Recycling State of the State: Nevada

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Recycling State of the State Nevada

• Presented by
• Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
• Kathryn Fergus and Chester Sergent

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Looking back to the past

• 1991 law, AB320 set a 25 recycling goal to be
  reached by 1995 for municipalities that adopt a
  recycling program
• In 2000, statutes encourage public agencies to
  have recycling services available in all
  municipalities that adopt recycling programs
• Tire fee funds the solid waste programs including
  recycling coordination

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What is the current state?

• 1995 Nevada Revised Statute (NRS) 444A Programs
  for Recycling states
• Establishment of a Model Plan for Public Agencies
• Counties with populations larger than 100,000 are
  responsible for providing recycling services and
  are the solid waste management authorities Clark
  and Washoe Counties only

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What is the current state?

• 1995 Nevada Revised Statute (NRS) 444A Programs
  for Recycling states
• Counties are not required by statute but may
  adopt and carry out recycling programs as deemed
  necessary
• Counties that adopt a program are required to
  report their recycling tonnage each year

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What is the current state?

• 1995 Nevada Revised Statute (NRS) 444A Programs
  for Recycling states
• The Division will provide a program of public
  education concerning the disposal of solid waste,
  recycling, reuse and waste reduction reduction
  of waste and litter technical assistance grants
  for projects concerning solid waste management
  systems and efficient use of resources
  regulations governing administration of grants

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Nevada Recycling Rates 2000-2005
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Recycling Rates for Carson City 2000-2005
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Recycling Rates for Clark County 2000-2005
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Recycling Rates for Washoe County 2000-2005
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What is NDEPs role?

• Develop an educational program, provide local
  assistance and support for the public on waste
  reduction practices
• Encourage local recyclers to work together to
  increase recycling.

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What are we doing?

• Developing a statewide recycling curriculum
• Facilitating the Nevada Recyclers Association
• Creating Statewide Recycling Awards Program
• Presenting recycling programs to local
  businesses, hospitality industry, schools,
  non-profits

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What are we doing?

• Participating in Earth Day/America Recycles day
  events
• Developing our new web address
  NevadaRecycles.gov
• Offering a toll free recycling hotline

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What is everyone else doing?

• Dozens of hotels across the state are recycling
  food scraps, cardboard, aluminum cans, and paper
• Over 78 public and private organizations
  throughout the state have made commitments to
  green building and are acquiring Leadership in
  Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building
  accreditation from the US Green Building Council

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What is everyone else doing?

• Other innovative ideas across the state include
  hotels and schools converting their boilers to
  run on yellow grease (food oil) and recovered
  woody biomass

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What is everyone else doing?

• Clark County Commissioners appointed a Southern
  Nevada Recycling Advisory Committee to introduce
  a recycling plan that would address all recycling
  opportunities for residents and businesses within
  the unincorporated area

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What is everyone else doing?

• Recently across Nevada, several E-Waste
  initiatives (Computer Corps and The Blind Center)
  have begun in an effort to collect computer
  equipment and reduce its potential impact in
  local landfills

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What is our vision for the future?

• Reaching our recycling goal of 25 and surpassing
  it
• Becoming an exemplary model of a voluntary
  recycling program

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What is our vision for the future?

• Businesses competing fiercely for the NDEP
  Recycling Awards
• Developing a local, thriving closed loop
  recycling market with end users from both public
  and private sectors
• A successful recycling curriculum distributed to
  all school districts in the state

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Discussion Time
Its Discussion Time!!
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Contact Information

• Kathryn Fergus
• Southern Nevada Recycling Coordinator
• 702-486-2850 x.251
• kfergus_at_ndep.nv.gov
• Chester Sergent
• Northern Nevada Recycling Coordinator
• 775-687-9344
• csergent_at_ndep.nv.gov