2010-12-08 – ANJHHWC Meeting Minutes

Call to Order – President Ron Berenato opened the meeting at 10:35 a.m. by welcoming all to the meeting and asking every one to introduce themselves to the group

Approval of September 29, 2010 ANJHHWC Minutes– Mr. Berenato stated that the minutes from the previous meeting held at the Middlesex County Fire Training Academy were prepared by Larry Gindoff and posted on the ANJHHWC’s website (www.NJHazWaste.com).   Mr. Berenato then asked for a motion to approve the minutes.  A motion was made and seconded and approved by all present voting members.

Treasures Report – The treasurer’s report was provided by Chris Sikorski, ANJHHWC Treasurer, and he handed out a sheet summarizing his report.  Chris mentioned that membership for 2010 has expanded and included almost every county. Additionally, corporate membership expanded and a Chris gave a special thank you to Covanta for its financial contribution to the ANJHHWC in support of the “If It’s Rechargeable, It’s Recyclable” educational and promotional campaign.

Chris stated that an internal audit was done on the ANJHHWC’s 2009 finances by Tom Burbridge and Melissa Harvey and the audit was acceptable and a form noting such will be was executed by Tom and Melissa. Click the 2009 Financial and Audit Certification to view this executed certification.  Diana Vigilante made a motion to accept treasurer report, this motion was seconded and all members agreed to the acceptance of the treasurer’s report.

Larry Gindoff mentioned the ANJHHWC needs to assemble nominating committee for making a recommendation regarding board elections for consideration at the spring meeting.

Battery Recycling – Todd Ellis from Call2Recycle.org gave a report on the battery program.  First he stated how he and his company appreciate all the work of the ANJHHWC battery subcommittee.  Todd mentioned our 2010 goal was to increase the recycling of rechargeable by 15% and we are on target to reach that goal by the end of the year. Call2Recycle.org has a special URL for New Jersey people to sign up for these battery recycling boxes.  This URL is http://Call2Recycle.org/nj. Larry also mentioned the MCMUA recognized the efforts of RBRC at its annual recycling awards dinner in November.  RBRC will provide recycling tonnage as they tabulate them in order to see how we are progressing.

Electronics Recycling Act – Guy Watson, NJDEP, mentioned that the NJDEP sent out letters to all haulers they had on their list informing them of the Act and the disposal ban on covered electronics.  Someone asked if a surcharge may be assessed at disposal facilities to handle the management of illegally disposed electronics.  Guy answered “yes” and that this administrative cost could also act as a deterrent.  Prior to instituting any such cost, a disposal facility should notify NJDEP.
Letters will soon go out to disposal facilities and letters are being mailed to manufacturers that haven’t submitted their plans as required by the Act.  Guy mentioned that plans representing 84% of televisions sold in NJ and 91% of the other covered electronics have submitted plans. While the plans submitted to the NJDEP represent a large portion of the electronics sold there are large numbers of manufacturers identified that haven’t submitted plan and without the plan the law allows their products to be banned from sale in NJ until adequate recycling plans are submitted and approved.

Guy stated most of the plans submitted are good but most have deficiencies of some sort.  There is at least one collection site per county so that is an accomplishment as far as state-wide coverage goes.  Samsung, which is the largest TV manufacturer, submitted a plan but it is very deficient and NJDEP is reaching out to them to improve it.

With respect to the rules NJDEP is promulgating in conjunction with the Act, 40 comments have been submitted and some changes will be made.  Issues related to getting letters from out-of state facilities regarding permits and compliance will be updated to take into account different state’s approval processes.  Additional certifications will likely be acceptable besides BAN and R2 if they materialize and warrant approval.  The certifications were asked about and the difference between a pledge to comply with BAN vs. approved as part of BAN is different.  It’s expensive to get endorsed by BASIL vs. R2.

The proposed credit system is likely to be modified to allow flexibility in quantities of E-waste  managed from year to year.  Enforcement language will be updated to make it more consistent with the way other solid waste matters are enforced.  Finally, if the industry or the U.S. Congress develop a program that can replace NJ’s E-waste system, the change in rules will allow our system to work under the newly developed nation-wide program.  NJDEP doesn’t anticipate Congress to act anytime soon but it is more likely that the industry may develop one a nation-wide program.

With respect to the current list of covered electronic devices in the Act, there is a current bill to expand covered electronics and there is potential to expand the list in the future if such a bill is passed.
The NJDEP’s public outreach number will be 1-800-WARNNJDEP and their Web site will be www.RecycleNJ.org as the place for people to get information.  Please note that after the meeting NJDEP changed the phone number to be: 1-866-DEPKNOW.

It was suggested that last year’s battery subcommittee of the ANJHHWC redevelop and define itself as an E-waste subcommittee and work with the NJDEP and potentially get to use their funding for promotions to educate the public on this matter.

Finally, Mr. Watson stated that consumers are defined in the Act as residents and businesses with 50 people or less.  Small businesses are covered by the act but schools are not.

County Updates:

• Atlantic – Not doing anything with respect to physically managing E-waste, letting the manufacturers handle it in the Atlantic County without any participation by the ACUA.
• Bergen will continue as they have been running.  Will go over with towns but encourage towns to sign up with vendors themselves.
• Camden – Keep status quo with what they are doing but a few more towns are coming on board so they see that expanding a bit.
• Burlington – On going program will continue.  They will promote retail options (Best Buys and Good Will) About 1/3 of towns are setting up programs in their towns and they anticipate that to be 50% in future.
• Hudson – AERC -CCR 8-9 towns should have containers in their yards for the end of the year.  Hudson County will manage both covered and uncovered materials and they will continue accepting E-waste as they have done in the past.
• Mercer – Hold 5 events 3 with HHW and 2 with E-waste only, handful of municipalities do it themselves.
• Middlesex – Plan to continue as it has been running.  Went out to bid and expect to award contract to Sims for drop-off facility in Middlesex County.  Twenty towns of the 25 consolidate electronics and will deliver roll-off to Sims.
• Monmouth – HHW continuing as 2 single-day events with permanent facility to handle materials.  Electronics dropped off at reclamation center managed by Planning Board and expect boxes to be spread out at municipal depots to be managed by a contractor.
• Morris – Will continue its program of permanent facility and one-day event.  MCMUA will stop charging consumers but charge businesses.  About 15 towns now have E-waste acceptable at their recycling depots.
• Passaic – About half the towns have programs in place and several more will be added. County program will be expanded to include more 1-day events.
• Somerset – Holding 6 HHW days/year and collects E-waste first Saturday of month at recycling center but drop-off will be allowed at Newtech.  They don’t handle businesses.  3 towns currently collect E-waste at their depots.
• Salem – Been running E-Waste program since 2002 and they charge $0.06/pound for E-waste and will continue to do so in the future at their landfill.  They have no retail outlets for this material in the Salem County.  HHW programs will continue on the same 2 Saturdays as has been done in the past. Salem holds shredding events also which cost $800/ 3 hours of service.
• Union – Continuing one-day events and expanded to 5-day a week drop off at Newtech.  One town in the Union County has a drop-off now.  It is likely that approximately 11 towns will soon accept trailers for municipal drop-off of E-waste.

Commercial Members Update

• MXI mentioned the wide variety of programs MXI now runs in NJ how they are expanding some programs and pickup projects.
• Clean Venture – mentioned they have a couple of contracts around New Jersey at this time but are available to also serve clean up matters as they may pop-up during the year.
• WeRecycle – NY based company has relationship with manufacturers; they are working to update their businesses model to serve other recyclers as their end market for E-waste.
• Newtech – They now have a partnership with MRM and contracts with Somerset and Union to handle their materials.
• MRM – They have submitted 60 collection locations to NJDEP as part of their NJ collection program and MRM represent about 20 manufacturers.  Happy with the start they have gotten so far and look forward improving the program in the future.

A motion was made to thank the commercial vendors who are ANJHHWC members and to allow such commercial vendors to come to ANJHHWC meetings at no charge.  This motion was seconded and approved by all.

Adjournment – A motion was made to adjourn the meeting which was seconded and approved by all. The meeting was adjourned at 12:05 p.m.

Executive Meeting – Following the regular meeting the ANJHHWC Board conducted an executive meeting where it discussed coordinating spring meeting and establishing nominating committee for Board elections to take place at the first meeting of 2011.