Sophie Leone • April 13, 2026
As a leader in vending machine technology, Envipco has over four decades of experience providing customized recycling solutions. Envipco was founded on the desire to support and recover material reuse of beverage containers. This founding idea has been their motivation for forty years as they work to help their customers become sustainable and make recycling easier for everyone. Their continuous investment in innovative technology solutions for drink packaging recycling has made them a driving force in the industry. Located worldwide, Envipco offers a wide range of solutions and services. Their versatile range of Reverse Vending Machines are designed to fit in varying environments and are customizable to fit seamlessly into their surroundings. Their smallest machine, the Compact, accepts PET bottles and cans and is ideal for a location that processes less than 400 containers per day. On the higher end, their largest machine, the Quantum, accepts containers in bulk and is capable of processing over 100 containers per minute. “At Envipco, our mission has always been to make recycling easier, more accessible, and more effective. We’re proud to join NERC and work alongside organizations that share our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and a cleaner future.” Tina Bergers, VP Americas, Envipco NERC is excited to welcome Envipco to our international base of members. We look forward to supporting their vision for a cleaner world for future generations. For more information on Envipco visit.

Maryland PaintCare Program Becomes 13th State-Wide Paint Recycling Program

By PaintCare • March 31, 2026
Marylanders can now recycle their leftover paint with PaintCare ! PaintCare is a nonprofit organization that plans and operates paint stewardship programs in states that have passed the paint stewardship law. The Maryland PaintCare program launched on April 1, 2026, making it the thirteenth jurisdiction to pass paint stewardship legislation. With the addition of Maryland, PaintCare now serves one-third of the U.S. population. PaintCare operates a network of over 100 drop-off sites across the state where households and businesses can recycle their leftover paint at no additional cost. Most drop-off sites are located at local paint retailers, making it convenient for Marylanders to responsibly dispose of their leftover paint. To find a drop-off site near you, visit the drop-off site locator on PaintCare’s website. PaintCare offers a large volume pickup (LVP) service, which provides free pickups of 100 gallons or more of eligible paint products. Those with large quantities of paint are encouraged to use this service to responsibly dispose of leftover paint. Large volume pickups can be requested through the large volume pickup request form. The paint stewardship law requires a fee, called the PaintCare fee, to be added to the purchase price of new paint. The fee is based on container size and funds all aspects of the program. This includes paint collection and recycling, consumer education, and program administration. The PaintCare fee in Maryland is as follows: